WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 -- The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies issued the following testimony by Christina Bennett, communications director for the Family Institute of Connecticut, as part of a virtual hearing entitled "The Impact on Women Seeking an Abortion but are Denied Because of an Inability to Pay": My name is Christina Bennett and I am a pro-life advocate and the Communications Director for the Family Institute of Connecti  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Rep. Jim Himes, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release on Dec. 17: The United States House of Representatives passed a bill authored by Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) that would change the designation of Weir Farm in Wilton and Ridgefield from a National Historical Site to a National Historical Park. The change will better represent Weir's complex cultural, natural and recreational offerings to the public. This prestigious status will also reflect the increased   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release on Dec. 16: Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) and the House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 7105, the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act. The bipartisan bill includes a provision that will move the ball forward and contribute to an effort Rep. Courtney has worked for years to advance through the Agent Orange Fairness Act (H.R. 566) by mandating a Government Accountability Office (GAO)   more

HARTFORD, Connecticut, Dec. 15 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) applauded the announcement that his Washington D.C. Scheduler and Executive Assistant and West Hartford native, Sarah Gianni, was named an "Unsung Hero of Capitol Hill" by the Ripon Society and Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange. "Sarah Gianni goes above and beyond each and every day for our office and the people of Connecticut's First District. "She tr  more

NORWICH, Connecticut, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) announced that the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) will award a round of federal grants totaling $1,875,000 to support addiction prevention and recovery efforts in Colchester, East Hampton, Ledyard, and Old Lyme. The grant awards were dispersed through ONDCP's Drug Free Communities Support program, and will provide continuing funding to st  more

VERNON, Connecticut, Dec. 14 -- Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement this evening after electors in all fifty states had officially cast their ballots in the formal Electoral College process, affirming Joe Biden's election as the 46th President of the United States. "Tonight's final vote by Electoral College members from across the U.S. confirms, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution, that Joe Biden has bee  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, issued the following statement: * * * Appropriations Committee Chair-designate and Chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) issued the following statement on reports that many states will be receiving 25-40% fewer coronavirus vaccine doses next week than was originally anticipated: "This confusion and disruption to distribution are exactly why I, a  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, issued the following statement: * * * Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Chair-elect of the House Appropriations Committee and a key member of Speaker Pelosi's Trade Working Group, issued the following statement on the Independent Mexico Labor Expert Board's (IMLEB) first report that raises concerns with Mexican labor practices: "The creation of this first interim report from IMLEB, as required by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agr  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, issued the following statement: * * * Chair-designate Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) issued the following statement welcoming the new appointments to the House Appropriations Committee for the 117th Congress, Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Congressman Josh Harder (CA-10), Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03), Congressman David Trone (MD-06), Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), and Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (VA-10): "We have our work  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release on Dec. 16: The House passed H.R. 7105, which includes bipartisan legislation sponsored by Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) to support Connecticut veterans and their families. The package includes provisions from Congresswoman Hayes' Surviving Families Benefits Expansion Act, H.R. 8559, which will lower the age at which a surviving spouse may receive Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits fro  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 -- Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Connecticut, issued the following statement on Dec. 14: * * * Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statement acknowledging the 8th year of remembrance of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting: "Eight years removed, the pain and scars of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have never left us. Today, we take time to pause and remember the 20 innocent children and 6 selfless educators whose lives were taken that d  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 -- Rep. Jim Himes, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release on Dec. 14: Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that the Town of Oxford will receive a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services. The grant will create a Security Operations Center with three personnel monitoring the four campuses during schools hours. Additionally, the grant will also allow for a mass notification system that will allow schools to lo  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Rep. Jim Himes, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release on Dec. 17: Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that four fire departments in Southwest Connecticut will receive Assistance To Firefighters Grants (AFG) totaling $722,654 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The grants, awarded to the Bridgeport, Fairfield, Oxford, and Shelton Fire Departments, will ensure Southwest Connecticut fire departments have the training and resources they need to  more

HARTFORD, Connecticut, Dec. 15 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release on Dec. 14: Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) applauded the announcement that a bipartisan, bicameral agreement has been reached to end surprise medical billing, putting patients first. "The No Surprises Act will end surprise medical billing that millions of Americans experience every year after receiving unexpected out-of-network medical care. Approximately one in six hospital visits resul  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 -- Rep. Mike Thompson, D-California, issued the following statement on Dec. 14: * * * Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) released the following statement marking the eight-year anniversary since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. "Eight years ago, our nation watched as tragedy unfolded at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Twenty innocent children had their lives and futures cut short. "Six incredibl  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: Reps. John B. Larson (CT-01) and Joe Courtney (CT-02) introduced the Pandemic Supplies Production Act to nationalize the production and distribution of essential supplies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. "As we fight through this second surge of COVID-19 we need to make sure we have the supplies to combat the virus. The Pandemic Supplies Production Act would not only boost production of Personal Protect  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release on Dec. 17: House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John B. Larson (D-CT) and Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) sent a letter to Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Andrew Saul demanding that SSA forgive repayment of extra benefits paid to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries due to the COVID-19 pandemic  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee, on Wednesday met virtually with President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra. The two discussed the importance of a coordinated, science-driven approach to tackling COVID-19. They also spoke about the need to protect and expand the Affo  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release on Dec. 14: U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Monday released the following statement on the eighth anniversary of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School: "It's hard to describe the grief I feel today. Eight years after the tragic day, I'm reminded how important it is to hold your loved ones closer and to be kinder to the people around you," said Murphy. "But where there's grief,   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: Following reports that the outgoing Trump administration is destroying presidential records and ignoring the law when using non-official electronic devices to conduct official business, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday introduced the Promoting Accountability and Security in Transition (PAST) Act, to clarify and enhance existing law with regards to presidential transition and presiden  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, issued the following statement on Dec. 14: * * * Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement marking eight years since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut: "Eight years ago, the community of Newtown, Connecticut and our whole nation were confronted with unimaginable horror at the murder of 20 innocent children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Since that heartbreak  more