New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that while the overall number of people who are infected with HIV each year is relatively steady – approximately 50,000 new infections each year – there was a 48 percent increase in the number of young HIV-infected African American men who have sex with […]
Washington
Posted inHealth
An in-depth discussion of the legal challenges to health reform
Need a primer on the web of legal challenges to the health reform law? SCOTUSblog will be hosting an online symposium for the next two weeks on the Affordable Care Act and the high court, if and when the Supreme Court will examine the law, what the legal questions will be, and how the justices […]
Posted inMoney
Lieberman off the fence, a “yes” on the debt deal
A spokeswman for Sen. Joseph Lieberman said this morning that the Connecticut independent will be a “yes” vote on the debt-ceiling deal, which is set for a noon vote in the Senate today. Lieberman had said yesterday that he was on the fence over the agreement, citing concerns about the possible defense cuts included in […]
Posted inMoney, Politics
Giffords’ appearance buoys House in midst of high-stakes vote
If there was a bright spot in Monday night’s House vote on the debt-deal, at least for Democrats, it was the surprise appearance by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords for the high-stakes, high-drama vote to increase the debt ceiling and slash federal spending. Giffords is the Arizona Democrat who was shot in January, in an incident that […]
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Lieberman’s on the fence in the debt deal, citing concerns about deep defense cuts
Sen. Joseph Lieberman has been one of the most vocal members of the Connecticut delegation when it comes to calling for major fiscal reform in Washington. Any meaningful package, the Democrat-turned-independent has said, must include both tax increases and entitlement cuts. But Lieberman signaled that he might draw a line in the sand Sunday night […]
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Boehner won’t get any votes for his debt plan from CT lawmakers
No one knows yet how the debt-ceiling standoff in Washington will end. But we can at least report that Connecticut lawmakers have lined up against the plan put forward by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, which will come up for a cliffhanger vote later this evening. Boehner’s plan would raise the debt ceiling in two […]
Posted inMoney, Politics
Bysiewicz gets EMILY’s List nod
U.S. Senate hopeful Susan Bysiewicz got a political lift today from EMILY’s List, a national fundraising group that recruits and supports Democratic pro-choice female candidates. EMILY’s List put Bysiewicz, Connecticut’s former secretary of the state, “on the list.” That’s not a full-fledged endorsement but it will almost certainly help draw Democratic donors to her campaign. […]
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Larson, Courtney on frontlines in dealing with allegations against Oregon Dem
House Democrats are confronting another possible sex scandal within their ranks, and two Connecticut lawmakers will be on the frontlines of handling the fallout. The Portland Oregonian reported on Friday that a young woman called the office of Rep. David Wu, D-Ore., this spring and accused him of an “unwanted sexual encounter.” House Minority Leader […]
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Blumenthal, Lieberman back Reid plan, minus any enthusiasm
Washington’s debt-ceiling drama seems to produce a new proposed plan every day. But for what it’s worth, both of Connecticut’s U.S. senators are on board with the latest solution, put forward by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Reid’s plan would raise the debt ceiling by $2.7 trillion and cut federal deficits by the same amount–$2.7 […]
Posted inHealth, Money
Disability insurance program a target in debt talks
Health care spending is a target in every debt-reduction package that’s being talked about in Washington these days. One program that’s currently in the bulls-eye: the so-called CLASS Act, or Community Living Assistance Services and Supports. It was created under federal health reform to increase health care options for people with disabilities, seen as a […]
Posted inMoney
Malloy says debt ceiling impasse would hit CT hard
Gov. Dannel Malloy said Friday that if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling, it would have a severe impact on the state. “For Connecticut, such a failure would result in a serious disruption to our cash flow, negatively affect our access to the capital markets, and harm our economy,” Malloy wrote in a letter […]
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Droney’s nomination to appeals court advances
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved Christopher Droney’s nomination for a seat on the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals Thursday. Droney, currently a U.S. District judge in Hartford, won a quick endorsement from the panel in a voice vote Thursday morning. There was no debate and no “nay” votes on Droney’s bid to move […]
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Lieberman on board with Gang of Six plan
The Gang of Six is back together. That’s the bipartisan group of senators who spent months trying to craft a long-term, debt-reduction plan. Their group fell apart after one senator–Tom Coburn of Oklahoma–abandoned the talks earlier this year. But Coburn rejoined today. And the Gang unveiled their nearly $4 trillion dollar debt-reduction plan behind closed […]
Posted inMoney
Courtney gets seat on House ethics committee
Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, got a new committee assignment, but it’s not exactly the most coveted slot in Congress: the House Ethics Committee. The panel investigates alleged ethical lapses complaints against other lawmakers, often a pretty uncomfortable, contentious role. But Courtney said he’s looking forward to his new duties. “I am honored to be […]
Posted inMoney, Politics
One way House Dems are spending (or wasting) time as debt talks drag on
House Democrats apparently have a lot of time on their hands as the debt negotiations drag on and on. And on. So what have they been doing while waiting to see if House Republicans, Senate leaders, and President Barack Obama can work out a deal to trim the federal deficit and raise the nation’s borrowing […]