Self-employed and ‘gig’ economy workers will have to wait for their benefits, as will everyone owed back federal benefits.
shutdown
Posted inPolitics
CT federal workers to be paid, but government could shut down again
Washington — There’s a truce, not an end to the fighting that caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Posted inPolitics
Relief program for Coast Guard members off to slow start
WASHINGTON — Few have taken advantage of a Connecticut program that provides thousands of dollars for Coast Guard employees.
Posted inNews
Hayes joins hunt for McConnell in attempt to end shutdown
WASHINGTON – Followed by a phalanx of journalists, Rep. Jahana Hayes joined a group of House Democratic freshmen Wednesday who went on the hunt for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to pressure him to hold votes on Democratic bills that would end the shutdown. They did not find McConnell, but even if they had, there’s little evidence they would succeeded in ending a 26-day stalemate.
Posted inMoney
CT would feel aftershocks of federal government shutdown
WASHINGTON – A looming federal shutdown will affect some 1,500 federal employees in Connecticut and impact state residents seeking certain services – but it won’t be felt like the 2013 shutdown that shuttered Head Start centers and provoked the state’s defense contractors to prepare to furlough employees.
Posted inMoney, News, Politics
Congress’ efforts to avoid another shutdown feature last-minute deals
Updated at 7:20 p.m.
WASHINGTON — To avoid another government shutdown, the U.S. House on Tuesday passed a spending bill that would fund the Pentagon until the end of the federal fiscal year – with big boosts for the Connecticut defense industry — and keep other federal agencies running until March 23. But approval of the bill is just one maneuver in a complex budget dance between congressional Republicans and Democrats this week that also will feature a face-off between the House and Senate.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Federal government shuts down, CT to feel aftershock
WASHINGTON — Connecticut residents will still get their mail and Social Security checks, but the shutdown of the federal government will reverberate through state agencies – especially those that are most reliant on federal grants and federal workers — and many in the state would eventually feel an impact.
Posted inMoney
Immigrant youth press CT senators to become ‘dream heroes’
WASHINGTON — Undocumented youth in Connecticut are asking the state’s U.S. senators to reject any federal budget bill that does not contain protections for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – or DACA program recipients. Both Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy support permanent protection for these youth, but they have not promised to reject a budget bill that would not provide that help.
Posted inPolitics
Navy plan to build more subs could strain capacity at EB
WASHINGTON — The Navy’s plans to boost the number of ships and submarines would cost more than $100 billion a year and pose a challenge to the capacity of the nation’s shipbuilders, especially those building subs like Electric Boat, a new government report said.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money, Politics
Congress faces choice of budget deal or federal shutdown
WASHINGTON — When Congress returns from its two-week recess next week it will have just days to approve a bill that would fund the federal budget and prevent a government shutdown that would affect a broad swath of Connecticut residents – from Head Start students to workers in the state’s defense industry.
Posted inPolitics
Himes, Courtney tell GOP to keep Syrian refugee policy out of budget bill
WASHINGTON — U.S. Reps. Joe Courtney and Jim Himes. Democrats who gave the Republican Party a veto-proof majority on a bill that would suspend Syrian and Iraqi refugee admissions, are now demanding the bill’s language be left out of a massive budget bill.
Posted inPolitics
This Week in Washington
Congress moved at the 11th hour to avert a government shutdown, but it’s only a short-term fix — with a new budget deadline of Dec. 11. Access Health CT CEO James Wadleigh defended the operations of Connecticut’s health exchange to skeptical GOP lawmakers. Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini’s plans to merge with Humana were also scrutinized by a House panel this week.
Posted inPolitics
CT lawmakers say Boehner’s resignation cuts shutdown odds, but threat remains
WASHINGTON – House Speaker John Boehner’s decision to resign may have lessened the prospects of a government shutdown, but that won’t be known for sure until Congress considers a short-term spending bill next week. Meanwhile, Connecticut agencies have been told to draw up contingency plans.
Posted inPolitics
Connecticut’s Washington Week
Pope Francis’ visit to Washington, which included an address to the joint session of Congress, overshadowed everything this week — except perhaps House Speaker John Boehner’s subsequent resignation.
Posted inPolitics
In CT, 1,500 Homeland Security employees spared shutdown, for now
WASHINGTON – With a last-minute vote, Congress averted a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, extending its funding by seven days and at least temporarily sparing 1,500 agency employees in Connecticut their paychecks.