WASHINGTON — Connecticut’s mayors made their annual pilgrimage to Washington this week, looking for money, connections and ideas. The three-day conference, cut short for many by the prospect of a historic blizzard expected to hit Washington tomorrow, is a rare chance to meet President Obama, and much of his cabinet.
Washington
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Failure to deport Norwich murder suspect under review
Federal authorities have opened an inquiry into the failure of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport a Haitian man who was later charged with the murder of Casey Chadwick of Norwich, members of the Connecticut congressional delegation said Thursday.
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Blumenthal, Murphy help block Syrian refugee bill
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate on Wednesday blocked a bill that has split the Connecticut delegation and would have required additional scrutiny for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, slowing their entry into the United States. “Our enemy is ISIL – not refugees,” Blumenthal said in a statement
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Newtown father lonely voice as Senate panel blasts Obama gun moves
WASHINGTON – Mark Barden ,who lost his 7-year-old son Daniel in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, was outnumbered but undaunted Wednesday at a Senate hearing on President Obama’s recent moves to tighten gun laws. “I am before you today as an informed, proud American. These modest proposals will go a long way toward not only saving lives, but also improving quality of life,” he said. “And I am before you today as a grieving father who knows firsthand the cost of inaction.”
Posted inHealth, Politics
Blumenthal: Bill would speed generic drug approval, reducing costs
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., plans to introduce legislation intended to speed up FDA approval of generic prescription drugs and combat the “astronomic rise” in the cost of health care, he said Tuesday.
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For CT delegation, a flurry of successes in a blizzard of bills
WASHINGTON – Sen. Richard Blumenthal sponsored and co-sponsored 377 bills and amendments in 2015, more than any other U.S. senator. But a Connecticut Mirror analysis found other Connecticut lawmakers were busy, too.
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Food stamps ending for some in towns with high employment
WASHINGTON – The state’s economic upturn – at least in about half of Connecticut’s cities and towns – isn’t good news for about 3,600 food stamp benefits who will lose their benefits in about three months unless they get a job or job training.
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At Republican retreat, GOP senators press Kudlow to run against Blumenthal
BALTIMORE, MD. — Larry Kudlow continued to keep people guessing as to whether he’ll challenge Sen. Richard Blumenthal at the House and Senate Republican retreat in Baltimore Thursday, but the pressure was on. “I talked to quite a few senators,” Kudlow said. “They were very encouraging.”
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Obama puts CT accomplishments on national ‘to do’ list
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.”
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DeLauro defies Obama on State of the Union issue
WASHINGTON — Once again, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro is defying President Obama as he prepares to give his State of the Union address to the nation. Once again, the split is over trade.
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Aetna, Cigna boost spending on lobbyists
WASHINGTON — Aetna and Cigna spent more than $1.3 million last year on outside lobbyists whose work is aimed mainly at winning government approval of their respective mergers with Humana and Anthem.
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Obamas to put Malloy in spotlight at State of the Union
WASHINGTON — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will be one of the most notable guests at Tuesday’s State of the Union speech, sitting with Michelle Obama.
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U.S. asks CT, other states, for help enforcing gun rules
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration coupled its move to tighten gun laws with a plea to Connecticut and other states for help to strengthen a flawed system used to screen gun buyers.
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Obama’s action on guns fulfills promise to Newtown families
WASHINGTON — Tearing up as he spoke of the slaying of 20 Newtown first-graders, President Obama made an emotional appeal to the nation for support of his gun-control initiatives on Tuesday, saying, “Every time I think about those kids, it makes me mad.”
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A transcript of Obama’s remarks on gun control
“The United States of America is not the only country on Earth with violent or dangerous people. We are not inherently more prone to violence. But we are the only advanced country on Earth that sees this kind of mass violence erupt with this kind of frequency. It doesn’t happen in other advanced countries. It’s not even close.”