Spring 2009
News Coverage by State
Connecticut | Maine | Massachusetts | New Hampshire | Archives
Connecticut
Colleges rethink private lenders’ role in financing education
WASHINGTON, April 23 – In the midst of rising tuition, dried-up consumer credit and a grim job market, the University of Connecticut has begun a campaign this spring to let students know that at least one aspect of their finances is secure: their federal student loans. (By Katie Koch)
Lobbying efforts paying off for Norwalk
WASHINGTON, April 22 – Over the past year, Norwalk has done pretty well compared with bigger Connecticut cities when lobbying for federal dollars, but experts say that good fortune may not last. (By Tait Militana)
Shays stamped slogans on willing voters
WASHINGTON, April 7 – In a fierce campaign for Congress last fall, Republican Rep. Christopher Shays employed a bizarre but increasingly popular tactic to get his message under the skin of voters. He tattooed them.
Granted, the tattoos were only temporary. (By Tait Militana)
Feminist turned princess represents Connecticut in D.C. festival
WASHINGTON, April 4 —Liz Malerba, a self-proclaimed feminist with a women’s studies degree, came to Washington two years ago to work in government and make a difference for women.
But on Friday night, as she filed in to the ballroom of a downtown Washington hotel dressed in a long white gown and elbow-length gloves, she was filling a more unexpected role: princess. (By Katie Koch)
Himes’ bill to curb bonus payments passes House
WASHINGTON, April 1 —The House took major steps Wednesday to curb bonus payments to employees of companies such as American International Group, granting expanded powers to the Treasury Department to prohibit employee compensation it deems “unreasonable or excessive.”
(By Tait Militana) Congress considers effects of high court decision on tribal lands
WASHINGTON, April 1 —A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that could have major implications for Southeastern Connecticut’s Indian tribes has prompted Congress to launch an investigation into the annexation of tribal lands—and could result in a law overturning the decision. (By Katie Koch)
Rethinking defense spending in face of budget debate
WASHINGTON, March 26 —The Defense Department must reform how it acquires its weapons and other military goods, a leading conservative group said Thursday. But these reforms, the Heritage Foundation said, should give the military more freedom to pursue new projects, not less. (By Katie Koch)
Treasury secretary unveils proposed financial regulations
WASHINGTON, March 26 – Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner unveiled a wide-ranging overhaul for regulating the country’s financial system Thursday that could give the government control over financial giants like the American International Group. (By Tait Militana)
Dodd calls for regulatory council to prevent another AIG
WASHINGTON, March 24 – As fury over American International Group bonus payments continued to boil around him, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., tried to push forward Tuesday on plans to overhaul the nation’s banking system, calling on lawmakers to consider a council of federal regulators that would oversee risk and end the concept of “too big to fail.” (By Tait Militana)
Sen. Dodd: It wasn’t my idea to allow bonuses
WASHINGTON, March 19 – Following days of attacks from Republican lawmakers over language that allowed bonuses to be paid to AIG employees, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., fired back Thursday evening, saying the Treasury Department requested the changes to protect bonuses and that they seemed “almost technical in nature at the time.” (By Tait Militana)
Financial overhaul moves forward as AIG anger continues
WASHINGTON, March 19 – In the face of outrage surrounding his role in legislation that allowed AIG to dole out millions of dollars in executive bonuses last weekend, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., moved forward Thursday on reforms to the country’s banking system, calling for federal oversight so never again will an institution be “too big to fail.” (By Tait Militana)
Military brass answer to Congress on suicides
WASHINGTON, March 18 —In response to what a senator called an “alarming” increase in the number of military suicides over the past year, several top military officials gathered to defend their efforts to prevent suicides before a Senate Armed Services subcommittee Wednesday. (By Katie Koch)
Himes says government should go after all AIG bonuses
WASHINGTON, March 18 – American International Group’s request that employees voluntarily give back at least half of the $165 million in bonuses paid to them last week is not good enough, said U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, following testimony by the company’s chief executive at the Capitol Wednesday. (By Tait Militana)
Local Insurer: Fed regulator not answer to outrage over AIG
WASHINGTON, March 17 – Outrage over bonuses paid to executives at the American International Group spilled over at a Senate hearing on insurance regulation Tuesday, while industry leaders sought to install a federal regulator to prevent future systemic failures. (By Tait Militana)
Submarine suppliers descend on Capitol to lobby, secure funding
WASHINGTON, March 5 —It was hard to miss the victorious mood at Thursday’s Submarine Industrial Base Council breakfast, where submarine builders and suppliers from across the country mingled with members of Congress to kick off a day of visits to members’ offices on Capitol Hill. (By Katie Koch)
Volunteer leaders praise Dodd's bill, but fear economy's effects
WASHINGTON, March 3 – Lawmakers need to do more to help ensure the survival of community service programs and nonprofit organizations in the wake of the economic crisis, Connecticut volunteer leaders said. Though they applauded recent initiatives to increase volunteers nationwide, they said in a series of interviews, the initiatives will have little effect if there are few programs left for the volunteers to join. (By Tait Militana)
Adm. Allen stresses need for modernization in annual address
WASHINGTON, March 3 —Anticipating a tight budget in the midst of the current fiscal crisis, Adm. Thad W. Allen, Coast Guard commandant, said Tuesday that the Coast Guard must focus on modernizing its communications and processes before upgrading its fleet. (By Katie Koch)
Courtney had support from business interests in 2008
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 —What a difference two years can make in politics.
Rep. Joe Courtney’s win in his first reelection campaign last November—he trounced Republican challenger Sean Sullivan by a 33-point margin—proved he could muster the broad majorities his 2nd District predecessor, Republican Rob Simmons, once commanded. *By Katie Koch)
Himes gave big money to his campaign, but defied odds by winning
WASHINGTON, March 3- Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, put just over a half million dollars of his own money into his campaign against incumbent Republican Christopher Shays last fall, which was 13 percent of his total spending.
According to political experts, self-financing is a common tactic for challengers to try to make up for the fundraising advantages incumbents have. But what is surprising, experts said, is that for Himes it worked. (By Tait Militana)
In the face of record deficit, recovery will take time, Himes says
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 – Connecticut residents should have modest expectations about the economic recovery, said Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, following the release of President Barack Obama’s preliminary budget outline Thursday morning, which charts the government’s spending for the next decade. (By Tait Militana)
Connecticut. members of Congress call for bipartisanship
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 – Connecticut’s members of Congress called for bipartisanship following President Barack Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, with Rep. Jim Himes D-4, saying the stimulus bill and the President’s speech marked the beginning of the country’s recovery. (By Tait Militana)
Dodd, DeLauro introduce bills to reach volunteers, young and old
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 —Responding to what he called “a moment for national service,” Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., introduced four bills Tuesday that would increase federal spending for community volunteer initiatives. (By Katie Koch)
Himes Says Norwalk could weather recession, but housing hurting
WASHINGTON. Feb. 17- Though the Norwalk economy is strong enough to survive a recession, the declining housing market presents a long-term threat, according to Rep. Jim Himes, D-4. In addition to the $787 billion stimulus bill, which President Barack Obama signed on Tuesday, Himes said in a series of recent interviews, a foreclosure prevention plan is needed to help Fairfield County residents stay in their homes. He said in a phone interview that as long as people are in fear of losing their homes and real estate values are plummeting it will be hard to get the economy back on track. (By Tait Militana)
Local businesses view stimulus bill with mixed emotions
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 – For months Norwalk-based developer Greyrock Homes has been selling houses at a loss. The company’s award-winning residential development in Cos Cob has so few buyers that Jerry Effren, the company’s principal, said he decided to sell houses below cost, hoping to ride out the economic storm. (By Tait Militana)
Dodd to Treasury: Constituents are Frustrated
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 —Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., urged the Treasury Department Tuesday to act swiftly to distribute the remaining Troubled Assets Relief Program funds, saying Americans are frustrated with the results so far. (By Tait Militana)
Lawmaker says Darien investment fund ripped off clients
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 —Legislators and investigators on Wednesday tore into financial firms and investment funds that invested with Bernard Madoff’s alleged fraudulent firm, accusing them of failing to protect their clients. (By Tait Militana)
Dodd, Himes say infrastructure is an investment in future
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 –The White House estimates that more than 40,000 jobs would be created in Connecticut by the $900 billion stimulus package but Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Rep. Jim Himes, D-4 say that may not be enough. (By Tait Militana)
Courtney speaks out on expansion of children's health insurance
[TO BE ADDED TO WIRE COPY BY EDITORS AT THE DAY]
“We are going to move forward as a country towards universal health coverage,” Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said on the House floor. “Today will go down in history as an important step forward to accomplish that much-needed goal.”
Under the new law, the expanded program will insure 24,700 new children in Connecticut, according to a Congressional Research Service report. (By Katie Koch)
Dodd and Lieberman speak out for funds to help housing market
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 – As the Senate debated its economic stimulus package this week, Sens. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn., spoke out for increased funds to get the housing market back on track—a key component, both said, of America’s economic recovery. (By Katie Koch)
Lieberman calls for more troops in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29- Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn, called on Thursday for more troops and money for Afghanistan, backing the Obama administration’s view that a defeat there would be detrimental to regional stability and the reputation of NATO. (By Tait Militana)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 – For many first-time members of Congress, the trials of starting their new jobs include finding their way around the Capitol, meeting other members and learning the ins and outs of Washington. For Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, the first weeks also included dealing with unprecedented inauguration crowds and fixing the heat in his office. (By Tait Militana)
Area doctor calls on SEC to refund his practice
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 – A Fairfield doctor lashed out against the Securities and Exchange Commission Tuesday, saying that his practice lost more than $11 million in pension funds in the Bernard Madoff scandal. (By Tait Militana)
Lieberman, Courtney address Gates’ remarks on defense spending
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 – Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Congress Tuesday that one of his major goals is to fix the “long-standing systemic problems” in how the government acquires military goods and services with taxpayer dollars—a process that for years has brought billions of dollars in defense spending to Eastern Connecticut. (By Katie Koch)
For locals, the hurdles of the inauguration were well worth it
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 – For the lucky few from Connecticut who managed to obtain tickets for the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, it was like winning the lottery. Getting there, however, was another story. (By Katie Koch)
Oakdale native among Coast Guard cadets in inaugural parade
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 – Nearly 90 cadets from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy marched in Tuesday’s inaugural parade, and Oakdale native and third-class cadet Richard Kyle Coleman was excited to be among them. (By Katie Koch)
Area residents witness history: 'It's a new beginning'
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20- Graziano Bortot remembers the first time he witnessed racism in this country. Originally from Italy, he said he did not understand the first time he saw a “whites only” sign in South Carolina while stationed there with the military. (By Tait Militana)
Connecticut Obama campaigners celebrate in Washington
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 – For Lex Paulson, a volunteer in Norwalk for Barack Obama, the worst day of the campaign was before the primary when Obama trailed Hillary Clinton by 20 percentage points in the polls. After working with the failed Howard Dean campaign four years earlier, Paulson worried he would see his hopes for a Democratic president dashed again. (By Tait Militana)
A long road to Pennsylvania Avenue for Trumbull’s band
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 —For Dan Connolly, drum major of the Trumbull High School marching band, the hardest part about preparing for the inaugural parade was staying focused through all of the attention. (By Tait Militana)
Area residents join congressmen in service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19- Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., called on citizens to give back to their country Monday and encouraged people of all ages to volunteer.
Dodd joined area residents and politicians at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium east of Capitol Hill to stuff care packages with toothpaste, gum, energy drinks and other treats for troops overseas. The event was held to commemorate the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. (By Tait Militana)
For Conn. College student, a long journey from Colombia to D.C.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 – It took Alexandra Felfle nearly two days to travel from her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, to the Hilton Washington. Still, she arrived at the hotel Saturday smiling and poised, ready to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama. (By Katie Koch)
Area mayors say infrastructure projects “Ready to Go”
WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 – Area mayors, in town for the winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, named improving the local infrastructure a top priority in the coming months, calling for a collaborative effort to increase jobs in Fairfield County and pass President-elect Barack Obama’s stimulus plan. (By Tait Militana)
New London mayor excited to attend Obama’s swearing-in
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 – Hundreds of the nation’s mayors will descend on Washington this weekend for the annual winter meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors. New London’s mayor, the Rev. Wade A. Hyslop Jr., will be among them but he’s less interested in attending lectures and panel discussions than in witnessing the main event. (By Katie Koch)
Maine
Long road ahead for Baldacci’s energy vision
WASHINGTON, April 23 –Gov. John Baldacci made his priorities clear last month when he said he wants to be remembered after the end of his term as “the independent energy governor” who brought more jobs, cheaper energy and additional revenues to Maine. Since he said that, Baldacci has moved quickly to stimulate renewable energy projects in the state while promoting energy conservation, including a proposal to combine once-scattered energy programs under a new independent council called Efficiency Maine Plus. (By Drew FitzGerald)
U.S. slaps tariff on Canadian lumber
WASHINGTON, April 8 – The United States fired another shot in a decades-long trade dispute with Canada Wednesday by imposing a 10 percent tariff on Canadian softwood lumber imports, alleging that Canadian provinces violated the terms of a court agreement. (By Drew FitzGerald)
‘Cash for clunkers’ program gets a jump-start
WASHINGTON, April 2 – As lawmakers look for ways to give the ailing U.S. auto industry a life-saving jolt, a plan to convince drivers to trade in their old, gas-guzzling vehicles for more fuel-efficient replacements with cash vouchers is gaining traction. (by Drew FitzGerald)
Senate committee confirms Mainer as Small Business chief
WASHINGTON, April 1 – Brunswick resident Karen Gordon Mills was poised to become administrator of the nation’s Small Business Administration Wednesday after she pledged to free up credit for struggling firms and fund programs to stimulate innovation at this time of economic crisis. (By Drew FitzGerald) Small businesses key to growth, Maine's members of Congress say
WASHINGTON, April 1 – Maine’s members of Congress say the key to reviving Maine's faltering economy lies in restoring national confidence in small businesses by encouraging firms to start spending and investing now.
Small businesses called key to rebuilding economy
WASHINGTON, March 27 – The key to reviving Maine's faltering economy is restoring national confidence in small businesses, say Maine's members of Congress, who are encouraging firms to start spending and investing now. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Service sector jobs bring less pay for laid-off mill workers
WASHINGTON, March 27 – Laid-off mill workers in Eastern Maine who have taken jobs in the service sector have found their pay and benefits sharply reduced, primarily because much of the industry is not unionized, according to a report released in Maine Friday by the workers’ rights group Food AND Medicine. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Senate slow to take up bill that would tax executive bonuses
WASHINGTON, March 26 – One week after the House of Representatives rushed to pass legislation imposing heavy taxes on bonuses paid to American International Group executives, Senate leaders are signaling they could take two weeks or more before they address it. (By Drew FitzGearld)
As outrage grows, Congress lashes AIG CEO over bonus debacle
WASHINGTON, March 18 – Lawmakers expressed surprise and outrage Wednesday as they learned the details of $165 million in bonuses that troubled insurer American International Group paid some of its executives while accepting billions in government bailout money. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Report finds 1.5 million children homeless in U.S.
WASHINGTON, March 10 – About one in 50 children in the United States is homeless, according to a report released Tuesday that says a weak economy could push that number even higher without quick government and community action. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Lawmakers aim to prevent stimulus waste
WASHINGTON, March 5 – Senators grilled federal auditors Thursday on ways to prevent waste and fraud as the government doles out the first portions of a $787 billion economic stimulus package. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Bill to allow drug imports would save $50 billion, Snowe says
WASHINGTON, March 4 – Americans could save as much as $50 billion in prescription drug costs under a revived Senate proposal that would allow pharmacies to import FDA-approved medicines from other countries, according to Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine. (By Drew FitzGerald)
U.S. lumber benefits from court ruling
WASHINGTON, Feb.27 – The U.S. lumber industry scored an economic victory Thursday after an international court ruled Canadian producers must pay millions of dollars in additional taxes for violating a bilateral trade agreement. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Spending bill steers $15 million toward Maine projects
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 – Maine stands to get more than $15 million for programs ranging from emergency response to blueberry research under a long-delayed $410 billion bill to fund government operations that passed the House Wednesday night. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Snowe introduces bill to strengthen Title IX
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 – Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, said she aims to draw more girls to high school sports by making schools report the gender breakdown of their athletic programs and making that information available online. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Maine members of Congress react to Obama’s speech
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 – During a speech in which Republican senators often remained seated while Democrats applauded, Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe stood up when President Barack Obama referred to the passage of a $787 billion stimulus package. They and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Penn., were the only GOP senators to vote for the bill when it passed the Senate. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Pingree returns from visit to Iraq, Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 – Freshman Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said she is closer to understanding what U.S. forces need to do to achieve victory in Iraq after finishing a week-long tour of the Middle East Friday. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Pingree visits Iraq with congressional delegation
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 —Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, after a visit to Iraq this week, said she remains uncertain about whether that country has become secure enough for U.S. forces to leave. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Snowe and Collins speak out about the stimulus bill
THIS IS AN INSERT FOR PAPER TO USE WITH WIRE STORY ON PASSAGE OF STIMULUS PACKAGE BILL.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 – Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe are speaking out about their roles in shaping the $787 billion stimulus package that was scheduled to be voted on in the Senate late Friday night. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Mainers in D.C. treated to eggs and issues
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 – Eggs, bacon and orange juice made up the menu for the Maine State Society’s annual congressional breakfast Thursday, but for the roughly 40 Mainers-in-exile attending, there was no escape from the economy, deficits and the duty of serving the nation’s veterans. (By Drew FitzGerald)
House and Senate leaders agree on $789 stimulus
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 – House and Senate leaders tentatively agreed Wednesday to a $789 billion economic stimulus bill weighted heavily toward infrastructure and education spending, with significantly less devoted to the tax cuts championed last week by some Senate Republicans. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Collins leads move to trim stimulus package
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 – A bipartisan group of senators led by Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Ben Nelson, D-Neb., met three times Thursday to “scrub” a now $900 billion economic stimulus bill of measures that they said would not directly create jobs. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Congress debates 'Buy American' amendment to stimulus package
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4- As the Senate considers a $900 billion economic stimulus package, a “Buy American” amendment is sparking debate over whether the measure could destroy more jobs than it saves. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Obama reaches out to Maine senators on stimulus bill
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 – President Barack Obama needed no help from House Republicans to pass an $819 billion economic stimulus bill this week, but when it comes to the Senate, he is hoping to win the support of moderate Republicans like Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. (By Drew FitzGerald)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 – Time may be nearly up for Mainers still without digital-ready television sets after a bill that would give viewers more time to make the switch from traditional analog signals failed Wednesday in the House. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Inauguration: Sanford band's most demanding performance ever
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20-- Sanford High School band director Matt Doiron took a picture of the thermometer outside the Wilbur Shaw hardware store in Sanford to show out-of-staters how good they had it: minus 2 degrees when his band left for the national capital on Saturday. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Mainers squeeze into Washington to witness history in the making
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 – Maine residents walked, squeezed and jostled their way among record crowds Tuesday to catch a glimpse of Barack Obama’s becoming the 44th president of the United States. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Maine native showered with praise for directing inaugural events
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 – The nation’s capital barely got a dusting of snow Monday, but inside Maine’s unofficial inaugural celebration here, Presidential Inauguration Committee Executive Director Emmett Beliveau was showered with praise. (By Drew FitzGerald)
Massachusetts
Offshore Wind Farms Closer to Becoming a Reality
WASHINGTON, April 22 —Change is blowing in the wind as hundreds of thousands of people living on the coast of Massachusetts transform the way they power their homes and businesses. Offshore wind farms are no longer breezy talk in Massachusetts. Developers and experts agree that offshore wind will become a reality in the next five years. There are two major projects at different stages of development, and one of them, Cape Wind, could begin spreading 130 turbines across Nantucket Sound as early as next year – making it the first offshore wind farm in the United States. Eventually, the project could produce 420 megawatts of energy. (By Cristian Hernandez)
Worcester Makes the Leap to Green
WASHINGTON, April 21 —Worcester was once a bustling mill town, a star of the industrial revolution. Then the biotech boom hit and the city, along with the rest of central Massachusetts, clamored to cater to the surge of university research and new business. After that came a lull, as the biotech hype settled and the science students left for bigger things. (By Sarah Gantz)
Group works to connect Portuguese-American communities
WASHINGTON, April 15 —Nearly 20 years after its founding, the Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the U.S. is still working to connect Portuguese-American and other communities with Portuguese roots—from Brazil and the Azores, for example—all over the country. (By Cristian Hernandez)
Worcester native leaves mark on Washington as major general
WASHINGTON, April 10 – The president and the general shared a brief exchange moments after laying a wreath with two elderly Medal of Honor recipients at the foot of the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery. But that was not the highlight of the day for Maj. Gen. Richard J. Rowe Jr. (By Sarah Gantz)
Rep. Frank’s earmark requests for local projects total $40 million
WASHINGTON, April 9 —Rep. Barney Frank has requested more than $40 million in earmarks for local projects to be included in next year’s spending bills. (By Cristian Hernandez) Local congressmen post earmarks on their Web sites
WASHINGTON, April 9 – Local congressmen reported more than $647 million in 2010 budget earmark requests on their Web sites, in accordance with a House Appropriations Committee reform to enhance transparency. (By Sarah Gantz)
House subcommittee holds hearing on illegal immigration
WASHINGTON, April 2 —Lawmakers and immigration enforcement agencies agreed Thursday that deportation of criminal illegal aliens should be a priority. But they disagreed about some of the administration’s policy choices. (By Cristian Hernandez)
Trucking industry opposes McGovern bill that limits truck size
WASHINGTON, April 2 – As the trucking industry seeks to loosen weight regulations for trucks traveling on the nation’s highways, U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern (D-Worcester) and U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) will introduce legislation that would cap truck weight and size. They say limits are necessary to minimize road damage and decrease truck-involved traffic fatalities. (By Sarah Gantz)
Dartmouth High students visit Capitol to lobby for human rights
WASHINGTON, March 26 —Twelve Dartmouth High School students woke up at the crack of dawn Wednesday to catch a flight to Washington for a whirlwind one-day trip to Capitol Hill. Their mission was to petition government officials to take action in the Darfur-Sudan human rights crisis. (By Cristian Hernandez)
Local congressmen vote in favor of tax on AIG bonuses
WASHINGTON, March 19 —The House of Representatives voted Thursday to take back almost all of the money firms aided by the Troubled Assets Relief Program paid out as bonuses to employees, a measure local congressmen say is necessary to quell an infuriating situation. (By Sarah Gantz)
Coast Guard supports bill that would crack down on illegal fishing
WASHINGTON, March 19 —A bill that would help prevent depletion of dwindling stocks of fish by strengthening enforcement against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing was endorsed Thursday by an industry group and the Coast Guard, which would be charged with enforcing its provisions. (By Cristian Hernandez)
As Franks's campaign contributions increase, top donors change
WASHINGTON, March 18 – Rep. Barney Frank, who has represented the 4th District since 1981, went from raising less then half a million dollars in each of the six election cycles before 2004 to raising more than $2 million in 2008, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. And the profile of Frank’s top donors has changed since he became the senior Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, with the bulk of his donations coming from the financial service sector. (By Cristian Hernandez)
Energy efficient insulation industry would benefit from earmark
WASHINGTON, March 7 – Insulation made in Northborough can be found wrapped around a natural gas pipeline deep in the ocean off the coast of Brazil, packed around the electrical cables beneath the subway system in Beijing, and layered over the oil tank of a tractor in the French countryside. (By Sarah Gantz)
Legislation could protect state’s Revolutionary War battlefields
WASHINGTON, March 6 – The House of Representatives passed legislation this week that would help preserve Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields. The bill, cosponsored by Rep. Jim McGovern, D-3, allots $50 million for the establishment of a national grant program to help acquire and protect battlefield sites. (By Cristian Hernandez)
Local projects may get funding from omnibus legislation
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27—Local projects may get up to $21.4 million in earmarked federal funding requested by Rep. Barney Frank. The money is included in the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which passed the House Wednesday 245-178. (By Cristian Hernandez)
Shift in Donations a Sign of McGovern Moving Upward
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 — In an uncontested 2008 House race, the $1 million U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester, raised topped any of his other campaigns except his first race for reelection 10 years earlier. Since then, the congressman's source of campaign funds has changed—lobbying firms, lawyers and pharmaceutical companies now back a politician who once relied on money from labor unions. (By Sarah Gantz)
McGovern Proud of $7.3 million in Earmarks for Central Mass.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26-- Central Massachusetts may receive $7.3 million in the form of earmarks for workforce restructuring, medical research and infrastructure from the $410 billion fiscal 2009 omnibus spending package that the House passed Wednesday. The Senate will debate and vote on the bill next week. (By Sarah Gantz)
Local cities to get housing funds from stimulus package
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 – Federal funds will start flowing to local communities for the development and improvement of public housing projects, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (By Cristian Hernandez)
The White House estimates thousands of jobs for local districts
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 —The economic recovery package passed by Congress last week could mean thousands of jobs for the New Bedford area, according to White House estimates. (By Cristian Hernandez)
Ted Danson: ‘Offshore drilling is a bad idea’
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 —Environmental advocates urged lawmakers Wednesday to reinstate the national ban on offshore drilling that Congress had lifted only last fall. Members of the House Natural Resources Committee were told offshore drilling would cause irreparable damage to oceanic ecosystems and strike an economic blow to the country’s fishing industry. (By Cristian Hernandez)
Stimulus infrastructure aid could stimulate Worcester’s economy
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 —The promise of what Worcester could be—colorful and attention-commanding—takes the form of an 18-foot-8-inch mosaic signpost that towers over Main Street outside the Hanover Theatre in downtown Worcester. The sign is part of the Wayfinding project, which calls for hundreds of signs to help visitors better navigate the city’s labyrinth-like tangle of roads. (By Sarah Gantz)
Stimulus bill includes plan to computerize health records
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 —When it comes to medical technology, Massachusetts is ahead of the game. Hospitals, private practices and medical facilities across the state have been working to computerize patients’ health records for years, a practice intended to reduce medical errors and save money. But it won’t be easy and it may not be enough. (By Sarah Gantz)
Stimulus bill would aid local school budgets
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 — President Barack Obama’s stimulus package could give more then $100 billion in education aid to the country’s 15,000 school districts over the next two years, including $19.2 million for New Bedford Public Schools by the end of 2010, according to estimates made public by the House Appropriations Committee. (By Cristian Hernandez)
Stimulus bill includes money to help computerize health records
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 – Nestled inside Barack Obama’s $819 billion economic recovery package are provisions that challenge the country’s hospitals and doctors to adopt electronic medical records. The stimulus package, which the House passed on Wednesday, provides $20 billion to spur the complete digitization of health records by 2014. (By Cristian Hernandez)
For local women, equal pay law is the beginning
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 —In 1964, the Civil Rights Act demanded equal pay for women. But decades later, with women earning only 78 cents for every dollar men earn, wage discrimination remains an issue. President Barack Obama Thursday signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, the first of his administration. For many women, the law, which reverses a 2007 Supreme Court decision that required lawsuits for wage discrimination based on sex, race and other factors to be filed within 180 days of the first unequal paycheck, represents a step toward workplace equality. (By Sarah Gantz)
Millions turn out for moment in history
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 – Vincent Bates had been standing outside, in the cold, smack-dab in the middle of more than a million people crowded onto the National Mall, for more than five hours by the time Barack Obama was sworn-in as the 44th President of the United States And Mr. Bates said he wouldn’t have had it any other way. (By Sarah Gantz)
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry makes history again
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 — Eli Biddle lied about his age. He was 16 in 1863, not 17, as he told the recruiters he met on the street. Mr. Biddle had been booted out of class for refusing to sing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” While wandering around Boston, he decided to join the army, even though he was one year shy of the age requirement. (By Sarah Gantz)
Witnessing history, whatever the price
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 — Carrie and Caitlin Howland, of Shrewsbury didn’t think they would be able to attend the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama but on Friday they got a call from Rep. James McGovern’s office informing them that there were two tickets available. Luckily, they had made a hotel reservation in Baltimore the day after the election. (By Sarah Gantz)
Burncoat Choir Does DC
WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 — In one gulp, Rachael Brown swallowed the mint she had popped in her mouth to stave off hunger just in time for the opening line of the Star Spangled Banner. Ms. Brown, 17, is a self-proclaimed “very loud soprano” for the Burncoat High School Select Choir, which gave an impromptu performance on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives Saturday morning. (By Sarah Gantz)
Former New Bedford school principals await inauguration
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 – Roberta Rivet spent 15 years serving as the E.C. Brooks Elementary School principal. Her husband, Leonard Rivet was principal of Roosevelt Middle School. They spent their careers telling students of all backgrounds that they could be and do anything they wanted when they grew up and now they see that dream becoming a reality with the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama. (By Cristian Hernandez)
New Hampshire
To those who know him, Gregg still being Gregg
WASHINGTON, April 23 —There are few senators with a high enough profile to be household names throughout the country. Sen. Judd Gregg has never been, and still is not, one of them.
But since last fall, the New Hampshire Republican has been getting more attention from his party and the media. That attention reached a crescendo with his 10-day stint as Obama’s second nominee for secretary of the Commerce Department, which ended with Gregg’s withdrawal of his name from consideration. (By Jillian Jorgensen)
Shaheen, working on health care reform, sees challenges ahead
WASHINGTON, April 22 – Melinda Haney, a 46-year-old mother of two from Rochester, N.H., says she is the perfect poster person for the importance of Medicaid. “If I didn’t have Medicaid, I would be dead.” Haney said.
Medicaid is a system of health care provided for low-income families and people with disabilities. Before she became a Medicaid patient in March 2006, Haney said she could not afford to take all of her prescribed medications, which cost more than $1,000 a month. (By Aoife Connors)
Hodes: Bill would break link between earmarks, campaign money
WASHINGTON, April 22 —In an effort to remove “even the appearance of a conflict of interest” between congressional appropriations and campaign contributions, U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes, D-N.H., introduced legislation Wednesday that he said would break the link between earmarks and campaign money. (By Jillian Jorgensen) Hodes, Shea-Porter request $350 million in earmarks for N.H.
WASHINGTON—New Hampshire’s congressional representatives are hoping to steer hundreds millions of federal dollars through the appropriations process and into the state to pay for projects ranging from environmental clean-up to development of military technology.
Members of the House of Representatives posted their fiscal year 2010 appropriations requests for their home states this month, and U.S. Reps. Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes have requested more than $350 million between them for New Hampshire. (By Jillian Jorgensen) Recovery director keeps watchful eye on stimulus expenditures
WASHINGTON, April 10 – Tracking the expenditure of $300 million in the Recovery and Reinvestment Act for your state is a demanding job. Try planning a wedding at the same time. That gives you a sense of the craziness that surrounds the life of Lisa Levine, newly appointed recovery director in the office of Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.). (By Aoife Connors)
Gregg offers a history lesson, jokes, and a failed amendment
WASHINGTON, March 31 – When it came time to introduce his latest amendment to the president’s proposed budget, Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., and his Senate colleagues couldn’t resist cracking a few jokes. (By Jillian Jorgensen) Hanover High School student awarded $2,500 in essay contest
WASHINGTON, March 31 – Libby Tolman, a Hanover High School sophomore, has been awarded $2,500 for winning second place in the “Being an American” essay contest.
Tolman was selected as one of three finalists from the New England region, winning an all-expenses trip with her U.S. history teacher, Pamela Miller, to Washington from March 29-31. (By Aoife Connors)
| 
