WASHINGTON — Even as President Donald Trump aims to slash the State Department’s budget, Sen. Chris Murphy is battling the headwind in an effort to double the money appropriated for many diplomatic programs.
Donald Trump
Posted inPolitics
CT lawmakers: Trump must ask Congress for authority for Syria campaign
WASHINGTON — As they did when President Obama took action against ISIS in Syria, Connecticut’s Democratic lawmakers are calling for President Donald Trump to seek Congress’approval before taking any further military action against Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad. But Congress isn’t likely to take action.
Posted inHealth, Politics
FDA nominee Gottlieb says he’d challenge Trump on vaccines
WASHINGTON — Scott Gottlieb, a Westport doctor, calmly defused tough questions from Democrats during the confirmation hearing Wednesday on his nomination to head the Food and Drug Administration, promising to safeguard the agency’s rigorous review of drug and medical devices.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Westporter Gottlieb to face Senate scrutiny of his bid to head FDA
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chris Murphy will introduce Scott Gottlieb, a Westport resident and candidate to head the Food and Drug Administration, to fellow members of the Senate panel that’s key to his confirmation – but that won’t keep the nominee from having a bit of a rough ride among Democrats.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Insurers lobbying to keep ACA payments the GOP hates
WASHINGTON — The nation’s health insurers, who are key to the survival of the Affordable Care Act, are asking the Trump administration to keep a program congressional Republicans have sued to eliminate. What the president, who predicted the ACA would “explode,” does about that and several other things will determine the ACA’s future health.
Posted inJustice, Politics
Blumenthal: Gorsuch unqualified over Roe ‘litmus test’
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal pledged Friday to oppose the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court through all available means, saying the Harvard-educated, conservative jurist failed during his confirmation hearings to demonstrate he is not bound by an anti-abortion litmus test imposed by President Trump.
Posted inEnergy & Environment, Politics
Congress considers L.I. Sound program Trump wants to defund
WASHINGTON — Even as President Donald Trump wants to strip all money from the program, a key congressional committee on Tuesday moved on a bill that would authorize the Environmental Protection Agency to spend $65 million a year on the cleanup of Long Island Sound.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Trump’s gesture to coal country falls flat in Connecticut
President Trump’s order rolling back many of his predecessor’s efforts to curb global warming was quickly denounced Tuesday in Connecticut, one of the northeastern states where successive Democratic and Republican gubernatorial administrations have supported policies to limit greenhouse gases.
Posted inPolitics
Murphy says he opposes Gorsuch
WASHINGTON — “I am deeply concerned about the politicization of the court, and its recent capture by corporate and special interests,” Murphy said.
Posted inPolitics
Bill requiring release of presidential tax returns advances
Could a state make casting its electoral votes contingent on the candidates for president and vice president releasing their last three annual tax returns — a convention flouted in 2016 by Donald J. Trump? Legislation testing that notion was approved Monday night by a legislative committee.
Posted inJustice, Politics
Blumenthal, Murphy not yet among Dems opposing Gorsuch
WASHINGTON — At least 19 senators have said they will not vote for Judge Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, but Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy have not joined that group, at least not yet.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Death of GOP health care bill increases CT Dems’ calls to fix Obamacare
WASHINGTON — With the stunning failure of the GOP to win support for its health care bill Friday, Connecticut Democrats increased their calls for reforms to the Affordable Care Act that would keep it alive. “If they want to work together to enact improvements to the Affordable Care Act, I will be there,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro.
Posted inPolitics
Himes: GOP wants to keep Congress’ Russian probe from public
WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Himes, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said the GOP head of the panel wants to hide its probe of any ties between the Trump campaign and Russia behind closed door. “It’s a naked attempt to shut down an open hearing,” Himes said.
Posted inHealth, Politics
As GOP health care plan falters, CT Dems watch and wait
Updated at 9:13 p.m.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and House Republicans are making both threats and promises to try to salvage the GOP health care bill – but the deal-making is all on the Republican side of the aisle, with Connecticut’s all-Democratic congressional delegation sitting on the sidelines.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Murphy, Courtney: Trump cuts to job training grants could hurt EB
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s budget calls for cutting manufacturing training money that has helped provide hard-to-find skilled workers for Electric Boat and its suppliers, even as the president wants to ramp up building submarines. “This is exactly the wrong direction we should be going,” said Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District.