Blumenthal Wants Action On YouTube Influencers

WASHINGTON, D.C --In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman, Joseph Simons, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) urged the agency to take immediate, aggressive action against YouTube influencers who are deceptively and unfairly advertising to children as young as two years old through their content. Led by Blumenthal, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo (D- Calif.).   “The popularity of YouTube with children has created a new generation of child-directed “online influencers,” video channels starring kids and young adults who play, live their lives, and review toys with their friends and family for millions of viewers. What parents may not see is that many of these channels…

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$500 Million Funding For Domestic Violence Prevention

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)  announced over $500 million in federal funding to assist law enforcement and domestic violence groups nationally to reduce the number of domestic violence incidents and provide support services to survivors. This funding will help victims of domestic violence in Connecticut. In 2019, there have been 13 domestic violence homicides in Connecticut, and over 33,000 calls for service to Connecticut’s statewide domestic violence hotline in between July, 2018 and July, 2019.   This press release was made possible by:      

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Tong Co-Chairs General Internet Safety/Cyber Privacy and Security Committee

#Hartford, CT – Attorney General William Tong has been named co-chairman of the National Association of Attorneys General Internet Safety/Cyber Privacy and Security Committee, continuing to position the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General as a national leader on digital privacy and online consumer protection. Among the issues the committee will examine are digital privacy, child safety online, and security of personal, business and government data. "Beginning under Attorney General Jepsen, the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General has earned a national reputation as an aggressive leader in the digital privacy field. Working closely with attorneys general across the nation, this work has remained a core priority under my administration," said Attorney General Tong. "Consumers have a right to know how their…

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FED Assistance On Election Interference

Hartford, CT) – , U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill  announced success in the fight for critically needed funding to protect election integrity that they advocated.  As a result of their fight, along with others, Congress just approved $425 million for states to enhance election technology and make election security improvements. Blumenthal advocated for not only more funding, but also has helped lead the fight for more funding for voting systems, has helped lead several measures to protect the integrity of our elections, and hold accountable anyone who attempts to interfere in our democratic process. These measures include legislation that would make it a federal crime to hack any voting system used in…

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#HARTFORD, CT – Governor Ned Lamont is applauding both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly for voting to approve an historic agreement his administration reached with the state’s hospitals that will result in the withdrawal of all pending legal claims that various hospitals filed against the state. The governor said that he intends to sign the legislation shortly.   The agreement is the result of a months-long effort between the Lamont administration and the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) to bring conclusion to the various claims against the state challenging the hospital user fee. The governor explained that it represents a new chapter in the relationship between the State of Connecticut and its hospitals and he looks forward to maintaining this connection…

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Governor Activates Cold Weather Protocol

#HARTFORD, CT – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that as bitter cold temperatures and wind chills are anticipated to impact the state over the next several days, he will be activating the state’s Severe Cold Weather Protocol beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18, 2019, and lasting through 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 21. This is the first time this season that the protocol has been enacted.   The protocol directs staff from the relevant state agencies to coordinate with United Way 2-1-1 and Connecticut’s network of shelters to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive protection from the severe conditions. A listing of available shelters throughout Connecticut can be located by calling 2-1-1 or visiting www.211ct.org.   “Bitter cold…

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Senator To Fight Robocalls

#HARTFORD, CT – On Monday, December 16 at 10:30 AM in the atrium of the Hartford Public Library, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) will urge the U.S. Senate to pass the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act before the holiday recess to prevent and prosecute robocallers who defraud consumers.   Blumenthal has led and cosponsored measures to fight robocalls including the TRACED Act. Passed in the U.S. House last week, it increases penalties for robocallers, prevents carriers from adding charges for blocking, promotes call authentication and blocking adoption, as well as brings relevant federal agencies and state attorneys general together to coordination prosecution of robocallers. Blumenthal has also introduced the Repeated Objectionable Bothering of Consumers on Phones (ROBOCOP)…

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Living Shorelines Act Passes House

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) this week applauded the House of Representatives after it passed the Living Shorelines Act, legislation that invests in protecting coastal communities from rising sea levels and stronger storms by creating a new grant program for nature-based shoreline protection projects known as living shorelines. In June, Senators Murphy and Harris introduced the Living Shorelines Act in the Senate. Representative Frank Pallone (NJ-06) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.   “As a sponsor of the Senate version of this bill, I want to applaud my friends in the House of Representatives, led by Congressman Pallone, for passing this important legislation. The Living Shorelines Act helps protect coastal communities along Long Island Sound, by sending money to towns that are working on environmentally friendly projects to fortify against…

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