Choice & Women’s Health »
I strongly support the fundamental, constitutional right of a woman to make her own decisions regarding her reproductive health. Instead of restricting access to women’s health, I support efforts to improve the quality of women’s health care which will ultimately reduce the need for abortion.
Education »
Over the past thirty years, the cost of attending college has risen more than 1,000 percent. Studies show that in the next decade alone, financial barriers will prevent at least 4.4 million high school graduates from attending a four-year public college.
Election Reform »
Money and campaigns, no matter the laws that control, never mix well. But today, a tiny handful of donors are running wild within the political system, and we must change our laws to decrease the influence that large donors have on elections, and subsequently on government. This is why I advocate for public funding of federal campaigns.
Climate Change »
When I came to Congress, the worst case estimates for global temperature increases by the end of this century were 6-10 degrees Fahrenheit. Six years later, these are now the mainstream estimates for climate change if we do nothing and allow the current trend lines on greenhouse gas emissions to continue.
Foreign Policy »
It goes without saying that we live in a fragile, volatile world. Revolutions spring up overnight, powered by Twitter and Google. Instead of tracking armies of thousands gathering against us, we track individual bomb-makers hiding in ungovernable spaces.
Gun Violence »
There are some days when I wish I didn’t see the things I saw at Sandy Hook Firehouse on December 14, 2012. I walked away from that day pledging that I would do everything within my power to fight the scourge of gun violence, in our schools and in our cities, that has plagued America for far too long.
Health Reform »
Here’s my simple belief – in the most powerful, most affluent country in the world, nobody should die or go to bed desperately sick simply because they have the misfortune to get sick and don’t have enough money to see a doctor. Today, America spends twice as much on health care, on a per capita basis, than any other country in the world, and we get results that simply don’t warrant all that extra expenditure.
Immigration Reform »
I have long said that our immigration system is broken, and the importance of fixing it cannot be overstated. Our current system hurts businesses across Connecticut, hinders law enforcement, and tears families apart.
Jobs & the Economy »
America became the most powerful, most innovative economy in the world through a unique partnership between public sector investment and private sector ingenuity. To fully recover from the Great Recession, we need to recognize that while we never want more government than we need, our economy can’t expand if government isn’t providing a foundation for growth.
Juvenile Justice »
Part of this job is sticking up for populations that have no voice in the political process, no lobbyists pushing their agenda, not seat at the table in places like Washington and Hartford. For me, I believe that it is simply unacceptable for a country with 5% of the world’s population to holds 25% of the world’s prison population.
Manufacturing »
My grandfather and great grandfather worked in the ball bearing factories of New Britain. Today, those factories stand largely deserted, and as I visit businesses all across our state, I keep hearing the same thing: work that used to be done in Connecticut is moving overseas.
Social Security and Medicare »
My grandfather didn’t have it easy – he moved from job to job throughout his life trying to make ends meet. He was employed as a factory worker, a security guard, and even ran a convenience store in New Britain for a while. When he retired, he had saved as much as he could, but he needed Social Security to survive.
Tax Reform »
Our current federal tax system simply does not work any longer, for individuals, businesses, or for the interests of long term economic growth. I believe that any effort to reform the tax code should be built around a few relatively simple principles.
Transportation & Infrastructure »
Connecticut’s chief economic strength is our proximity to the economic power centers of New York and Boston. But this strength is winnowing as our transportation arteries in the northeast getting more and more clogged.
Veterans »
When I discovered that every night in Connecticut, there were nearly 1,000 veterans living on our streets homeless, I decided to do something about it. I brought the Assistant Secretary of the Veterans Administration to Connecticut to hear the stories of our homeless veterans, and to understand how they could help us tackle this problem.
