114th Congress
June 16, 2016
“Yesterday, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy from the state of Connecticut reminded us of the truth in that statement when for 15 hours he stood on the floor of the United States Senate and refused to yield until he got a commitment from the Republican Leadership of the Senate to hold a vote on a no-fly, no-buy piece of legislation to restrict people on the terror watch list from buying firearms, and also for a common sense background check reform which allow internet sales and gun shows sales to be included in the background check system which is supported by 53% of NRA households. ... It is time for us to listen to Chris Murphy, to follow his example, to thank him for his leadership, and persistence, and courage, and let’s do what the American People are looking for which is ways to protect us from these mass shootings which are far too many, and far too damaging to the people of this country.”
June 14, 2016
“We write to raise a growing concern of our constituents in the fishing industry who are facing extreme economic hardship related to the structure of fisheries management across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic,” the lawmakers wrote. “On several occasions during town halls and meetings in Connecticut with many of the fishermen who operate in the state, we have repeatedly heard concerns that black sea bass, summer flounder, and scup have migrated northward, but the state-by-state allocations for these species still reflect historical numbers when they were in greater abundance in the mid-Atlantic. These outdated allocations are disadvantaging fishermen in the Northeast."
Issues:
Agriculture
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June 4, 2016
When Justice Croutch graduated from Tolland High School five years ago, her future looked bright.
With dazzling green eyes and a smile that lit up a room, she enrolled in a dental hygienist program, earning a 4.0-grade point average in her first year.
Now 22, Justice is in a vegetative state in a New Hampshire nursing home, needing a machine to breathe and unable to recognize her family or friends.
Issues:
Health Care
June 3, 2016
“The roundtable at Grasso Tech this morning was a great opportunity to once again get all of the key stakeholders for the manufacturing pipeline into one place,” said the delegation members. “The discussion was focused on how we build upon the success of the first graduating class in order to make sure that we are training enough skilled workers to meet the growing need in high-tech manufacturing. With work at Electric Boat quickly ramping up, we need to be doing everything we can to prepare Connecticut workers to fill new positions at the shipyard and across the state-wide network of suppliers.”
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May 26, 2016
During a hearing on Navy readiness challenges, Congressman Joe Courtney, Ranking Member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, questions Navy officials on challenges in meeting submarine readiness and maintenance needs. In particular, he cited the delays in repairing two submarines - the USS Albany and USS Boise - and the impact they have on meeting the operational requirements of the submarine force. Watch his exchange here, and read an informal transcript below.
May 26, 2016
"Admiral Davidson, it is a pleasure to see you again. You and your entire team did an incredible job hosting me and my staff in Norfolk earlier this year. It was a great chance to see firsthand many of the same issues we will talk about here today. Most importantly, thank you the witnesses here to share their deck plate perspective on the challenges that our Navy faces in operations and readiness. I know we will benefit greatly to get the on the ground view of the challenges facing our Naval forces."
May 24, 2016
"Secretary Ash Carter’s visit to Electric Boat and Naval Submarine Base New London today underscores the high priority the Department of Defense places on boosting our undersea capabilities,” said the delegation members. “Secretary Carter recognizes the great strategic value and role of our submarine force in meeting our current and future national security priorities."
May 23, 2016
"As Members of Congress from states with rich fishing heritage and storied maritime industries, we write today to voice our concerns about the current fishery management structure for the black sea bass, summer flounder, and scup fish stocks,” wrote the delegation members. “As fluctuations in ocean temperatures shift fish populations northward, New England fishermen are unfairly shortchanged when bountiful stocks managed by a Fishery Management Council outside of their region allocates local states low catch quotas."
Issues:
Agriculture
Economy & Jobs
May 19, 2016
“This grant funding is good news for our local fire departments that can use these federal funds to purchase life-saving equipment for their firefighters,” said Courtney. “Our first-responder put their lives on the line each and every day to protect our homes and our communities, and we need to make sure we are doing everything we can to provide them with the appropriate equipment to keep them safe.”
May 18, 2016
“While I have a number of concerns with this bill that I would like to see addressed in conference, I ultimately chose to vote yes because it is a good bill for the defense priorities of our region, state, and nation as a whole,” said Courtney.