Courtney for Congess Latest News

Courtney Tours Stimulus Recipients

2009-04-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

From the New London Day, April 8, 2009

As the wind ripped across Stonington Harbor early Tuesday afternoon, Congressman Joe Courtney stood at Don's Dock in Stonington with a small group of people.

Among them were two Stonington men who have spent the past four years trying to persuade Amtrak to fund a project that will raise the clearance under two railroad bridges so more boats can gain access to the upper harbor and the marina at Don's Dock, which caters to small boats.

Courtney had come to celebrate the announcement that $10 million of the $1.3 billion that Amtrak is receiving in federal stimulus money will be used to replace the century-old spans and increase the clearances.

Don's Dock was among several stops the Democrat from the 2nd District made Tuesday as he visited places that will receive federal stimulus money.

Courtney was not able to say exactly how many jobs the $10 million bridge project would create, but he said it would provide work for steelworkers, masons and others in the building trades, who he said have been particularly hard-hit by the recession, layoffs and foreclosures.

”This is the kind of work that will help get that segment of the economy going again,” he said. “It's also an investment in our transportation system.”

Ian Hetherington, owner of Don's Dock, said the work will also benefit his plans to add 120 slips to his operation. He said the expansion will eventually lead to the hiring of six more employees.

Courtney said he will press Amtrak to start work on the 8-month-long project this year.

Because the bridge clearances are so low now, small boats can get under them for only a few hours a day; no vessel can pass at high tide. The project will raise the bridges by 18 and 23 inches, respectively, which will allow boats to pass under during most tides and give larger boats access as well.

When Bryan Chesebrough and Andy Williams heard Amtrak was going to replace the bridges back in 2005, they began a campaign to persuade the railroad they could complete the project and increase the clearance without raising the height of the tracks.

The project was eventually approved but never funded. But both men said Tuesday their persistence paid off.

”There were plenty of times when we could have given up on this and thrown our hands up in the air,” said Williams, a native of Scotland who recently became a U.S. citizen. “This is an example of what can happen when you get involved.”

Courtney said it appears that eastern Connecticut has received more Amtrak stimulus money than any other congressional district.

Also approved was $100 million to replace the Niantic River Bridge, $16 million to paint the Thames River bridge, $7 million to replace the Miamicock River bridge in Niantic and $2 million to replace a bridge in Madison.

Polish for the Crystal

Later in the afternoon in New London, the wind was still howling, this time along the shores of the Thames River, when Courtney stopped by the Thames River Apartments to see how the New London Housing Authority will use $381,000 from the Capital Fund Program.

”This is a job that will benefit the citizens and help create jobs in our city,'' said Joseph Abrams, executive director of the authority.

The money will be used to refurbish the courtyard of the high-rise apartments on Crystal Avenue, including new playgrounds, benches and picnic tables, trees, lighting and other amenities for the residents.

”We're going to tear it all up and give people a nice place to be outside, day and night,'' Abrams said as he stood in the courtyard between the two buildings, which has not changed since the nine-story structures were erected in 1967. Original wooden benches are splintered and the playground equipment is missing pieces.

The housing authority will hire 10 New London residents immediately, preferably from low-income housing, Abrams said, to help with prep work for the project such as tearing out the old playground equipment. The jobs will be temporary but on a full-time basis, he said.

The contractor, who has yet to be hired, will be required to hire the 10 workers, Abrams said, at the same rate of pay as other landscape workers.

”It will be part of the contract,'' Abrams said. “And if they need more labor, we're going to ask they hire from the city of New London.''

Kent and Frost Landscape Architecture of Mystic is working on the plans and is expected to submit drawings in about two weeks. The project is expected to go out to bid in about three months.

”We need to make it an enjoyable and inviting place,'' said Chad Frost. “It needs to be safe and durable.''

Courtney praised Abrams for having a project that will provide jobs while updating a dilapidated area that badly needs an overhaul.

Kara Storniolo, manager of the complex, said the more than 200 kids who live at the complex with their parents deserve a better place to live and play.

”I can't wait to have a playground,'' she said. “It'll be great to have no puddles after it rains, and no trip hazards.”

Subsidizing safety

Next, Courtney visited the New London Police Department to learn where stimulus money going there might be used. The police were awarded $105,392 in early March from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, which is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Courtney also met with officers, detectives and union officials before going on a ride-along with Patrol Officer Tricia Marcaccio. Courtney told the officers he and the Obama administration believe it is important to invest in job growth as well as in public safety.

”We're doing both, to try to make sure there's no risk to the public safety during this economic downturn,” he said. “The economy is in a depression.”

Courtney said the Byrnes grant would help fill a gap in equipment funding, and said the stimulus bill also contains more than a $1 billion for the COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) program, which, when distributed, will not require the recipient communities to match the funds, as in the past. He reiterated that point later in a meeting with Police Chief Bruce Rinehart.

”That's what we need,” Rinehart said. “The problem with these grants is the matching requirement. Some communities just don't have it.”

Rinehart asked if the funds the city receives from the COPS grant, which is designated for hiring new officers, might also be applied to retaining officers.

”If it could be fashioned to pay existing officers, it would still be a part of the stimulus,” Rinehart said. “It would keep people off of unemployment.”

The chief expressed concern that recently hired officers might have to be laid off if the city cuts the public-safety budget.

”Some of our officers passed on jobs in other communities,” he said. “To have to let them go when they first get here would be a shame.”

When Courtney noted that school superintendents facing a similar scenario are asking the same question about money they would be receiving, Rinehart pointed out he was headed for a City Council meeting later in the evening.

”The department went backwards five or six years ago,” he said. “I hope that doesn't happen when I get to the council tonight. We have been steadily building up the department. I hope the council doesn't vote to do that. That would be a shame.”

”The goal,” Courtney said, “is to prevent that.”

March News Update

2009-03-31T19:31:00.001-07:00

As Congress Prepares Budget, Sub Suppliers Look To Secure Funding

The Day
3/6/09

Washington - It was hard to miss the victorious mood at Thursday's Submarine Industrial Base Council breakfast, where submarine builders and suppliers from across the country mingled with members of Congress to kick off a day of visits to members' offices on Capitol Hill.

Last year's record-breaking $14 billion contract for eight new Virginia-class submarines, to be built in part by Groton's Electric Boat, was cause for celebration and record-breaking turnout at the council's 17th annual meeting, organizers said.

“The feeling in the room was definitely much more upbeat,” said Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, who spoke to the nearly 200 attendees.

But there wasn't much time to rest on their laurels. With President Barack Obama's proposed budget still vague on defense spending - and with more-immediate priorities looming in the midst of the economic crisis - industry representatives came to Washington prepared to push for two new priorities: increased funds for research and development and a program to design a replacement for the aging Ohio-class Trident submarine.

“Even though awards have been made … the new administration has put a hold on everything,” said the council's co-chairman, Dan DePompei of DRS Power Technology in Fitchburg, Mass.

“Block 3 funding [for the Virginia-class subs] is pretty safe, but R&D could be questioned.”

Obama's budget outline would set the Defense Department's basic budget, which excludes war costs, at $533.7 billion - a 4 percent increase over this year that barely keeps pace with inflation. By contrast, George W. Bush increased the department's budget by 74 percent from 2001 to 2008.

After an era of heightened spending and ambitious defense projects, council members said, they must now market their services as long-term investments in the country's economic prosperity and national security.

“There is an economic impact across the country for what we do, and we need to reinforce that message with Congress,” Electric Boat President John P. Casey said in an interview.

He said Congress and the Navy need to start thinking now about replacing the Ohio-class submarines, the first of which is set to be retired in 2029.

“We're not early, we're not late, but we need to start now,” Casey said.

Courtney said an Ohio-class redesign program would bring more entry-level design jobs to Electric Boat. In the past year, the company has added about 200 engineers and 400 designers to its work force, many of them younger employees whose ranks had thinned at Electric Boat over the years.

“It's really been exciting to see, on the design side, younger workers going through the doors in the morning,” Courtney said in an interview. “Trying to hold onto our young people is a profoundly significant issue in our state.”

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., stressed the urgency of keeping research-and-development funding levels high to keep pace with emerging naval powers like China.

“If you have any doubts about whether this is Cold War technology, just ask other nations that are eager for this technology,” Dodd said after speaking to the council. “It would be awfully shortsighted to find out the whole world was right and we were wrong.”

Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Fla., the senior Republican on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, assured the council audience that Navy procurement programs would not face the chopping block when Congress starts debating the budget in April.

“The Appropriations Committee will be supporting these programs, and we're looking forward to that Trident submarine,” Young said to applause.

Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., cautioned that as the Navy falls behind in the number of submarines in its fleet, the submarine industry must work even harder to ensure that Congress will pay for the “complex engineering and precise craftsmanship” necessary for an updated fleet.

“We can't take it for granted that other members of Congress are as passionate and knowledgeable as we are about submarines,” said Langevin, co-chairman of the Congressional Submarine Caucus.

New Health Center On The Way For Putnam

John Penney
Norwich Bulletin
3/5/09

Putnam, Conn. — After years of wrangling by health advocates, state leaders and town officials, plans for a new family health center in town are beginning to solidify.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, announced this week Generations Family Health Center was awarded $1.12 million in federal funds for a new health center in town. The funds were part of a $2 billion national program designed to boost local health care programs for low- to moderate-income families.

“As an increased number of families feel the effects of the recession, Generations will be better positioned to help our friends and neighbors who may lose their employer-sponsored health insurance,” Courtney said.

The “New Access Point” center has been a long time coming, said Arvind Shaw, executive director of Generations, which provides northeastern Connecticut residents with medical, dental and behavioral health services through satellite offices in Danielson and Willimantic.

“I’m ecstatic,” Shaw said. “There’s a huge unmet need in this area. People without the money or ability to reach our other offices will now have access to the care they’re entitled to.”

As in its other locations, patient service costs at the planned facility will vary depending on patient income.

Shaw said the next step is to secure a building in town for renovations. He said operating the center — estimated at 8,000 square feet — will require hiring 30 additional staff, including doctors, nurses, hygienists and office personnel. Shaw said he’s reached out to local business owners to determine what properties are available.

The idea for a local health center grew from a 2001 health assessment study conducted by the Northeast District Department of Health after town officials began hearing concerns from residents about the availability of health services, Town Manager Doug Cutler said.

“This goes back quite a ways,” he said. “Even with (Day Kimball Hospital) and the primary care doctors’ offices here, it was determined there was still a need for affordable health care for residents.”

Cutler said the town will work with Generations officials during the research phase of development.

News of a new Generations office pleased Putnam resident Leon Chatelle, whose son, Leon, receives regular checkups from the organization’s mobile dental van.

“That’s just awesome,” he said. “It’ll absolutely benefit the people who live in town. (Generations) does a great job with the kids here, so I’ll definitely check it out.”

Rep. Courtney to Make $4,500 Contribution to Three Second District Food Banks

Congressman Joe Courtney announced that his campaign will make $1,500 contributions to each of three Second Congressional District food pantries and meal distribution centers serving eastern Connecticut’s families in need. The $4,500 contribution will help to alleviate the increasing burden being placed on area food centers because of the recession.

The $4,500 represents contributions Courtney received from PMA Group, which is accused of questionable operations and practices.

The following food pantries will each receive a $1,500 contribution:

St. Vincent de Paul Place, Norwich
Enfield Food Shelf, Enfield
Gemma Moran Food Distribution Center, New London

Congressman Courtney has seen first-hand the growing needs of local kitchens because of the downturn in the economy.

“If PMA Group executives have engaged in dishonest practices, then I cannot and will not accept their financial support,” stated Courtney. “However, I do not want to pass up an opportunity to use their contributions to do some good in our community.”

Agency Gets $880K To Help Region’s Jobless

Patricia Daddona

The Day

2/27/09

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board an $880,286 federal grant to help retrain the unemployed in the region.

The Franklin-based agency received notice of the first wave of layoffs at Foxwoods Resort Casino in October and used details from that initial number, about 165 workers, as evidence of the potential magnitude of layoffs in the region, said John Beauregard, the agency's executive director.

The money will assist not only Foxwoods employees who have lost their jobs but other dislocated workers as well, Beauregard said. The funds are intended to supplement existing retraining and employment assistance programs, he added.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said these funds will help the state's economy as workers are retrained and find new jobs.

”The economic woes that have dragged down the national economy continue to take a toll on our state, including the critical tourism and entertainment sectors in southeastern Connecticut,” Rell said in a statement. “In the end, the only way for Connecticut - and the nation - to recover from this downturn is to literally 'work' our way out of it - job by job and family by family. This grant is an important step in that process.”

Courtney added: “These are our neighbors and our friends and they need our help to find new jobs, which is why I will continue to support responsible federal grant programs that alleviate the burden placed on Connecticut and help steer us out of this recession.”

The funds are administered by the U.S. Department of Labor's National Emergency Grant program. Half of the money will be provided immediately while the remaining funds will be released as the state meets specific requirements of the grant program and shows a continued need for the funds.

Ashford Volunteer Fire Department Receives Grant For Equipment

Teri Stohlberg

Reminder News

U. S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-2 nd District) announced last week that three Connecticut fire departments have been awarded federal assistance grants for operation and safety improvements.

“As a member of the Congressional Fire Caucus, I am pleased to announce that these departments will receive federal assistance to enable them to continue their vital service to the communities that they serve,” Courtney said in a press release.

The Ashford Volunteer Fire Department is one of the departments awarded the new grant. The actual amount that the Ashford Volunteer Fire Department will receive is $30,020. Other fire districts receiving this grant are the Pawcatuck Fire District and the Chesterfield Fire Company. They will receive $54,326 and $45,667, respectively.

Wayne Fletcher, chief of the AVFD, explained that the money will be used to buy new turn-out gear. “This is in accordance with the latest NFPA regulations , which have changed in the last year… As a result of this grant, all my people will be compliant.”

The NFPA is the National Fire Protection Agency, which sets the standards for fire-fighting gear and equipment. The AVFD will need to purchase 26 new sets of turn-out gear, which, according to Fletcher, is much more lightweight and more flexible, allowing the firefighters to move more rapidly and work for longer periods of time. The new turn-out gear will have additional safety gear like holders for flashlights, a harness system and a rescue strap. “We are also getting 36 high-visibility vests, so they can be seen at accident sites,” Fletcher added.

At the request of AVFD, Courtney wrote a letter in support of their grant request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Grant Programs Director in Washington, D.C. In his letter, Courtney stated, “The average lifespan of a set of turnout gear is three to five years. The Ashford volunteer firefighters are currently working with 17 sets of gear all over five years old. Some of the sets are 20 years old.”

Although this is not the first federal grant AVFD has received, Fletcher commented, “These grants are important because little towns and little fire departments don’t have the money to replace the equipment.” Fletcher has been busy getting bids from several companies for the new turn-out gear. The Ashford Volunteer Fire Department is an all-volunteer department serving this rural town of about 4,500 residents.

Courtney has hosted numerous fire grant trainings attended by many of area fire departments. These trainings provide local departments with the assistance they need to secure funding.

“Joe Courtney is always helping the fire departments in the little towns,” Fletcher said.

In his press release announcing the grants, Courtney spoke highly of the firefighters in his district. “These men and women sacrifice their time and often their safety, to protect our homes and businesses. I congratulate each department for applying for these funds and wish them continued success in their efforts,” Courtney stated.

The Ashford Volunteer Fire Department on Route 44 in Ashford.

Stimulus May Save Teacher Jobs

Adam Bowles

Norwich Bulletin

2/20/09

The recently enacted economic stimulus bill that includes more than $1 billion in education spending nationwide is expected to save the region from drastic teacher layoffs in the next two school years.

The numbers are big, and they offset sharp state cuts and come with restrictions, which means school officials first must sort out the details and absorb the figures into their budgets.

“I don’t know what the strings are that are attached to it,” said Sandra Berardy, chairwoman of the Montville Board of Education, which next meets in March.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, praised President Barack Obama for committing to the investment.

“To see this type of infusion, people were blown away,” he said.

Already this year, school districts across the state are working on budgets that so far feature small percentage increases that may force layoffs, pay-to-play programs and requests to reopen union contracts. About 80 percent to 85 percent of a budget consists of salaries and benefits.

Richard Murray, chairman of the Killingly Board of Education, said he was relieved with Congress’ approval of the $787 billion bill, which was partly designed to offset state cuts in education spending, keep teachers on the job and maintain class sizes.

“We were looking at significant layoffs and hopefully this will mitigate some of that,” Murray said.

The stimulus package featured a $54 billion fund to prevent or restore state budget cuts with $39 billion designated for kindergarten through 12th grade and higher education. About $9 billion can be used for modernization and renovation and other priorities, and $5 billion will be used by the education secretary to encourage innovation.

Another $25 billion will go to No Child Left Behind and special education programs, and $4 billion will go to Head Start and Early Head Start early education programs and for child care programs.

Murray said local educators remain uncertain about their budgets because the state has to approve its spending plan.

Mary Graham pulled her two children, now ages 6 and 9, out of Mahan Elementary School in Norwich last year and enrolled them at St. Patrick Cathedral School. She said she respected the staff at Mahan but felt the system was overwhelmed by budget cuts and unfunded federal mandates. If the stimulus package leads to reform, Graham said she would consider re-enrolling her children in public school.

“I’m definitely watching to see how the money is going to be spent and to see if it’s going to do any good,” she said.

2nd District Congressman Lauds Stimulus, Says It Will Deliver Jobs

Don Michak

Journal Inquirer

2/18/09

People at the first few of several area “town meetings” about the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package have been supportive of the $787 billion plan because many work in the especially hard-hit building trades, according to the organizer of the sessions, U.S. Rep. Joseph D. Courtney, D-2nd District.

But Courtney, who raised eyebrows in October when he twice voted against the $700 billion “rescue” for the nation’s financial services industry, says he suspects that attendees also turned out because they were curious about his own take on the stimulus package.

The two-term lawmaker from Vernon said Tuesday that he had no qualms in backing the spending and tax cut package signed the same day by President Obama, describing it as “a much different type of plan” than the previously enacted Wall Street bailout.

He said the unprecedented stimulus was defensible because it is “aimed at the right sector of the economy,” and because it contains no earmarks.

He also said it not only provides hundreds of millions of dollars to create jobs on “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects, but also needy-student program and special-education funding for financially strapped school systems across Connecticut.

Courtney acknowledged that while the House had approved stimulus funding for “school modernization and construction” that also was expected to benefit local schools, the money was stripped from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act during conference committee negotiations with the Senate.

He said there’s a chance school systems still could get money for construction with approval by the governor and the General Assembly, but conceded that it was “going to be a heavy lift for local communities to redirect that money.”

Courtney said the task now facing the governor and, particularly, the Department of Transportation, is to determine within a 120-day period which projects are to be funded.

“The states are at risk of losing money if they don’t hit these timelines,” he said. “Obama’s kind of challenged them to do it.”

Courtney’s comments came as White House officials released state-by-state numbers describing the expected impacts of the stimulus package. The plan is estimated to create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, they said, including 40,900 in the Connecticut’s five congressional districts.

The most — 8,500 — would be created or saved in Courtney’s district, they said.

Courtney, meanwhile, saved his most critical comments for Republican House and Senate leaders who opposed the package, saying they had allowed ideology to blind them and were planning to make the matter the central issue in the next mid-term congressional elections.

Courtney also accused them of being out of touch with fellow Republican governors having to deal day-to-day with the worsening economic recession. Connecticut’s own Gov. M. Jodi Rell had written a letter backing the stimulus plan, he said, and other prominent Republican politicians and organizations often allied with them — such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association of Manufacturers — had endorsed the package.

“Unlike Washington politicians, these guys are living with the problem in a real way,” he said. “The claim that Obama doesn’t have Republican support is bogus,” he added.

Courtney said that despite his support for the stimulus, he believed the Obama administration had tempered the package too much and allowed too many tax cuts so as to accommodate the minority Republicans. He said he would have preferred that it provide even more in infrastructure funding, let alone money for school construction.

“Why you wouldn’t want people out there working on school buildings is beyond me,” he said.

“But at the end of the day, the White House was really making the call here,” he added.

Courtney said he also was discouraged by some questioners who have attended his town meetings and suggested that the administration was out to control doctors with an information technology plan.

He said the proposal, which was tied to an office established in the George W. Bush administration, would give the government “no authority to tell doctors what to do.”

“Rush is out there pushing this,” he said, referring to the complaint by the conservative radio talkshow host Rush Limbaugh. “But this has got the support of the American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association, and every trade group would be screaming bloody murder if there was really a problem.”

Courtney will hold a final town meeting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, the last of five such sessions in his district.

Insurance Expands For Combat Vets -- But Courtney worries many do not know they are entitled to additional coverage

Jennifer Grogan

The Day

Some service members who were severely injured while serving in the current overseas conflicts are now entitled to thousands of dollars due to a change in their insurance coverage.

The problem is, many of them don't know it.

“There are hundreds, and possibly thousands, of soldiers, sailors and Marines out there who now qualify for a payment or who received a payment and are now entitled to a larger award,” said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District. “But people have left the military and they're not in the system anymore, in terms of their whereabouts. All of the branches are scrambling to notify people.”

Congress created the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection program (TSGLI) in 2005 to provide severely injured service members with a one-time, tax-free payment to help them and their families.

Certain specific injuries were covered - permanent loss of sight, speech or hearing; amputation of a hand or foot; loss of thumb and index finger; paralysis of two or more limbs; burns; coma; or the inability to carry out daily activities due to a traumatic brain injury.

This coverage was made retroactive, allowing payments of between $25,000 and $100,000 to those injured in the theater of operations for the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts since Oct. 7, 2001.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, in conjunction with the Defense Department, recently reviewed the program and decided this past November to change the eligibility requirements and significantly expand the benefits.

Under the new rules, some people who received less than the full $100,000 may now be eligible for an additional payment and some who were denied payment may now qualify.

“Like so much about this conflict, the system was just not ready to deal with the huge human costs of this war and it needed to be adjusted,” Courtney said.

Additional injuries that are now covered include the complete paralysis of one limb; loss of four toes; loss of the big toe; and facial reconstruction due to the face or jaw having been torn away.

Other categories were expanded, with payments now available to those who lost sight for 120 days or more; lost fingers and toes; went through multiple surgeries to save a limb rather than amputate; or suffered second-degree burns to at least 20 percent of their face or body.

“These are seriously injured veterans who are facing tremendous struggles,” Courtney said. “It's obviously very important that they get all the financial assistance they need to help them transition back to civilian life.”

The program still does not cover post-traumatic stress disorder or mental illnesses, which Courtney said is the next big challenge for the system to address.

Courtney met with a group of local veterans' organizations last month, and none knew about the change to the insurance.

“There's clearly a gap in awareness out there,” he said.

Connecticut service members who have been injured since 2001 should contact the VA to explore their options, said U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn. Most service members are enrolled in TSGLI through the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program.

“The TSGLI is a well-deserved benefit for those who suffer traumatic injury while serving in defense of our great nation,” Dodd said in a statement.

Linda Schwartz, the state's veterans' affairs commissioner, said veterans needing help with claims or benefits can also contact a caseworker through her office.

“The most important message is, 'you can't do it by yourself,'” she said. “Our wounded warriors think this is just paperwork but it takes years and years of following it. You need folks to help you because these things change everyday.”

The state veterans' information line is 1-866-9CT-VETS.

Thompsonville Fire Department Planning New Public Safety Building

2009-03-31T11:13:00.001-07:00

Hartford Courant

3/31/09

ENFIELD - The Thompsonville Fire Department hopes to have plans and town permits in place by June in order to qualify for federal stimulus funding toward new public safety buildings, fire officials said Monday.

"We're focusing on the importance of 'shovel ready,'" said Chief Frank Alaimo.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd, toured the station Monday, and said $210 million in newly available grants will be handed out in June after a rigorous application process.

"It's going to be a competitive process," Courtney said, but "I think they've got a strong argument to make."

The fire department hopes to build a new station on the corner of Pearl and Asnuntuck streets to replace the aging and cramped building that was built using federal money in 1941.

"We can be shovel ready [by June]," said David Ross, a New York architect hired by the department.

Electric Boat Eager For Chance To Repair Damaged USS Hartford

2009-03-31T11:12:00.001-07:00

Eric Gershon

Hartford Courant

3/31/09

Nuclear accidents always get noticed.

Sometimes they yield business.

In the case of the USS Hartford's March 20 collision with another Navy ship in the Persian Gulf, the opportunity might be for Electric Boat, which built the Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine in the early 1990s.

Although the Navy's shipyards get first dibs on repair work, the best-qualified government shipyards appear to be too busy to handle the extensive repairs the USS Hartford might need, improving the odds that a private shipyard will get the work, said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District.

Electric Boat, which employs about 7,800 people in Connecticut, relies on repair work to keep workers occupied during the slower phases of new construction.

"Certainly we'd be interested in repair work, because it's such a valuable way of maintaining the defense industrial base," company spokesman Bob Hamilton said Monday. He said the company is talking with the Navy about the extent of the damage and where it could be fixed.

But EB's history with the USS Hartford, named after Connecticut's capital, hardly means the company is guaranteed the job. After running aground in the Mediterranean in 2004, for example, the Hartford was repaired in Norfolk, Va.

Space could also open up at military shipyards in Portsmouth, N.H., and Pearl Harbor.

In this case, the Navy hasn't even said for certain that the repairs would be made in the U.S. Questions remain about the submarine's ability to make the journey here from Bahrain, the Persian Gulf nation where its condition is being assessed and initial repairs are underway.

The Hartford, while submerged, collided with the USS New Orleans, an amphibious troop transporter, as the ships traveled in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow, busy shipping lane between Iran and the Arabian peninsula.

Since that accident, the Navy has offered little detail about the extent of the damage or how much repairs are likely to cost. The tower, periscope and port bow plane all were damaged. The Navy emphasized that the sub's nuclear propulsion system was not damaged.

Still, photographs of the damage shocked Courtney, whose district includes Groton.

"It took a huge hit," he said, having reviewed photographs of the damaged Hartford. "Stuff must have been flying all over the place."

About 15 sailors were hurt in the accident, none seriously.

For now, EB's biggest advantage over rival shipyards appears to be space for doing the work.

"The timing of the dry dock availability is very fortuitous for Connecticut right now," Courtney said.

State Residents Due Tax Refunds

2009-03-31T11:11:00.000-07:00

Metro Networks

3/31/09

(Washington, DC) -- Thousands of state residents may have a payout due them from Uncle Sam and might not even know it. Congressman Joe Courtney is getting the word out. Around 16-thousand who did not file 2005 income tax returns may be leaving a total of 18-million-dollars on the table. Courtney is urging those residents who had taxes withheld for 2005 but weren't required to file to go back and check their records. He says a number of low-income workers may not have claimed the earned income tax credit. It's estimated the average refund is over 650-dollars. For more information, taxpayers should call the IRS help line at 800-829-1040.

Hebron Gets $80,000 Grant

2009-03-31T11:10:00.001-07:00

Journal Inquirer

3/28/09

HEBRON — The Hebron Volunteer Fire Department received an $80,000 federal grant from the Department of Homeland Security.

U.S. Rep. Joseph D. Courtney, D-2nd District, secured the money through the federal Assistance for Firefighters Program.

The total amount allocated for Hebron firefighters is $79,951. The grant is given to fire departments and medical emergency responders.

Hartford Courant Editorial on Federal Foreclosure Funds

2008-11-29T20:21:00.000-08:00

Unfair Allocation
Foreclosure Aid • State plan would direct federal money to too few towns
Published: November 30, 2008

U.S. Rep. Joseph D. Courtney is on firm ground in objecting to the way state officials plan to allocate $25 million in federal funds sent to Connecticut to shore up neighborhoods hit hard by home foreclosures and abandonments.

Under a plan drafted by the state Department of Economic and Community Development, the lion's share of the money would go to only seven of the state's largest cities — none of which are in Mr. Courtney's distressed district in eastern Connecticut. Under the federal law, states or localities are to use the money to buy foreclosed homes and rehabilitate them to restore property values in struggling neighborhoods.

It appears that the DECD draft proposal would allocate the money based on the largest numbers of foreclosures and delinquencies and not, as the law seems to require, on the greatest percentage of foreclosures in areas of need. Mr. Courtney noted last week that towns like Plainfield, which is in his district and has the highest rate of foreclosures in the state, are out of luck under the DECD proposal.

Towns with high foreclosure rates are every bit as fragile as big cities with higher raw numbers of foreclosures. Mr. Courtney was right to urge Gov. M. Jodi Rell to "reallocate the money so that eastern Connecticut towns are able to rebound from the foreclosure crisis as well."

A more equitable distribution of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program money would include cities with high numbers of foreclosures as well as smaller municipalities with the highest foreclosure rates.

The UConn Daily Campus Endorses Joe Courtney

2008-11-03T11:10:00.001-08:00

Joe Courtney will continue tradition of fighting for college students, higher education
The UConn Daily Campus, 11/3/08

In the race for Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District there are two highly qualified candidates. The incumbent, Joe Courtney, has a record of serving the area's constituents and has had two years of experience. The challenger, Sean Sullivan, served as base commander to the Groton naval base and was instrumental in the effort to keep the base from closing. Both understand the importance of higher education and both are committed to finding solutions to the current economic crisis.

However, through his leadership on the House Education and Armed Forces committees, Joe Courtney has distinguished himself, and it is with this in mind that we endorse him. Courtney understands the difficult financial burden that college poses today and has been a great supporter of increased Pell grants. In addition, Courtney supported the College Cost Reduction Act, which make higher education more affordable for students. Along this same line, the congressman has also pledged to support Sen. Barack Obama's plan to give tax credits to middle class families who are helping their children pay for college.

In addition to being committed to higher education, Courtney is also committed to building up Connecticut through the creation of more affordable housing and the lowering of debt for critical professions, specifically nurses and teachers who are greatly needed in this state.

Beyond this, Courtney has also shown himself to be what in these times may seem like an oxymoron - an honorable politician. When elected in 2006, Courtney promised not to take the Congressional health care plan, to which he was entitled, until every American had health insurance. To date, Courtney has continued to opt out of the health care program, instead purchasing his own health insurance, much to the chagrin others, including his wife.

In all, Courtney has had an impressive start to his congressional career - a career that we believe ought to last into 2010, and beyond.

Norwich Bulletin Endorses Joe Courtney

2008-11-03T08:59:00.000-08:00

Our View: Courtney has done the job
Norwich Bulletin: November 2, 2008

Two years ago, Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney pledged to the people of Connecticut’s 2nd Congressional District that if given the opportunity to serve in Congress, he’d get up every morning and work as hard as he could on their behalf.

There is ample evidence he has fulfilled that pledge, and he is deserving of re-election.

Courtney understands the importance of the region’s military infrastructure. From his position on the Armed Services Committee, he obtained the necessary funding to increase submarine production at Electric Boat, thus preserving critical manufacturing jobs in Eastern Connecticut. He also secured vital funding for enhancements at the U.S. submarine base in Groton.

Courtney gets it
He understands his district is home to the largest number of veterans per capita than any other congressional district in the state. Working with his colleagues on the Veterans Affairs Committee, Courtney was instrumental in securing additional and enhanced veterans’ benefits.

He understands the vital role of higher education, particularly in a district that is home to many colleges and universities. As a member of the Education and Labor Committee, Courtney was instrumental in reducing college costs, increasing opportunities and making universities more accountable. He also was a key player in the enactment of a new GI Bill for veterans returning home from our wars.

Committed to ensuring health care access and affordability is available to all, Courtney has fought for a better health care system.

Courtney narrowly won election to Congress in 2006 — an 83-vote margin — and now faces challenges from two candidates in his first re-election bid.

Voters have a choice
Republican challenger Sean Sullivan and Green Party candidate G. Scott Deshefy have provided spirited campaigns, giving voters a choice this election year.

Deshefy’s candidacy, however, is more of an effort to secure major party status for the Greens in future elections.

Sullivan’s position regarding the war in Afghanistan — remove all troops and wage the war on terror from ships offshore — and a harsh, line-in-the-sand stance on immigration are positions we believe are unreflective of the majority in Eastern Connecticut.

Sullivan has based his campaign on Courtney’s voting record, noting the freshman lawmaker has voted consistently with his Democratic leadership — 98.2 percent of the time — thus contributing to the highly charged partisanship in Washington that has stalled more legislative action than it has produced. Sullivan presents a legitimate issue worthy of voters’ consideration, especially if — as polls suggest — Democrats will increase majorities in both chambers and take control of the White House.

Courtney demonstrated his independence and leadership in rejecting the economic bailout measure — twice. We hope to see more of that independence in the next term.

Courtney fulfilled the pledge he made two years ago to the people of Eastern Connecticut. We endorse his re-election.

The issue: Three candidates are seeking election in Connecticut’s 2nd Congressional District.

Our view: Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney has served the district well and is deserving of re-election.

The New York Times Endorses Joe Courtney

2008-10-25T06:30:00.001-07:00

October 25, 2008

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.

Hartford Courant Endorses Joe Courtney

2008-10-23T12:32:00.001-07:00

Return Incumbents To The House

Courant

Editorial

10/23/08

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

2008-10-23T05:39:00.000-07:00

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.

New London Day Endorses Joe Courtney

2008-10-21T07:31:00.000-07:00

Close Call For Congress In 2nd District

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.

The Day endorses Joe Courtney for Congress

EDITORIAL: Re-elect Courtney in 2nd District, New Haven Register

2008-10-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

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.

Pentagon Includes Body Armor Sought by Courtney

2008-10-20T07:44:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

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 1109^th 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 funding strengthens 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.

###

Courtney Honored as a "Friend of the Farm Bureau"

2008-10-17T07:35:00.000-07:00

By: Chenoa Pierce, Villager Newspapers, 10/17/08

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.

Rell, Courtney Want New Stimulus Plan, The Day

2008-10-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

Rell, Courtney Want New Stimulus Plan

The Day, Connecticut Post

Associated Press

10/12/08

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.

VIDEO: Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC Endorses Congressman Joe Courtney

2008-10-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

Click To Play

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

2008-10-05T19:08:00.001-07:00

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 on Beyond the Headlines

2008-10-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

Congressman Courtney appeared on Fox61's Beyond the Headlines this morning. The interview took place shortly before Friday's bailout vote in Washington:

The Day: Courtney stands pat, but it wasn't easy

2008-10-04T05:42:00.001-07:00

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.

Congressman Courtney Votes Against Bailout Package

2008-10-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

From the Norwich Bulletin:

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.”

Congressman Joe Courtney Talks Progress in First Campaign Commercial

2008-09-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

COLCHESTER, CT – Days after Congressman Joe Courtney secured strong federal support for the Second Congressional District’s economy, the lawmaker announced the release of his first re-election campaign commercial, entitled “Progress.”

The advertisement highlights the progress made during Representative Courtney’s first term in Congress, including increasing shipbuilding production at Groton’s Electric Boat beginning in 2011. His advocacy in Washington on behalf of the region has helped create approximately 600 jobs at EB.

“In 2006, I ran for Congress promising change, and today I report that we have made real, measurable progress and saved thousands of local jobs despite tough economic times,” stated Courtney. “The partisanship and cynicism in Congress can become frustrating to voters, but while it sometimes seems that Washington can’t get anything right, I am fighting for eastern Connecticut.”

In just two years, Congressman Courtney has secured nearly $680 million for additional work at Electric Boat as well as tens of millions of dollars more for eastern Connecticut's defense and energy industries.

Courtney secures $50k grant for NECASA, Villager Newspapers

2008-09-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

Courtney secures $50k grant for NECASA

Matt Sanderson

Villager Newspapers

9/26/08

DAYVILLE — Congressman Joseph Courtney (D-Conn., 2nd District) secured a $50,000 grant last week for the Northeast Communities Against Substance Abuse (NECASA) in order to reduce youth access to alcohol in the northeast region of Connecticut. NECASA has said it will use the funds to place advertisements on television and radio programs to get the message out to parents and adolescents.

Along with the social marketing campaign, the agency will use the funds to start a workplace campaign in mid-November, to bring their message to parents at work and tell them how they can communicate with their kids about the subject. They will also have a presentation for the workers.

Bob Brex, executive director of NECASA, said the grant is called the Sober Truth on the Prevention Act of underage drinking, or S.T.O.P. Act. Brex said their surveys from 2006-’07 indicate that all the access for children grades eight through 10 is at home.

“It’s either they’re getting it from their parents, they’re taking it from their parents or they’re taking it from a friend’s house,” said Brex. “We have to do more to stop that access. Parents and guardians have to understand that the longer you stop a teenager from starting to drink, the less likely they are to have an eventual problem. I am extremely appreciative of this grant, that it will allow us to do so much more to educate our parents on this serious problem.”

The grant goes into effect Oct. 1, he said, adding that sometime in November is when area residents should start seeing and hearing the advertisements. “The biggest thing we try to do is reduce the numbers,” he said of those kids using alcohol. “If parents disapprove, the less likely it is they will use.”

The 2006-’07 surveys conducted polled 1,323 students age 12 to 17 (grades 8, 9 and 10). More than half (51 percent) of those surveyed were eighth-graders, 26.2 percent were ninth-graders and 22.9 percent were 10th-graders.

According to the survey results, more than half of the respondents reported having a drink at some point in their lives. It stated that nearly twothirds of the 10th-graders (62.6 percent) responded positively to that. A total of 22.9 percent of all those polled said they had drunk enough to feel high or drunk before; four-fifths of those answers came from people ages 12 through 15. Almost one-fifth (18.9 percent) stated they drank at least one drink in the last 30 days. Among the 10th-graders, almost one-third (31.1 percent) reported having had at least one drink during the past 30 days, and 81.6 percent of those 10th graders polled said they had a drink in the past 30 days and drank more than one drink per occasion.

The survey reported that 12.8 percent of all 10th-grade respondents stated they had more than five drinks per occasion in the last month.

“The biggest one here is over 15 percent said they obtain alcohol from parents with permission and about 8 percent said they did it without permission,” said Brex.

Along with the S.T.O.P Act grant, Brex said NECASA will do another needs-assessment analysis this year to compare its 2004 numbers to their 2008 numbers.

“NECASA’s work is so important to our communities and I congratulate its employees for proactively applying for and securing this grant,” said Courtney. “Keeping Connecticut’s children safe and healthy are critical missions that I share with NECASA, so I will continue to support their worthy efforts in every way possible.”

Courtney said he applauds NECASA because this grant was obtained the right way, through the Department of Health and Human Services, than through the Congressional earmarking practice, which has gotten a lot of attention in the 2008 campaign season.

“It’s not for the faint of heart,” he said. “These grants are hard to get. It’s very competitive.” For more information on NECASA’s services, call 779-9253 or reach the agency on the Web at www.necasaonline.org.