WASHINGTON, D. C. - Congressman Chris Murphy released the following statement after President Obama's State of the Union address to Congress Tuesday night.

"President Obama came into the House chamber tonight, saw Republicans and Democrats sitting side by side, and chose to play the role of a uniter. In order to win the future, we've got to be hungry for the next great ideas to put people to work. Connecticut workers are leading the way when it comes to innovation, in fuel cell technology and defense innovation."

Murphy said that to make economic progress here we've got to stop sending jobs overseas. He said the best way to do that is close loopholes in our Buy American Laws.

"I would have liked to have heard the President talk more about how to promote American manufacturing in ways other than trade agreements," Murphy said.

"I'm pleasantly surprised that President Obama dedicated so much of his speech to education. The achievement gap in Connecticut's schools is the largest in the nation, and it is crippling our future economic growth - fixing it will be part of the cure our economy so desperately needs."

Congressman John Larson expressed similar statements in his statement released following the State of the Union Address.

"President Obama has called on Congress and our nation to move forward an agenda centered on out-educating, out-building, and out-performing the rest of the world. He said 'this is our time' and I couldn't agree more. We must build upon our successes and prepare our nation for a stronger foundation," said Larson. "It is time for us to create jobs and grow our economy here at home. It's time for us to work together so our concerns are that of the ironworker in East Hartford, the teacher in Bristol, and the small business owner in Torrington."

The four candidates running for Connecticut's 1st District U.S. Congressional seat will meat for a debate at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25, at the Hartford Public Library, 500 Main st., Hartford.

It will be moderated by WFSB Channel 3 TV anchor Dennis House.

The following night, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, at the Ann Antolini School in New Hartford, The Register Citizen and Litchfield County Times will be sponsoring a 1st District debate.

So far, Republican Ann Brickley, Green Party candidate Ken Krayeske and Socialist Party candidate Christopher Hutchinson have all confirmed their participation. We are waiting to hear back from Larson's campaign.

1st District Congressional candidate Ann Brickley has donated $200,000 to her campaign. Incumbent John Larson still has 10 times as much in his campaign warchest.

The Register Citizen and The Litchfield County Times are teaming up to sponsor a debate to be held Oct. 26, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., at Ann Antolini School in New Hartford.
Register Citizen Publisher Matt DeRienzo has invited the candidates, incumbent U.S. Rep. John Larson (D-East Hartford), Republican challenger Ann Brickley and Green Party candidate Ken Krayeske.
"We have felt for some time that an event like this was necessary to bring more attention to the race and the candidates in the Litchfield County portion of the 1st District, for voters who live in Torrington, Winsted, Barkhamsted and New Hartford," DeRienzo wrote in extending the invitation to debate.
The debate will be hosted by Scott Benjamin, the political reporter for The Litchfield County Times, who has an excellent reputation for objectivity, and has experience as a debate moderator, including moderation of a Republican primary debate earlier this year in the Fifth Congressional District.
As part of the papers community outreach, questions are being submitted from readers of The Register Citizen and The Litchfield County Times ahead of time.
In the debate, each candidate will get 3-minute opening and closing statements, and will have 2 minutes each to respond to questions, in a rotating order. Each candidate will then have 90 seconds to rebut or expand on their remarks after everyone has responded.
The Ann Antolini School gymnasium seats about 300 people, and the Register will also be livestreaming video from the debate on the Web sites of The Register Citizen, The Litchfield County Times, West Hartford News and Middletown Press.

Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) has this to say about the passage of the health care bill.

"Today, this Congress accomplished something that was almost 100 years in the making. When the President signs this legislation into law, the American people will see clearly whose side this Democratic Caucus is on. We are standing up to health insurance company abuses and decades of discrimination and mistreatment. We have lowered the cost of health insurance. We have lowered the budget deficit. And we have improved the quality of health care for all Americans. I am so proud to be part of this historic moment along the lines of the passage of Social Security and Medicare."

Washington, DC- Today, Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) announced that the health reform legislation coming to the floor of the House will be one of the largest deficit-reducing measures members of Congress will ever vote on. A new report by The Congressional Budget Office on health care reform finds that the health care legislation proposed by Democrats will create a $118 billion reduction in the federal deficit over the next 10 years, and cut the deficit by $1.3 trillion over twenty years. The legislation also expands health insurance to 32 million Americans, including 462,000 individuals in Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District, and improves health benefits for everyone.
“This bill represents the largest reduction to the federal deficit in our nation’s history. It is fully paid for and will reduce our deficit by 1.3 trillion over the next twenty years,” said Congressman Larson. “This bill is about putting the American people – not the government or insurance companies – in control of their health care. We are expanding health care coverage to 95% of Americans and improving care for everyone while we decrease our national debt, restore our economy and create jobs in Connecticut and across the nation.”
This legislation will make health care more affordable for everyone. It will hold insurance companies accountable by stopping their worst practices such as denying you coverage because of a pre-existing condition, dropping your coverage when you get sick, or arbitrarily hiking up your premiums.
The legislation will also rein in health care costs– cutting waste and fraud and compensating doctors for value of care, not volume. Small businesses will receive tax credits to make it easier for them to provide coverage for their workers – so they don’t have to choose between providing health care and hiring new employees. Middle class families will get tax credits to make their health care costs affordable – so they never have to worry about going bankrupt because of an illness, and seniors will see their prescription drug costs go down.
Congressman Larson added, “Health care decisions should not be made by the government or the insurance companies – they should be made by you, your family, and your doctor. This bill puts you in charge of your health care while placing our economy on sound fiscal footing for the future.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the House Ways and Means Committee passed an amendment to a major jobs bill proposed by Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01). This amendment will expand the Build America Bond Program, which is used to fund public works projects, to include levee and flood control projects. This legislation is expected to be voted on and passed on the floor of the House next week.

Larson states, "It is vital that communities around the First District have the resources they need to protect our neighbors homes and businesses from flood damage. We know that many of the levees and flood control systems in our area are subpar. This legislation would lay out an alternative way for the state to fund the projects that will repair and improve our levee systems and keep our communities safe."

Build America Bonds have already been used by Connecticut to finance sewer, highway, and transit improvements.

Washington, DC- U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement in response to the announcement of Connecticut’s state unemployment numbers for January 2010:
“Creating jobs and improving our economy has and will remain my number one priority. I am proud of the steps we’ve taken to put the American people back to work, passing the Jobs for America Act, the Jobs for Main Street Act and the Recovery Act. But, I know that people are still suffering and we must do more.
“I believe that we are beginning to see signs of recovery. Connecticut added 2,300 new jobs in January-the largest increase since the start of the economic downturn. The Recovery Act has played an important role in saving and creating over 7,000 jobs in our state and it is on track to save or create 3.5 million jobs around the country. Recently, I received a letter from the owners of the R. Pelton Builders, a residential energy audit business in Berlin, extolling how, through the Recovery Act Weatherization program, they were able to create 5 new full time positions. As the owners Michael, Stephen, and Rebecca Pelton stated, the Recovery Act did what it was intended to do-- create jobs . Many small business owners are staying open and creating new opportunities for the unemployed due to the funding secured for the state through the Recovery Act.
“I will continue working to help spur economic growth in Connecticut and provide small business owners, like the Peltons, the resources they need to help create good paying jobs in our community.”

http://www.ctlocalpolitics.net/ has an interesting piece today on the possibility that our own Congressman John Larson (D-1st District) could ascend to one of the most powerful jobs in the country - U.S. House speaker (and be third in line for the presidency).
It's looking more and more possible as Speaker Nancy Pelosi gets herself into deeper water over lying about her knowledge of the CIA's use of waterboarding as a torture device.
CLICK HERE for the post.

The Associated Press is declaring U.S. Congressman John Larson the winner in Connecticut's 1st District over challenger Joe Visconti, a Republican town councilor from West Hartford.

From Register Citizen Staff Writer David Hutter ...
HARTFORD — Green Party candidate Stephen Fournier, running for the 1st District U.S. Congressional seat held by Rep. John Larson, said he campaigned because no one else jumped at the seat in the Green Party. He said he struggled to increase his name recognition. Today, he greeted voters at polls in Hartford and West Hartford.
"I’ve never run for office," Fournier said. "I had a loosely organized group of about ten volunteers."
He said he is good at championing the causes of other people yet is not entirely comfortable about touting his own abilities.
"I am embarrassed to see my face on all these palm cards," he said. "I wish we had a better candidate (in the Green Party). I am not the type who can blow his own horn. I am aggressive in championing others, not myself. ... I don’t have star-power."
"I ran a very civilized campaign and I am happy it’s over."
Fournier said he plans to run again in two years.

The Republican-American has endorsed three Republicans for U.S. Congress - Chris Shays in the 4th District, David Cappiello in the 5th District and Joe Visconti in the 1st District, arguing that if Obama wins, it will be dangerous to have one party control both the presidency and Congress.

CLICK HERE for the paper's endorsements.

Republican 1st District Congressional candidate Joe Visconti issued the following press release this morning blasting The Hartford insurance company's CEO for drumming up support for incumbent Congressman John Larson.

"The Hartford" CEO Leans on Employees to Support Larson

The President and Chief Operating Officer of The Hartford insurance company's life division, is recommending that employees of the insurance firm support Democratic incumbent 1 st Congressman representative John Larson, according to recently obtained internal documents.

However, an email from John Walters, president and chief operating officer of Hartford Life, Inc., praising Larson for supporting the Wall Street 'Bailout,' and urging employees to thank Larson in writing on his website, has drawn a sharp retort publicly and privately from shareholders and employees. Questions also have been raised as to whether Walters coerced employees of The Hartford to donate money to Larson's campaign.

The Hartford Financial Services has donated more than $15,000 to Larson's re-election campaign according to recent financial disclosures while individual employees at The Hartford have donated more than $12,000. The top insurance industry donor to Larson's campaign was AIG which has donated nearly $20,000

In an email to employees, COO John Walters said, "Connecticut First District Congressman John Larson was among the House members who stood tall last week by voting in favor of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

Congressman Larson backed this legislation from the very beginning. His support never wavered, even after it failed to gain approval the first time it came up for a vote in the House.

I have already thanked Congressman Larson and as a 1st District resident I thought you might like to do the same. If you believe, as I do, that passage of this legislation was absolutely necessary to stabilize the financial markets, please take the time to thank
Congressman Larson. "

Executives at The Hartford privately have criticized Walters' email and say many employees consider it an infringement on their political beliefs.

Republican nominee Joseph Visconti, who is opposing Larson, has privately been approached by executive level employees of The Hartford who have told him they are supporting his candidacy.

In addition, Arthur Mocabee, a shareholder at The Hartford, and Visconti supporter, responded to Walters in a critical letter that stated in part , "While the Hartford Insurance Company lies in shambles due in part to a poorly managed national credit crisis caused largely by the Democrats in Congress, especially the lack of leadership by John Larson, it is extremely improper to use corporate email to solicit political persuasion for anyone, let alone John Larson.

"You as President and COO have probably violated your own corporate email policy.
The 1st District is in the middle of a severe economic crisis that threatens jobs at The Hartford as well as many other major employers in the district. … To single out a single politician smacks of favoritism and insensitivity to others who may feel differently, but have no choice in receiving your solicitation. …

"You have used The Hartford as a 'Big Brother' in suggesting that employees should "thank" John Larson."

Mocabee also noted that individual employees at The Hartford "Contributed financially to Mr. Larson. Your actions raise the question if they did so under your request or of their own free will."

Republican 1st District congressional candidate Joe Visconti is not happy about the way he was described in The Register Citizen's recent endorsement of incumbent U.S. Congressman John Larson. Below is Visconti's response, which will be printed in the print edition of tomorrow's Register Citizen. CLICK HERE to read the endorsement he's responding to.

Register Citizen Unprofessional and Irrelevant

The unfortunate descent by the Register Citizen's publisher into personal attacks and gutter language while ridiculing my campaign in its endorsement of John Larson (barely) is both unprofessional, and ultimately irrelevant.

I spoke with a roomful of area businesses owners at the Elks Club recently, answering questions on my approaches to government, national security, energy policies, immigration and many other concerns, all while this paper's publisher sat listening. Yet, rather than giving a professional report on the differences between my positions and the incumbent Democrat's, the Register publisher refers to me as a "loudmouth!"

My positions often have not been reported to this paper's readers, despite my campaign sending regular news releases and alerts. Obviously the Register Citizen seeks to misinform on one hand, and keep its readers in the dark on the other. It is no wonder that Americans rate the news media lower than the 9 percent approval rating we give Congress!

These positions are spelled out clearly on my website www.ViscontiforCongress.com. The news releases that were not reported by this paper also are posted there. See for yourself what I believe!

In our debates I have pointed out that John Larson is the face of what is wrong in Congress. I invite voters to decide whether you think the incumbent has done a good job, or is the problem, not the solution?

I have campaigned by using the Internet and good old-fashioned legwork. I have visited every town in this district repeatedly, met with the voters, the taxpayers, and community leaders. I have been here in person to answer questions and concerns. Where has the incumbent been when voters want to question or challenge his advertisements?

Voters can compare what John Larson has done both in Congress and for this area in the last 10 years, with my method. Larson has taken a "hands off" approach, meaning he never shows up, and thinks more of furthering his Congressional career than the voters.

I will regularly visit every town in the district, meet with the citizens, and work in Congress toward the betterment of our communities, our state and our country. Please compare that attitude with the incumbent's record, and then ask yourselves, will anything change in Congress if we follow the dictates of a biased publisher and re-elect an absentee landlord posing as a Representative?

Sincerely,
Joseph Visconti

Click headline below for The Register Citizen's endorsement of Congressman John Larson ...

EDITORIAL: Larson for Congress
We wish Congressman John Larson would pay more attention to the Torrington end of the 1st District he represents. We wish that his politics and legislative priorities were a better reflection of the values and priorities of the residents and small businessmen from this end of his district. We wish he didn’t embrace the system of “earmarks” that waste billions in federal tax dollars.

Joe Visconti, Republican candidate for the 1st District seat in Congress currently held by Democrat Rep. John Larson, left many scratching their heads after a speech to the Torrington Rotary Club today.
Stream-of-consciousness style, Visconti railed against "socialists, Communists," a press that is "for sale," a conspiracy by the media to not report about his campaign, the danger that Barack Obama poses to the country, how he really hasn't bothered to spend much time in Torrington, and various aspects of his long-running fight against a shopping center in his hometown of West Hartford.
Visconti then scolded the Rotarians in attendance for not asking him many questions, saying that the room must be full of Democrats.
It wouldn't have seemed possible last week, but Visconti managed to put in a more poorly received performance than Larson himself did at last week's Rotary meeting, when a third of the audience got up and left while the congressman continued talking and talking and talking about the minutiae of mortgage and banking policy through every throat-clearing hint and body language that he was going way over the Rotary's pretty strict schedule of wrapping up.

CLICK HERE for a story on Visconti's speech from The Register Citizen.

Speaking before the Torrington Rotary Club last week, Congressman John Larson, a Democrat from East Hartford who represents Connecticut's 1st District, which includes part of Torrington, said he wasn't afraid or ashamed to say that he likes "earmarks" and will continue to fight for "good ones" for the district.
He cited a multi-million grant he obtained for the Fuel Cell company, which is based in Danbury and has a manufacturing plant in Torrington.
Earmarks have been blasted in this election cycle by Sen. John McCain in his presidential bid, as well as numerous other politicians.
In fact, David Cappiello, a Republican state senator from Danbury challenging Congressman Chris Murphy in the 5th District, had used the Torrington Rotary Club just a week before to blast earmarks, going as far as to say that he would oppose an earmark for the Warner Theatre in Torrington if he had to, in order to clamp down on wasteful federal spending.
Below, a press release Larson sent out yesterday celebrating more earmark "success."

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Congressman Larson and Department of Public Health Announce $8 Million in Federal Funds
to Support State’s Mobile Field Hospital Mobile Field Hospital to be developed into New England Disaster Training Center and model for civilian mobile hospital response

To: News Directors/Reporters

W hat : The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) and U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) will announce over $8 million in federal funds for the development of a national training center at Connecticut’s Ottilie W. Lundgren Memorial Field Hospital.

W here : Brainard Airport, Hanger
269 Maxim Road in Hartford, CT

W hen : Monday, October 27, 2008 at 10:30 AM

W ho :
· U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01)
· Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. J. Robert Galvin
· Leonard Guercia, Jr., Chief, Operations Branch, Department of Public Health

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