Connecticut

October 13, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced the state has awarded $13,550,000 in Small Cities grants for various projects in 29 towns.

“The mortgage crisis and national recession have taken a toll here in Connecticut. Although the worst appears to be behind us, in the last two years our citizens have had to make some tough choices and really alter the way they live,” said Governor Rell. “We want to help people keep their homes safe, secure and beautiful.”

“This funding round includes 22 grants to help make energy efficient upgrades, safety and security improvements, enhance accessibility and preserve housing in many communities — keeping many of our elderly and low- and moderate-income residents in their homes,” said Governor Rell.    » read more »

Funds to provide more scholarships, recruitment and training

October 12, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that the state has applied for nearly $5 million in federal stimulus funds to build the ranks of nurses and other health care careers in Connecticut by providing more scholarships, affordable education and retraining opportunities to residents who are unemployed or working in low-income jobs.    » read more »

Washington, Oct 8 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Washington, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney today voted to approve the House-Senate conference report on the Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2647). The agreement, which passed in a 281-146 vote, now heads to the Senate for approval.

The NDAA sets the federal budget for the Department of Defense for the next fiscal year. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Courtney helped draft this bill and won support for several key priorities for the state and the region.    » read more »

October 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today praised the Senate passage of the FY 2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill which contains $5,983,000 for Connecticut. The bill has been passed by the House, and will now go to the President for his signature. The legislation includes funding for vaccine research, food safety programs, and sustainable agriculture development.    » read more »

October 8, 2009 -- Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) announced today that he is working to ensure that unemployment insurance (UI) is extended quickly and fairly to jobless workers in all 50 states, including Connecticut.

“In these challenging economic times, unemployment insurance can be a vital lifeline for so many in Connecticut,” said Dodd. “It is critically important that those hit hard by the recent downturn get the benefits they’ve earned, regardless of the state they live in. I will continue to fight to ensure that Connecticut residents who have lost their jobs are afforded the same number of weeks of coverage that others across the country are receiving.”    » read more »

October 6, 2009 -- Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) announced today that Connecticut will receive major federal defense funding from the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill, including $2.5 billion to produce 10 additional C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft. The funding will save thousands of jobs at the Pratt & Whitney, which produces F117 engines for the C-17s.    » read more »

September 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today praised the release of $3,804,100 to help communities improve their energy efficiency, reduce their energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and create green jobs. The funds were released by the Department of Energy as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"Connecticut's cities and towns have consistently been leaders in implementing the newest in energy efficient and green technology," Lieberman said. "The funds provided by these grants will enable these municipalities to continue to improve their energy efficiency, reducing their overall energy use and freeing up more money to put back into the community and create new jobs."

Below is a breakdown of the municipalities receiving funds:    » read more »

September 30, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today highlighted a number of new state laws that take effect October 1, including significant new protections for victims of identity theft, increased rights for residents of nursing homes and an expansion of the “bottle bill” to require deposits on containers of water and flavored waters.

A fourth new law permits the establishment of enforceable trusts so that pet owners can ensure the care of their animals after their death.    » read more »

Funds Will Help Local Governments Purchase Protective Gear, Upgrade Technology and Communications

September 30, 2009 -- The state has awarded $1.2 million in federal stimulus grants to 43 communities for public safety and crime prevention needs, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today.

The Governor said it is the fourth round of funding of the Justice Assistance Grants that the state received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). All 169 municipalities are eligible for the grants and, to date, 122 communities – large and small – have received nearly $3.3 million in four rounds of grant awards.    » read more »

September 17, 2009 -- In a statewide conference call today, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell updated local health and chief elected officials on the state’s efforts in monitoring the growing number of mosquitoes carrying the potentially deadly Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus.

The virus has been identified in mosquitoes trapped in a number of towns, mostly in rural eastern Connecticut. The Governor was joined on the call by her state commissioners of Environmental Protection, Public Health, Agriculture, Emergency Management and Homeland Security and experts from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.    » read more »

September 14, 2009 -- Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) announced today that Connecticut will receive $11,251,400 in stimulus funding to create green jobs and implement energy efficiency and conservation programs. The State of Connecticut, as well as the cities of Stamford and West Haven, will receive the economic recovery funds, which are being allocated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.    » read more »

September 14, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the state will receive more than $9.5 million in federal stimulus funds to distribute to 143 small cities and towns for a variety of energy efficiency projects as a result of the Governor’s block grant plan approved today by the U.S. Department of Energy.

“This is tremendous news for communities in ever corner of our state. These funds will allow them to move forward with cost-saving energy efficiency projects that ultimately will save money for local taxpayers,” Governor Rell said. “Particularly important is that many of these innovative projects will help create green collar jobs and boost the local business community.”    » read more »

August 24, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced she has asked the state’s Congressional delegation to work on renewing federal legislation that is providing extended unemployment benefits to Connecticut families struggling to find work amid the continuing economic slump. Governor Rell also asked lawmakers to work on a broader overhaul of the entire unemployment compensation system, saying the program must evolve with the changes in the nation’s economy and the shifting needs of the work force.    » read more »

July 8, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced she has signed a bill that regulates credit card marketing on campus to college students and restricts debt collection actions that can be taken by credit card companies against parents.

“Students are already burdened with education loans by the time they leave college. They risk taking on even more financial pressure when they give in to the lure of credit cards made available to them right on campus,” Governor Rell said. “This bill will set strict parameters for credit card companies on when, where and how they can market to students.”    » read more »

Revenue Picture Continues to Darken; Sharp Declines in Income, Sales, Other Taxes Highlight Pitfalls of Additional Tax Increases

June 22, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the most recent estimate by her budget office of the deficit for the current fiscal year – which ends June 30 – remains essentially unchanged from May, and said she is deeply troubled by the effect that the continuing erosion of state revenues from income taxes, sales taxes and other sources will have on the budget for the next two fiscal years.    » read more »