The White House late Monday issued a statement regarding President Obama's call to congressional leaders on the issue of the budget.

The release is posted her unedited:

Readout of the President’s Calls to the Congressional Leadership

This evening, the President placed separate calls to Senate Majority Leader Reid, Senate Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Boehner and Democratic Leader Pelosi. The President made clear that Congress has two jobs to do: pay the bills on time and pass a budget on time. Failure to fulfill those responsibilities is harmful to our economy, small businesses and middle class families across the country.

The President made clear to the Republican Leadership that they must act, as the Senate has, to pass the bill that funds the government for six weeks that doesn’t include any extraneous ideological riders. The President urged the House to bring up this clean Continuing Resolution for a vote tonight to keep the government open and avoid a shutdown.

The President reinforced with the Republican Leaders that he will continue to oppose any politically-motivated attempts to defund or delay the Affordable Care Act, attempts which would never pass the Senate or become law. And he reiterated that he will not negotiate on the debt limit: Congress must pay the bills it has already incurred and avoid a devastating blow to our economy.

The President expressed his gratitude to the Democratic Leaders for their efforts to support and pass a clean bill that funds the government at current levels, and made clear that leaders in Washington have a responsibility to do more than just avert disaster. That’s why the President will continue to work with members in both parties to pass a budget that protects the kinds of investments we need to grow the economy, create good jobs and build a better bargain for the middle class.

 

The office of U.S. Rep. Rosa Del;auro , D-3, today issued her state in response to release of a "Report on Sex Exploitation and Trafficking Of Minors in the US"

See the study here:, Confronting Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the United States. 

DeLauro's release said, "The report details the need for a collaborative approach to fighting sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors, as well as the need to confront the demand side of these crimes."

Her statement (unedited here):

“According to the Polaris Project, human trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal enterprise across the globe. Yet, most assume that sex trafficking of children only happens overseas. In America alone, an estimated 293,000 children are at risk of commercial sexual exploitation.

“This report recommends important changes needed to strengthen our nation’s emerging efforts to prevent, identify and respond to the sexual exploitation of children in this country. As the report states, ‘A nation that is unaware of these problems or disengaged from solutions unwittingly contributes to the ongoing abuse of minors.’ I will be introducing a resolution next month to raise awareness of the suffering by young girls at the hands of amoral predators in our own backyard.”

DeLauro is a cosponsor of the Strengthening the Child Welfare Response to Human Trafficking Act of 2013, which would strengthening the child welfare system to identify, document, and counsel children at risk of exploitation. In June she hosted an event to raise awareness of the unseen problem of domestic child trafficking.

Further, the office of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., issued a statement  as well

Blumenthal's statement (also unedited here):

                                    

“Sex trafficking is usually perceived as a faraway, foreign problem, but in fact, hundreds of thousands of children in the United States are at risk of abuse by sex traders. Children who rely on state child welfare and foster care systems are often most vulnerable to trafficking, which is why I, along with Senators Portman and Wyden, have introduced The Child Sex Trafficking Data and Response Act. This bipartisan bill would streamline data collection and reporting on sex trafficking in child welfare, and require state child welfare agencies to report the number of children identified as victims of sex trafficking and the identity of any child missing or abducted from care. I strongly urge Congress to pass this legislation, and support other measures to end the tragic sex trade of children in this country. I applaud DOJ and National Academies for this extensive report.”

In a release,  U.S. Senator Richard

Blumenthal, D-Conn., issued a statement in response to a news report " (at swampland.time.com) on a soon-to-be-released government audit revealing the Navy became lax on security at Navy Yard and other naval facilities to reduce costs."

"According to the news report, the Department of Defense Inspector General found that the Navy 'did not effectively mitigate access-control risks associated with contractor-installation access” to “reduce access-control costs,'" the release said. 

"The news report comes on the heels of Monday’s mass shooting at Navy Yard in Washington, DC where a Navy contractor allegedly killed 12 people and injured several others," the release said.

Blumenthal quote (unedited):

“If public reports about this audit are accurate, the Navy put the safety of personnel at risk to save dollars and cents. This apparent security lapse – permitting people with criminal records to freely access military bases and facilities – is deeply troubling, and I call on the Department of Defense Inspector General to release the full report as soon as possible.  Lax safety and security measures at our military facilities are inexcusable.”

Blumenthal is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over military facilities, the release said. 

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. Click one of the buttons below to share it.

Event features guest speaker Teresa Younger, executive director of the state Permanent Commission on the Status of Women

The Shoreline League of Democratic Women will hold a free program, "Women, Equality & Power" with guest speaker Teresa Younger, executive director of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women at 7 p,m.. Oct. 3, at the Henry Carter Hull Library, Clinton. 

 Younger "will discuss the State of the State for women in Connecticut and beyond. She will cover women’s healthcare, economic security, and other vital issues that impact women and their families," according to a release.

SLDW draws membership from the towns of Clinton, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Lyme, Old Lyme, Centerbrook, Essex, Ivoryton, Deep River, Chester, Killingworth, Madison, Guilford and Branford, the release said..  The league of Democratic Women () is a chapter of the Connecticut Federation of Democratic Women, which is a chapter of the National Federation of Democratic Women, the release said. 

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. Click one of the buttons below to share it.

The office of U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy,  D-Conn., will hold mobile office hours in Clinton and East Haven on Sept. 18, according to a release.. 

"These events are opportunities for constituents in the area to meet with Murphy’s staff and discuss any issues they may experience with the federal government or a federal agency. Murphy’s casework team will be available to assist constituents with issues such as Social Security benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs concerns, immigration issues, and a variety of other matters," the release said.

The mobile office hours will be held:

^. 1.  10 a.m. to noon at the Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike,Community Room, Clinton

2. 1:30 to 4 p.m., Hagaman Memorial Library,  227 Main St.  DeMayo Community Room,                East Haven,

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. Click one of the buttons below to share it.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. released this statement Wednesday after voting against a resolution in the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee to authorize use of military force in Syria. 

The resolution passed the committee by a vote of 10-7.

This statement is unedited here:


The president’s decision to come to Congress was the right one, and I appreciate the great thought and consideration that the Administration has given to our nation's response to the crisis in Syria. I also applaud Chairman Menendez and Ranking Member Corker for leading a quick but inclusive deliberation on the resolution.

Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons against the people of Syria is a human rights atrocity and a blatant violation of international law. It’s impossible to see the horrific images of death and suffering in Syria and not feel compelled to act in some way. But there is not always an American solution to every international crisis. For me, today's vote was a close call, but in the end, I voted no because I believe that the downside risks of military action, both for U.S. interests and the Syrian people, outweigh the potential benefits.

In the short-term, there is little chance that targeted air strikes will destroy Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles, and may simply prompt another deadly reaction from Assad as well as the countries that finance his murderous regime. In a highly volatile civil war, the time-limited insertion of U.S. military power has the potential to further destabilize the nation and propel its descent into chaos.

In the long-term, I worry that today's authorization, which combines authorization for a military strike with support for the lethal arming of the opposition, will involve us in the Syrian conflict in a way that will be difficult to untangle. We are naïve to believe that our support for the opposition, or opposition to Assad, will end in a matter of months. Taking sides in this conflict will likely commit our country to an open-ended engagement, at an untold cost to both our reputation in the world and to American taxpayers.

In the absence of military intervention, I believe that the Administration and Congress should remain focused on increasing humanitarian aid to the millions of innocent Syrians suffering at the hands of Assad, as well as on concerted diplomatic, political, and economic pressure on the regime. Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. Click one of the buttons below to share it.

From a White House Press release today (links added, not edited here):  

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 4, 2013

Statement by the Press Secretary

This afternoon, on a bipartisan basis, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a resolution authorizing U.S. military action in Syria. We commend the Senate for moving swiftly and for working across party lines on behalf of our national security. We believe America is stronger when the President and Congress work together. The military action authorized in the resolution would uphold America's national security interests by degrading Assad's chemical weapons capability and deterring the future use of these weapons, even as we pursue a broader strategy of strengthening the opposition to hasten a political transition in Syria. We will continue to work with Congress to build on this bipartisan support for a military response that is narrowly tailored to enforce the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons, and sufficient to protect the national security interests of the United States of America.

In a release, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill reminded state Democrats and Republicans that 21 cities and towns will hold primaries 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 10. 

The following is the remainer of the release, unedited here:

Eligible voters in those communities who wish to register to vote in time for the primaries have until Thursday September 5^th to register by mail.  The final in-person deadline to register to vote in order to cast a ballot for the primaries is 12:00 p.m. on Monday September 9^th at a voter’s local Registrar of Voters office.  Unaffiliated voters have until that same deadline to enroll in a major party if they want to vote in the primary in their city or town.   

“Crucial issues related to local budgets, schools, road construction, environmental protection and other important items face towns and cities across Connecticut this year, so I urge registered voters in these towns to show up at the polls on Tuesday and choose their municipal leaders,” said Secretary Merrill.  “Anyone who wants a say in the future direction of their community in these tough times should make sure they cast a ballot. My office will be keeping a close eye on voting throughout Connecticut on Tuesday to ensure a secure and smooth election.”

Polls will open from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. for municipal primaries in 21 communities on September 10^th. Absentee ballots are now available and in order to be counted for the municipal primary, they must be received by Town Clerks’ offices no later than 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday September 10, 2013.  The majority of Connecticut’s municipalities will hold a General Election for municipal candidates on November 5, 2013.  Voters can go to the Secretary of the State’s website www.sots.ct.gov to see if they are registered to vote and where their polling place is located. Primaries will be taking place in the following communities:

Primary List for September 10, 2013

(Based on information submitted to the Secretary of the State’s office by town clerks as of Tuesday September 3, 2013)

TOWN	PARTY		OFFICE
Bethel	R		First Selectman, Selectman, Police Commission
Bridgeport		D	Common Council Districts 132-1, 132-2, 135-1, 135-2, 135-3, 136-1, 136-2, 136-3, 137-1, 137-2, Board of Education
Cromwell	R		Town Council
East Haven		D	Mayor, Town Council Districts 1-5, Bd of Ed, Bd of Finance
Enfield	R		Councilman at Large
Haddam	R	D	Town Clerk
Killingworth	R		First Selectman, Selectman, Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, Board of Finance, Board of Assessment Appeals, P&Z Comm, ZBA Fire Comm, Reg. Bd of Ed-2yr. Vacancy
Lisbon	R		Board of Education
Middletown		D	P & Z Comm
Milford		D	Board of Education
New Haven		D	Mayor, City Clerk, Alderman districts 2, 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, 19, 20, 22, 26, 27
North Haven		D	Selectman
Norwalk		D	Mayor
Norwich		D	Mayor
Sherman		D	Selectman
South Windsor	R		Town Council
Stratford		D	Mayor, Council 3
Stamford		D	Mayor , Board of Representatives Districts 6, 13
Stamford	R		Mayor, Board of Representatives districts 13, 18
Torrington		D	Mayor
West Haven		D	Mayor, Treasurer, Tax Collector, Bd of Ed, Bd of Assessment Appeals, Council at Large, Council districts 1-10
Woodbury	R		First Selectman