WASHINGTON – Sen. Chris Murphy has escalated his criticisms of President Obama’s campaign against the Islamic State by introducing legislation that would curb the White House’s war-making powers.
ISIS
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CT lawmakers wary of Obama’s war powers request
WASHINGTON – Connecticut lawmakers were skeptical and cautious in their response to President Obama’s request for authorization to expand the U.S. military campaign against the Islamic state, especially when it came to the president’s request to allow troops to operate on the ground for limited periods.
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Murphy breaks Senate tradition with high-profile stands
WASHINGTON – With his fight for gun control, defense of the Affordable Care Act and clashes with President Obama on foreign policy, Sen. Chris Murphy broke with a Senate tradition that freshmen should be seen and not heard. “I don’t think there’s a waiting period anymore for freshmen,” he said. “My constituents did not elect me to be a shrinking violet.” (This is the seventh and final story in a series about the roles each member of the Connecticut congressional delegation played in the 113th Congress.)
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Once a heated topic for CT delegation, war bill now stalled
WASHINGTON – Debating and deciding what authority President Obama has to conduct a war against and Islamic group known as ISIS was once a hot topic among lawmakers, including those representing Connecticut on Capitol Hill. But post-election, there’s a little sense of urgency, and little pushback on GOP demands that the issue be handled by the next Congress, which will be controlled by Republicans
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In 1st debate, Esty, Greenberg tangle on ethics, energy, foreign affairs
DANBURY — Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District candidates Elizabeth Esty and Mark Greenberg clashed on personal ethics, foreign affairs, energy policy and gun control Thursday during their first public forum.
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Murphy, Blumenthal split on authorization to arm Syrian rebels
WASHINGTON – Connecticut’s Democratic senators split Thursday over legislation that would give the Obama administration authority to arm and train Syrian rebels, but the measure won approval in the Senate on a bipartisan, 78-22 vote.
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In CT delegation, Courtney casts sole vote to arm Syrian rebels
WASHINGTON – Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District was the only member of Connecticut’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives to vote for an amendment Wednesday that will allow the Pentagon to spend money arming and training Syrian rebels.
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Blumenthal unsatisfied after questioning Hagel on ISIS mission
WASHINGTON– Sen. Richard Blumenthal was one of several lawmakers who tried to pin down top Pentagon officials Tuesday on the administration’s new campaign to target Islamic militants in Iraq and Syria, and were not satisfied with the answers.
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CT Sen. Murphy at odds with Obama’s plan to arm Syrian rebels
WASHINGTON – President Obama hopes Congress votes this week to allow the Pentagon to arm and train Syrian rebels, but Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., is absolutely not on board.
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Esty, Greenberg release new ads, spar over ISIS, beheading
WASHINGTON – Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-5th District, and her Republican challenger, Mark Greenberg, avoided bashing each other in new TV campaign ads Friday, but Esty used a press conference to start another round in a heated exchange over a campaign e-mail dealing with ISIS and the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff by Islamic militants.
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Murphy warns of ‘slippery slope’ in Syria
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said President Obama does not have the authority to wage a military operation against Islamic militants known as ISIS in Syria who beheaded an American journalist and are trying to destabilize the Iraqi government.
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Larson says Congress should cut its break to deal with Iraq
WASHINGTON – Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, said members of Congress should stop second-guessing President Obama’s strategy toward Iraq and return early to Washington from their summer break to debate the issue.
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Connecticut lawmakers skeptical of Obama’s engagement in Iraq
WASHINGTON – Connecticut lawmakers are skeptical of President Obama’s decision to approve “targeted” airstrikes on militants in Iraq and to drop food, water and medicine to civilians trapped by fighting in the mountains in the north of the country.
