WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats on Monday blocked a Republican effort to strip federal funding from Planned Parenthood following the release of undercover videos that have raised questions about the organization’s harvesting of fetal tissue for research laboratories.
Richard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut’s senior U.S. senator, was first elected in 2011. Sen. Blumenthal has supported stricter gun legislation and support for veterans.
Posted inPolitics
CT senators urge boycott of stores that don’t wait for gun checks
WASHINGTON – Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy want some of the nation’s largest sporting goods stores to wait for the FBI to complete background checks on gun purchasers in all cases – and hope customers boycott those stores if they don’t.
Posted inNews
Senate vote to be first round in drive to defund Planned Parenthood
WASHINGTON — Connecticut’s Democratic senators may help fend off an attempt in the Senate to defund Planned Parenthood on Monday, but that’s not the end of a GOP campaign that could include the threat of a government shutdown.
Posted inPolitics
Blumenthal, Murphy back short-term highway bill, reject longer one
WASHINGTON – Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy on Thursday both voted for short-term and against long-term legislation that would keep hundreds of millions of dollars in federal highway money flowing to Connecticut.
Posted inNews
Blumenthal, undecided on Iran pact, probes its consequences
WASHINGTON – Sen. Richard Blumenthal questioned top Obama administration officials about the possible consequences of a nuclear weapons deal Wednesday, pressing the nation’s top general on the military impact of the deal.
Posted inPolitics
Blumenthal campaign raises $3.3 million; Wolf rakes in $240K
WASHINGTON — Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., has raised more than $3.3 million this year for his re-election, while his Republican challenger, August Wolf, who has only been in the race since May, has pulled in nearly $240,000.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Senate votes to revive Export-Import bank
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate late Monday voted to revive the embattled Export-Import Bank, a government corporation that helps exporters in Connecticut by financing and insuring foreign purchases of their goods.
Posted inNews
Murphy argues for giving Iran deal — and diplomacy — a chance
WASHINGTON – Even as he’s stopped short of embracing the deal, Sen. Chris Murphy has become an ally in President Obama’s efforts to shore up Democratic support for a proposed Iran trade pact that’s become a punching bag for Republicans.
Posted inPolitics
Analysts: Lockheed Martin purchase fortunate break for Sikorsky, Connecticut
WASHINGTON — Some may lose jobs and a few Connecticut companies may lose contracts, but Lockheed Martin’s purchase of Sikorsky Aircraft is likely to anchor the helicopter maker in Stratford and increase it’s share of Pentagon contracts and the overseas market, analyst say.
Posted inEducation
U.S. Senate votes to leave many education reforms to the states
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate Thursday approved a sweeping overhaul of federal education law that would leave up to Connecticut and other states whether to continue with education reforms including the controversial Common Core standards and linking teacher evaluations to student test scores.
Posted inPolitics
Blumenthal: Inaction on highway bill could ‘devastate’ plans to fix CT roads
WASHINGTON – Congress faces a looming deadline to approve a highway bill if it wants to keep federal transportation dollars from slowing to a trickle in a few weeks, but there’s no consensus on what to do. To press the GOP to action, Sen. Richard Blumenthal and other Democrats unveiled a plan Thursday.
Posted inNews
Tremors from Puerto Rican debt crisis likely to be felt in CT
WASHINGTON – Connecticut will feel fallout from Puerto Rico’s debt crisis, analysts say, rippling through the state’s financial sector and opening the door to new migration if Puerto Ricans flee the island’s deteriorating economy and austerity measures.
Posted inNews
U.S. denies CT tribes chance at federal recognition
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs has moved to make it easier for tribes across the nation to win federal recognition – while blocking several Connecticut tribes from doing so. That drew praise from Connecticut’s politicians.
Posted inPolitics
CT lawmakers lose trade bill fight
WASHINGTON – Despite opposition from Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, the Senate on Wednesday gave President Obama a big win on his efforts to negotiate a new trade pact with 11 Pacific Rim nations.
Posted inPolitics
Connecticut risks federal fines for slow adoption of rail-safety system
The Federal Railroad Administration said Wednesday it would fine railroad companies and railroad track owners, like the state of Connecticut, if they don’t implement a safety technology known as positive train control by a Dec. 31 deadline.