U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, D-5, is taking Transportation Security Administration officials to task for buying bracelets commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks from a Chinese company.
In a letter sent to TSA Administrator John Pistole on Tuesday, Murphy called on agency officials to explain the legal authority by which the contract was awarded. Murphy is co-chairman and founder of the congressional Buy American Caucus.
“I was frustrated to learn that your agency recently purchased 70,000 bracelets commemorating the 10 year anniversary of the September 11th 2001 attacks that were made in China,” Murphy wrote to Pistole. “These bracelets cost U.S. taxpayers $17,500, and was another poor decision in a long line of contracting awards throughout the federal government that have cost American jobs and sent American tax dollars to manufacturers overseas. While your goal of commemorating the tragic events of that day is one we all share as Americans, this purchase could have, and should have, been done in a way that supports American jobs.”
New Haven Democrats gave Chris Murphy a rousing show of support for his U.S. Senate campaign—even as his opponent claimed some of them as her own backers.
The event took place Sunday at the East Rock home of U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro. It marked the launching of Murphy’s campaign organizing drive in the third U.S. Congressional District. He’s running for the 2012 Democratic nomination of the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Joe Lieberman.
Some 80 Democrats, many of them elected officials and influential activists, crammed the downstairs of the home DeLauro shares with Democratic strategist Stanley Greenberg. As Dan Malloy learned in the 2010 gubernatorial elections, New Haven Democrats, the state’s largest and best organized bloc of urban votes, are the big prize in statewide elections. Both Murphy and his leading opponent for the Democratic nomination, Susan Bysiewicz, have been calling and calling ward-level Democrats for months seeking their support.
Murphy drew an impressive turnout at DeLauro’s home Sunday. Leading state legislators like state Sen. Majority Leader Marty Looney and Reps. Toni Walker, Roland Lemar, and Gary Holder-Winfield all spoke in support of his campaign. And 16 members of the city’s 30-member (all-Democratic) Board of Aldermen showed up, including many of the newly elected labor-backed activists who represent a formidable vote-pulling force.
TORRINGTON — School officials welcomed Congressman Chris Murphy, D-5 to East School as Murphy highlighted the importance of the American Jobs Act which could provide money to make needed infrastructure improvements to the dilapidated elementary school.
As part of the bill, more than $25 billion would be available to prevent teacher layoffs, but also repair schools like East School in Torrington.
Acting Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Kloczko said the school needs about $28 million to make the repairs, which include roof replacements, boiler upgrades and roof-top unit replacement. The project would require the school to close while the renovation takes place. Capital projections place the project in the 2014-2015 fiscal year.
“I care about education for a number of reasons,” Murphy said. “My wife is a teacher, I went to Connecticut public schools and I have two little boys that will soon be school-aged. We need to do something about the state of our crumbling schools.”
Murphy said he toured other schools recently in Monroe and Meriden where issues similar to those in Torrington also exist.
“I truly believe our country’s economic salvation is tied up in the decisions in the next five to ten years about educational quality,” Murphy said. “We are never going to be the cheapest place to make something, but let’s be the smartest place.”
Murphy said it is hard to maintain the level of excellence we expect from our teachers and students when the buildings are falling down around them. The congressman said throughout the state he has seen instances where buildings are aging and are badly in need of work. Read More »
For the original article, please visit the Avon Patch
Avon Democrats unanimously endorsed U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy (CT-5) for Senate following its caucus Wednesday night.
"I met Chris when he first started running for Congress, as most of us did. He made it his business to be in the town and meet a lot of people," Avon Democratic Town Committee member Linda Merlin said, making the official motion to endorse him. "His ability to speak and listen to people and to really care about what matters, I just think that Chris would be a great senator."
4,872 donors in 2011 power Murphy to record-setting fundraising With 82% of contributions from CT, Murphy raises $720,000 in Q4 and $3.5 million for campaign
NEW BRITAIN— With more pre-election year donors than any federal campaign in Connecticut's history, Chris Murphy's campaign for U.S. Senate raised over $720,000 in the final fundraising quarter of 2011, bringing the campaign’s total raised to $3.5 million. Murphy enters 2012 with a staggering $2.5 million in the bank.
"When we kicked off this campaign 12 months ago, I'm not sure I could have imagined that a year later we'd already have almost 5,000 donors to the campaign, and 7,000 individual endorsements from Democratic and progressive activists," said Murphy. "I'm so proud that 8 out of 10 contributions are from Connecticut residents, and that the vast majority of donations are under $250. We're building a fundraising base that doubles as a grassroots operation."
4,000 CT Communications Workers Endorse Chris Murphy for Senate Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1298 joins Team Murphy
HAMDEN - Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1298 today announced their endorsement of Chris Murphy for United States Senate. CWA Local 1298 represents more than 4,000 Connecticut workers employed by AT&T and a number of other communications companies.
CWA Local 1298 President Bill Henderson cited Murphy’s steadfast leadership in working to strengthen Buy American laws on federal spending as a key factor in their decision. Henderson said, “Chris has led the charge on Buy American purchasing policies for the US government – a common sense approach that could put millions back to work without costing any more than we are already spending. Chris is willing to pursue policies like this despite corporate opposition. The U.S. Senate needs some real shaking up. Murphy is the right person for the job."
"I've made strengthening Buy American laws a top priority since my first day on the job, working for years on a series of bi-partisan bills to create an estimated 620,000 American manufacturing jobs,” said Murphy. “With over 4,000 members in Connecticut, Local 1298’s endorsement is an incredible boost for our growing grassroots campaign and I’m honored to have their strong support in our campaign for the Senate."
U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy (D-5th), who paid a visit to New Milford last week, is actively calling for a long-term extension of critical federal transportation funding and has been pointing out that an experienced work force is available, many without jobs.
According to the congressman’s office, the recent six-month extension of current highway funding will expire March 31.
“Connecticut’s bridges are in dire need of repair: of the state’s 5,250 bridges, 1,779 are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete—some 34 percent,” Mr. Murphy stated in a news release prior to his Dec. 29 visit.
“Federal highway programs are in the red because of congressional inaction. Our roads and bridges need critical improvements and repairs, and a full third of construction and road workers are out of work. This should be a no-brainer for Congress—we can create jobs now by making smart investments in our transportation infrastructure,” he stated.
MERIDEN - In its 40-plus years of existence, Casimir Pulaski School has never received an upgrade. The windows, flooring and even thin, sliding walls in some rooms are all original.
The school, like many others in the city school district, is in need of renovation. The need across the state and nation for updates combined with a lack of funds, however, has made some of the buildings even more outdated.
Renovations and updates could be on their way to the buildings should the federal American Jobs Act be passed. Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., visited Pulaski School to view conditions there so he could report his findings in Washington.
"Unfortunately, this is not a unique school," Murphy said. "There are thousands of schools around this country and state where teachers are making do, where educational miracles are happening on a daily basis, but where school improvements are long, long overdue."
For the original article, please visit the newstimes.com
NEW MILFORD -- Standing before the Veterans Memorial Bridge, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy warned Thursday that cuts to federal transportation funding could jeopardize public safety and cost jobs.
Murphy, D-5th District, said the local bridge is one of more than 1,700 in the state that are rated either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
While the bridge is slated for repairs in the spring, Murphy said proposed cuts before the U.S. Senate could reduce federal funding by as much as one-third, which might mean that dozens of bridges in the state won't get the attention they need.
"We need money from Washington now to fix these bridges, to make them safer for motorists and pedestrians," he said.
Besides safety, Murphy said, transportation infrastructure dollars from Washington would also help grow jobs in a construction industry that's experiencing an unemployment rate as high as 30 percent.
"Construction workers can't go another year without jobs," he said. Read More »
For the full, original article, please click here.
Embracing the old proverb that it takes a village to raise a child the U.S. Department of Education awarded Meriden Children First a $460,000 planning grant to develop a community approach to educating neighborhood blocks of children.
The organization celebrated the announcement of the Promise Neighborhood grant Tuesday in a parking lot outside the public library on Miller and Twiss Streets. It was one of 20 organizations from around the country to receive the funding.
According to the U.S. Department of Education more than 200 organizations from 45 states, as well as American Samoa and Puerto Rico, applied for 2011 Promise Neighborhoods planning and implementation grants.
“We are the only community in New England that received a grant,” U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy bragged Tuesday. “What we know is that this is going to make a difference for Meriden.” Read More »
Rep. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Tuesday morning accused Lowe’s, the nationwide home-improvement chain, of giving weight to anti-Muslim views by pulling its ads from the TLC show “All-American Muslim.”
Murphy said on the House floor that Lowe’s last week pulled its ads after a Florida-based group criticized the show for trying to hide the anti-American views that many Muslims hold. In response to these complaints by the Florida Family Association, Lowe’s pulled its ads, but Murphy said that decision is a dangerous precedent for the company to follow.
“This is a major American company rubber-stamping basic foundational bigotry against a major American religious group,” Murphy said.
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“Lowe’s pulled these ads because one right-wing anti-Muslim group in Florida said that the show hides the ‘true agenda of Islam,’ which according to this group is to destroy America. It’s one thing when a fringe group or a radical, unhinged pastor is doing it. It’s quite another when a Fortune 100 company is endorsing this nonsense.”
Rep. Chris Murphy, currently sitting in the state's 5th Congressional district but hoping to become the state's next senator, announced a bill he said would "provide a dedicated revenue stream to ensure that LIHEAP remains fully-funded for Connecticut families."
He also announced a survey (.pdf), conducted by LIHEAP, that tells some of the stories of what would — theoretically — happen should the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
“In home after home in towns across Connecticut, people are having a tough time making ends meet, particularly when the temperature drops and budgets are stretched thin,” Murphy said. Read More »
League of Conservation Voters Endorses Chris Murphy for Senate National environmental non-profit with 3,600 Connecticut members cites Murphy’s leadership and commitment to environmental issues
NEW BRITAIN—The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund today announced its endorsement of Chris Murphy for U.S. Senate. LCV is a national non-profit organization that works to turn environmental values into national priorities and works to elect candidates who will implement sound environmental policies.
“LCV Action Fund is proud to endorse Chris Murphy for U.S. Senate because he understands that the policies needed to grow Connecticut’s economy and keep America’s competitive edge are the same policies that will reduce our dependence on oil and curb harmful pollution,” said LCV Action Fund President Gene Karpinski. “We are confident that as Senator, Chris Murphy will push for common-sense energy policies that create jobs in Connecticut while working to eliminate the stranglehold that rich oil companies have on our nation’s energy economy.”
"We have an obligation to the next generation of Americans to work for a cleaner, healthier future for our country and our planet,” said Murphy. “Whether it's heading up the Land Conversation Caucus or championing clean energy legislation, I have made environmental protection a centerpiece of my public service in Congress. With 3,600 members in Connecticut, LCV’s endorsement is an incredible boost for our growing grassroots campaign and I’m honored to have their strong support.”
WEST HARTFORD The West Hartford Democratic Town Committee last week unanimously endorsed Chris Murphys campaign for United States Senate.
West Hartford, with 42 delegates at the last Democratic convention, is the sixth largest delegation in the state and the biggest DTC to endorse so far in the 2012 campaign.
The members of the town committee wanted to support Chris and the vote is a reflection of his support here. He is the strongest candidate to be our next U.S. Senator. His record as a Congressman stands for itself, he will be a great Senator for West Hartford, and that is why were proud to have endorsed him, said Democratic Town Committee Chairwoman Rae OToole in a statement.
She also personally endorsed Murphy.
By endorsing his surging campaign, the West Hartford DTC joins other local leaders who have signed on to Team Murphy. State Sen. Beth Bye (D-5th District), State Rep. Andy Fleischmann (D-18th District), State Rep. Brian Becker (D-19th District), State Rep. Joe Verrengia (D-20th District), and West Hartfords Democratic State Central Committee Members Barbara Gordon and Joe Stafford have all also endorsed Murphy.
WEST HARTFORD DEMOCRATS ENDORSE MURPHY FOR SENATE Local Democrats and leaders join Chris Murphy's fast-growing grassroots campaign
WEST HARTFORD - Last night, the West Hartford Democratic Town Committee (DTC) unanimously endorsed Chris Murphy's campaign for United States Senate. West Hartford, with 42 delegates at the last Democratic convention, is the sixth largest delegation in the state and the biggest DTC to endorse so far in the 2012 campaign.
"The members of the town committee wanted to support Chris and the vote is a reflection of his support here. He is the strongest candidate to be our next U.S. Senator. His record as a Congressman stands for itself, he will be a great Senator for West Hartford, and that is why we're proud to have endorsed him," said Democratic Town Committee Chair Rae O'Toole, who also personally endorsed Murphy last night.
Connecticut's 2012 U.S. Senate race season began at Yale on Thursday evening in the Dwight Hall common room.
Rep. Chris Murphy of Connecticut's fifth District, one of four candidates competing in a Democratic primary in the race to replace the retiring Sen. Joe Lieberman '64 LAW '67, spoke to a group of about 20 students about his candidacy. Hosted by the Yale College Democrats as the first guest of the their "2012 Senate Series" he laid out his view of America's economic position and took questions on issues ranging from Occupy Wall Street to foreign policy.
Murphy told the students that the critical question for America in coming years is "whether we want a middle class."
By outlining a speech he gave on the House floor two weeks ago entitled "America is Not Broke," Murphy explained his belief that financial disparity and the lack of an appropriate governmental response has created America's current economic turbulence. Murphy said that America still has more wealth than any other nation - the country is going "broke by choice," he said.
For the original article, please visit the Simsbury Patch
On his first major stop on a tour of devastated areas, Rep. Chris Murphy was at the Simsbury shelter Tuesday afternoon.
He praised the efforts in Simsbury at making the shelter a welcoming facility and said he and others are pressing the federal government for more help from the Department of Energy. And officials are ready to apply for FEMA money as well.
Repair crews from other states were promised that then did not show, he said. But even if they had, that does not mean the lights would be on as there is still so much debris that needs to be cleared.
"I come to this race with a history of fighting for the things we believe in as Democrats," Murphy told a group of Democrats gathered at a restaurant in Ansonia on a warm August night. "I come to this race showing I'm willing to put my political livelihood on the line to fight for fights I think are worth fighting.
But, he added, "we also have to nominate someone who can win. The balance of power in the Senate is up for grabs and it may run right through the state of Connecticut. We've got to make sure as a party we nominate the strongest candidate ... I believe I'm far and away in the best position."
An ability to raise significant sums of money is part of Murphy's message. He brought in more than $650,000 in the third quarter of 2011, according to campaign finance reports filed earlier this month with the Federal Election Commission. That's double the haul brought in by former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz and four times what state Rep. William Tong raised in the third quarter. Both Bysiewicz and Tong are competing for the Democratic nomination.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — They come from opposite political parties and disagree on some issues, but two members of the U.S. House of Representatives are hoping to show that bipartisanship and civility are still alive in Congress. And they've chosen a district town hall meeting, once ground zero for political discord during the health care overhaul debate, as their proving ground.
Rep. Christopher Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, is scheduled to appear at a town hall meeting Sunday in Champaign, Ill., part of the congressional district represented by Republican Rep. Timothy Johnson. In return, Johnson has agreed to appear with Murphy at a similar event in Connecticut later this year.
"I have no idea what to expect on Sunday. People could be throwing things at us or it could be wonderful and civil," Murphy told The Associated Press. "I hope people pay attention to it because people do need to know there is a resistance movement in Congress to the partisanship people see in the news."
The battle over a woman’s right to choose was front and center on Wednesday as the U.S. House of Representatives took up H.R. 358, the Protect Life Act, to amend rules established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009. Women’s rights advocates and healthcare providers view the amendment to the current law as “a radical assault on women’s healthcare and an attack on women’s liberty.”
In a conference call with reporters, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy expressed his frustration as a pro-choice advocate in Congress. The bill establishes that “any health care plan that receives tax credits through the healthcare reform bill would be prevented from offering abortions or reproductive healthcare services,” Murphy said. “Even if the plan itself only accepts one woman who has a healthcare tax credit, it cannot offer reproductive services to anyone on the health plan.”
