Washington – At least four of Connecticut’s Democratic lawmakers say they’ll attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu’s controversial address to Congress next month, even as some criticize the way House Speaker John Boehner made the invitation.
John Larson
John Larson, a Democrat, has served as the U.S. representative for Connecticut’s first congressional district since 1999.
Posted inPolitics
CT lawmakers big joiners of special-interest caucuses
WASHINGTON – Interested in wine, soccer, bicycles or corrosion prevention? In Congress there’s a caucus for that. In fact there are more than 700 member organizations, most of them informal, and Connecticut’s lawmakers are some of the biggest joiners.
Posted inMoney, Politics
DeLauro breaks with Obama, big CT firms on Pacific trade deal
WASHINGTON – Rep. Rosa DeLauro is on a collision course with President Obama and some of Connecticut’s largest companies over a proposed trade deal with 12 countries on the Pacific Rim that span from Chile to Japan. DeLauro, D-3rd District, has become a leading opponent of the president’s plans for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP.
Posted inMoney
U.S. House approves terrorism risk insurance
Washington – To the relief of the property and casualty insurance industry, the House on Wednesday approved legislation that would reauthorize a program that serves as a backstop for insurers when they are faced with large claims resulting from a terrorist attack.
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For Larson, Coltsville win caps acrimonious session
WASHINGTON – In a Congress marked by partisan acrimony, only two House Democrats voted more loyally with their party than U.S. Rep. John Larson in the 113th Congress, according to a ranking by the Sunlight Foundation. But an analysis of the bills he’s sponsored and his work shows he’s the rare Democrat who can work with Republicans. (This is the first in a series of stories on the roles the Connecticut congressional delegation played in the 113th Congress.)
Posted inMoney, Politics
Senate’s failure to act on terrorism risk insurance roils industry
WASHINGTON – Insurers like The Hartford and Travelers are contemplating what to do following the U.S. Senate’s failure to approve a federal backstop for coverage the insurers offer businesses to protect them from a terrorist attack.
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Coltsville faces hurdles before official national park status
It will likely be years before the Coltsville neighborhood near the Connecticut River in Hartford will welcome its first visitors to the Coltsville National Historical Park. Before the big day, a series of property transfers will have to take place and plans will have to be developed by the National Park Service, processes that typically take a long time.
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Connecticut has winners, losers in $1.1 trillion U.S. spending plan
WASHINGTON – The massive $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill that Congress struggled to approve – with little help from the state’s Democratic lawmakers – has some clear winners and losers in Connecticut, including Pratt & Whitney, Aetna Inc., food stamp recipients and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
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Coltsville wins approval as national park
WASHINGTON – The Senate on Friday approved and sent to the president a defense bill that will turn Hartford’s Coltsville neighborhood into a national historical park. President Obama is certain to sign it into law. The action was the culmination of a decade of effort to memorialize the iconic Colt complex as a cradle of the American industrial revolution.
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Senate puts Coltsville on verge of national park status
WASHINGTON – The Senate voted 85-14 Thursday to clear a procedural hurdle that was holding back final approval of a massive defense bill that would turn Hartford’s Coltsville neighborhood into a national park. The final vote on the bill is scheduled for Friday.
Posted inPolitics
Chances improve for national park in Hartford’s Coltsville
WASHINGTON – The chances of establishing a national park in Hartford’s Coltsville neighborhood have improved because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has held tough on keeping a lands package in a massive defense bill – despite pressure to strip out the lands package to allow speedy approval of the bill.
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Coltsville national park passes the House tucked in a defense bill; Senate next
WASHINGTON – The long-sought designation of Hartford’s Coltsville neighborhood as a national historic park was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday, tucked into a massive $577 billion defense bill. Now the legislation is headed for the Senate, where there could be a fight over including provisions for public lands in a defense bill.
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CT lawmakers united in support for tax break bill
Washington – After a lot of wrangling and a veto threat from the White House, the U.S. House of Representatives finally voted on Wednesday for a bill that would extend dozens of tax breaks — with the support of the entire Connecticut House delegation.
Posted inPolitics
Deadline looms for Congress to extend popular tax breaks
WASHINGTON – Unless Congress acts soon, Connecticut commuters, students, homeowners and businesses will lose a number of valuable tax credits and deductions. These credits and deductions, known as “extenders,” aren’t a permanent part of the tax code and must be renewed by Congress from time to time.
Posted inPolitics
Explore: Donations to Connecticut congressional candidates
More than $11 million has been poured into Connecticut’s congressional races. Just days from the election, explore our searchable database of who is giving to the candidates and how much they are donating. Spoiler: One part of the state far outweighs the rest.