Senator Blumenthal Week In Review 04/07/2023—04/14/2023
PROTECTING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
— U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement in response to a federal judge in Texas blocking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone, a safe and common abortion and miscarriage management medication:
“If allowed to go into effect, this ruling is tantamount to a nationwide ban on the most common form of abortion care. This medication has been used safely and effectively for twenty years with FDA approval for both abortion care and miscarriage management, now recklessly overruled by a single activist judge in Texas. This opinion would restrict the freedom of doctors and prescribers who want to provide reproductive care and every American patient who seeks to receive it. Under this ruling, Connecticut providers would no longer be able to treat Connecticut patients according to what has been the standard of care for twenty years. Republicans like to say they believe decisions about abortion should be left up to individual states, but that’s a lie – their goal, partially realized by today’s opinion, is to force the entire country to live by their draconian restrictions on reproductive care.”
— Blumenthal applauded the Department of Justice’s decision to appeal the ruling and joined his colleagues in leading an amicus brief supporting the Biden administration’s challenge.
“Thanks to DOJ for a prompt appeal of the Texas trial judge’s egregiously wrong nationwide ban on mifepristone. Failing to stay this dangerous decision would restrict the freedom of patients, doctors, & providers in CT & across the country.”
“I’m helping to lead colleagues in challenging a destructive judicial attack on reproductive rights—a single judge’s decision to bar access to mifepristone nationwide. This ruling is an assault on women’s health care & must be stopped.”
“Our amicus brief seeks to reverse this activist judge’s decision which defies law & science in overruling the FDA. Decades-long, evidence-based FDA approval of this medication provides access to safe abortion care & miscarriage management.”
“The decision to overrule the long-established, medically sound FDA ruling could completely upend reliance on the present system of drug approval.”
— Blumenthal also reacted to the ruling by an Appeals Court reviving FDA approval of mifepristone but allowing some restrictions to stand.
“This Court of Appeals ruling will restrict abortion access for every woman in America. It offers false comfort by seeming less draconian than the District Court's ruling - but it is still deeply dangerous and devastating.”
“The appellate ruling is wrong on the facts and the law. It is an unprecedented override of well-established FDA scientific judgement, denying essential healthcare, and limiting abortion access in every state.”
“It will unconscionably confine reproductive rights including miscarriage management. I trust women to make healthcare decisions - not politicians or courts, and certainly not rightwing extremist judges.”
“Despite Connecticut's strong protections for reproductive rights, this decision will have significant harmful impacts on women in our state. The Fifth Circuit's decision has nationwide ramifications in destructive restrictions on safe, common medication for all women.”
— Blumenthal joined his Congressional colleagues in leading an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to grant emergency relief from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit’s partial denial of a stay pending appeal, and stay the Texas court ruling in its entirety. The 253 Members of Congress submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, in support of the Biden administration’s appeal of a federal district court ruling that suspends the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) more than 20-year-old approval of mifepristone as well as the decision by the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit—which does not revoke FDA approval of mifepristone in its entirety but does significantly restrict access to the drug nationwide and ultimately overrides FDA’s scientific judgement.
The Members of Congress urged the Supreme Court to grant emergency relief from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit’s partial denial of a stay pending appeal, and stay Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s district court order in its entirety.
“[T]he district court appears to have second-guessed FDA’s expert determinations with cherry-picked anecdotes and studies, and on that basis, imposed a remedy that could significantly upend the status quo,” write the lawmakers in their brief. “[I]t is an extraordinary and unprecedented step for the district court to invalidate on substantive grounds—and over FDA’s objection—a longstanding approval for a drug with a history of safe and effective use. This Court should stay the entirety of that aberrant decision pending appellate review.”
STRENGTHENING ETHICS STANDARDS FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
— Blumenthal joined his Democratic colleagues on the Senate Judiciary in calling on Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to investigate Justice Clarence Thomas’ failure to disclose gifts from a Republican megadonor.
“The Court’s legitimacy & Roberts’ legacy will be forever stained unless he meets this moral challenge. Missing this moment to adopt a code of ethics, as I’ve repeatedly urged, would be a historic blunder. I hope he heeds our call.”
— Blumenthal also reacted to a report that Harlan Crow, the Republican megadonor, bought property from Justice Thomas in an undisclosed real estate deal.
“It just keeps getting worse - Justice Thomas’ reported failure to disclose that a billionaire benefactor bought his family house (and renovated it?) is outrageous - and likely illegal. These rolling revelations are exactly why an investigation is necessary.”
ADDRESSING AMERICA’S GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC
— Blumenthal joined gun violence prevention advocates to discuss how Connecticut can be a model for federal efforts to reduce gun violence. At the round table, Blumenthal and advocates discussed Connecticut’s strategies to reduce gun violence and improve crisis intervention, as well as how the state can be a model for federal efforts to curb gun violence. Blumenthal had led efforts to pass Ethan’s Law and the “No Check, No Sale” bill to close the Charleston loophole as well as legislation to ban assault weapons, establish an office of gun violence prevention, and ban the marketing of firearms to children.
EXPANDING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING
— Blumenthal joined leaders of Connecticut housing nonprofits to discuss the state’s affordable housing crisis and urge more federal funding. Blumenthal announced he is joining his colleagues in requesting $2.1 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership Program, the only federal block grant program for state and local governments designed exclusively to produce affordable housing for low-income families. This funding would be a 14% increase from FY 2023.
In addition, Blumenthal urged $185 million in FY 2024 funding for NeighborWorks America, a national nonprofit that supports community-based housing initiatives here in Connecticut. According to a recent economic report, in Connecticut there is a shortage of more than 85,000 affordable rental units.
SUPPORTING OUR ALLIES IN UKRAINE
— Blumenthal joined a ceremony announcing Kramatorsk, Ukraine as a sister city to Stamford.
“Proud to join local leaders as Stamford designates Kramatorsk, Ukraine a sister city—impressive morale & moral support from CT’s Ukrainian-American community & Ukraine Aid International are critical to countering Russia’s brutal invasion.”
PROTECTING TESLA DRIVERS’ PRIVACY
— Blumenthal, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, and U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, sent a letter to Tesla CEO Elon Musk voicing serious concerns about violations of customer privacy following recent reports that Tesla employees have improperly shared private videos and photos captured by cameras in Tesla vehicles. In the letter, the senators demand Musk provide information about policies in place at Tesla to prevent the unauthorized collection and distribution of customer data and outline steps Tesla is taking to fix this invasion of privacy.
“Although vehicle cameras have the potential to improve safety, these features do not need to come at the expense of consumer privacy,” the senators wrote. “Tesla must take all necessary steps to protect consumer information and maintain strong privacy protections for its vehicle owners. […] This apparent willful disregard for the privacy of Tesla customers is unacceptable and raises serious questions about Tesla’s management practices.”
PROTECTING KIDS ONLINE SAFETY
— The Dove Self-Esteem Project launched a new effort to support the passage of the Kids Online Safety Act. The bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, led in the Senate by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), would provide kids and parents with online safeguards and ensure Big Tech accountability amid a worsening youth mental health crisis.
On Tuesday, Dove announced its new Campaign for Kids Online Safety with artist Lizzo to address the rise in youth mental health issues connected to social media use, including new research data, a film, and a petition encouraging Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act.
“A partnership combining teens, concerned parents, and industry leaders can be a powerful force for holding Big Tech accountable through my Kids Online Safety Act,” said Blumenthal. “I’m proud to lead this bipartisan measure to give kids and parents back control over their online lives, and stop social media from driving toxic content at them. Putting profits over safety, Big Tech’s algorithms are exacerbating a teen mental health crisis—a public health emergency that the Kids Online Safety Act will help stem. I’m proud to join this effort to move Congress and the country to protect children from eating disorders, bullying, and other harms spread by social media.”
Dove’s new film, “Cost of Beauty: A Dove Film,” features the story of one young person struggling with an eating disorder fueled by toxic social media content.
The full film can be found here
The introduction of the Kids Online Safety Act followed reporting and a series of subcommittee hearings spearheaded by Blumenthal and Blackburn with social media companies and advocates on the repeated failures by tech giants to protect kids on their platforms and about the dangers kids face online. More information on the legislation can be found here.
STRENGTHENING FOOD SECURITY
— Blumenthal joined Markey and his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Thomas J. Vilsak and Social Security Administration (SSA) Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi urging them to make Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) more accessible for Americans who receive or are applying to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. SSI recipients include low income people with disabilities and seniors at least 65 years old who often lack access to food security and nutrition, putting them at higher risk of health concerns such as lower cognitive function, depression, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, diabetes, or heart attacks.
In their letter to USDA and SSA, the lawmakers wrote, “To help alleviate food insecurity, SSA and USDA must create a seamless path to ensuring that SSI recipients and applicants can obtain SNAP benefits, one with minimal administrative burden. SNAP is the nation’s largest anti-hunger program and SNAP benefits translate to fewer people in poverty and a healthier population.”
CELEBRATING THE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT
— Blumenthal marked 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement.
“For the last 25 years, the Good Friday Agreement has brought peace to Northern Ireland. President Biden’s trip this week reminds us of the importance of greater understanding & interaction—critical to upholding & building on this historic progress.”
MARKING CT RESIDENTS’ NATURALIZATION CEREMONIES
— Blumenthal attended a naturalization ceremony in Hartford.
“We are a nation of immigrants—our diversity making us the greatest nation in the world—as I saw again so inspiringly at the naturalization ceremony yesterday in Hartford.”
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