HARTFORD – Today, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), co-chair of the Public Health Committee, and Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton), co-chair of the Committee on Children, issued the following statements condemning Trump’s unlawful decision to cancel $1 billion in student mental health grants which was passed by Congress on a bipartisan basis after the tragic school shooting in Uvalde.
“Connecticut has led the nation in addressing gun violence and building a stronger, more compassionate mental health infrastructure for our youth,” said Senate President Martin Looney. “These unconscionable cuts from the Trump administration are a direct attack on our children’s safety and wellbeing. We urge Connecticut Republicans to stand up for children across our state instead of paying fealty to Donald Trump. This is a moment for courage, not politics.”
“This decision doesn’t just pull the rug out from under school counselors and mental health professionals, it will make our schools less safe,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff. “The Trump administration is turning its back on the very children Congress vowed to protect after Uvalde.”
“Mental health support is proven to work best when it is culturally competent and reflects the community it serves,” said Senator Saud Anwar. “What this administration is doing is simply dangerous and illegal.”
“These programs help children navigate trauma, support parents, and save lives,” said Senator Ceci Maher. “To cancel them is not only reckless, it is morally bankrupt.”
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