U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal was one of the few speakers not running for election or re-election who visited with Wilton Democrats at their fall barbecue Saturday, Sept. 6, at Merwin Meadows. As he addressed the audience he acknowledged “there is so much to regret and be angry about in Washington, D.C.”
As a member of the Committee of Armed Services, he has made it his mission to fight for veterans, he said. He announced a decision by the Secretary of Defense to correct the records of veterans who, in the past, suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) and received less than honorable discharges.
“I was very proud to stand yesterday with one of those veterans,” he said, who was rendered homeless due to suffering from PTSD.
The country must better prepare for veterans leaving the military, he warned. “They will need treatment and help,” he said. “This is going to be one of the big challenges we will face.”
Mr. Blumenthal also touched on the issue of college affordability, saying the average college debt in Connecticut is $30,000.
“The government profits from interest rates on student debt,” he said. “That is disgraceful. We profit from loans to our students that enable them to give back to their country.”
Also on his agenda is to work for pay equity for women, who earn 77 cents for every dollar a man earns, and reducing gun violence.
Mr. Blumenthal’s announcement that he is working with colleagues on a constitutional amendment to overrule the Citizens United decision by the U.S. Supreme Court was greeted with a hearty round of applause.
“I am so grateful for all you have done for me,” he said to the crowd. “Wilton knows the meaning of bipartisanship.”
—Jeannette Ross
