WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news on May 6, 2025: * * * At Hearing, Blumenthal Takes VA Secretary Collins to Task: You Have Failed to Give Us Any Information or Answers Collins failed to provide Blumenthal specific numbers or information on his plans to cut 83,000 VA employees and past firings; Blumenthal presses Collins: "You can fill the air with words, but what veterans deserve is  more

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Blumenthal Statement on Pratt & Whitney Machinists Strike [Hartford, CT] - U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal released a statement today on the Pratt & Whitney International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) vote to strike starting Monday. "I stand with Machinists in fighting for basic workplace fairness-- decent, well-deserved pay, pensions and job security. Workers need l  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Blumenthal Statement on Reinstatement of Federal IMLS Grant to CT State Library [Hartford, CT] - Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the statement below following the news that the Connecticut State Library has been notified by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) that its FY2024 federal grant in the amount of $2.16 million has been reinstated, reversing its   more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Blumenthal Statement on Trump Nominating Loyalist as VA's Top Watchdog Official [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today released a statement on President Trump's nomination of a current Trump Administration senior political advisor to be the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General. Trump's nominee--Cheryl Mason--curr  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news on May 6, 2025: * * * Blumenthal Statement on Trump Nominating Loyalist as VA's Top Watchdog Official Blumenthal raises flag over nomination, stresses clear conflict of interest in nominating political official to independent oversight role [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today release  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Blumenthal, Murphy & Colleagues Introduce Bill to Empower & Protect VA Health Care Workers & Patients [HARTFORD, CT] - Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, and Chris Murphy (D-CT) joined colleagues in re-introducing legislation that would help right a long-term wrong curtailing Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) employees'  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Blumenthal, Murphy, & Colleagues Demand DOJ Reverse Cancellation of Hundreds of Public Safety Grants [HARTFORD, CT] - Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) joined 27 Democratic senators in sending a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) urging Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg to reverse the abrupt cancellat  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Blumenthal, Schakowsky, & Mullin Call on Trump Administration to Reverse Plans to Eliminate Consumer Product Safety Commission [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Kevin Mullin (D-CA) today led 21 members of the Senate and 27 members of the House in calling on Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to r  more

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Blumenthal, Senators Raise Alarm with Impact of Trump's Tariff Plan & Trade War on VA's Health Care System [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today led a group of his colleagues to stress their concerns with President Donald Trump's "reckless and destabilizing" tariff plan and trade war, and the impact it will have on the Departmen  more

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news: * * * Blumenthal, Senators Raise Alarm with Impact of Trump's Tariff Plan and Trade War on VA's Health Care System [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today led a group of his colleagues to stress their concerns with President Donald Trump's "reckless and destabilizing" tariff plan and tra  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, issued the following opening statement on May 7, 2025, at a hearing entitled "Air Force Projection Forces Aviation Programs and Capabilities": * * * I'd also like to thank our witnesses - Ms. Costello and Lieutenant General Tabor - for being here and for their testimony. It is unfortunate that this important hearing is happening without the actual Fi  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on May 8, 2025: * * * DeLauro Demands Explanation on Trump's Firing of FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton Trump Fires Another Veteran WASHINGTON -- House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) issued the following statement in response to reports that the Trump administration has fired Federal Emergency Management Agency (F  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release: * * * DeLauro on the Firing of the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden WASHINGTON -- House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) issued the following statement on President Trump's abrupt firing of the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden: "Every Member of Congress I know--Democratic or Republican--loves and respect  more

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * DeLauro Statement on Israeli Plan to Reoccupy Gaza Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) issued the following statement: "Prime Minister Netanyahu's alleged 'plan' will supercharge the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where aid has been completely choked off, leaving millions in famine. Instead of allowing aid into Gaza to be managed by experienced international organizations and trusted local  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * DeLauro Statement on Retirement of Jan Schakowsky Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released a statement after her friend and colleague Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) announced she would not seek re-election in the next Congress: "One of my great privileges of my time in Congress has been serving with Jan Schakowsky. I met her before our time in Congress, and I quickly realized s  more

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Hayes Leads National Teacher Appreciation Week Resolution WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) introduced a resolution supporting the designation of the week of May 5, 2025, through May 9, 2025, as "Teacher Appreciation Week" and highlighting key priorities and perspectives of educators across the nation. Congresswoman Hayes also announced the launch of the Congressional Teac  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Hayes, House Agriculture Democrats Speak Out Against Republican Plan To Cut SNAP Benefits WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, Jahana Hayes (CT-05) joined by Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02), Vice Ranking Member Shontel Brown (OH-11), other House Democrats, as well as farmers, veterans and parents to speak out against the Republican pla  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Hayes, Levin, Murray Introduce Bill to Expand Summer EBT Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, Congressman Mike Levin (CA-49), and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), introduced the Stop Child Hunger Act, legislation to expand the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program to include periods when schools are cl  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Rep. Jim Himes, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following news release on May 6, 2025: * * * Himes, Castro Statement on DNI Gabbard's Misrepresentation of Intelligence on Tren De Aragua Washington, DC -- Congressman Jim Himes, Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Congressman Joaquin Castro, Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, today released  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * House Democrats Announce Task Force on Aging and Families as Trump Administration Threatens Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Washington, D.C. - To kick off Older Americans Month, the House Democratic Caucus announced the re-launch of the Task Force on Aging and Families (TFAF). The Chairs of the Task Force are Reps. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Doris Matsui (CA-07). The Co-Chairs are Reps. De  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Larson and Democratic Colleagues Move to Force House Vote to Protect Medicaid and SNAP Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) signed a discharge petition (link is external) to force a vote in the House to protect Medicaid and nutrition assistance programs like SNAP from proposed budget cuts. "Republicans in Congress and President Trump are trying to pass legislation that puts Med  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Larson Calls for Resumption of Aid to Gaza and Renewed Ceasefire Negotiations Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement calling for renewed ceasefire negotiations and urging the Israeli government to reverse their policy blocking humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. "Prime Minister Netanyahu's blockade of humanitarian aid has caused needless sufferin  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Larson Sends Letter to President Trump Condemning Attacks on Public Broadcasting Washington, D.C. - Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) sent a letter to President Trump condemning his illegal order to defund NPR and PBS, which could cause local stations to shutter and halt (link is external) new PBS Kids programming. "PBS and NPR are critical providers of local journalism, that reflects quality educati  more

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Larson Statement on Machinists Strike at RTX's Pratt & Whitney Plants East Hartford, CT - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement after IAM Locals 700 and 1746 voted to go on strike at RTX's East Hartford and Middletown Pratt & Whitney plants. "I stand with the more than 3,000 workers standing up for better wages, benefits, and job protections in East Hartford and Mi  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Larson Statement on Senate Confirmation of Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano Washington, D.C. - Today, House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to confirm self-declared 'DOGE person,' Frank Bisignano, as Commissioner of Social Security. "Frank Bisignano has called himself a   more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Murphy Introduces New Legislation To Prohibit Presidents From Profiting Off Meme Coins While In Office WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Tuesday introduced the Modern Emoluments and Malfeasance Enforcement (MEME) Act, legislation to prevent corrupt federal officials from using their position to profit off digital assets such as meme coins. U.S. Representative Sam Liccardo (D-  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Murphy To Secretary Of Homeland Security Kristi Noem: Your Department Is Out Of Control WASHINGTON-- U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on Thursday held a subcommittee hearing with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on President Trump's Fiscal Year 2026 skinny budget request for the Department o  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Demand DOJ Reverse Cancellation Of Hundreds Of Public Safety Grants HARTFORD-- U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Tuesday joined 27 Democratic senators in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) urging Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg to reverse the abrupt ca  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Empower and Protect VA Health Care Workers and Patients HARTFORD-- U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Thursday reintroduced the VA Employee Fairness Act, legislation that would help right a long-standing wrong by expand  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Murphy: The Trump Administration Is Undoing The Biggest Two-Year Decline In Gun Violence In U.S. History WASHINGTON-- U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor on Thursday to sound the alarm over a coordinated effort by the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans to dismantle the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the most comprehensive gun safety law  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Opens Inquiry into Trump Crypto Corruption [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations ("PSI"), is opening a preliminary inquiry into the $TRUMP cryptocurrency, World Liberty Financial Inc. (WLFI), and other associated business ventures following recent reportin  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following floor remarks on May 7, 2025 (In this document, the reference to Mr. Speaker refers to the presiding officer of the House at the time of the speech): * * * Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the Nation's number one antipoverty program for children. Mr. Speaker, as you know, I am talking about Social Security. More alarming, Mr. Speaker, is that it has  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following floor remarks on May 8, 2025 (In this document, the reference to Mr. President refers to the presiding officer of the Senate at the time of the speech): * * * Mr. President, I want to come to the floor today to talk about a success story but, potentially, a success story interrupted. Back in 2022, we all were shocked to watch news playing out during an afternoon that we were here, working in the Senate, of anoth  more