Unacceptable. This position dishonors the victims of Sandy Hook and mass shootings in schools across the country. The safety of our children and of innocent Americans must always come first, above noxious ideology, excuses or double-speak. Thank you, Senator Chris Murphy for speaking out.
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Like most voting Americans, I am gravely concerned with the coming Trump Presidency. Donald Trump has not shown the temperament, integrity or wisdom necessary to run a small town. But, because of the constitutional process by which we choose our President, he will legally assume that office on Friday.
I respect the decision of those who choose not to attend his Inauguration. Donald Trump has said and done nothing to earn the company and witness of my friend John Lewis. But ...I choose differently. Fifty five years ago, a young and idealistic President opened his inaugural address with the observation that an inauguration is "not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom." Presidents Carter, Bush and Obama, Secretary Clinton, Senator Sanders and I will be there Friday not to celebrate an intemperate and cynical new President, but to witness a peaceful transfer of power nearly unique in human history. We will also be there as visible evidence that power is shared in our nation, and that President Trump will be checked and balanced by hundreds of people on that inaugural stage.
I have been as vocal a critic of President-elect Trump as anyone. If, as President, he persists in his desire to deny healthcare to millions of Americans, to dismantle the protections that keep Americans healthy and safe; if he continues to favor the wealthiest and luckiest at the expense of the unconnected and disenfranchised, I will oppose him. If he continues to attack the press, denigrate the courts, and ignore our constitutional guarantees in ways that fundamentally erode our democracy – if freedom and liberty are at stake, which they may very well be – I will not stop fighting.
As President John F. Kennedy said on that cold day 55 years ago, "only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink responsibility. I welcome it."
Congratulations to Isha Dalal of Trumbull High School! Isha is one of two students representing CT as delegates to the 55th annual United States Senate Youth Program, a week-long program for students interested in pursuing careers in public service. Isha will learn about the U.S. Government’s processes and leaders and join 103 other delegates from across the country.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that" - Martin Luther King, Jr.
This week we need the strength and courage of love and compassion in our hearts. It's the only way forward.
Today, the House of Representatives took its first step toward leaving 20 million Americans, including hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents, without health insurance. At the same time, the House Majority also voted to strip funding from Planned Parenthood, a move that makes the health and well-being of women subordinate to baseless ideology.
Repealing the Affordable Care Act with no replacement creates chaos and frightening uncertainty in the lives of those who rely... on it and leaves our nurses, doctors, hospitals and insurance industry facing an unknown future. It will explode the national debt, adding $9 trillion over 10 years, throwing any semblance of fiscal responsibility out the window. As the poor, the sick and the vulnerable are left to fend for themselves, we are failing to live up to the ideals upon which our country was founded.
Those who voted to gut these programs today see only large government and, in their eyes, government is always the enemy. It is to be crippled, defeated and discredited. This is a dangerous worldview. In truth, the Affordable Care Act and health service providers like Planned Parenthood are about people. Your neighbors. Your family.
I’ve received an outpouring of support from across my district from people whose lives have been changed for the better by the Affordable Care Act. I heard from people who were able to find insurance for the first time in their lives because they had a pre-existing medical condition; keep their child on their insurance until they were 26; get life-saving surgery they couldn’t have afforded without the ACA; and live out a dream to start a new business because they weren’t tied to their old company’s insurance.
Over the coming months, I’ll fight as hard as I can to stop the dismantling of the ACA. This is about protecting our fellow Americans from sickness, bankruptcy and death. I will always make that my priority.
Jim Himes shared New Democrat Coalition's post.
Today New Democrat Coalition Members sent a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan opposing his plan to repeal #ACA and calling for bipartisan compromise to make construct...ive improvements to expand access to health care.
Read the full letter here: https://newdemocratcoalition-himes.house.gov/…/new-democrat…
Instead, New Democrat Coalition Members are committed to bipartisan cooperation to improve the ACA. Today, 30 New Democrat Coalition Members sent a letter to Speaker Ryan strongly opposing his plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Access to lifesaving health care is not a partisan issue, an...
newdemocratcoalition-himes.house.gov
As the kids say... all the feels.
It was hard to top President Obama's farewell speech, but it's just as important to recognize and salute the leadership from our Vice President, Joe Biden. He will be sorely missed.
10,671,601 Views
ABC News at The White House.
JUST IN: Pres. Barack Obama surprises an emotional Vice President Biden with the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction. http://abcn.ws/2joCEms
Connecticut’s birthday week may be ending, but the state is still making history. This year USAF Col. Ruth A. Lucas, born in 1920 in Stamford, will be inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. She was the first African American woman to become a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. She served in Japan in the 1950’s and earned her master’s degree from Columbia in 1957. The rest of her career was spent in Washington, DC where she held positions in education and research and advocated for educational opportunities for service members.
http://www.registercitizen.com/…/3-to-be-inducted-in-connec…
You can learn all about CT’s legends and history while viewing its beauty from the air. They say Captain Kidd’s treasure is buried in the state! Happy Birthday Connecticut!
http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/…/aerial-america-co…/11832
Jim Himes shared Elizabeth Esty's video.
Proud of this accomplishment by my Connecticut colleague and fellow member of the New Democrat Coalition, Elizabeth Esty. When women win, we all win.
3,493 Views
Elizabeth Esty
Yesterday, my Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act passed the House of Representatives. You may be wondering, "Why do we need legislation to promote women in... the sciences?" The answer is: Because companies have a lot of unfilled jobs, and so many of the women looking for work don't have the training they need to fill them. We can't meet the needs of our economy if women aren't getting the support they need to enter the high-tech fields that are growing right now. Building an inclusive economy isn't just a moral imperative; it's an economic one.
See MoreCongratulations to Norwalk Community College (NCC) • Norwalk, CT for their designation as a White House Healthy Campus! Among other things, NCC was successful in keeping students, alumni and employees informed about open enrollment and how to secure health care. The White House Healthy Campus Challenge is a joint effort between the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education.
One of the great honors of my life will always be coming into office at the same time as President Obama and having the opportunity to serve with him as my President for eight years. I mean it without a shred of irony when I say #ThanksObama.
More for Connecticut's birthday week. Take a look at this collection of historical #maps of #Connecticut from the #LibraryofCongress.
Last month, I had the honor of sitting down with Ed Spires as part of the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center. It fills my heart with pride and joy to see his discharge changed from "undesirable" to "honorable." No one, including the brave men and women of our armed forces, should be penalized or discriminated against for loving someone of the same sex. I wish Mr. Spires and his husband many more happy years together and thank him once again for his service.
Happy birthday, Connecticut!
On January 9, 1788, Connecticut became the 5th state to join the United States.
Check in all week to see more about our great state's history.
Tip for the New Year: With all of the hacking in the news, it's easy to forget that the way most bad guys get into networks and personal accounts is by tricking people into giving away their passwords and information. I'll be sending around a more extended list of tips to keep yourself safe in the near future. But, for now, follow these rules:
- Don't know an email sender? Don't open the email.
- Don't recognize a link? Don't click on it.
- Anyone asks for your credit card, s...ocial security number or other information? Don't share it.
I know it's common sense, but trust me, even these simple procedures can reduce your risk immensely.
Jim Himes added 2 new photos.
Fun Fact: Justin Paul, who won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song at last night's ceremony, went to Staples High School in Westport. Here's Justin last night and during his high school days. Congratulations!
As we learn more about the tragic shooting in Fort Lauderdale, we grieve for the lost, are grateful for the first responders, hopeful that the injured make a full and speedy recovery, and committed to finding ways to ending violence of this type.
Representing Connecticut's 4th District in the United States Congress.
!['23 years ago today, President Bill Clinton signed the #BradyBill into law, instituting background checks and a waiting period for the sale of firearms. Tragically, more than two decades later, our country is still suffering from an epidemic of handgun violence.
But, I promise you, I will continue to work with anyone who cares about the health and safety of our families, including @[19437978960:274:Senator Chris Murphy], our champion in the upper chamber, until we achieve sensible gun safety reform. We will not be distracted from our goal by tweets or bombast and we will not be intimidated by the NRA
We've been fighting for years, and will probably be fighting for years to come, but the stakes are too high for us to give up. #nomoresilence'](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170119072506im_/https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p100x100/15284876_10154794948723620_9001469893178991815_n.jpg?oh=1e4cf0610e2368ad572624c926e2a2b7&oe=59176AB0)
