Today, Senate President Martin Looney and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff called on Governor Ned Lamont to follow the example of Pennsylvania and other states and prominently post information on state agency websites alerting residents to the cause of recent service disruptions: inept Republican governance.
The ongoing Republican shutdown threatens critical services that Connecticut families depend on, including nutrition assistance, Head Start programs, and healthcare services. Although these are federal programs, residents often interact with state agencies to access these services, making clear communication about disruptions essential.
“Republicans have once again demonstrated the core principles of their governance philosophy: chaos and hardship for everyday families; legal pardons and generous tax breaks for the wealthy elite,” Senator Looney said. “Working-class Connecticut residents deserve to know who turned their backs on them. President Trump and Congressional Republicans control every branch of the federal government, yet they have chosen to shut it down rather than work constructively to protect working families. Voters have a right to understand who is responsible for this manufactured crisis.”
“Nothing illustrates Republican contempt for working people more clearly than President Trump demolishing an entire wing of the White House during his own shutdown to build a lavish ballroom for his rich friends,” Senator Duff said. “Pennsylvania has shown the way forward. Governor Shapiro’s administration is clearly communicating to residents why their services are disrupted. Our state government has the same responsibility.”
The legislative leaders specifically called for Access Health CT, Connecticut’s health insurance marketplace, to inform enrollees that the premium increases they will face next year are a direct consequence of the Republicans’ refusal to accept the Congressional Democrats’ proposal to protect Americans from these hikes. Democrats offered solutions to prevent premium spikes for families purchasing coverage through the marketplace, but Republicans rejected these protections.
With Republicans in complete control of the federal government—the White House, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives—there is no ambiguity about who is responsible for the shutdown and its consequences for Connecticut families. Looney and Duff urged the Lamont administration to ensure Connecticut websites, particularly Access Health CT, prominently display information about service disruptions and their cause, allowing Connecticut residents to make informed judgments about their elected officials’ priorities.
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