WASHINGTON — In his State of the Union speech, President Obama’s “to do” list was much like Connecticut’s “already done” list. “I’ll keep pushing for progress on the work that still needs doing,” the president said. “Protecting kids from gun violence, equal pay for equal work, paid leave, raising the minimum wage.”
Newtown
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Newtown parents condemn conspiracy theorist and his university
It’s been three years since we last embraced our precious little boy, Noah. At 6 years old, he was the youngest child murdered at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. ..The passage of time has nowhere near dimmed the vivid memory of that day nor made it any less difficult for us to cope with the pain and anguish of losing our only son. The heartache of burying a child is a sorrow we would not wish upon anyone. Yet to our horror, we have found that there are some in this society who lack empathy for the suffering of others. Among them are the conspiracy theorists that deny our tragedy was real. They seek us out and accuse us of being government agents who are faking our grief and lying about our loss.
Posted inPolitics
Education bill and gun control dominate on Capitol Hill
A new federal education law replacing No Child Left Behind and a stepped-up campaign to bar those on terrorist watch lists from purchasing firearms dominated the discussion on Capitol Hill this week.
Posted inHealth
Senate tackles mental health care reform
WASHINGTON — A Senate panel took up the issue of mental health care Thursday, discussing legislation promoted by Sen. Chris Murphy to overhaul the system, an unusual move since Congress hasn’t tackled comprehensive reform in decades.
Posted inPolitics
Malloy helps advocates craft message on gun control
WASHINGTON — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy received a standing ovation from gun safety advocates Tuesday for an impassioned speech on the need for a new push to curb gun violence.
Posted inPolitics
CT in Washington: Leadership in chaos, gun violence revisited
Chaos reigned in the House Republican ranks after Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who was favored to become the next Speaker, dropped out of the race; but there was nary a peep from Connecticut’s all-Democratic congressional delegation about that. But Senate Democrats, including Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, were eloquent and forceful in the re-launch of a campaign promoting universal background checks of gun purchasers.
Posted inPolitics
Oregon shootings spark new effort on Newtown-inspired gun control bill
WASHINGTON – Reacting to the nation’s latest mass shooting in Oregon, Senate Democrats, including Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, on Thursday said they would try once again to pass legislation first prompted by the mass slaying in Newtown.
Posted inHealth, Politics
CT law sharply reduced gun killings, study says
WASHINGTON – Connecticut’s decision in 1995 to make it harder to purchase a hand gun has sharply reduced gun-related homicides, a new Johns Hopkins University study shows. Gun rights advocates disagreed with the finding.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Expansion of Connecticut’s Firearm Safety Act is justified
The Connecticut General Assembly is currently considering HB 6962, an Act Concerning Firearm Safety, that will expand the state’s requirements for safe gun storage and set penalties for gun owners whose firearms fall into the wrong hands. This commentary from Connecticut Against Gun Violence is the first of a series of opinions in support and opposition to the bill. Others will be forthcoming in the days ahead.
Posted inPolitics
Esty, other lawmakers renew push for expanded gun background checks
WASHINGTON — Although they’ve been rebuffed by their colleagues before, a group of determined House lawmakers on Wednesday re-introduced legislation that would broaden FBI background checks of gun buyers.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Newtown activists introduce bill banning high-capacity magazines
WASHINGTON – Newtown activists on Thursday helped introduce the first gun safety bill in this Congress, officially kicking off the gun control debate on Capitol Hill. The bill would ban large capacity ammunition clips for everyone but military members and law enforcement officers.
Posted inPolitics
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.)
Posted inPolitics
For Esty, first term tested survival skills
WASHINGTON – Days after she won re-election, in a move that was as symbolic as it was practical, U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty and her Capitol Hill staff moved into a new office, an indication she had moved up in seniority and solidified her place in Congress. (This is the fifth in a series of stories about the roles each member of the Connecticut congressional delegation played in the 113th Congress.)
Posted inPolitics
Sandy Hook remembered with prayer, politics and litigation
The second anniversary of the Dec. 14, 2012 massacre of 26 women and children at Sandy Hook Elementary School was marked in Connecticut by litigation, prayer and politics.
Posted inPolitics
227 CT gun deaths later, Newtown families continue their campaign
WASHINGTON — Some 227 people have died from gun violence in Connecticut since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre two years ago. On Wednesday, Connecticut lawmakers joined Newtown families and victims of gun violence across the nation in renewing their calls for new federal gun laws.