Senate

Former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and former Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY-04) have received the Presidential Citizens Medal — the second highest civilian honor in the U.S. after the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Connecticut voters will have two chances to hear from the four candidates running to represent the 22nd State Senate District before the Democratic primary.

Connecticut Sen. Kevin Kelly has stepped down as the Republican minority leader and has been replaced by Sen. Stephen Harding, a first-term Republican from Brookfield.

In response to Iran’s support for Hamas amid the Israel-Hamas war, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) is introducing legislation to enforce stronger sanctions on Iranian oil sales during Monday night’s Senate session.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said he is prepared for a tough budget fight as he returns to Washington this week. The U.S. Senate expects to vote on a short-term spending bill this month to avoid an October government shutdown.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said the Senate will begin discussions on the passage of its own version of the National Defense Authorization Act this week. This comes after the House of Representatives passed a version of the bill with controversial amendments.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the Inflation Reduction Act passed by the Senate this weekend will “change the world” through climate initiatives, lowering prescription drug costs and increasing corporate taxes.

The bill no longer would force generations of veterans to prove that their illness was caused by toxic exposures suffered in the military in order to get VA coverage

Twenty-five supporters of the bill switched their stance during a last-minute revote in the Senate on Wednesday due to a procedural technicality. The legislation would have provided health care to sick veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.

Connecticut’s two Democratic U.S. senators have vowed to continue to push for a vote on a bill to protect a person’s right to cross state lines for an abortion.