Why It Matters
Sen. Richard Blumenthal spent the week pressing the Pentagon on sailor welfare, targeting predatory gambling practices, and pushing back on federal immigration enforcement: a Blumenthal weekly roundup that touched issues from Connecticut's farms to its military families.
Connecticut has a deep military footprint, with Electric Boat in Groton building submarines and thousands of residents with ties to the armed services. The senator's most urgent focus this week was the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), which has been continuously at sea for more than 250 days after departing Naval Base San Diego on Nov. 21. Blumenthal wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao demanding answers about conditions aboard the ship. Back home, he also introduced legislation targeting Eversource's proposed 18% rate hike and called on federal regulators to restore nearly 200 canceled health research grants, including one training rural Connecticut healthcare workers to respond to maternal emergencies.
What They're Talking About
USS Abraham Lincoln. In a formal letter to Hegseth and Cao, Blumenthal cited "widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in the mail system, which have caused many care packages in route to the ship to be lost in transit for months." He also raised a broader question about fleet sustainability: "whether the Navy can sustain the operational tempo now being demanded of its carrier force, particularly as this Administration repeatedly commits U.S. forces to conflicts of its own choosing." Blumenthal drew a direct Connecticut connection to the issue, noting that in 2022, Xavier Sandor, a sailor from Shelton, was one of three USS George Washington crew members to die by suicide during an extended shipyard overhaul. He subsequently fought to include the Seaman Xavier Sandor Support for Sailors Act in the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Consumer costs and predatory practices. With Eversource seeking a $727 million annual rate increase, Blumenthal joined Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) to introduce the No Bonuses for Utility Executives Act, which would bar utility executives from receiving bonuses in years when rates rise faster than inflation. "For people in Connecticut, Eversource is seeking to raise utility rates by 18% when families are already struggling with rising costs, and while the C-Suite earns millions," Blumenthal said. He also joined Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Valerie Foushee (D-NC) in pressing Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), and FanDuel after a FanDuel VIP manager arranged a personalized video from Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper to encourage customer Terry Thompson, who ultimately wagered $18.5 million and lost more than $1.5 million on the platform. The lawmakers called on FanDuel to eliminate its VIP program and demanded MLB and the MLBPA end policies that enable such promotions.
In the News
The USS Abraham Lincoln story drove the bulk of Blumenthal's national coverage this week. The Hill reported on his letter to Hegseth amid accounts of attempted suicides aboard the ship. Al Jazeera and the International Business Times covered his calls for a congressional delegation to visit the ship. The Los Angeles Times covered his joint effort targeting MLB's sportsbook partnerships. Closer to home, The Day raised questions about whether Blumenthal could face a generational primary challenge similar to the one that ended Rep. John Larson's career. Blumenthal responded: "Age is always a state of mind, not just a time of life."
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