#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) Act which would require phone companies to provide consumers with free robocall-blocking technology, and that companies verify that caller IDs are accurate. The final version of the TRACED Act that passed the House incorporates provisions of the ROBOCOP that protect consumers’ from being billed for call blocking.
Blumenthal will be joined by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, Federal Communication Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and others to discuss ongoing efforts at the state and federal level to protect consumers from robocalls.
This press release was made possible by:
See all the great deals at: https://www.bmwofbridgeport.com/new-vehicles/this-months-bmw-lease-deals-special-offers-in-connecticut/
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 future storms and rising sea levels. Senator Harris and I will work hard with our colleagues in the Senate to get this bill across the finish line,” said Murphy.
“The United States is facing a climate crisis,” said Harris. “As severe storms and flooding become more common – made worse by rising sea levels and increasing temperatures – we must take bold action to protect our coastal communities. And as we take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we must also prepare communities for the climate change impacts we are already facing. That is why I am grateful for Congressman Pallone’s partnership on this issue and I applaud the House of Representatives for prioritizing the creation of living shorelines in order to protect our coasts. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this legislation immediately.”
“The Living Shorelines Act will help us protect our coastal communities from the effects of climate change, including more flooding from sea level rise and stronger hurricanes, by harnessing proven natural infrastructure solutions. The passage of this legislation by the U.S. House sends a clear message to Americans that Congress is serious about protecting coastal communities from the effects of the climate crisis,” Congressman Pallone said. “Since Superstorm Sandy, we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to make my home state of New Jersey more resilient against the effects of climate change. This legislation will provide additional help so communities can use living shorelines to effectively mitigate future flooding while benefiting local economies. Strengthening living shorelines will also improve the local environment by supporting water quality and habitats for local wildlife and fish as well as provide enhanced opportunities for recreation.”
Living shorelines are a type of green infrastructure that protect and stabilize coastal edges by using natural materials such as plants, sand, shell, or rock. Unlike a concrete seawall or other artificial structure, which impedes the growth of plants and animals, livingshorelines can grow over time, allowing them to adapt to changing conditions. Using green and natural infrastructure, communities can create a buffer that mitigates the impacts of shoreline flooding by reducing wave energy and decreasing erosion. Green infrastructure is cost-effective and can also provide benefits such as improved local water quality and ecology.
The Living Shorelines Actwill:
· Establish a grant program to help states, towns, and NGOs implement climate resilient living shoreline projects and encourage the use of natural materials in the protection of coastal communities;
· Direct NOAA to develop criteria to select grantees based on the potential of the project to protect the community, and the ecological benefits of the project, among other things;
· Prioritize areas that have received a Stafford Act disaster declaration or areas that have a documented history of coastal inundation or erosion; and
· Authorize $50 million a year for these grants.
Supporters of the Living Shorelines Actinclude The Nature Conservancy, the National Wildlife Federation and the American Society of Landscape Architects.
HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the state is set to approve $5 million in funding that will permit a new round of grants to begin under Connecticut’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Program. The initiative, administered by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, provides grants to municipalities, nonprofit land conservation organizations, and water companies to acquire land and have it designated as open space.
The allocation has been placed on the agenda to be approved during next week’s meeting of the State Bond Commission. Governor Lamont serves as chairman of the commission.
“Our administration has set high goals to mitigate the effects of climate change and implement policies that better preserve our air, water, and natural resources,” Governor Lamont said. “This program is an important component of preserving some of the best and most beautiful land in the world, and by partnering with our municipalities and nonprofits we can ensure that these valuable resources are preserved in perpetuity for generations to come.”
Projects under the program are awarded funding through a competitive application process. Awards are granted to projects that offer the highest conservation and recreational value and that leverage the greatest percentage of private and municipal funding.
The State Bond Commission meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 18 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 1E of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
#WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) who led a group of senators in reintroducing legislation to protect people’s personal data online. The Data Care Act would require websites, apps, and other online providers to take responsible steps to safeguard personal information and stop the misuse of users’ data.
“I have heard countless times from constituents who fear their personal information can be easily accessed, or worse, stolen and used against them. This legislation would require tech companies to do a better job protecting the sensitive information we entrust them with every day, and I hope to see it pass soon.” said Murphy.
“People have a basic expectation that the personal information that is collected by websites and apps is well-protected and won’t be used to harm them. Just as doctors and lawyers are expected to protect and responsibly use the personal data they hold, online companies should be required to do the same. Our bill will help make sure that when people give online companies their information, it won’t be abused,” said Schatz.
Doctors, lawyers, and bankers are legally required to exercise special care to protect their clients and not misuse their information. While online companies also hold personal and sensitive information about the people they serve, they are not required to protect consumers’ data. This leaves users in a vulnerable position; they are expected to understand the information they give to providers and how it is being used – an unreasonable expectation for even the most tech-savvy consumer. By establishing an explicit duty for online providers, Americans can trust that their online data is protected and used in a responsible way.
Joining Murphy and Schatz in reintroducing this legislation are U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
The Data Care Act establishes reasonable duties that will require providers to protect user data and will prohibit providers from using user data to their detriment:
· Duty of Care – Must reasonably secure individual identifying data and promptly inform users of data breaches that involve sensitive information;
· Duty of Loyalty – May not use individual identifying data in ways that harm users;
· Duty of Confidentiality – Must ensure that the duties of care and loyalty extend to third parties when disclosing, selling, or sharing individual identifying data;
· Federal and State Enforcement – A violation of the duties will be treated as a violation of an FTC rule with fine authority. States may also bring civil enforcement actions, but the FTC can intervene. States and the FTC may go after both first- and third-party data collectors.
· Rulemaking Authority – FTC is granted rulemaking authority to implement the Act.
#WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement after the Department of Defense Inspector General announced a new investigation into the Trump Administration’s deployment of thousands of U.S. military troops to the southern border. Blumenthal has previously raised concerns about the politicization of the military directly with the Pentagon, specifically requesting “legal justification for the expanding mission of active duty troops deployed to the southern border,” and “training and legal guidance provided to servicemembers deployed to the border.”
“I welcome this investigation – accountability is long overdue,” Blumenthal said. “I have long held serious concerns about the politically motivated, potentially unlawful deployment of our servicemen and women to the southern border. Over the last two years, the Trump Administration has manipulated our military for partisan gain in a dangerous disservice to our men and women in uniform, and a threat to military readiness and our national security.”
In May 2019, Blumenthal led a group of nineteen senators in writing to then-Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan raising concerns over the expanding mission of active duty servicemembers deployed to the southern border. In the letter, the senators demanded a legal justification for increased military activities at the border, including a loosening of restrictions on contact between servicemembers and migrants. The full text of the Blumenthal-led letter is available here.
In November 2018, after of active duty troops were sent to the U.S.-Mexico border in the days before the midterm elections, Blumenthal led a group of twelve senators in writing then-Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis to raise concerns regarding the “the overt politicization of the military and the lack of evidence to justify the deployment of active duty troops to confront the migrant caravan before the midterm elections.”
HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont released the following statement regarding the decision announced today by State Treasurer Shawn Wooden on state investments with firearm manufacturers:
“The treasurer’s decision to divest from gun manufacturers and enact a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive, responsible gun policy should be applauded. Connecticut continues to be a leader in responsible gun safety policies and as a state we must go beyond legislation in order to reflect the importance of protecting our communities from gun violence. While divesting sends a strong message, we still need a moment of action in Washington that will bring an end to the mass shootings that have become an everyday tragedy for our country.”
#Washington D.C. On Friday U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) demanded that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) take action against YouTube influencers who are deceptively and unfairly advertising to children as young as two years old through their content.
YouTube has created a new generation of child-directed online influencers. However, few parents understand that these channels are often little more than advertisements for toymakers, media companies, and fast food, with some influencers earning tens of millions in ad deals and sponsorships. Eager to exploit this new social media gold rush, many advertisers and sponsors have thrown basic ethics and the law out the window, disregarding even the minimal standards adopted to protect children.
A study by ad watchdog group, truthinadvertising.org (TINA.org) found that the popular “kidfluencer” YouTube channel Ryan ToysReview, who pulled in an estimated $22 million in earnings for 2018, referenced at least one product recommended for children under the age of five in nearly 90 percent of videos reviewed. While some videos did disclose a sponsorship, an overwhelming majority did not.
This press release was made possible by:
For more info see: https://www.bmwofbridgeport.com/
WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) applauded House of Representatives passage of bipartisan legislation to help block robocalls. The Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act approved by the House this week is the result of months of negotiations between the House and Senate. The legislation gives regulators more time to find robocall scammers, increases penalties for violators, promotes call authentication and blocking adoption, and brings federal agencies and state attorneys general together to address obstacles to criminal prosecution of robocallers who intentionally flout laws.
“I will work for swift strong Senate action to approve the robocall protection measure passed overwhelmingly yesterday by the House,” Blumenthal said. “I have been a leading champion of such robocall restrictions because these calls have become so devastatingly frequent and intrusive. The vicious onslaught of scam and scam messages disrupts our lives and defrauds our most vulnerable. They are consistently one of the top complaints I hear from constituents. This measure has broad bipartisan support and I will press for Senate passage before the holidays— a great gift to consumers.”
Blumenthal has also authored the ROBOCOP (Repeated Objectionable Bothering of Consumers on Phones) Act, which would require telephone companies to offer free robocall blocking services to all their customers.
An estimated 22.1 million Americans lost $9.5 billion to robocall scams in 2016, according to a 2017 study. This epidemic of telephonic harassment skyrocketed in 2018, with the number of robocalls made to Americans exceeding 16.3 billion in the first five months of that year. Thus far efforts like the Do Not Call Registry have had little to no impact, particularly when it comes to scams and call centers located outside of the United States.
Today, Connecticut Insurance Department (CID) Commissioner Andrew N. Mais issued a cease and desist order against Aliera Companies, Inc. and Trinity Healthshare, Inc. for conducting an insurance business illegally in Connecticut, and potentially placing consumers at risk.
“We are seeing entities in the marketplace misleading consumers and trying to avoid insurance regulation,” said Commissioner Mais. “Consumers need protections from these practices which is what the CID is empowered to do. It is important for consumers to reach out to the Department when they have questions or concerns, and be cautious when they purchase health coverage.”
“Protecting Connecticut consumers is the core function of the Department as insurance regulators. State regulation effectively protects consumers and ensures that promises made by insurers are kept”, Mais said.
Aliera, an unlicensed insurance company in Connecticut, has been administering and marketing health coverage on behalf of Trinity Healthshare. Trinity represents itself as a health care sharing ministry whose members share a common set of ethical or religious beliefs. For a description of these type of plans, see the NAIC.
Ted Doolittle, the State’s Healthcare Advocate said, “We commend the Insurance Department for taking this swift action to protect consumers. Today’s cease and desist order will protect Connecticut residents from Aliera’s deceptive marketing and unfair claims adjudication practices that include preexisting condition exclusions, lifestyle choices and other reasons that ordinarily would be prohibited under the ACA.”
Connecticut residents with these plans will need to find new health insurance options during the open enrollment period for the 2020 plan year. More information is available by calling the Consumer Affairs Department at 860-297-3900. For a list of companies marketing individual health insurance policies, visit ct.gov/CID and Access Health CT. Generally, health plan open enrollment closes on December 15.
The Department’s Consumer Affairs Division received complaints from one particular consumer alleging nearly $300,000 in unpaid claims and concerns over how the policies were marketed and sold to them. This consumer met the $10,000 plan deductible paying out of pocket for diagnostic tests including several MRIs and the company subsequently refused to pay the $280,000 surgical and physician bills citing a pre-existing condition.
Some consumers believed they were buying traditional health insurance and did not know the plans were offered by a health care sharing ministry, which would be exempt from state insurance regulations, until their claims were denied.
Insurance Commissioner Andrew N. Mais reminds consumers to always be cognizant how a health plan works before signing up. Consumers should shop around for a health plan that best suits their needs and budget. “Consumers should research, prior to purchasing a plan, if it comes with protections required by Connecticut and/or federal law and is marketed by a licensed insurance carrier or licensed broker in Connecticut,” Mais said.
Anyone with questions can contact the Connecticut Insurance Department by email at insurance@ct.gov or by calling 860-297-3900 and the Office of The Healthcare Advocate at 860-331-2440
HARTFORD, CT – Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) released the following statement after the Office of the Inspector General released a report regarding conditions at the West Haven Veterans Administration Hospital:
“These findings are deeply alarming, showing widespread failings, systemic deficiencies and inadequate past accountability. Equally troubling is the lack of specific timelines and deadlines for future action. Past VA leadership ignored warning signs and created an atmosphere of distrust and divisiveness. The unacceptable number of outsourced surgeries reflect the VA’s failure to provide proper sterilization capacity and adequate investment in the facility. These failings have real life consequences – delayed or canceled surgeries, possible infections, and needless discomfort, even suffering. Hardworking, dedicated VA healthcare professionals need the sterilization tools and other equipment necessary to properly serve veterans. Our veterans have earned and deserve the best possible care. I have repeatedly advocated for specific commitments to provide more resources and definite deadlines. I will hold senior VA leadership accountable until all of the issues highlighted in this report are remedied.”
