Senator Blumenthal Week In Review 05/26/2023—06/02/2023
REACHING A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT TO AVOID DEBT DEFAULT
— U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement after voting for the bipartisan agreement to prevent a default on the national debt:
“I voted for this debt ceiling deal—unenthusiastically. The impact of defaulting on our debt would have been catastrophic and this deal avoids the most traumatic cuts proposed by Republicans. In the future, Congress can't allow the credit of the United States to be held ransom by Republicans if they replicate their irresponsible recalcitrance. The debt ceiling must be eliminated.”
UPGRADING SENIOR CENTERS ACROSS CONNECTICUT
— Blumenthal joined Governor Ned Lamont and Disability Services Commissioner Amy Porter in announcing the Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services has been awarded $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that will be used to support upgrades and enhancements at senior centers statewide in Connecticut.
“These critical ARPA funds will support senior center programs and services and ensure that these facilities are safe and accessible for all. Senior centers across Connecticut provide immeasurable value to the lives of our elderly residents. I am deeply proud to have fought for this funding to support our seniors and help keep them connected to their community,” said Blumenthal.
The funding can be used for facility improvements, which can cover a variety of capital improvements, including air and HVAC systems, lighting, accessibility features, vehicle acquisition, maintenance, and repurposing, as well as programming, which can include the acquisition of program registration software, web design renovation capability, extended senior center hours, special or focused entertainment or programming, and expanded staff hours to support those programs.
CELEBRATING UCONN’S CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE WHITE HOUSE
— Blumenthal attended President Biden’s ceremony at the White House honoring the UConn Men’s Basketball team for winning the NCAA Division I National Championship.
“Happy three UConn fans—Secretary Cardona & Second Gentleman Emhoff with me in a wondrous moment at the White House waiting for the UConn Men’s Basketball team & President Biden.”
“There truly is no quit in UConn Men’s Basketball. A tremendous celebration today at the White House for a champion team. Their unwavering, unyielding belief in each other, & the game, make them a cut above the rest.”
“What President Obama said in 2010 still rings true today ‘You know during the entire season, I just kept on repeating, & I truly believe, this was the best team….’ Congrats on a fantastic season & Huskies basketball for cementing its legacy as a world class program.”
“Champions with charm & charisma—this Husky team manages to be both heroic & humble. The love in the East Room was infectious—with the President adding humor & accolades. I was deeply proud to join fellow fans.”
— Blumenthal joined Memorial Day parades and ceremonies in Redding, Wethersfield, North Haven, Milford, Monroe, Orange, Naugatuck, Stratford, and Middletown.
“Ceremony in Redding saluting fallen heroes conclude the Town’s spirited, sweet parade. Grateful to march with all of you!”
“Proud to march with Wethersfield’s finest & bravest along with so many others—with great Town turnout under cloudless skies. A magnificent beginning to Memorial Day weekend.”
“North Haven’s parade celebrated service & sacrifice with tremendous patriotic spirit. Crowd were big & enthusiastic as we marched on this near perfect day.”
“Moving, beautiful ceremony in Milford to honor fallen heroes. Patriotism & service of our veterans honoring the fallen. Thank you!”
“Amazing exuberance & turnout in Monroe! Proud to march on this cloudless, sun-filled day & speak at solemn ceremonial wreath laying.”
“Orange Parade kicks off to acclaim & gratitude from spectators & marchers, including me. Wonderful to walk through this patriotic, generous community. Thanks to all who made it possible.”
“Marching in Naugatuck—huge crowds under sun-filled skies. A wonderful Valley community comes together to honor our heroes—the fallen who have kept us free & our nation great.”
“Solemn, moving Memorial Day ceremony at Academy Hill in Stratford before the town’s beautiful parade.”
“Gathering at the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, we honor & salute the fallen—but also to thank the living, our nation’s veterans. Heroes have given their lives so we can enjoy the gift of freedom, which is never free. We may not know them, but we owe them.”
PREVENTING ROADWAY FATALITIES
— Blumenthal applauded the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s proposed rule to require automatic emergency breaking for all new cars.
“Safety must be the standard, not voluntary for auto manufacturers. Requiring automatic emergency braking on new cars will save lives. I applaud NHTSA for taking this step—thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—& urge the swift implementation of a final rule.”
RECOGNIZING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE
— Blumenthal joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 21 of their colleagues in reintroducing a resolution recognizing the anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and honoring the lives and legacies of the nearly 300 Black individuals who were killed and the nearly 9,000 Black individuals who were left homeless and penniless as a result.
The resolution also condemns the violent white mob, including white municipal officials and law enforcement officials who directly aided and abetted the unlawful violence, but were never held accountable. It encourages schools and universities to incorporate the history of the Tulsa Race Massacre into their curriculum, and recognizes Congress’s commitment to acknowledge and learn from the United States’ history of racism and racial violence.
“The victims who lost their lives and the survivors who lost their homes, businesses, and loved ones during the Tulsa Race Massacre deserve to have their stories heard,” said Blumenthal. “Educating future generations on the atrocities committed is essential to understanding and learning from our nation’s troubled history of racial violence. We need to stand together against the racism that led to this massacre and continues to drive violence and discrimination in our country today.”
ADDRESSING THE USE OF UNLAWFUL MIGRANT CHILD LABOR
— Blumenthal joined U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and a group of their Senate colleagues in sending letters to nine companies that contracted with Packers Sanitation Services, Inc. (PSSI), which the Department of Labor (DOL) found were unlawfully employing migrant child labor at these host companies’ facilities. In the letters, the senators ask each host company to detail the changes to their contractor monitoring and procurement processes they plan to implement or have made since the discovery of PSSI’s use of child labor to ensure this never happens again.
“We are concerned that your company potentially turned a blind eye to glaring child labor issues in your facilities, and are deeply troubled by the response to previous Congressional inquiries that seek to shift accountability away from host companies to third-party contractors,” the senators wrote. “While we recognize that you may have severed ties with PSSI, we are seeking information on your company’s process for monitoring contractor compliance with labor laws as well as information on the changes you will be implementing to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.”
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