Washington – Washington has turned its attention to the epidemic of heroin addiction and overdose deaths – including more than 250 in Connecticut last year, but there’s a limit to what the federal government and Congress can do, especially in times of tight budget constraints.
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 inHealth, Politics
Blumenthal calls for ban on ‘the new Joe Camel’
Flanked by two Yale doctors and brandishing packages of fruit-flavored “e-hookahs,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal Monday renewed his fight against tobacco industry marketing to kids, calling e-cigarettes and e-hookahs “the new Joe Camel.”
Posted inMoney, Politics
CT lawmakers introduce Metro-North safety bill
Reps. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District, Jim Himes, D-4th District, Elizabeth Esty, D-5th District, and New York Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney introduced a bill Monday that would force Metro-North to institute an “alerter” system, a safety system that sounds an alarm when an engineer remains idle while the train is moving.
Posted inNews
Washington Watch, Week of April 27
A House panel will examine prescription drug and heroin abuse, and committees in both the House and Senate will be discussing issues related to the defense industry.
Posted inMoney, Politics
CT lawmakers take fight over Russian ‘copters to Kerry
Having had a poor response from the Pentagon, Connecticut lawmakers and others who are trying to protect local defense interests have taken their fight to end Russian military contracts to Secretary of State John Kerry.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Blumenthal asks Justice Dept. to investigate GM
WASHINGTON — In an escalating fight with General Motors, Sen. Richard Blumenthal joined other Democratic senators Friday in asking the Justice Department to investigate the automobile maker for allegedly delaying a recall of millions of cars that had faulty ignition switches, a defect that has been linked to 13 deaths.
Posted inPolitics
CT defense giants increasingly political as Pentagon budget shrinks
WASHINGTON – Connecticut’s largest defense contractors are stepping up political donations to key lawmakers as competition increases for shrinking defense dollars.
Posted inPolitics
Following time-honored tradition, CT politicians bet on game
Politicians like to link themselves with winning local sports teams and those from Connecticut are no different. Sens. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both Democrats, say they have a “friendly wager” with Kentucky Republican Sens. Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell over the outcome of tonight’s NCAA championship game between UConn’s Huskies and the University of Kentucky Wildcats.
Posted inNews
Metro-North engineer involved in crash had sleep problems
The engineer of the Metro-North train that derailed in the Bronx in December suffered from severe sleep apnea, according to preliminary reports made public Monday by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Posted inPolitics
Jepsen begins campaign with rare, if brief, press conference
Attorney General George Jepsen’s re-election announcement Monday was a reminder of a major stylistic difference with his predecessor, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal. It was only his second news conference in a month, compared to a dozen for Blumenthal.
Posted inPolitics
Washington Watch, Week of April 6 – April 12
WASHINGTON — Congress will try to cram in as much work as possible this week before taking off for two weeks on an Easter/Passover/Spring break.
Posted inPolitics
Court invalidates aggregate limits on federal contributions
Washington – The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down an aggregate limit of $123,2000 in contributions that an individual can make to federal candidates, parties and political action committees each campaign cycle.
Posted inPolitics
Plans for Coltsville National Park move ahead, with changes
Washington – Plans to build a national park on the site of the Colt factory in Hartford have moved ahead in the House of Representatives, but not without alterations by a Utah Republican who wanted to make the park more acceptable to the Interior Department.
Posted inPolitics
Esty introduces e-cigarette bill
Washington—Rep. Elizabeth Esty introduced a bill Thursday that would ban advertising of e-cigarettes to children. “Advertisements for e-cigarettes that highlight flavors like bubblegum or gummy bears and promote cartoon characters are shameless efforts to addict our kids,” Esty said.
Posted inPolitics
Blumenthal asks for money for some, not all, endangered Democrats
In one of his latest fundraising appeals, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., has asked his donors to give to the campaigns of three endangered Democrats, Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Kay Hagen of North Carolina and Mark Udall of Colorado instead of giving that money to his campaign.