Courtney for Congess Latest News

Courtney Pushes Health Cost Initiative, The Day

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:32:00 +0000

Courtney Pushes Health Cost Initiative

Legislation would help self-employed and small businesses afford insurance

The Day

By Lee Howard

Published on 6/11/2008

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, joined a bipartisan panel in Washington, D.C., Tuesday to argue for passage of legislation aimed at lowering the cost of health care insurance for small businesses and the self-employed.

Courtney, speaking at a Capitol Hill press conference, said the legislation targets a segment of the health care system that is most broken and should improve the lot of the estimated 47 million Americans who spend some portion of a given year without insurance.

The Small Business Health Options Program - known as the SHOP Act - would allow small businesses and the self-employed to band together to lower insurance premiums. Joining different types of businesses into one pool allows insurers to spread risks over varied populations and should provide lower average premiums than would have been available under a previously introduced bill aimed at the same problem, supporters say.

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wisc., led the half-hour session that allowed only a few questions from reporters, many of whom attended by teleconference.

”It's clearly one of the most important issues facing business today,” said Kind, who was among the sponsors of the House version of the bill, which closely resembled the Senate's legislation, introduced by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine.

To get a feel for the problem, supporters released these statistics:

¦ 28.7 percent of the 13.5 million people working for small businesses (with fewer than 100 employees) are uninsured. About 27 percent of the 3.8 million self-employed people are uninsured.

¦ The average annual health-insurance costs for people employed by small businesses (with fewer than 200 employees) last year was $4,553 for singles and $11,835 for families.

¦ Businesses that employ fewer than 200 employees are increasingly less likely to offer health coverage. Such coverage fell from 68 percent of all firms eight years ago to 59 percent last year.

Supporters called the SHOP Act an incremental change, not a step toward national health insurance. They have said that it's up to the next president to decide how to implement a national health care strategy.

The legislation is backed by an interesting coalition of labor and business, including the National Association of Realtors, the AARP and the Service Employees International Union.

Todd Stottlemyer, president and chief executive of the 16-million-member National Federation of Independent Businesses, pointed out that small companies pay an average of 20 percent more for their health care plans than larger firms.

A representative of the national Realtors association said 25 percent of real-estate agents, who are independent contractors, lack health insurance.

Many of the bill's supporters praised the bipartisan support the legislation has received.

”If you want to do anything about health care, it has got to be bipartisan,” Stottlemyer said.

Courtney joins coalition pushing health insurance bill, Journal Inquirer

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:06:00 +0000

Courtney joins coalition pushing health insurance bill

By Don Michak

Journal Inquirer

Published: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 12:11 PM EDT

U.S. Rep. Joseph D. Courtney, D-2nd District, on Tuesday joined a bipartisan group of legislators, trade associations, and one of the nation’s biggest unions to push legislation they said would make health insurance more available and affordable for small businesses and the self-employed.

Courtney’s role in the group backing the bill is notable not only because of his longtime interest in health insurance issues — the Vernon lawyer had served a chairman of the General Assembly’s Public Health Committee before he was elected to his first congressional term two years ago — but also because it includes the relatively influential National Federation of Independent Businesses.
NFIB, with offices in Washington, D.C. and all of the 50 states, had supported the Republican incumbent Courtney narrowly unseated in 2006, former Rep. Robert R. Simmons of Stonington.

Courtney said today that while he recalled that during the campaign the NFIB was a “huge Simmons backer” and behind certain direct mail messages that favored his opponent, he believed the organization was most interested today in addressing what he suggested is the most pressing complaint of its members — the soaring costs of health care benefits.
“That part of the health insurance market is broken,” Courtney said. “If you’re self-employed, or if you have a small pool, the rates just kill you because the system doesn’t price the product the same way as larger employer pools or public-employee pools. It just keeps getting worse every year.’”

“It wasn’t that long ago that I was paying the premiums for a seven-person office,” added the congressman. “It’s something I certainly remember very well. And it’s no coincidence that the real estate agents and small machine shops are the ones really complaining the loudest about the huge increase in health care costs.”

The proposed Small Business Health Options Program, which its sponsors call the “SHOP Act,” would permit employers and the self-employed beginning next year to join a state purchasing pool to get lower premiums as well as a tax credit if their states chose to adopt certain “small group” market reforms. By 2011, it would allow small businesses to join a nationwide pool to purchase health insurance.

The legislation would prohibit insurers from using the businesses’ health status and claims experience for both the nationwide pool and the states’ small group markets.

It also would create a Web site offering comparative information about a variety of plans, and permit trade associations and other groups to function as “navigators’ to inform businesses and self-employed.

Supporters of the proposal say it would make insurance cheaper for the 47.1 million employees of the nation’s 5.8 million small businesses and for 14.1 million self-employed individuals.

Accompanying Courtney and the other lawmakers at Tuesday’s Capitol Hill press conference to unveil the bill were representatives of NFIB, as well as from the National Association of Realtors and the Service Employees International Union.

Courtney said today that the “extraordinary coalition” was forged by the need to create an affordable health insurance system.

He said a previous bid by President Bush to create a national insurance pool for small businesses had failed “because his proposal basically would have wiped out state-mandated benefits” and “didn’t provide for any coverage for anything beyond hospital and doctors’ visits.”

“This bill does incorporate existing state-mandated mandates for the national pool, and refers to the National Institutes of Medicine in terms of setting a benefit package,” he added. “That’s a far cry from the Bush proposal in terms of mental health, substance abuse, cancer treatments, Lyme disease treatments — all of the things people have fought for at the state level.”

Courtney acknowledged that the legislation was “obviously, not a way to get to universal coverage,” but said it would “get to the underlying problem.”

“At the end of the day, this country has got to decide what is insurance,” he said. “If insurance is about a product that is designed to avoid risk, that’s not going to fix the problem. People are going to continue to get hurt by something that tries to find a pre-existing condition and sets the cost on a very fragmented market. If the system is based on pooling risk and enlarging the number of people who are insured, then we’ve got a chance to get the cost issue under control.”

Larson, Courtney seek to cut soaring petroleum prices, Journal Inquirer

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:28:00 +0000

Larson, Courtney seek to cut soaring petroleum prices

By Don Michak

Journal Inquirer

June 3, 2008

Two area members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation today were expected to introduce bills aimed at cutting soaring petroleum prices by attempting to curb speculation and make more high-grade oil available on the open market.

Speaking Monday outside a Vernon gas station where some grades of gas were selling for more than $4 per gallon, U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, D-1st District, and U.S. Rep Joseph D. Courtney, D-2nd District, said they would seek to ease gasoline and heating oil costs through federal intervention.

The congressmen — flanked by representatives from the Independent Connecticut Petroleum Association, the Wyman Oil Co. in Manchester, and Mitchell Fuel in South Windsor — added that while they welcomed probes of potential oil market manipulation announced last week by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, more must be done to regulate the traders, investment banks, and hedge funds a congressional committee recently calculated could add as much as $30 to the cost of a barrel of petroleum.

Larson, a former state Senate leader from East Hartford who serves as vice chairman of the House Democratic caucus, said his proposal was aimed at restraining speculators by requiring anyone buying oil futures in an “over-the-counter” transaction to have possession of at least some of the product being traded. He decried the electronic trades that in a few hours can boost the cost of a gallon of gas by as much as 16 cents and net speculators millions of dollars in “paper” profits over a single day.

“The CFTC has been in hibernation for the last seven years,” he said, adding that the relatively little-known regulatory agency “needs to look at” the energy-derivative trading platforms in New York and London operated by IntercontinentalExchange Inc., which has prices tied to oil futures sold by its competitor, the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Speculation in petroleum prices, whether by traders in commodities, futures, or more specialized contracts known as derivatives, needs to be stopped “in its tracks,” Larson said, especially because the rapid acceleration in the cost of gas and heating oil “defies any logic, other than greed.”

“The laws of supply and demand have been suspended,” he added. “When you have over-the-counter trades that are not regulated in Washington, it’s time for the government to step in.”

Courtney agreed with Larson that it’s time to reign in “the Morgan Stanleys and the hedge funds” that “are jumping into the market and adding nothing.”

He also said that since the CFTC disclosed its investigations last Friday, “we’ve already seen a slight moderation” in prices.

But the lawyer from Vernon said he also was proposing legislation that would require the U.S. secretary of energy to exchange 50 million barrels of light crude in the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve with heavier, less refined crude.

That switch, he said, would add a significant amount of higher-grade oil to the market, an action he said was taken in 2000 that cut prices by nearly 20 percent.

Larson and Courtney were joined in Vernon by a fellow Democrat, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who lauded their initiatives as “measures to bring sanity and sense” to a market rife with manipulation.

Blumenthal, who was appearing at his second news conference of the day held at a gas station, called for support for his bid for a special session of the General Assembly to provide relief for gasoline and home heating oil consumers.

But he added that “no single state can combat the rash of national speculation that is engulfing the market.”

Several motorists shouted complaints about the high gasoline prices as they drove past the gathering of politicians and reporters outside the Talcottville Road Citgo station.

Farmers in region may get some help, Norwich Bulletin

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:30:00 +0000

Farmers in region may get some help
Lebanon farm hosts congressional visit

By ERICA JACOBSON

Norwich Bulletin

May 29, 2008

LEBANON — Nothing is getting cheaper or easier for farmers as the economy weakens, a group of Eastern Connecticut farmers told members of the state's congressional delegation Wednesday morning.

Fuel and fertilizer prices keep rising. Demand for corn, manure and other products sometimes double or triple the bill from just a year before. Increased health care costs obliterate what raises farm employers can offer their workers.

And the immigrant labor many farms rely on to milk cows, tend to plants and harvest crops can be disrupted or disappear entirely.

"We've had employees that have been stopped for seat belt violations," Paul Miller, owner of Woodstock's Fairvue Farms, said, "and, before you know it, they're back in Brazil."

That news greeted U.S. Reps. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, and Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District, as they visited the region with news of the impending Senate passage of a five-year, $289 billion farm-spending bill. Both said Washington has finally started to consider the needs of agricultural communities beyond the Midwest's commodities-driven market.

"The past is no longer acceptable, this is about the future," DeLauro said, standing in the yard of Lebanon's Graywall Farms, a 400-head dairy farm. "It is the time to end the domination of the commodity sector."

DeLauro is chairwoman of the House Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Subcommittee. She said the bill, expected to be approved by the Senate next week, includes a 5-cent decrease in ethanol subsidies, which have driven up demand and the price of corn. It also includes money for helping new farmers get established, making existing farms more energy efficient as well as working with land trusts and other programs dedicated to preserving and strengthening rural communities.

"Historically," DeLauro said during a morning roundtable at Courtney's Norwich office, "our part of the country is never in the farm bills. There was nothing."

While funding fixes some situations, farmers asked if there wasn't anything the two House members could do to remedy a shaky immigration situation for many of their employees. Mark Sellew of Lebanon's Prides Corner Farms said meaningful immigration reform appears to be stuck on certain concepts.

"Most of the immigrants aren't looking for amnesty," he said. "They're not looking for citizenship."

Tim Slate of Kahn Tractor and Equipment in North Franklin said he doesn't think the public has any idea just how vital immigrant labor is to farm products. Sellew agreed, saying the cable television political talk show hosts have won the public relations battle when it comes to the issue.

"I have so many unbelievable employees," he said.

"No excuses," Slate said, "never late."

Allyn Brown III, who runs Maple Lane Farms in Preston, said even local high school students don't apply to work the land anymore.

"If we had to depend on local labor...," he said.

"We'd be out of business," Slate said.

House members create caucus to fight contracting abuse, Congress Daily

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:26:00 +0000

House members create caucus to fight contracting abuse

Dan Friedman

CongressDaily

May 27, 2008

House Oversight and Government Reform ranking member Tom Davis, R-Va., last week announced the formation of a "Smart Contracting Caucus" to push what he called thoughtful federal procurement reform.

Reps. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., Joe Courtney, D-Conn., and Chris Carney, D-Pa., joined Davis in an April 24 letter to all House offices soliciting caucus members. Davis was a contracting lawyer and is the House's top backer of government contractors concentrated in his suburban Virginia district.

He has long pushed to make contracting with federal agencies simpler for businesses.

Since the 2006 election, Davis has negotiated with House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and other Democrats to remove provisions from several House-passed contracting reform bills after they drew particularly vocal industry opposition.

With Davis leaving Congress this year, the caucus appears in part an effort to institutionalize his role. Shays hopes to replace Davis as top Republican on the Oversight Committee, which has jurisdiction over government contracting bills, while Courtney serves on the House Armed Services Committee and Carney is chairman of the House Homeland Security Management Subcommittee. Both committees factor prominently in procurement oversight.

The new group might aim to counteract many members' belief that the Bush administration's failure to stop contracting abuses and waste necessitates quick passage of new restrictions. Davis, some federal acquisition officials, and industry groups have argued that many recently proposed procurement reforms were drafted in reaction to highly publicized problems with too little consideration of the complex federal contracting system.

"It is useful to create a caucus to discuss experiences and approaches from different agencies and departments, vet reasonable oversight solutions and share positive contracting experiences," the letter to House members says. "Short-term fixes and sound-bite solutions that rely more on anecdote than fact do not readily translate into effective reform of the contracting system."

The caucus is a congressional member organization registered with the House Administration Committee. The letter says it will organize briefings from industry groups, academics, nonprofit groups and others.

Reps. Courtney and Murphy call on President Bush to support new GI bill, WVIT and WTNH

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:55:00 +0000

House bill would increase sub production year early, The Day

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:46:00 +0000

House bill would increase sub production year early

By Jennifer Grogan

The Day

May 24, 2008

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a defense-spending plan Thursday that includes funding to increase Virginia-class submarine production ahead of schedule.

The Navy's current plan calls for an increase from one submarine per year to two in 2011, but U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney shifted $300 million in the budget authorization for buying Navy ships to pay for two submarines in 2010.

This would result in a staggered construction schedule - two submarines a year in 2010, one in 2011, two in 2012 and then continuing at two a year. Courtney represents the 2nd District, which includes submarine manufacturer Electric Boat in Groton.

Courtney then worked with Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, to further amend the authorization to add another $422 million, for a total of $722 million, for construction of two submarines a year in both in 2010 and 2011.

The House approved the plan by a vote of 384-23.

The Senate version has significantly less money for new construction on Virginia-class submarines, $79 million, and an additional $15 million for design work on the next generation ballistic-missile submarine.

The House version includes $10 million for design work and $15 million for the development of a large diameter weapons launch tube for Virginia-class submarines. The differences between the bills have to be worked out in conference and the authorization must be funded through the appropriations process.

”While this bill is a strong and bipartisan commitment to our submarine force, the authorization and appropriations process is a long and windy road,” Courtney said in a statement. “I will continue to work with my colleagues to advocate for this important investment in the future of our Navy and our submarine force.”

The House bill also authorizes $46 million to replace a pier at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, and requires any future Defense Base Closure and Realignment round to be conducted using a new process, instead of making decisions by a commission like the one used in 2005.

The Pentagon announced during the 2005 BRAC round that it would close the base in Groton and transfer the submarines and various commands to bases in Kings Bay, Ga., and Norfolk, Va. The base escaped that fate when the independent Base Closure and Realignment Commission overruled the Pentagon's proposal.

Congressmen propose additional $422 million to fund submarines, Norwich Bulletin

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:38:00 +0000

Congressmen propose additional $422 million to fund submarines

By Michael Gannon

Norwich Bulletin

May 15, 2008

U.S. Reps. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, and Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, have teamed up to more than double last week’s authorization bill for advance procurement of Virginia-class submarines.

The Hunter-Courtney amendment, made to the Fiscal 2009 National Defense Authorization Act, would increase the House’s funding proposal from $300 million to $722 million. It would allow construction of two subs per year beginning in 2010.

The measure must pass through the Appropriations Committee and the full House of Representatives. If it passes, it must be reconciled with a Senate version of the bill that allows $79 million for advance procurement.

“While the appropriations process has a long way to go, this is a truly bipartisan show of force in support of the Virginia-class submarine program,” Courtney said. Hunter could not be reached for comment.

If it survives intact, it would allow the Navy to start construction on two submarines per year in 2010 and 2011. It would double the production now at Electric Boat in Groton.

Sean Sullivan, the Republican challenging Courtney in the fall, sent out a press release early Wednesday accusing Courtney of talking about supporting submarines but taking his name off the amendment at the last minute. Sullivan later said he may have misunderstood the process for making an amendment, but credit for the money belongs to Hunter.

“The Sullivan campaign has demonstrated yet another credibility problem and an inability to grasp the federal legislative process,” Courtney spokesman Brian Farber said.

Reach Michael Gannon at 425-4231 or at mgannon@norwichbulletin.com

Eightmile now 'Wild and Scenic' River, Norwich Bulletin

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:35:00 +0000

Eightmile now 'Wild and Scenic' River

By Michael Gannon

Norwich Bulletin

May 9, 2008

SALEM — President Bush has signed legislation designating the Eightmile River watershed as a federally recognized Wild and Scenic River.

The original bill, introduced in February 2007, was the first bill put forth by freshman U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District. Thursday, Courtney said it was a victory for the entire state.

"This is a terrific moment for the Eightmile River watershed and the many advocates who for 10 years have fought for its preservation," said Courtney in a joint statement with Anthony Irving, chairman of the Eightmile Wild and Scenic Coordinating Committee.

The law affords the watershed additional environmental protection. It also allows environmental groups access to an expanded number of funding programs for preservation.

"The real success of this designation is the many people from the towns who have supported, worked on and made this designation a reality," Irving said. "With so many believers, the future protection of the river system is in good and capable hands."

"Eastern Connecticut is fortunate to be the home of some of the most pristine natural environmental settings in our state," Courtney said. "The Eightmile River is a crown jewel that deserves to be preserved and protected."

U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., whom Courtney credited with getting the bill through the Senate, was equally pleased.

"The Eightmile River is one of nature's great works of art," Dodd said in a statement. "And today we have ensured that it will be preserved and protected for both present and future generations to enjoy."

Reach Michael Gannon at 425-4231 or mgannon@norwichbulletin.com.

Recruitment grant to help fire department retain volunteers, Reminder News

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:31:00 +0000

Recruitment grant to help fire department retain volunteers

BY AL HEMINGWAY

ReminderNews

May 9, 2008

Since the 1970s, the number of volunteer firefighters has dramatically fallen across the nation. Colchester finds itself in a similar situation to other rural areas throughout the country, who, without sufficient active volunteers, become unable to provide adequate fire service and need to consider paid service instead.

Although the town is classified as a rural community, its 48-mile response area contains heavily-traveled Route 2 that takes many residents to the two casinos in the state.

“While we get no direct benefit from these casinos, they have added a noticeable burden on our department through increased calls,” wrote Colchester Fire Chief Walter Cox in his grant project description. In 2006, the CHFC responded to over 1,600 emergency calls. This equates to more than 13,000 man-hours and an additional 7,800 man-hours training,” he wrote.

The grant request was effective. On April 4, the Colchester Hayward Fire Company received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency totaling $60,000. The funds will be dispersed over a four-year period – $15,000 per year beginning in June – to aid the department in recruiting and retaining members.

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response awarded the grant money, under the auspices of FEMA, to enhance the capabilities of the CHFC by attracting new members to cope with the increasing number of calls within the community.

CHFC officials attended a grant workshop given by U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney in 2007 to assist them in applying for the funds. The congressman also wrote to the Department of Homeland Security advising them to give the department the grant for the additional volunteers.

To qualify for rural status SAFER states that a community must have less than 500 people per square mile. Presently, Colchester has 330 residents per square mile. The CHFC has one paid chief and four full-time firefighters and more than 100 volunteers.

“The ultimate goal is staffing of six firefighters on scene in 14 minutes, 80 percent of the time,” said Cox. “Not knowing if the additional volunteers are available to respond during the day is becoming an unacceptable risk.”

The decline in volunteers is due to various reasons, and it can be seen in many areas within the community that depend on volunteers to be successful.

The poor economy is a major factor. Many households find that both parents must work two jobs to make ends meet, and that leaves little time for any other activities. When both parents are away during the daytime, they are more apt to prefer family time in their off hours, over volunteering.

The soaring cost of gasoline has also decreased the volunteerism spirit . Many people have curtailed their driving to save money on fuel.

Although Colchester initiated a tax abatement program in 2003 for property tax relief for volunteers, it is still not enough. Property taxes have increased by 25 percent since that time, reducing the incentive to join. “This money is now taxed by the IRS, and its amount is not adjusted over time,” said Cox.

The town also introduced the practice of paying mileage to volunteers. However, this compensation is not nearly enough to cover expenses for volunteers who respond to numerous calls. A paid department is another answer to the problem. But with the majority of the tax burden resting with the residential property owners, this may not be a feasible option, either.
The CHFC is looking at new and innovative ways to entice new volunteer members within its ranks. The grant money will certainly help in this endeavor.

“We have a dedicated, professional force of volunteers,” said Cox. “They are the core of our department. This grant money will certainly help in getting new members – training them – and hopefully, keeping them.”

Veterans’ Van provides free transport for eastern Connecticut, Reminder News

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:28:00 +0000

Veterans’ Van provides free transport for eastern Connecticut

REMINDER NEWS

BY CAITLIN M. DINEEN
Staff Writer For story ideas contact Caitlin M. Dineen at cdineen@remindernet .com

May 9, 2008

After five months of work on the part of Congressman Joe Courtney and the Veterans’ Advisory Committee (VAC), aided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Disabled American Veterans, driving services have begun for veterans in eastern Connecticut.

The service provides rides to appointments at West Haven or Newington Veterans Affairs medical locations. The van is in operation every day of the week, with local VFW volunteers dedicating time to those who need assistance . The van was purchased after Courtney and the VAC recognized a need for reliable transportation in the district. "People are voting with their feet," said Courtney, adding that the price of gas has been having a negative impact on veterans and other Americans.

Courtney’s field representative for Military and Veteran Affairs, Ed Burke, said the van has only been in operation for a month and a half, but word about the service has circulated quickly. While certain veterans receive mileage reimbursement for medical appointments , the service is free of charge for all who need it. "Transportation has been a constant issue," said Courtney, adding that the VAC has been "very effective addressing high gas prices."

The volume of the van use is "always increasing" said Courtney. He and the VAC are in the process of obtaining a second van to evenly distribute driving services to the northeastern sections of the state.

Volunteer driver Leonard Barry is one of the four drivers who operate the van, four times a week. "It’s been rewarding to help disabled veterans," said Barry. According to Barry, the program started off slowly, but has grown into a successful and busy service.

Commander of VFW Post 10004 in Jewett City, Raymond Elliot expressed his appreciation for the van and the services it is providing for veterans. "The system is finally turning around to help the veterans," said Elliot. He had been providing rides for fellow veterans, before this transportation service began. Elliot said that he volunteered his time to drive veterans because to him money for gas and a few hours out of his day could make a huge difference for someone who needs help.

Elliot said he believes that the van was provided for the sole purpose of helping local veterans. "We’re doing it for the veterans’ needs," said Elliot, "not for the glory."

For rides to West Haven please call (203) 932-5711 extension 3575 or call (860) 667-6759 for rides to Newington.

Sub Money Included in U.S. House Bill, The Hartford Courant

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:11:00 +0000

Sub Money Included in U.S. House Bill

By JESSE A. HAMILTON

Hartford Courant

May 16, 2008

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives is, so far, a lot more submarine-friendly than the Senate or the Bush administration this year.

The House's armed services committee agreed after midnight on Thursday to send the defense authorization to the full House, and there's a lot more money for submarines than the president's budget had asked for. On top of an earlier subcommittee amendment from Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, that put an extra $300 million into the submarine budget for next year, a second amendment introduced Wednesday throws in another $422 million.

It's still very early in a long and usually convoluted process. Defense spending goes through an authorization process (like a spending guide.) And it also goes through an appropriation process (the actual laying out of the cash.) At this point, it's still in the early stages of the authorization — the beginning of the debate that will eventually produce a compromise spending plan for the president to sign.

So, the Wednesday action on the 2009 submarine budget doesn't necessarily mean Groton's Electric Boat sub builder should start counting on the contract cash, but it's a positive sign. An amendment was introduced by California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter to tack on the additional $422 million, meaning that, with Courtney's earlier money, an extra $722 million would be put aside for "advance procurement" of submarine components. Courtney suggested some of his own changes to Hunter's idea, too, which became the Hunter-Courtney amendment in the committee.

Wednesday's amendment also called for adding a submarine to the fleet, too, though the explanation of the submarine building schedule is as convoluted as the budget process. The Bush administration budget for 2009 said the Navy would change from building one sub a year to two in 2011. (The work is split between Electric Boat and a yard in Virginia.)

Courtney's amendment that added $300 million to the mix also modified the schedule, saying two subs would be built in 2010, one in 2011, and starting in 2012, two a year for the indefinite future. Hunter's new amendment added another boat to 2011, which would make it a flat increase to two a year starting in 2010.

But in the Senate armed services committee's recently approved defense authorization, the additional spending on submarines was only $79 million — barely more than a tenth of the House committee's proposal. The difference between the amounts will still have to be worked out between the two chambers. Both of them are more than the original Bush administration budget proposal, which included zero extra funding in 2009 for the extra boats.

Congressman Courtney Endorses Senator Barack Obama for President

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Congressman Courtney's Statement on Endorsing
Barack Obama for President of the United States

5/21/2008

Today, I am pleased to announce my endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States.

Our country has experienced a remarkable contest for the Democratic nomination with a field of unprecedented talent, including Connecticut's senior Senator Chris Dodd whom I originally endorsed. The race has boiled down to an historic choice between the nation's first African American or woman president, and the party, and our nation, are richer for this contest.

The results last evening from Oregon have clarified that Barack Obama will be the nominee for our party. As John McCain continues to act with a free hand in the Republican contest, it is clear that we must unite and rally around a nominee to give the nation a strong alternative in the Fall. With our economy languishing and our foreign policy in tatters, the last thing our country can afford is a third Bush term, which I believe John McCain would deliver if elected President.

While I am making this endorsement, I want to take the time to recognize Senator Clinton for her contributions to this contest and to our nation. Hers was a gutsy effort, and one that spoke to the economic anxiety that so many in eastern Connecticut and across the nation are feeling after eight years of George Bush's rule. As the father of a young daughter, I was also heartened that we took a step closer to the long overdue day when we elect a woman to serve as President. Senator Clinton has been an important leader of our party and will continue to play a key role in the years ahead.

I am enthusiastically endorsing Barack Obama because I believe that he can lead this nation and bridge the partisan divide that has hindered progress in our nation over the past eight years. Barack Obama has demonstrated leadership in pledging a new direction to drawdown our forces in Iraq and end our disastrous engagement that has stretched our military to the breaking point, damaged our economy, and diverted our attention from terrorist threats in Afghanistan and across the globe. Senator Obama's economic vision would revive our sluggish economy and invest in our middle class which has been so neglected in the Bush era. The power of Barack's words is matched by the force of his ideas.

In addition, by endorsing Senator Obama I am keeping faith with the new and young voters who helped propel me to a razor-thin victory in 2006. At UConn and on campuses across eastern Connecticut and the nation, Barack Obama has inspired new voters to engage in the political process and make their voices heard. A torch has been passed to a new generation to help solve the serious challenges facing our nation.

Our country is in desperate need of change in the White House. Today, I endorse Barack Obama to deliver that change in January after victory in November.

Video: Fox61 Reports on Eight Mile River Wild and Scenic Designation

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:22:00 +0000

Photos from the Nominating Convention!

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:29:00 +0000

Thanks to the hundreds of supporters who came out to support our Congressman's nomination! Here are some of our pictures of the event, please send us yours!

JOE'S HIGHLIGHTED 2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:49:00 +0000

REPRESENTATIVE JOE COURTNEY (CT-2)
HIGHLIGHTED 2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Congressman Joe Courtney has proven to be an effective voice for the families and industry of Connecticut’s Second Congressional District during his first year in Congress. The Congressman haschampioned the priorities of Connecticut in Washington, DC, and his major accomplishments arehighlighted below.

EDUCATION

• College Cost Reduction -- Congress enacted the largest investment in higher education since the 1944 GI Bill – the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (P.L. 110-84). As a member of the
Education and Labor Committee, Congressman Courtney offered an amendment in Committee
that added an additional $900 million to the Pell Grant program. The CCRAA:
o Cuts student loan interest rates in half over the next four years and increases the
maximum Pell Grant scholarship by nearly $1,100 over the next five years
o Rewards public service with loan forgiveness after 10 years and makes sure that
borrowers never pay more than 15 percent of their income on loan repayment.
o Sends to Connecticut an additional $130 million in Pell funds and CT students could see
a $4,500 savings from the interest rate cut.
• Higher Education Act -- the Education and Labor Committee approved a bill to reauthorize the
Higher Education Act which had not been reauthorized since 1998. Language from the
ACCESS bill that Congressman Courtney introduced was included in the underlying bill as was
language to enable more low-income students to receive tutoring through the Jumpstart program.
The Access Act (H.R. 4075):
o Encourages states to partner with colleges, philanthropic organizations, private
corporations and mentoring programs to provide financial assistance to low-income
students to attend college.

DEFENSE
• Submarine Funding – Southeastern Connecticut has fought for years to increase procurement of Virginia-class submarines to two per year. Since his first day in office, Congressman Courtney
worked with key leaders in Congress to make the case that both our nation’s security and our
domestic submarine industry needed a more robust submarine force.
Thanks to his efforts, in 2007 Congress approved funding for the first time that buys the longlead materials necessary for increasing submarine production to two a year starting in 2011 – one year earlier than planned by the Navy. Congressman Courtney also proved himself an effective advocate for the “Submarine Capitol of the World” by securing $5 million for Electric Boat to start developing the concepts of the next strategic missile submarine and $21.5 million in new construction at Sub Base New London – the largest amount secured by a single Congressman in at least a decade.
• Iraq Oversight – As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Courtney has provided much needed oversight of the President’s strategy in Iraq. He has steadfastly opposed giving the President a blank check in Iraq by supporting measures to bring
accountability to the Administration’s misguided policies and reduce the strain of repeated
deployments on our men and women in uniform. Congressman Courtney also traveled to Iraq
in May 2007 to see first hand the challenges our troops face on the front lines.
• National Guard – Congressman Courtney has worked to ease the strain on the National Guard,
which is straining after years of repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. From his
position on the House Armed Services Committee, he has helped passed measures to strengthen
the voice of the National Guard within the Department of Defense, provide nearly $1 billion to
replace National Guard equipment lost or damaged in Iraq, and increase the time that members
of the National Guard and Reserve have at home between deployments. In addition, 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.”

VETERANS
• Veterans Funding – 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 77-year history of the VA. This historic increase also includes the first increase in
the disabled veterans mileage reimbursement since 1977, which Congressman Courtney fought
for on behalf of the veterans of eastern Connecticut.
• Wounded Warrior Transition -- 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.
• Bixler Post Office – Based on strong community support and advocacy in Suffield, Congressman
Courtney introduced a bill (P.L. 110-126) to name the Suffield Post Office after Corporal
Stephen R. Bixler, who was killed in Iraq. The bill was signed into law by the President on
November 30, 2007.

HEALTH CARE
• Medicare Part D Improvement -- Congressman Courtney introduced The Medicare Part D
Improvement Act of 2007 (H.R. 2056) to remove unjust financial penalties inherent in the
Medicare Part D prescription drug program.
• Increasing Access to Health Care -- Congressman Courtney introduced the Preexisting
Condition Exclusion Patient Protection Act of 2007 (H.R. 2833) to ensure that individuals who
suffer from chronic, disabling, and life-threatening conditions have access to comprehensive,
meaningful, and affordable health insurance coverage.
• Expanding Medical Research -- Congressman Courtney is leading the charge to expand federal
funding and options for medical research by cosponsoring the Investment in America Act of
2007 (H.R. 2138) to make the research and development tax credit permanent and was part of a
coalition to successfully increase funding for the National Institute of Health.

ECONOMY
• Middle Class Tax Cuts & Minimum Wage Increase – Rep. Courtney cosponsored more than 20
targeted tax breaks including a $1.3 billion tax credit package aimed at strengthening America’s
small businesses (H.R. 976, the Small Business Tax Relief Act). This is a cornerstone of the
Fiscal Year 2008 budget, which extends the child tax credit; extends the 10 percent individual
income bracket; provides marriage penalty relief; and creates a tax-cut for an estimated 23
million Americans by establishing a fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax.
• Congressman Courtney cosponsored and voted in favor of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007.
The first raise in the federal minimum wage in over a decade was signed into law as part of the
Iraq Supplemental Bill (May 2007).
• Congressman Courtney voted in favor of H.R. 3996, the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2007,
which provides a one-year patch to prevent 26 million households from Alternative Minimum
Tax liability. He twice voted in favor of revenue neutral AMT relief earlier, but both measures,
H.R. 3996 and H.R. 4351 failed due to threats by Senate Republicans and President Bush.

ENERGY
• Price Fairness -- Congressman Courtney and the entire CT delegation tasked the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) to examine domestic oil refining capacity and the demand and
price of gasoline. Concerned by the rising price of oil and the inability of federal agencies to
regulate much of the energy futures markets, Congressman Courtney cosponsored the PUMP Act (H.R. 594) that would extend the CFTC authority to most energy transactions.
• Energy Assistance -- Congressman Courtney has called on President Bush to increase the Low
Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) budget and to expeditiously release funds.
Congress passed, and the President signed, an energy bill that boosts investment in alternative
energy sources, technology and efficiency and increases fuel economy standards for the first time
in more than 30 years. Congressman Courtney helped establish the Green Schools Caucus to
support efforts to make schools more energy efficient.
• Congressman Courtney offered an amendment to the FY 2008 Energy and Water Appropriations bill to require that no funds be used to further review the application process for Broadwater.

ENVIRONMENT
• Eightmile River - Congressman Courtney’s first bill introduced as a Member of the 110th
Congress was the Eightmile River bill (H.R. 986) to designate the river as part of the Wild and
Scenic Rivers System. Although the bill had broad bipartisan support in Connecticut,
Congressman Courtney withstood a minority of partisan opposition to the bill in the House of
Representatives and shepherded it through. It now awaits action in the Senate.
• Quinebaug and Shetucket Heritage Corridor - Congressman Courtney also introduced a bill to
extend the authorization and appropriation level for the Quinebaug and Shetucket Heritage
Corridor (H.R. 1949).
• Congressman Courtney cosponsored legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions by more than
80 percent by 2050.

AGRICULTURE
• Congressman Courtney cosponsored an agriculture bill prioritizing the needs of Northeast
farmers (H.R. 2144), including a strong Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program,
conservation programs and specialty crop programs. Many items in H.R. 2144 were included in
the comprehensive Farm Bill, awaiting conference negotiations.

TRANSPORTATION
• Congressman Courtney has worked to move the completion of Route 11 forward by holding two
Executive Committee meetings in 2007. These critical meetings brought together key
stakeholders from the local, state and federal levels of government to talk openly about the
challenges ahead and work to move the project forward. During the past year, the Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was completed and published and the Record of
Decision and financial plan is in the process of being completed.
• Congressman Courtney also wrote to President Bush requesting that a champion be assigned to
the Route 11 project, a seat that has been long vacant. In response, Robert DeHaan of the
Federal Department of Transportation was assigned to fill the role of Champion for the Route 11
project.

APPROPRIATIONS
Rep. Courtney secured federal funding the following important priorities for eastern Connecticut.
Agriculture
• $2M for agricultural and research programs at University of Connecticut;
• $750,000 for avian influenza outbreak education;
• $357,000 for New England farmers to conserve land and improve productivity
Commerce/Justice/Science
• $658,000 – Essex, Paul and Lisa Program -- support victims/survivors of commercial sexual exploitation;
• $239,000 -- Windham Dispatch Center – equipment and technology upgrades;
• $282,000 – Immersion Presents After School Program at Mystic Aquarium
• National Undersea Research Program at Avery Point – will get a share of $10 M total
Energy and Water
• $4.4 M – Old Saybrook, North Cove Harbor Dredging;
• $187,000 – Groton, Mystic River Dredging – sampling of sediment;
• $3.5 M – Long Island Sound, Dredged Materials Management Plan;
• $98,000 – Connecticut River Watershed Study, Nature Conservancy;
• $93,000 for Westbrook Dredging
Financial Services
• $282,000 – University of CT, Avery Point. Technology incubation program;
Homeland Security
• $4M – University of CT, National Transportation Security Center of Excellence;
Interior
• $711,000 – Putnam, QSHC (estimated from total funding);
• $492,000 – Colchester Flatbrook Road Booster station;
• $295,000 – Enfield Sanitary Sewer Inflow Elimination program;
• $698,000 – Westbrook, McKinney Refuge Menunketesuck Salt meadow Land Acquisition;
• $1.9 M – East Haddam, Conte Refuge Land Acquisition;
• $4.4 M – Long Island Sound Restoration for cleanup and coastal preservation;
• $689,000 – Water Systems Council at EPA for nationwide rural water training programs;
Labor/HHS/Education
• $263,000 – Norwich, English Language Learner Instruction;
• $239,000 – Enfield, Asnuntuck Community College – expansion of manufacturing program;
• $239,000 – Stafford Springs, Johnson Memorial Hospital, renovation of Emergency Dept.;
• $239,000 – Amistad America Atlantic Freedom Tour;
• $72,000 – New London, DNA EpiCenter – program development for students and teachers;
Military Construction
• $11.9 M – Groton, Subase New London – watercraft Operations Small Craft Facility;
• $9.2M – Groton, Subase New London – Submarine Learning Facility;
Transportation
• $980,000 – Groton, Mystic River Bridge rehabilitation;
• $490,000 – Mansfield Intermodal Center;
• $196,000 – Willington, Senior Housing development;
• $196,000 – Vernon, Amerbelle Textiles repair;
• $98,000 – Enfield, Streetscape enhancements in the Thompsonville section

CONSTITUENT SERVICE HIGHLIGHTS HUMAN SERVICES
Congressman Courtney assisted a retired couple from Vernon who did not receive their state or federal income tax refund. The Congressman called the Connecticut State Special Revenue, and they reissued the state refund check. He then contacted the IRS and got the needed form 3911 form filled out by the constituents and they reissued the check.
Congressman Courtney aided a New London resident who had recently had surgery and could no longer access her public housing apartment without a ramp. She had been forced to stay in a rehab facility while waiting for weeks for a ramp to be installed. The Congressman’s office worked with the Housing Authority and a ramp was installed within days so she could go home for the holidays.
Courtney helped an elderly woman from Uncasville who was upset that this year her home heating assistance was considerably less than last year. It was especially difficult for her to pay for the oil because the cost had increased so dramatically. After the Congressman requested a review of her application, the Agency discovered they had inadvertently recorded her “yearly” income as her “monthly” income. When they corrected the mistake, she was eligible for another oil delivery.

EDUCATION
Congressman Courtney assisted a constituent from Enfield whose student loan company had made over a dozen errors on her payment history, amounting to hundreds of dollars of extra interest accrued. The lender had refused to set the record straight after several phone calls from the constituent. After an inquiry from Congressman Courtney, the lender corrected all 13 mistakes and issued the constituent an apology.
Courtney assisted a Korean War Veteran from Norwich who contacted the Congressman’s office
because he had dropped out of high school at 17 to join the army and had never received his high school diploma. The veteran was approaching his 75th birthday and he regretted that he had never completed high school. Congressman Courtney contacted the veteran’s alma mater and inquired about the constituent’s student record. Both the Congressman and the veteran were delighted to learn that he was eligible for a high school diploma, which was presented to the constituent at a special ceremony on Veterans Day.
Congressman Courtney assisted a disabled constituent from Norwich who was being harassed with collection calls from her student loan lender. After reviewing her student loan terms, the Congressman determined that she was eligible for a full discharge of her student loans based on her total and permanent disability. In the end, the lender forgave the constituent $8,000 worth of student loan debt.

IMMIGRATION/PASSPORTS/VISAS
Congressman Courtney assisted a businessman from Durham who had continually encountered a
problem with TSA. For the last two years, an individual with a name similar to the constituent appeared on the "NO FLY" list. The similarity of the names caused the constituent to be delayed and searched every time he traveled. Congressman Courtney contacted TSA and obtained the information needed to resolve the issue for the constituent. The constituent completed the necessary documentation, and he has not encountered a problem with TSA since.
Congressman Courtney ensured that a family from Madison, which included four children, received their passports in time for their family vacation. The family had submitted their applications six months earlier; however, one week before the scheduled date of departure the passports were not completed.
Congressman Courtney contacted the appropriate passport facility, requested that the passports be expedited, and mailed overnight to the constituents.
Congressman Courtney assisted a student from Old Lyme with obtaining a passport and a student visa to participate in the study abroad program offered by his school. The student was unable to provide his school with the documentation required to complete the process by their established deadline, and was left on his own to obtain the necessary travel documentation. Congressman Courtney contacted the local passport agency and requested that the student’s passport application be expedited. Congressman Courtney then assisted the student with securing an appointment at the Italian Embassy in order for him
to obtain a visa. The student successfully made it to Italy in time for orientation.

VETERANS
Congressman Courtney assisted a Vietnam veteran with a long-standing claim for post-traumatic stress disorder to receive a one-hundred percent service connected disability because his symptoms made it impossible for him to work. Congressman Courtney worked with the VA benefits office to expedite his successful claim based on financial hardship.
Congressman Courtney assisted a woman who returned from a tour of service in Iraq and moved into the Second District of Connecticut to live with family members. Concerned for her well-being, members of her family contacted the Congressman. He was able to meet with the veteran and her family members and direct them to councilors in the local community and the Vet Center for follow-up care and also direct her to resources to file claims for service-connected disability payments.
There was a need for veterans in the second district to obtain transportation to medical appointments
within the VA system. Congressman Courtney worked with the VA healthcare system and
representatives from disabled American veterans, the VFW, and the Foreign Legion to place a van in Southeastern Connecticut and also locate volunteer drivers for the van. This allows veterans who are unable to provide their own transportation to receive rides to VA healthcare appointments.
Representative Courtney passed a new law honoring Corporal Stephen Bixler, who was killed in Iraq. The Suffield Post Office will be rededicated to bear his name.
A constituent from Willimantic served heroically in World War II, but he never received the recognitionhe had earned for injuries sustained during combat. Through the work of Congressman Courtney’soffice, he was finally presented his long overdue Purple Heart and Bronze Medal after 60 years.
A constituent from Uncasville fought for two decades without results to see a penny of his Vietnam War connected disability benefit. After meeting with Congressman Courtney’s office, Francis and his wife received a retroactive benefit of $31,000.

Pass Eightmile River Protection, The Hartford Courant: July 19, 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:06:00 +0000

Pass Eightmile River Protection (Courant)

July 19, 2007

An effort to expedite passage of a bill designating the Eightmile River in Connecticut as part of the National Wild and Scenic River System was needlessly rebuffed by a handful of U.S. representatives last week. Led by Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, the obstructionists expressed unfounded concerns about the use of eminent domain to protect the watershed.

A motion to suspend the House rules to allow the bill to pass in a speedy bipartisan manner failed when it fell short of the needed two-thirds majority. Fortunately, the effect of the vote only temporarily delays consideration of the bill by the House.

Supporters of the bill include Rep. Joseph Courtney, D-2nd District, who represents Salem, East Haddam and Lyme, through which the Eightmile runs before flowing into the Connecticut River. The state's entire congressional delegation backs the measure, and Gov. M. Jodi Rell sent a supporting letter to the House leadership.

Protection of the 40,000-acre watershed is vital to keep its waters clean and wildlife habitat thriving and intact for future generations. The effort to win a wild and scenic designation has been underway for years, with former Republican Rep. Rob Simmons a proponent when he represented the 2nd District. U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd has introduced a similar bill in the Senate with the support of Sen. Joseph Lieberman.

Some supporters suspect the opposition mounted by a few Republicans was aimed at discrediting Mr. Courtney, who won his seat in a close race against Mr. Simmons. The bill's backers from both sides of the aisle point out that the measure has specific wording to prohibit the use of eminent domain to protect land in the Eightmile watershed.

Proponents of the bill expect it to come before the House this month. It deserves speedy approval and passage in the Senate.

Conservation group backs Courtney, Norwich Bulletin: April 22, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:02:00 +0000

Colchester, Conn. —

Using Earth Day weekend as a backdrop, the League of Conservation Voters endorsed U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, for re-election Monday.

The league, a national organization that publishes scorecards rating members of Congress on their environmental records, cited Courtney’s score of 95 percent as a key reason for its endorsement.

The announcement was made along the Salmon River. Courtney talked about recent efforts in Congress designed to improve conservation.

“America’s future is clean energy,” he said. “That means developing real policies for energy independence using renewable fuel sources, biofuels, conservation, and efficiency. We can get there through leadership and through policies that are created for the public interest, not the special interests.”

Gary Bogli of the Connecticut River Salmon Association, which helps schoolchildren raise and release salmon eggs into local rivers, said conservation efforts benefit local rivers.

“They’re the lifeblood of the living,” Bogli said.

Eightmile River Bill Dammed: The Day (July 16, 2007)

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:22:00 +0000

Eightmile River Bill Dammed (The Day)

Protection of the Eightmile River is an important issue to citizens in Connecticut, not a political game.

How could Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives do something so foolhardy?

After 10 years of hard, bipartisan work by local citizens, elected officials and environmental organizations to protect Connecticut's Eightmile River and its rural watershed, GOP clowns made political hay of the effort last week, following the lead of a Utah Republican and defeating the wild and scenic designation for the river.

While the Republican House members cloaked their opposition in concern about the possible use of eminent domain in the watershed, it was really their payback to newly elected Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney, who defeated Republican Rob Simmons for the 2nd Congressional District seat by 83 votes last November.

The Eightmile Wild and Scenic River Act was freshman Rep. Courtney's first bill, and in fact, was introduced by Mr. Simmons last year, but was never considered before Simmons' term ended.

The legislation has had wide support, including from the Bush administration and the National Park Service, the bipartisan Connecticut House delegation, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, and the state legislature, which passed a resolution endorsing the measure.

This was a no-brainer. And it is something that the people in the communities where the Eightmile River is located, East Haddam, Salem and Lyme, have agreed is the best way to provide environmental protection for the stream and make it eligible for federal grants to make permanent the measures assuring its future water quality.

But last Wednesday Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, expressed concern that the bill might damage private property rights by leaving the door open for federal condemnation of land or the placement of restrictions on private property in the watershed. Absolutely not, proponents said. The bill specifically prohibits such actions. And they said Rep. Bishop and other Republicans knew that. It was just their way of getting back at Rep. Courtney.

The eminent domain guise caught proponents off guard, and at least temporarily derailed the long-sought wild and scenic designation.

The vote, which required two-thirds majority for passage, failed 239-173. All of the nay votes were Republican; and of the 239 in favor, Democrats cast all but 18.

How could protecting a river become so political? It never should have happened.

Republican Rep. Chris Shays of Fairfield supported the measure and sent a letter co-signed by Rep. Courtney to fellow congressmen urging passage of the bill, all to no avail. Gov. Rell also intervened.

Now the governor and Rep. Shays need to let Republicans know how petulantly they behaved. The bill is likely to resurface later this summer, and we're hoping it wins widespread approval.

It is also headed to the Senate, where Sens. Christopher J. Dodd and Joseph I. Lieberman support it.

The goal here is to protect a river. It is not a game of political one-upmanship. Republicans who voted against the Eightmile River legislation need to act more responsibly.

House Passes Courtney Resolution Declaring April 2008: National Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Awareness Month

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:07:00 +0000

House Passes Courtney Resolution Declaring April 2008:
National Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Awareness Month

Congressman Hopes to Raise Level of Awareness, Resources for Child Victims of Abuse

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House of Representatives by a vote of 410 – 0 passed U.S. Representative Joe Courtney’s House Resolution 1097, expressing support for the designation of the month of April 2008, as National Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Awareness Month.

“The abuse of the most defenseless among us is a scourge on our society and on those around the world that turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the crisis,” stated Courtney. “This is a small opportunity to raise awareness to just how many children are affected each year by abuse. While some physical bruises can heal, the psychological pain of abuse may be a carried for a lifetime.”

Click here to see Rep. Courtney speak on his resolution on the House floor:

http://www.courtney.house.gov/UploadedFiles/4-14-08%20--%20Child%20Abuse%20resolution.wmv

Child abuse affects the safety, development, and physical and psychological well-being of our children. In addition to the lasting scars it leaves on children, it is also poses a serious public health problem with long-term economic and societal costs.

“My wife Audrey has served as a nurse practitioner for 18 years and has seen and treated the victims of child abuse throughout the course of her professional career,” added Courtney. “This is an issue that is to close to our hearts.” At both Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center and Windham Hospital, Mrs. Courtney has been part of an effort to develop multidisciplinary teams with police and prosecutors to more effectively prosecute cases and improve care and treatment of victims.

Children who are abused or neglected are more likely to abuse their children and to exhibit a higher risk of health problems as adults. The Department of Health and Human Services recently reported that approximately 6.1 million cases of child abuse or neglect were reported in the United States in 2006, of which 905,000 were substantiated. Every ten seconds a report of child abuse or neglect is made.

Even more disheartening is the fact that our most vulnerable children are the most likely to be maltreated, with the youngest suffering the highest rate of victimization. Approximately, 91,278 of the victims reported for abuse in 2006 had not yet reached their first birthday, with more than 84 percent less than a month old.

House Education and Labor Chairman George Miller (D-CA) is an original cosponsor of the legislation.

“I am grateful to my colleagues in the House for standing with me to shed a brighter light on this critical challenge for our society,” said Courtney. “We stand together in solidarity in calling for assistance for those who need our help the most.”

Courtney Works To Be More Than 'Sub Guy' - The Hartford Courant

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:37:00 +0000

Courant.com

Courtney Works To Be More Than 'Sub Guy'

BY JESSE HAMILTON

Washington Bureau Chief

March 30, 2008

WASHINGTON -

Joe Courtney leans in, peering at the old photo on the office wall. "That's him, isn't it?" Courtney asks. In the center of the photo stands Harry Truman; off to the side is Ike Skelton, tall and young, long before he was the senior congressman from Missouri and chairman of the powerful House Armed Services Committee.

Courtney is waiting in Skelton's office lobby. After a while, the freshman is invited into Skelton's office. Courtney is one of the most junior of the 62 members of Skelton's committee, and the two congressmen exchange pleasantries, straying toward the topic of Truman.

"He was the real thing, Joe," Skelton recalls. "Kind of like a next-door neighbor."

When the meeting turns toward its point, it isn't about hashing out the details of a defense program. This is a payment of congressional dues. Courtney has brought Skelton a present — a scale model of a Virginia-class submarine. It's what the USS Missouri, one of the Navy's future fast-attack subs, will look like when it's finished by Electric Boat, which is in Groton.

Skelton, a military history enthusiast, seems impressed, his eyes tracking details of the black sub that will bear his state's name.

"You helped us a lot," Courtney says, still elated by his first big congressional victory as a rookie, an increase in submarine construction.

"You're a hero, I hope," Skelton says, chuckling.

"We still have work to do," Courtney replies.

Courtney has the benefit and burden of a strong legislative focus. Scoring the boost in submarine construction was so clear a voter mandate in his district, which covers most of eastern Connecticut, that he knew he had to put much of his energy into that single task. Fail, and his argument for re-election would suffer. Succeed, and he'd have easy fodder for his campaign message in 2008.

He won his seat in 2006 in the closest congressional race in the country, its 83-vote margin earning him the ironic nickname "Landslide Joe." He said recently, "There are still times that you pinch yourself."

But the close vote has left him with a sense that he must earn that victory. Courtney compared the mark it's left on him to Harry Potter's scar. So he has put a lot into submarines, but he's tried to make marks in other areas, too.

From Courtney's office in the Cannon House Office Building, 19 bills have emerged, though most — about a dozen — relate to a proposed break for a Stafford Springs textile firm on importing various animal hairs for fabric.

Among the legislation he has introduced, the former Vernon town attorney has two successes: a bill that named a Suffield post office after a Marine corporal from Connecticut killed in Iraq, Stephen R. Bixler, and a bill that would designate parts of a state river as "wild and scenic."

It's apparent that sticking him solely under the submarine label bothers him and his staff. "You don't want to be known as a one-trick pony," he says.

But Courtney is the submarine guy in Congress, by necessity.

Courtney replaced a Republican congressman, Rob Simmons, who carried a deep military pedigree. Nearly half of the 2nd District's voters weren't sure Courtney could handle his task — a headlong charge against resistance from the Bush administration and Navy officers with constellations of stars on their shoulders. So, during the campaign and his first months in office, he studied subs.

Understanding Courtney's potential vulnerability in the next election, Democratic leaders assigned the rookie to the powerful Armed Services Committee — Skelton's domain — on which he could get his hands directly on Navy shipbuilding plans. And with the help of more prominent members last year, the submarine production schedule was set for an increase.

(The Navy has built only one fast-attack submarine per year for a while, split between the yards of Electric Boat and a Virginia firm. The Navy's intention was to double that to two a year by 2012. But Courtney and other proponents argued that the strength of the fleet and the health of the submarine industry demanded an earlier increase. Congress tossed extra money into the budget and called for the Pentagon to move up the additional submarines. So far, it's moved to 2011, but Courtney is still trying for an earlier date.)

Armed Services Fixture

He actually got his first hard legislative training on an environmental effort, his Eightmile River bill, which he calls a "baptism by fire." It was supposed to be a routine bill to designate 25 miles of the river as "wild and scenic," lending it greater environmental protection. But it turned into a "donnybrook," Courtney says, acknowledging his bad pun. The Republicans, apparently spotting a chance to make a vulnerable Democrat's life harder, tried to block the bill. It was derailed on its first effort, but passed the second time around, though it now languishes in the Senate.

Another high point for Courtney was keeping the Senate from changing a cargo aircraft program that, according to some, could have delayed the state's Air National Guard from getting its next airplanes on time. Sometimes in Congress the goal is to stop something from happening. Courtney calls it "sort of a defensive victory."

But whatever other topics he pursues, he's become almost as much of a fixture in the big armed-services hearing room as the swords mounted on its walls, as much because of the epic waits for his turn to speak as the significance of his remarks (usually submarine related.) He sits for hours in a black leather chair behind his nameplate while colleagues fill the room with arguments about their own special corners of Pentagon influence. On the tiers of seating, his place is a few levels below Skelton's.

Feb. 6 saw a typical one of these patience-testing hearings. His five-minute turn came at 4:12 p.m. in a hearing that began at 1 p.m. When it was his time, he twisted expectation a bit by starting with a question on Iraq policy. Then, he settled into his groove. "The people in my district follow the shipbuilding schedule like a box score," he told Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Courtney then told the highest military officer in the country that his building plan doesn't add up properly. There are too few ships to make the future fleet goal.

Mullen answered: "I really think the Navy has a good handle on that," though he didn't bother explaining how, because Courtney had a point.

The next congressman poked a little fun at Courtney as he started his own questions: "In Iowa, we don't have a submarine base."

Family And Money

Glory and overt acts of power are not the elements of day-to-day life on the Hill. Courtney regularly brings up the recent movie, " Charlie Wilson's War," and shakes his head at its portrayal of members enjoying posh living. Standing in his one-bedroom, basement apartment a few blocks from the Capitol, he jokes, "Here it is, Charlie Wilson, 2008."

It's a bit like a cave with carpeting. There's a small collection of books. One is "Daydream Believers," an indictment of Bush foreign policy that he says is "amazing." He adds, in a whisper, "Makes you angry."

There's a kitchen, but he's never cooked a meal there. He's big on English muffins — portable food. His refrigerator contains a jar with two olives. Often, Courtney opts for Pete's, a strange blend of diner and Chinese restaurant on the Hill.

The apartment has room for his two kids, Robert and Elizabeth, but usually, he's flying north at the end of each week to try to maintain a life with his family. (The flight is a good time for reading; "Your Blackberry doesn't work up there," Courtney says.)

He splits his weekend between family and events in the district. And amid the work and personal schedules, he also must fit in the never-ending requests for money — phone calls, dinners, etc. — because he wants to keep doing all of this.

His most recent financial filings in January show that Courtney had raised $1.3 million.

Of course, now that he's in this 435-member club, there is an eternal list of people waiting to ask him for something, too.

A number of them are at a recent conference for submarine builders and suppliers. And which House member is there at the eye-blinking start of its early breakfast? Courtney, though there's no time to sit down for breakfast, just for the coffee in his hand. He's an immediate magnet for Electric Boat President John Casey, who chats with him before Courtney takes a microphone.

Last year at this time, Courtney tells the group, he was still "trying to figure out where the furniture was." He says it hasn't been easy to push for gains. "This is a very, very competitive place." But he's clearly happy to be able to remind them that he helped get that submarine construction plan elevated. He calls that success an "inspiring, incredible message" — probably the only group to whom a boost in submarine building can be called inspiring without sounding odd.

He gives the industry people some advice about hitting the other members of Congress: "You have to repeat yourself over and over. Don't leave any stone unturned."

Courtney has followed his own advice, repeating himself over and over to Ike Skelton until the senior lawmaker has decided to come to Groton himself and take a look around.

On Friday, the two congressmen tour the factory on the Thames River. Courtney is bursting with praise for Skelton, thanking him for his help last year and for his visit now, talking about the "privilege of serving under Chairman Skelton as a freshman." Last year's effort is showing up on the job boards of local colleges, recruiting 400 new employees for Electric Boat.

In front of media, union leaders and company officials, Skelton returns the affection, saying, "He's a workhorse, and I just have to tell you, frankly, how proud I am of him." Getting things done in Congress isn't about the rules and process, he says. "So much of it is on relationships, trust."

"Joe, thank you," Skelton says on his way out.

Courtney shakes his hand and says, "This was terrific."

Contact Jesse A. Hamilton at jhamilton@courant.com.

For more news about politics and government, visit www.courant.com/politics, and Jesse A. Hamilton's blog at www.courant.com/background.

FactCheck.Org: Defense of Democracies Spreading "Fear and False Claims"

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:33:00 +0000

FactCheck.org has an extensive analysis of the "Defense of Democracies" ad that has been running on Connecticut television stations this week.

The group behind the ad, Defense of Democracies, was set up just last week. It was spun off from a nonprofit called Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which was formed after 9/11 and is headed by Clifford May, a former spokesman for the Republican National Committee. The three listed members of the foundation's board of directors are Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of the business magazine Forbes and a Republican candidate for president in 1996 and 2000; Jack Kemp, candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1988 and GOP nominee Bob Dole's running mate in 1996; and Jeane Kirkpatrick, best known as Ronald Reagan's ambassador to the United Nations. Kirkpatrick died in 2006, however. A few Democrats were sprinkled in among the parent group's advisers (as well as Democrat-turned-Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman), but several of the most prominent, including Sen. Charles Schumer of New York and Donna Brazile, the former campaign manager for Al Gore's presidential bid, have resigned because of this ad. Brazile issued a statement calling the ad campaign "misleading and reckless" and saying it would "have the effect of emboldening terrorists."

Organized under section 501(c)(4) of the tax code, the new group is not required to publicly disclose its donors, and it has no plans to do so, according to a spokesman. (Brazile’s statement claimed that "due to the influence of their funders" the parent group has "morphed into a radical right wing organization.") The group also declined to provide a list of lawmakers being targeted by the ad, but we’ve learned that they include Democratic Reps. Kirsten Gillibrand and Michael Arcuri of New York, Tim Mahoney of Florida, Joe Courtney and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Nancy Boyda of Kansas, and Tim Walz of Minnesota, all of them first-term lawmakers who may be vulnerable in their reelection bids.

You can read more at FactCheck.org's website.

Hartford Courant: Capitol Watch: Anti-Courtney, Murphy Ads Rebuted by FactCheck.org

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Anti-Courtney, Murphy Ads Rebuted by FactCheck.org

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, and Chris Murphy, D-5th District, are two of 15 members of congress under attack by an independent group that is using what FactCheck.org today deemed to be a misleading television commercial.

An analysis of the ad is at FactCheck, a non-partisan group that analyzes political commercials.

The group behind the ad, Defense of Democracies, was set up just last week. It was spun off from a nonprofit called Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which was formed after 9/11 and is headed by Clifford May, a former spokesman for the Republican National Committee. The three listed members of the foundation's board of directors are Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of the business magazine Forbes and a Republican candidate for president in 1996 and 2000; Jack Kemp, candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1988 and GOP nominee Bob Dole's running mate in 1996; and Jeane Kirkpatrick, best known as Ronald Reagan's ambassador to the United Nations. Kirkpatrick died in 2006, however. A few Democrats were sprinkled in among the parent group's advisers (as well as Democrat-turned-Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman), but several of the most prominent, including Sen. Charles Schumer of New York and Donna Brazile, the former campaign manager for Al Gore's presidential bid, have resigned because of this ad. Brazile issued a statement calling the ad campaign "misleading and reckless" and saying it would "have the effect of emboldening terrorists."

-- Mark Pazniokas

VIDEO: WFSB Channel 3: Defense of Democracies False Advertising

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:07:00 +0000

Channel 3 reports on the misleading attack ads targeting CT House members Congressman Joe Courtney (02) and Congressman Chris Murphy (05).

VIDEO: WTNH Channel 8: "Defense of Democracies" False Advertising

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:37:00 +0000

Channel 8 reports on the misleading attack ads targeting CT House members Congressman Joe Courtney (02) and Congressman Chris Murphy (05).