Two years ago, Joseph Courtney, a Democrat, won this seat by a mere 87 votes. After fighting in Congress for veterans, increasing the minimum wage, helping college students and providing health care for children, he should fare better this year. Sean Sullivan, the Republican challenger, is a former commander of the Naval Sub Base in Groton. Despite his thoughtful ideas on energy, Mr. Sullivan backs the tired Bush policies, including tax cuts for the wealthy. Joseph Courtney deserves a second term.
Connecticut enjoys considerable influence in the U.S. House of Representatives — more than its size would suggest — because of a strong group of incumbents. They include the fifth highest-ranking Democrat in the House, the second highest-ranking Democratic woman in the House, and New England's sole GOP representative, one of a dwindling number of moderate Republicans nationwide. Connecticut's able delegation will help the state and nation weather a tough two years ahead. The Courant endorses them all for re-election.
1st District
In a decade of service, U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, 60, of East Hartford has risen to become the fifth-ranking House Democrat, a position that accrues to the benefit of the district. He has taken principled stands against the Iraq war, the Patriot Act and the privatization of Social Security.
But perhaps the best reason to return Mr. Larson for a sixth term is his leadership role in the district. Since he arrived in Congress, he has pushed to revive the state's manufacturing economy by focusing on aerospace, fuel cells and other green technology. He was the driving force behind the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology in East Hartford, which provides services and resources to businesses and entrepreneurs in these industries.
Other political leaders have belatedly discovered the green economy; Mr. Larson was planning for it 10 years ago. There may not be a more important need in the state. He has also been a key player in the successful campaign to have Hartford's Coltsville named a National Historic Landmark, a step which should help the renewal of the former industrial complex.
With about 70,000 registered voters, less than half the Democrats' 180,000 (with 156,000 unaffiliated), Republicans have not aggressively contested the district in years. The GOP nominee this year is Joe Visconti, 51, a first-term West Hartford town councilman mostly known for his opposition to the Blue Back Square project. Green Party candidate Stephen E.D. Fournier, 63, a Hartford lawyer, is also seeking the seat.
2nd District
Joseph Courtney, 55 and a Democrat from Vernon, should be returned for a second term to the House. The sprawling district has many needs, and Mr. Courtney has been responsive to the major ones. He has gotten more shipbuilding work at Electric Boat in Groton, had the Eightmile River included in the Wild and Scenic River program and pushed hard for the College Cost Reduction Act, a good first step toward solving the increasingly daunting problem of high tuition. He has pushed hard for improved health care.
We did not agree with his decision to vote no on the $700 billion Economic Stabilization Act a few weeks ago, but we believe Mr. Courtney, normally a team player, understood the vote's importance and agonized over balancing the inclinations of his district, his party and his conscience.
Mr. Courtney has made a strong impression as a freshman, and has the potential to be a most effective congressman.
His principal opponent is Republican Sean Sullivan, 49, of Ledyard, a lawyer and retired Navy captain and former commander of the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Groton. Mr. Sullivan is an impressive candidate, a conservative who favors stricter spending controls and increased use of nuclear energy as part of a broader alternative energy program.
Green Party candidate G. Scott Deshefy, 56, of Lebanon is also running for the seat.
3rd District
Rosa DeLauro, 65 and a Democrat from New Haven, is seeking a 10th term in the House. She understands better than many of her colleagues the watchdog role that Congress should play, and has pushed hard for greater oversight of consumer goods.
She has been a vocal critic of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, calling it a handmaiden of the industries, and has proposed a bill that would break it into two agencies, one to oversee the safety of food, the other drug safety. Both are vitally important for reasons of health and national security, and Ms. DeLauro should be commended for taking on the issue.
A tenacious lawmaker, she pushed for years for a law guaranteeing equal pay for women and finally got a bill through the House. Same with a bill that would guarantee women who've had breast cancer at least 48 hours in the hospital.
We would like to see Ms. DeLauro intervene more forcefully in the ongoing fiasco about locating an Army Reserve training center in Middletown. She should have the legal language clarified so the Army can find the best location for a base in central Connecticut, and not be limited to sites in Middletown.
As in the 1st District, Republican opposition is token, this time provided by Boaz "Bo" ItsHaky, 49, of Bethany, an Israeli-born acupuncturist who came to this country in 1989 and has unsuccessfully run for first selectman and a state Senate seat. Green Party candidate Ralph A. Ferrucci, 36, of New Haven is also in the race.
4th District
We endorse 21-year Republican incumbent U.S. Rep.Christopher Shays, who lives in Bridgeport, both because of what he is and what he represents. He is the last Republican House member from New England, but more important, one of the last Republican moderates in Congress. The GOP loses this limb of the party at its peril and the country's.
Mr. Shays, 63, is a social progressive with a good environmental record and a fiscal conservative. He has one of the best ideas we've seen for immigration reform, a "blue card" granting legal, though noncitizen, status to undocumented workers who don't have criminal records.
He's a hard worker and has stood up to his party's leaders. However, we fervently disagree with his support for the Iraq war and his seemingly changing support of timelines for withdrawal from Iraq. He believes the surge of U.S. troops has calmed the country, but is willing to admit, as some in his party are not, that the surge doesn't justify the war.
Mr. Shays has survived some tough challenges in the past. His task this year is daunting, because he faces an apparent Democratic surge and an impressive challenger.
Democrat Jim Himes, 41, of Greenwich was born in Peru, raised by a single mother in a small town in New Jersey, went to Harvard and won a Rhodes scholarship. He spent 12 years as an investment banker with Goldman, Sachs, running the firm's South American operation, then left in 2002 to head a nonprofit that builds affordable housing.
Unlike so many members of Congress, Mr. Himes actually understands what went wrong with Wall Street. He believes that deficits matter and that the Bush tax policies have added to the country's fiscal problem. He wants to rebuild the country's infrastructure and revive its cities.
Mr. Himes has a good grasp of energy issues and would push for policies that would save energy in buildings, which account for almost 40 percent of U.S. energy consumption.
So, props to Mr. Himes, nod to Mr. Shays.
Green Party candidate Richard Z. Duffee, 60, of Stamford and Libertarian Party candidate Michael Anthony Carrano, 29, of North Haven are also running for the seat.
5th District
When talks between the state and Amtrak lagged over the expansion of commuter rail service on the New HavenHartford Springfield line, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy intervened and got the ball rolling. In doing so, Mr. Murphy, a Democrat from Cheshire and a one-term incumbent, showed that he understood the importance of energy conservation to the nation's future.
Although much of the energy debate has focused on offshore drilling, Mr. Murphy could see that getting people onto trains, and thus out of cars, would save a lot of energy right away. This pragmatic intelligence, the ability to see what is right in front of his nose, has influenced much of Mr. Murphy's work in Congress. He has pushed for more disclosure of profits and CEO salaries in government contracting, stronger congressional ethics and more federally funded supportive housing. He is the youngest member of the delegation at 35, yet has the poise of a veteran legislator. He said he challenges voters to understand the subtleties of issues — a bold thought. He deserves another term.
His Republican opponent, David Cappiello, 40, is, as Mr. Murphy was two years ago, a bright, young and successful state senator trying to move up.
Mr. Cappiello casts himself as a budget hawk. He opposes public financing of campaigns as well as government-funded health care, and favors a strict immigration policy, a position this page has opposed. He was one of the first Republicans in the legislature to call for the resignation of Gov. John Rowland, with which we agreed. Mr. Cappiello will be heard from again, win or lose.
Green Party candidate Harold H. Burbank II, 51, of Canton, and Independent Thomas L. Winn, 57, of Watertown, round out the list of candidates.
VIDEO: Congressman Courtney Receives Fire Fighters Endorsement
Congressman Joe Courtney receives the IAFF Local 1033's endorsement, October 22, 2008. A member of the Congressional Fire Caucus, Joe Courtney has made increasing funding for eastern Connecticut fire fighters through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) programs a top priority in his first term in Congress.
Voters in the 2nd Congressional District are fortunate to have good options, but in the end the choice is a clear one.
The Day
Editorial
10/19/08
Voters in Eastern Connecticut once again face a propitious dilemma in choosing their representative in Congress - two highly qualified major party candidates.
The 2nd Congressional District incumbent, Democrat U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, has proved to be an unusually influential freshman congressman, thanks in part to his party gaining control of the House of Representatives in the 2006 election, but also due to his own initiative.
He secured a seat on the Armed Services Committee, no easy accomplishment for a first-year congressman and critical for a representative serving a district that is home to both the Naval Submarine Base and the Electric Boat submarine manufacturing plant.
Rep. Courtney fought to secure funding that will allow for two-a-year submarine production to begin in 2011, a year ahead of schedule. Rep. Courtney also secured $5 million for EB to start conceptual work on the next generation of submarines and $21.5 million for new submarine base construction, increasing the odds the base will not land on any future base closings lists.
The Iraq war was a major issue in the 2006 campaign, and while Rep. Courtney and the Democratic Congress did not bring an end to the conflict, it introduced the oversight that was lacking when the Republicans controlled both the White House and Congress.
The incumbent is an advocate for health-care reform and well-versed in its complexities. If he wins re-election and Democrats gain control of the presidency and increase their majority in the Congress, we would expect the 2nd District representative to play a role in framing legislation to finally assure all Americans have access to health-care coverage.
While Rep. Courtney opposed the $700 billion financial rescue package this newspaper only reluctantly endorsed, the congressman's opposition was principled. He objected because the rescue bill did nothing for struggling mortgage holders, a concern shared by Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Blair, a President Bush appointee. If returned to office, we would expect Rep. Courtney to continue pushing this issue.
Rep. Courtney is not seen as frequently at southeastern Connecticut functions as his predecessor, Rob Simmons - something we would like to see change if the congressman is returned to office - but he does appear well cognizant of the important issues facing this region. While the incumbent did not succeed in getting work started on the completion of Route 11, his office was instrumental in bringing together the local, state and federal agencies to better understand and begin working on the challenges that confront the long-sought highway project.
Normally such accomplishments for a first-year legislator would lead to a slam-dunk endorsement, but Rep. Courtney faces an impressive challenger in Republican Sean Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan is a retired U.S. Navy captain and a former commander of the submarine base in Groton. The graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy also has a law degree (as does Rep. Courtney), which Mr. Sullivan obtained after the completion of his Navy career.
A fiscal conservative, Mr. Sullivan appears prepared to make the tough choices the next Congress must confront if it wants to bring some sanity to out-of-control deficit spending. He is a strong voice for the need to develop a comprehensive energy plan that confronts that issue on all levels - both the development of renewable energy technologies and conservation techniques, but also increased domestic drilling and expanded nuclear plant construction. We urge Rep. Courtney to follow Mr. Sullivan's lead and find ways to build more nuclear plants, rather than focus on impediments to prevent it.
While the choice is not an easy one, on balance The Day considers Rep. Courtney to be the wiser pick on Election Day. If the incumbent can build on the success of his first term, he could prove to be a very accomplished congressman, especially considering he will almost certainly be working with the majority party. While we suspect Mr. Sullivan would prove an able lawmaker, that is not justification for firing a diligent, productive incumbent.
EDITORIAL: Re-elect Courtney in 2nd District, New Haven Register
EDITORIAL: Re-elect Courtney in 2nd District
New Haven Register
Editorial
10/20/08
A primary job of Connecticut’s 2nd District representative in Congress is protecting the U.S. submarine base and Electric Boat in Groton.
Democrat Joseph Courtney picked up that job when he defeated former Republican U.S. Rep. Robert R. Simmons two years ago. Like Simmons, he serves on the House Armed Services Committee. Courtney has pushed legislation that allocated $588 million for the construction of a second submarine annually and has moved up this construction schedule from 2012 to 2010.
His Republican opponent, Sean Sullivan, is even more versed in the need for greater submarine production. Sullivan, a retired Navy captain, was commander of the sub base during the last round of closure hearings. He has commanded a Los Angeles class attack submarine.
Aside from the need for more submarines, the pair agree on a few issues — the end of the ethanol mandate for fuel, a need for more nuclear power and quick withdrawal from Iraq. Both opposed the financial bailout plan passed by Congress.
Sullivan backs the odd idea of a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and use of sea-based missiles to attack the Taliban. A withdrawal would leave the fragile regime in Kabul at great risk.
Sullivan opposes abortion, except to save the life of a mother. Courtney supports the far more humane position of a woman’s right to choose. Sullivan opposes federal aid for embryonic stem cell research, despite its potential promise. Courtney supports the research.
Courtney votes in lockstep with labor unions. He wants to throw out workers’ right to a secret ballot in union recognition elections. He voted against or opposed free trade agreements because they did not include provisions to protect American workers. Sullivan supports keeping the secret ballot and free trade agreements. The state’s economy and jobs depend on exports and free trade.
Sullivan opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants. Courtney has supported an immigration compromise. It is impossible to deport all of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants.
Despite our disagreement with Courtney on trade and labor issues, he has worked hard in his first term. He has paid particular attention to the needs of veterans in the 2nd District and backed student loan legislation that has made college education more affordable. He has our endorsement for a second term.
By Don Michak, Journal Inquirer. Published: Monday, October 20, 2008
U.S. Rep. Joseph D. Courtney, D-2nd District, says he’s made good on a 2-year-old campaign promise to help get better body armor for the nation’s combat troops.
Pointing to the fiscal 2009 Department of Defense authorization signed into law last week, Courtney says the legislation included language from a bill he introduced this year to expand the authority of an independent Pentagon agency to test and evaluate body armor issued by all of the military services.
"As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I was deeply alarmed about reports from families and, in some cases, by the troops themselves, who were concerned their were not getting the best body armor available," the freshman lawmaker said.
"The men and women who proudly serve in our nation’s armed forces deserve nothing less than the best protection available," he added.
Courtney in May 2007 led a bipartisan effort to ask the Government Accountability Office to conduct an independent reassessment of the various body armor systems employed by each military branch.
He cited news reports suggesting that privately sold flexible body armor some families were buying for their soldiers, called "Dragon Skin," might be better than the "Interceptor" armor issued by the Army.
Courtney and the 39 other lawmakers who joined the effort said after the Army contended that Dragon Skin had failed extensive military testing that they wanted the two systems compared.
The GAO subsequently agreed to oversee new testing, and Courtney last spring visited Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, where the Army is conducting its tests.
A month after the congressional request to the GAO, Courtney said, he and three other lawmakers visited Iraq and Afghanistan and saw that the diplomats they met and the private contractors who accompanied them wore Dragon Skin — while the U.S. troops they encountered were equipped with Interceptor.
Courtney also said that he had voted against a supplemental Iraq war-spending bill in part because it had been stripped of provisions requiring better protection for troops there.
The testing issue also played a role in Courtney's 2006 election campaign against former Rep. Robert R. Simmons, a Republican whom the Vernon Democrat narrowly defeated.
Courtney had been joined on the campaign trail by Gordon Mello, a former Somers first selectman and Marine veteran, who complained that his son had been sent to Iraq without full body armor.
Accomplishments on Behalf of Veterans the Focus of Courtney's Latest Television Ad
COLCHESTER, CT – Congressman Joe Courtney's latest television ad focuses on his efforts to protect America's veterans - work that earned Courtney the endorsement of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Political Action Committee.
The ad highlights Courtney's success in reducing the medical travel costs for eastern Connecticut veterans. He secured a much needed van service to transport disabled veterans to their medical appointments and helped pass legislation that dramatically increased mileage reimbursement - boosting the previous 11 cent per mile rate to 42.5 cents.
In addition to the VFW PAC endorsement, Courtney's work on veterans' issues earned him the the 2008 Meritorious Service Award from the Connecticut National Guard Association and an "A+" rating from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association of America (IAVA).
The ad's script and background material can be found below:
"Earned"
Announcer:Congressman Joe Courtney: Protecting America's veterans... It starts right here – in Connecticut.That's why Joe Courtney, recipient of the 2008 Service Award from Connecticut's National Guard Association…
Awarded the Connecticut National Guard Association's 2008 Meritorious Service Award.In April 2008, Congressman Joe Courtney was presented the Connecticut National Guard Association's Meritorious Service Award, which is given to an individual, firm or organization for outstanding service to the men and women of the Connecticut National Guard.Congressman Courtney was nominated for his leadership in protecting the flying mission of the "Flying Yankees," the time he has taken to learn about and advocate for the Guard's needs, and for the accessibility of him and his staff to the Guard at all levels.In nominating him for the award, the leadership of the organization said that "Congressman Courtney has become a tireless advocate for, and an unwavering friend to, the men and women of the Connecticut National Guard."
Led the fight to save the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program, the future flying mission of the Connecticut Air National Guard.The JCA is particularly important to Connecticut, as the aircraft is expected to be assigned to the 103rd Airlift Wing of the Connecticut Air National Guard's "Flying Yankees" after 2012.When a Congressional effort to turn control of the JCA program over to the Air Force threatened the future of the aircraft, Congressman Joe Courtney led a successful bipartisan effort to save the program and provide the men and women of our Air National Guard greater confidence in their future.
Introduced legislation to end the unfair treatment of Connecticut's National Guard technicians.Due to the inequities of a nearly 40-year old law, hundreds of "dual-status" technicians of the Connecticut National Guard's 1109th AVCRAD, who serve as both part-time members of the Guard and full-time employees of the military, are denied fair pay and benefits they deserve as citizen soldiers.Congressman Courtney introduced the National Guard Technician Recruitment and Retention Act of 2008 to end this misguided policy and ensure that eastern Connecticut's citizen soldiers are treated fairly.
Announcer:…took on the VA bureaucracy. To provide a van and drivers that takes veterans to their medical appointments.
Secured vans to help veterans get to their medical appointments.After years of struggling with high transportation costs and long distances traveling to VA medical centers, veterans in eastern Connecticut were relieved when Congressman Courtney helped to create a much needed van service for disabled veterans to see their doctors.Disabled veterans no longer need to miss critical doctor appointments because of a lack of access to transportation.
Finally increased Veterans Transportation Assistance for Eastern Connecticut's Veterans.For over 30 years, disabled veterans in eastern Connecticut received a paltry 11 cents per mile reimbursement to help defray travel costs to their medical appointments at VA facilities in West Haven and Newington.Working with leaders in Congress such as Veterans Appropriations Chairman Chet Edwards, Congressman Courtney helped pass two significant increases in the travel reimbursement rate as part of the 2008 and 2009 VA budgets.For 2009, the boosts will increase the rate to 42.5 cents/mile.Congressman Courtney also joined Congressman Tim Walz of Minnesota in introducing H.R. 6625, a bill to permanently increase the mileage rate for veterans who travel to access their care at VA facilities, eliminate the per-trip deductibles that dilute the value of their reimbursements and ensure that more veterans can be helped with their travel costs.
Congressman Joe Courtney: And serves the men and women who bravely served us.
Going the 'Extra Mile' for our veterans.For all they have given us, Congressman Joe Courtney believes that our veterans, troops and military families deserve the strong support of their elected officials.Since his first day in office, Congressman Courtney has worked tirelessly to support our veterans and military families and help them address the challenges they face.For his work, Congressman Courtney was praised by the Hartford Courant as "a particularly strong advocate for increasing benefits on behalf of veterans," received an "A+" rating from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association of America (IAVA) for his advocacy on behalf of our newest veterans, and earned the endorsement of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) PAC for his re-election to Congress.
Helped Pass Historic New Investment in Veterans Healthcare .Congressman Courtney and the 110th Congress reversed years of stagnant budgets for veterans care and benefits by providing the largest increase in veterans' funding in the history of the VA – an additional $16 billion since January 2007.This funding ensures that more of our veterans get the high quality service and benefits they have earned for their service to our nation, including "Priority Eight" veterans who were shut out of the system in 2003.This fundingstrengthens quality health care for 5.8 million patients and earned benefits for all veterans, including focuses attention on the 333,000 veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury; reduces the 396,000 claims backlog and the 177 day average wait for veterans to access earned benefits by adding thousands of new claims processors; and rejects the President's proposals to dramatically increase health care fees on eastern Connecticut veterans and military retirees.This unprecedented commitment to our veterans earned the endorsement of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other major veterans' groups who hailed the veterans' funding bill as a "major victory" and an "impressive commitment" to those who have served.
Improved Treatment of our Wounded Warriors.As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Courtney is leading the fight in Congress to improve our wounded warriors' transition home by introducing legislation (H.R 3191), which requires the Department of Defense to provide contact information of a wounded service member to the state veterans' affairs department in the state in which they intend to reside after their medical separation from the Armed Forces.Language from Congressman Courtney's bill was included in the Wounded Warrior Act – comprehensive legislation to address the failures at Walter Reed and improve the care of our wounded warriors - which is now law.
Worked Tirelessly to Ensure Our Troops Have the Best Body Armor.After hearing concerns about the adequacy of the oversight of the military's testing of body armor used by our troops in combat zones, Congressman Courtney led the charge in the House to begin an independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of the testing process.He visited the Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground, where body armor is tested, to see the process first hand and investigate the concerns.And, he introduced and passed legislation, the PROTECT Act, to improve the testing of body armor used by our troops in combat by strengthening oversight of the process. That bill, signed into law as part of the 2009 Defense Authorization Act, will provide our troops, and their families, greater confidence that they have the equipment they need to stay safe and return home.
Provided a New GI Bill to Iraq and Afghanistan Vets. Since 2001, more than 12,000 troops from Connecticut have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the GI Bill current benefits they returned to only pay only a fraction of the cost of a college education.Congressman Courtney joined a bipartisan coalition in introducing and passing a New Post-9/11 GI Bill that gives troops returning from Iraq or Afghanistan who have served 3 years on active duty full benefits to cover the costs of a four-year education up to the level of the most expensive in-state public school. The bill also allows service members with six years of service, coupled with an additional service agreement of four years, to transfer their educational benefits to their spouses and dependents.This measure, which is now law, was broadly supported by a bipartisan majority in Congress and by all major veterans' organizations - including the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America –and goes into effect in August, 2009.
Announcer: At a time when Washington can't seem to get anything right…Joe Courtney works…to get things done for us.
THOMPSON — On Tuesday, Oct. 14, members of the Connecticut Farm Bureau gathered at Fort Hill Farm in Thompson to present Congressman Joe Courtney (D-Conn., 2nd District) with the Friend of Farm Bureau Award.
The award is given out annually at the end of the congressional session to the members of Congress who have voted in favor of the issues that face the bureau most of the time, according to Connecticut Farm Bureau President Randy Blackmer.
This year, six out of seven of the congressmen and U.S. senators in the state were eligible for the award, thanks largely in part to their “major support” of the farm bill, according to Blackmer.
“That kind of pushed the percentage [of those eligible] up,” he said. Each state’s Farm Bureau looks at the votes made for the agricultural issues and chooses a senator or congressman it feels deserves the award.
The bureaus then nominate that person and, pending approval by the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors, nominate them, according to a press release from Courtney’s office. “This award is given based on solid voting records on agricultural legislation,” read a statement on the release.
The members of Congress receiving the 2008 Friend of Farm Bureau awards all played a key role in helping to pass the 2008 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is revised every five years. “Those receiving the 2008 Friend of Farm Bureau Award supported Farm Bureau’s legislative priorities, including positions on key elements in the 2008 Farm Bill,” reads a statement from the press release.
When Courtney was first elected into office two years ago, he met with the members of the Connecticut Farm Bureau to talk about the issues impacting them. The Connecticut bureau had him in to visit and go over urgent priorities, he said.
One of the main concerns the bureau had, according to Courtney, was that the issues facing Connecticut farms be made known and included in the 2008 bill, which they were. One of the programs that Courtney, who still works closely with the bureau, said he supported that helps farmers in the area is the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program, which compensates farmers for lost wages when the price of milk falls below a designated level. The 2008 Farm Bill extended MILC and helped make adjustments to the cost of the feed used for farm animals.
Also included in the bill was support for specialty crop farmers and farmers’ markets. “Farmers’ markets [are a] successful vehicle for generating revenue,” said Courtney.
That legislation, according to Courtney, was not an easy one to pass.
“It was a long ride to get that legislation through,” he said during his thank-you speech to the Connecticut Farm Bureau members present, noting that, though the legislation is not perfect, it has improved. Courtney said he found out that he would be receiving the honor “about a month ago.”
Overall, Courtney said he felt honored to receive the award, adding that working with the bureau was a wonderful experience. “I’m thankful that they presented me with this award because I enjoyed working with them,” he said.
Hartford - Gov. M. Jodi Rell and Congressman Joe Courtney are among a growing number of officials asking the federal government to enact a second economic stimulus plan.
Rell and Courtney have written separate letters to Washington leaders, saying Connecticut residents and municipalities need relief as the economy darkens.
Rell, a Republican, says state and local governments are struggling. She adds that everyday residents need help as they see their savings and investments erode.
Courtney, a Democrat, says creating new jobs and extending unemployment benefits to people who have been laid off also are critical.
The filing deadline to receive checks under the first economic stimulus package is Wednesday. The plan allocates $300 to $600 for individuals and $600 to $1,200 to couples.
COLCHESTER, CT: Congressman Joe Courtney was officially endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Political Action Committee (VFW PAC) during a press conference today in Colchester. Representatives of the VFW, including Rusty Meek, State Commander of the Department of Connecticut VFW, and John Hollis, VFW National Legislative Committee, presented Congressman Courtney with the endorsement. The Commander credited the freshman lawmaker for his hard work on behalf of veterans nationwide.
“Our veterans served our nation proudly and bravely, and I am honored to accept their endorsement,” stated Courtney. “Veterans face unique challenges and deserve an advocate who will fight for their needs. I thank the VFW and its membership for placing their continued trust in me. I will never forget their service and will make sure they receive the benefits they have earned.”
Congressman Courtney was joined by Specialist Mike Castillo, CT National Guard, VFW State Commander Rusty Meek, VFW National Committee Member John Hollis, State Representative and VFW Member Ted Graziani, and other veterans from throughout the district.
“When Congressman Courtney first ran in 2006, I stepped back because it was not my district, but now that I have seen his record of accomplishment during his first term in Congress, I know that he has been fighting for our military troops, their families, and their future. As the State Commander of the VFW, I give my full support to Congressman Courtney and know that he will continue to fight to update the laws and benefits pertaining to veterans past, present and future. Knowing that I can pick up a phone and get an honest answer from him on any veterans issue is a credit to him, and what is needed by our veterans,” Rusty Meek, State Commander, VFW Connecticut.
“I belong to the National Legislative Committee, and to qualify for an endorsement by the Committee, one must meet the highest standards of our veterans, those who are serving currently and those who have served in uniform in previous conflicts. Congressman Courtney’s support of the GI Bill for the 21st Century has improved the quality of education and the quality of life for our troops who are returning home. The Congressman has earned this endorsement and has exceeded all of the many requirements set by the VFW Committee,” stated John Hollis, Member, National Legislative Committee.
Below is a list of Congressman Courtney’s achievements on behalf of Connecticut’s veterans:
Congressman Joe Courtney’s Record of Supporting our Veterans, Troops and Military Families in Eastern Connecticut
For all they have given us, Congressman Joe Courtney believes that our veterans, troops and military families deserve the strong support of their elected officials. Since his first day in office, Congressman Courtney has worked tirelessly to support our veterans and military families and ease the challenges they face. For his work, Congressman Courtney was praised by the Hartford Courant as “a particularly strong advocate for increasing benefits on behalf of veterans,” received an “A+” rating from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association of America (IAVA) for his advocacy on behalf of our newest veterans, and earned the endorsement of the Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC for his re-election to Congress.
Helped Pass Historic New Investment in Veterans Healthcare – Congressman Courtney and the 110th Congress reversed years of stagnant veterans budgets for veterans care and benefits by providing the largest increase in veterans’ funding in the history of the VA – an additional $16 billion since January 2007. This funding:
Strengthens quality health care for 5.8 million patients and earned benefits for all veterans, including Priority Eight veterans who were shut out by the Bush Administration in 2003.
Focuses attention on the 333,000 veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Reduces the 396,000 claims backlog and the 177 day average wait for veterans to access earned benefits by adding thousands of new claims processors.
Rejects the President’s proposals to dramatically increase health care fees on eastern Connecticut veterans and military retirees
Earned the endorsement of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other major veterans’ groups who hailed the veterans’ funding bill as a “major victory” and an “impressive commitment” to our veterans.
Finally increased Veterans Transportation Assistance – For over 30 years, disabled veterans in eastern Connecticut received a paltry 11 cents per mile reimbursement to help defray travel costs to their medical appoints at VA appoints at West Haven and Newington. Working with leaders in Congress such as Veterans Appropriations Chairman Chet Edwards, Congressman Courtney helped pass two significant increases in the travel reimbursement rate as part of the 2008 and 2009 VA budgets. For 2009, the boosts will increase the rate to 42.5 cents/mile. Congressman Courtney also joined Congressman Tim Walz of Minnesota in introducing H.R. 6625, a bill to permanently increase the mileage rate for veterans who travel to access their care at VA facilities, eliminate the per-trip deductibles that dilute the value of their reimbursements and ensure that more veterans can be helped with their travel costs.
Vans for Veterans – After years of struggling with high transportation costs and long distances traveling to VA medical centers, veterans in eastern Connecticut were relieved when Congressman Courtney helped to create a much needed van service for disabled veterans to see their doctors. Disabled veterans no longer need to miss critical doctor appointments because of a lack of access to transportation.
Improving Assistance to our Wounded Warriors– As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Courtney is leading the fight in Congress to improve our wounded warriors' transition home by introducing legislation (H.R 3191) which requires the Department of Defense to provide contact information of a wounded service member to the state veterans' affairs department in the state in which they intend to reside after their medical separation from the Armed Forces. Language from Congressman Courtney's bill was included in the Wounded Warrior Act – comprehensive legislation to address the failures at Walter Reed and improve the care of our wounded warriors - which is now law.
Ensuring Our Troops Have the Best Body Armor – After hearing concerns about the adequacy of the fairness and oversight of the military’s testing of body armor used by our troops in combat zones, Congressman Courtney led the charge in the House to begin an independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of the testing process. He visited the Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground, where body armor is tested, to see the process first hand and investigate the concerns. And, he introduced and passed legislation, the PROTECT Act, to improve the testing of body armor used by our troops in combat by strengthening oversight of the process. Congressman Courtney’s work will provide our troops, and their families, greater confidence that they have the equipment they need to stay safe and return home.
Supporting Connecticut’s Citizen Soldiers – Congressman Courtney has been a strong advocate for the Connecticut National Guard. From his position on the House Armed Services Committee, he led the fight in the House to keep the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program on track – which is critical to the future of the Connecticut Air National Guard’s “Flying Yankees.” In addition, he helped secure critical funding for key Connecticut National Guard facilities in and around eastern Connecticut, including critical expansion of the engine shop at the Bradley Air National Guard Base. He also introduced legislation, the National Guard Technician Recruitment and Retention Act (H.R. 6438), to ensure that the over 300 military technicians of Groton’s 1109th AVCRAD receive the same benefits and pay as their fellow National Guardsmen. For his work, Congressman Courtney was awarded the Connecticut National Guard Association’s 2008 Meritorious Service Award.
Pay Raise for the Troops – At a time when we are asking so much from our troops and the families that depend on them, it is more important than ever that we give them the salary they deserve and need to make ends meet. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Courtney worked to provide our troops with two pay increases – 3.5 percent in 2008 and 3.9 percent in 2009. The President called these measures, a half-percent more than his proposal, “unnecessary” increases which he “strongly opposes.”
New GI Bill for Iraq and Afghanistan Vets – Since 2001, more than 12,000 troops from Connecticut have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the GI Bill current benefits they returned to only pay about 70 percent of a public college education and 30 percent of a private college education. With all they have given us, I believe that it is our responsibility to fully support the educational needs of our troops when they return home. Congressman Courtney joined a bipartisan coalition in introducing and passing a New Post-9/11 GI Bill that gives troops returning from Iraq or Afghanistan who have served 3 years on active duty, full benefits to cover the costs of a four-year education up to the level of the most expensive in-state public school. Those who served less than three years would receive new GI Bill benefits on a sliding scale commensurate with the length of their combat service in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, the bill also allows service members with six years of service, coupled with an additional service agreement of four years, to transfer their educational benefits to their spouses and dependents. This measure, which is now law, was broadly supported by a bipartisan majority in Congress and by all major veterans’ organizations - including the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America –and goes into effect in August, 2009.
Supporting our Military Families– Congressman Courtney supported the HEART Act, which provides $2 billion in tax relief for military families to ease their financial burdens caused by repeated military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now law, this measure made permanent a provision allowing combat pay to be treated as earned income for purposes of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) which, if allowed to expire, would have denied military families much-needed tax relief; provides a tax credit of up to $4,000 for small businesses who continue to pay their National Guard and Reserve employees when they are called up to serve; ensures that all military service members on active duty eligible for a recovery rebate receives one; and provides other relief aimed at easing the economic hardships on military families when their loved ones are deployed and, in the worse case, lost in action.
Joe's Op-Ed in Today's Hartford Courant on his Vote on the Bailout Package
As Connecticut's only congressional member to vote no on the Economic Stabilization Act, first on Monday and then Friday, I have heard from many concerned citizens from eastern Connecticut and beyond who called to express support, anger and fear about my position.
This financial crisis has afforded me an extraordinary opportunity to hear the challenges that businesses big and small are facing in this weakened economy, and the uncertainty about whether Washington understands the gravity of the situation.
I do understand the enormousness of this crisis — and voted my conscience for what I believe is right for my district and the nation.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson came to the Congress with his emergency request for a $700 billion line of credit to "unclog" the credit markets. I believe he was not exaggerating the danger facing the American economy. Home foreclosures have been accelerating in my district at the highest rate in the state, a real example of damage from the subprime mortgage scourge. The damage from toxic loans that were sold on Main Streets across America by large lenders, not the small banks, is continuing to spread like a virus through our economy.
I was asked to spend nearly $1 trillion of public funds to buy these failing assets with the hope that they will recover value. Yet, the most important questions have not been answered:
What strategy did Paulson propose to stop the increasing mortgage defaults and to stop the continuing slide in real estate values?
How do we prevent another Wall Street bailout when another wave of foreclosures hit neighborhoods nationwide, which is unquestionably coming?
Clearly, standing aside as the White House and previous Congresses have done over the past decade — relying on voluntary efforts by large banks to "work out" foreclosures — has failed. The banks' track record of self-regulation is abysmal. My duty to ensure that the American taxpayers will recover their investment required that the bill passed Friday do substantially more.
An effective solution that would not burden taxpayers was proposed to Secretary Paulson. Allowing distressed homeowners the right to fight for their homes in bankruptcy courts could stop the hemorrhaging in the real estate market. Americans can take almost any other type of debt to a bankruptcy judge to renegotiate terms, except for mortgages on a primary residence.
Let's allow distressed homeowners to seek relief from toxic subprime mortgages in the way that Secretary Paulson is seeking a temporary remedy for those very same mortgage-backed securities for the financial industry.
Doing so will help put a floor on the real estate market and give taxpayers a better chance to recover value from the bad assets.
The Bush administration stubbornly refuses to take the necessary steps to stabilize the housing market. Its proposal neglected to take seriously the need to limit outrageous compensation and bonuses paid to Wall Street CEOs and executives who cooked the books and bankrupted their companies.
It failed to provide sufficient ongoing oversight of how this administration would use taxpayer funds. And the plan simply did not provide enough guarantees that the taxpayers who fund the bailout will be repaid as the banks recovered.
I take this economic crisis very seriously. But the people of Connecticut deserve better than the bill presented to Congress this week. My constituents and the American people overall deserve a real solution to the grave problems in our economy, not a dose of elixir that may ultimately make the patient worse.
That's why I voted against the Bush bailout proposal.
Congressman Courtney appeared on Fox61's Beyond the Headlines this morning. The interview took place shortly before Friday's bailout vote in Washington:
Washington - The voting had been under way for several minutes when Rep. Joe Courtney, a tired, stress-taut expression on his face, entered the House chamber, slid a card into the small slot on the back of a chair, and pressed a small button to record the biggest vote of his tenure so far.
No.
Courtney simply would not support the federal bailout approved Friday afternoon by the House of Representatives, he said, out of concern that the measure could benefit Wall Street and financial firms while doing little to nothing to block the large and growing wave of mortgage defaults and foreclosures that have sent the nation's economy into a tailspin.
But it was not, the congressman admitted, “an easy vote,” an assertion that seemed to confirm his drained expression Friday afternoon. Courtney waited in a knot of representatives in an aisle of the House chamber after casting his vote, watching the vote totals slowly climb, his arms crossed, not smiling.
”This is not a political winner for anybody on either side of the vote,” Courtney said afterward, noting that he had received “powerful and sincere appeals from major employers from our state” to back the bailout bill, which backers, especially Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, hope will break the credit crunch and free up cash for businesses small and large.
Courtney's vote puts him at odds with the rest of Connecticut's delegation to Congress, including Sen. Chris Dodd, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee who helped negotiate the final version of the legislative compromise.
”I totally believe their votes were as serious and public-spirited as mine was,” Courtney said, adding that he had strong doubts about whether the bill could help stem the still-gathering cloud of foreclosures and defaults.
”They're not going to dissipate as a result of this,” he said of mortgages in danger of foreclosure. “… The bad loans of '05 and '06 haven't hit yet.”
That number could eventually surpass two million in Connecticut, he said.
The vote followed a combination of behind-the-scenes lobbying from both parties' leaders and apparently growing concern that blocking the so-called “rescue package” for a second time could hurt the markets more severely than they were stung on Monday. But it wasn't enough to bring along some of the critics of the bill's provisions for struggling mortgage-holders, or a majority of House Republicans, either.
Among the organizations that have sought to sway Courtney were The Hartford, the home-state insurance company, and an organization of community bankers, both urging him to support the compromise measure out of concern that its failure would further disrupt the fragile markets.
The initially overwhelming percentage of callers to the congressman's office opposing the bill has dropped, meanwhile, to something closer to 50 percent of the calls, his staff said.
Dodd and Courtney spoke about the Senate's version of the bailout bill Thursday evening, said the congressman's chief of staff, Jason Gross, but Courtney's doubts were not assuaged.
”They weren't out there twisting arms, but there's no question that the leaders would have preferred a 'yes' vote,” Courtney said after the vote.
In a series of conversations over the past few days, including Friday morning, as he and the whole Congress awaited the critical vote, Courtney said he had at first been energized by the response to Monday's defeat of the proposal. Immediately afterward, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., had solicited reform ideas from rank-and-file members of the Democratic caucus, Courtney said, but the proposals were ignored.
”When I voted 'no' on Monday, I had complete confidence that the process would not come to an end and we'd have an opportunity to change the bill,” he said.
In a brief interview before Friday's vote, Courtney said he'd not been worried that Congress would not pass any sort of reform intended to blunt the financial crisis. What he sought were greater measures intended to assist struggling mortgage-holders to achieve the legislation's objectives.
”I've never really doubted for a moment that there was going to be final action on this,” he said.
But change the bill did not.
”This thing looks like it's been pretty much cast in stone,” he said. “… I believe we could have followed a path to a better bill.”
But fixing what he and many others here feel are the major problems with this bailout - in particular, inadequate measures to prevent further mortgage failures and foreclosures - is “really going to be the next president's and Congress's burden.”
”And I do believe it should be their burden,” Courtney said.
Courtney votes against bailout package; read his comments Norwich Bulletin Posted Oct 03, 2008 @ 01:53 PM WASHINGTON —
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 today in the House of Representatives. The measure passed the House by a 263-171 vote. A release by Courtney said he believes the bill, while improved from the House version he voted against on Monday, still did not address the underlying factors that have triggered the current financial crisis.
Courtney released the following statement:
“When I was elected to Congress, I pledged to act in the best interest of my constituents and the nation, and I cast my vote with the families of eastern Connecticut first and foremost in my mind.”
“While the legislation was improved over the first version considered by the House, I could not in good conscience support this package that demands more than $800 billion in taxpayer funds while the fundamental problems of the housing market damaging our economy remain unaddressed. I voted no because I do not believe this proposal will sufficiently address our economic crisis and because the package was not fair enough for the middle class.”
“Let me stress that my vote against this package was not a signal that I am complacent about the state of our economy and the anxiety my constituents are feeling. As someone who represents one of the hardest hit sections of Connecticut, our economic challenges have been apparent to me for the last twenty months I have been in office. Home foreclosures have been accelerating in my district at the highest rate in the state, and the toxic loans sold by large lenders have spread like a virus through our economy.”
“Over the past week, I have heard from constituents who vehemently oppose the bailout package, retirees worried about their 401Ks, and small business owners concerned about the freeze in our credit markets. I take this economic crisis very seriously. However, especially in a time of crisis, the people of Connecticut deserve a real solution to the grave problems in our economy.”
“Failing to address the increasing pace of mortgage defaults and the slide in real estate values diminishes the chance of success for the rescue package and reduces the prospects of taxpayers recovering a reasonable amount of their nearly $800 billion dollar line of credit.”
“Moreover, the proposal still falls short on the test of fairness. The proposal fails to limit outrageous compensation and bonuses paid to Wall Street CEOs and executives who caused this crisis. It also neglects enacting tough oversight of how the Bush Administration would use taxpayer funds.”
“The package was improved after Senate action this week. Raising the cap on FDIC insurance and attaching R&D and energy tax credits were a step in the right direction. By slowing down this process earlier this week, we were able to improve a bill that at least was able to gain majority support in the House, even if it ultimately fell short of something I could support.”
“While I stand on the other side of my colleagues who voted for the legislation, I stand with them and all Americans in hoping the proposal works. If it does not, I stand ready to work with members of both political parties to forge a financial rescue plan that gets it right.”
