Himes Joins Effort to Force Vote to Raise Minimum Wage

Fair Minimum Wage Act increases minimum wage to $10.10 over two years   WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) signed a discharge petition to require an immediate vote on a bill to lift the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour.  The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013 (H.R. 1010), which he cosponsors, will raise the purchasing power of minimum wage salaries to help working families afford more basic necessities. This, however, is still less than the $10.74 the minimum wage would be were it adjusted for inflation since its high of $10.56 in 1968. A discharge petition needs the support of 218 members to force a vote. So far 155 members have signed this petition.   “After the worst recession in…

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March Programs at The Barnum Museum

Learn about early photographic portraits and Connecticut female photographers During March, The Barnum Museum is offering programs to help us understand the history of early photography and how to identify the techniques and other clues that help us date old photographs of our ancestors. Please be advised to check the museum’s website barnum-museum.org or Facebook should weather concerns arise. Snow dates for each program will be posted on the website. Wednesday, March 5 at 12:15 p.m. – Sneak Peek Portraits of the Past: Identifying and Dating Photographs of Ancestors, presented by the Museum's curator, Adrienne Saint-Pierre. This continuing series offers opportunities to see rarely-exhibited items from the Museum’s collection. Attendees are invited to bring their lunch. $2 Donation. This month…

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Petition Forcing Public Hearings on State Common Core & Teacher Evaluations

HARTFORD – State Representatives Gail Lavielle (R-143) and Tom O’Dea (R-125) were among the signatories of petitions filed Wednesday by House Republicans that forced the Chairs of the General Assembly’s Education Committee to hold formal public hearings on two bills related to the controversial Common Core curriculum and the new public school teacher evaluation process. Despite substantial public outcry, the majority party had refused to raise the bills in the Education Committee. The petitioning process, which is seldom used, allows legislators to overrule decisions by legislative committees on holding public hearings for bills. House Republicans gathered the required 51 signatures from their caucus members under Joint Rule 11 in order to file the petitions that triggered the requirement for the two bills to be raised…

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