An advocacy group founded by families of the Sandy Hook massacre victims is celebrating the passing of a new bill that will overhaul the nation’s mental health system. On Tuesday, President Barack Obama signed into law the 21st Century Cures Act, which includes Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy’s Mental Health Reform Act of... Read More about As President Obama Signs Mental Health Reform Bill, Sandy Hook Parents Group Celebrates

President Barack Obama and many families are calling the 21st Century Cures Act, which was signed into law on Tuesday, something to celebrate. The legislation passed with bi-partisan support, and provides billions of dollars to help those with drug addiction, cancer and mental illness. In Connecticut, those who pushed for the bill said it’s... Read More about One day after the president signed a $6 billion health bill, senators are pressing Washington officials for Connecticut’s full share of funding to combat the opioid epidemic.

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — It’s a major overhaul of the mental health system, and it comes through the efforts of dozens of Connecticut residents that provided months of input to Senator Chris Murphy, who got the changes included in a bi-partisan bill about to be signed by President Obama Tuesday. It’s estimated... Read More about President Obama to sign Murphy mental health bill

Connecticut's U.S. senators say an omnibus health bill that is heading to President Barack Obama's desk is a game-changer and could bring millions of dollars to the state to fight opioid addiction. The Senate passed the 21st Century Cures Act with a 94-5 vote Wednesday. The House passed the legislation last week, and Obama is... Read More about Senate Passes Opioid Funding, Mental Health Bill

A bipartisan team of U.S. senators and representatives have been working tirelessly to pass a robust mental health reform package for several years. It never quite made it to the top of the agenda. But this week, just before members head home for Christmas break, their legislative baby is scheduled to get a final vote. “Bipartisanship is... Read More about Mental health reform is (finally) poised to pass in Congress

The Mental Health Reform Act, co-authored by Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy pass the U.S. Senate Wednesday and is headed to the president’s desk for a signature. The bill will spend more money on the spreading opioid and heroin crisis, and will increase spending on some cancer treatments and medical research. “This is the most... Read More about Sen. Murphy bill to help fight national opioid crisis passes U.S. Senate, heads to president’s desk

Congress could pass the first major healthcare reform since the Affordable Care Act next week. The US House of Representatives approved the measure with bipartisan support last week and the US Senate is expected to take up the bill next week, and possibly send it to President Barack Obama’s desk for his signature. "This bill authorizes... Read More about Sandy Hook Families, CT Politicians Push for Mental Health Reforms

As Americans continue to live longer, their chance of developing diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's increases. And family members are often assuming the unpaid role of caregiver, resulting in reduced wages and Social Security benefits.  In response, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy is backing an initiative to provide retirement credit for family... Read More about Sen. Murphy Backs Initiative for Alzheimer's Caregivers

STAMFORD — Mayor David Martin discussed some of the city’s biggest transportation infrastructure projects this week with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy. “You got $1 billion? We could use it,” Martin told the senator, referring to the city’s thinly-stretched capital budget and the growing list of aging... Read More about Sen. Murphy hears Stamford’s transportation woes

NEW HAVEN >> New Haven residents would not take issue with any of the recommendations from U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy’s latest report on what needs to be done to upgrade road and rail infrastructure for their city. Murphy in 2015 launched an online “Fed Up” survey that asked commuters around the state about their traffic... Read More about Murphy stresses need for rail improvements in New Haven report

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTNH) – Connecticut U.S. Senator Chris Murphy is backing a bill that would give 70 million seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities a one-time extra Social Security payment of $581. It’s called the Seniors and Veterans Emergency Benefits Act. The move comes after Social Security announced a cost-of-living... Read More about Murphy pushes for “emergency” Social Security payment for Connecticut seniors

HARTFORD, CT — U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said insurance companies are circumventing the 1996 mental health parity law by erecting “bureaucratic hurdles” for patients who want to access the coverage that’s in their insurance plan. Some of those hurdles include requiring a patient to fail first on certain drugs or requiring prior... Read More about Murphy Touts Legislation That Puts Teeth In Mental Health Parity

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, in a letter to Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter, decried Wednesday the apparent illegal importation by an American company of Chinese-made boots for the U.S. military. The Connecticut Democrat said in the letter that, if the allegations in an indictment unsealed last month are true, Tennessee-based Wellco... Read More about Murphy calls for stronger buy-American enforcement

Connecticut U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal told a receptive audience at the Yale School of Management on Wednesday that the timing has never been better for Congress to pass national Green Bank legislation. The Green Bank Act is a bill introduced by Murphy and co-sponsored by Blumenthal to create a national green bank modeled... Read More about Murphy, Blumenthal Say Congress Is Ripe for Green Bank Legislation

Washington – Freshmen senators, especially those belonging to the party out of power in the chamber, generally keep a low profile in deference to their elders. But Sen. Chris Murphy has clearly broken with tradition. Since assuming office in 2013, Murphy has been anything but a backbencher. His campaign for gun control, born of the Newtown... Read More about Murphy Q&A: Congress ‘is a place that’s fundamentally broken’

Four senators announced Thursday they will force a vote on a proposed $1.15 billion sale of U.S.-made tanks and other military equipment to Saudi Arabia, citing the authoritarian kingdom’s poor human rights record. The announcement came a day before the House of Representatives votes on a bill that unanimously passed the Senate that would... Read More about Senators Force Vote on Latest Saudi Arabia Arms Sale

DARIEN — As the summer sun sets on each day of his six-day, 126.5-mile walking excursion through Connecticut, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy’s legs are throbbing in pain and in “true revolt” — nothing that can’t be fixed by an extra strength Tylenol. But through the perpetual motion of his gray Nikes pounding the... Read More about As tour nears end, Murphy talks transportation, infrastructure

Sen. Chris Murphy never promised anyone, at least publicly, that he’d finish the walk across Connecticut that he launched at 1:40 on Monday afternoon at Voluntown town hall near the Rhode Island state line. “We’ll see how far I can get by Saturday,” was all he would say about distance. The idea was to experience the people... Read More about Chris Murphy Finishes Walk Across Connecticut

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy has been walking across Connecticut this week to hear from constituents about their issues and concerns, and what they expect from their representatives in Washington. Murphy said people are surprised to see him walking through town unannounced wearing shorts, t-shirt, and a Red Sox cap, but he said it's led to the most... Read More about Sen. Chris Murphy Treks Across Connecticut

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Curbing gun violence, earning a living wage and making college affordable were some of the topics addressed by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy when he arrived Thursday evening at the East End Baptist Tabernacle Church in Bridgeport. Murphy arrived in Bridgeport after traveling nearly 100 miles on foot to greet about 60 people for a town... Read More about Murphy Takes Break From Walk To Discuss Wages, Guns At Bridgeport Church