Senate Leadership
June 1, 2006
Williams, Looney: Loss of Homeland Security Money Shows Need for Governor to Engage
State can't afford to miss opportunities to press its case
State Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) and Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) today urged Governor Rell to take every opportunity to lobby for Connecticut's interests in Washington, D.C. The call comes in the wake of reports that federal officials are cutting Connecticut's homeland security funding by a third. The state will get $13.5 million for fiscal year 2006, according to Homeland Security Department officials. Last year, the state received $21.5 million in homeland security grants. State homeland security officials had asked for $30 million this year.
"We know that our Congressional delegation is working hard to reverse this decision and ensure that Connecticut gets its fair share of funding," Sen. Williams said. "But this situation also highlights the need for Governor Rell to take every opportunity to lobby the Bush administration for the state's interests."
Sen. Williams noted that twice in the last two years, Governor Rell passed up the opportunity to personally lobby President Bush and top members of his administration when she refused to attended the National Governors Association meetings in Washington. "No doubt nearly every other governor in the country used those opportunities to make their state's case for federal funding on crucial issues such as Homeland Security. With this and other potentially devastating cuts on the table in Washington, Connecticut may be at a disadvantage given the governor's decision not to meet with the president and top cabinet officials," Sen. Williams said.
In response to news of the cuts, the governor reacted that she was "extremely disappointed." "That's exactly the problem," Sen. Looney said. "It's a reaction. It's time to be proactive and take the opportunities we have to make the state's case in Washington just as other states do. The governor may have staff in Washington and she may write letters but there is no substitute for face-to-face meetings with the president and those administration officials who make the crucial decisions such as this one that hurts Connecticut."
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Senator Williams’ Larry Cook |
Listing of Leadership’s recent press releases. |
Senator Looney’s Larry Cook |
