Summary
Current Position: US Representative of CT House District 1 since 1999
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Position: State Senator from 1983 – 1996
Other positions: Subcommittee on Social Security
District: anchored by the state capital of Hartford. It encompasses much of central Connecticut and includes towns within Hartford, Litchfield, and Middlesex counties.
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Featured Quote:
Today, I joined my colleagues to introduce @RepAOC ‘s Green New Deal. We need bold action to invest in our communities while addressing climate change head on. This plan would do just that, and I am proud to support it!
Larson opposes Backdoor Cuts to Social Security
OnAir Post: John B. Larson CT-01
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About
Source: Government page
Congressman John B. Larson proudly represents Connecticut’s First District. Now in his eleventh term, John sits on the influential House Ways and Means Committee—including the Subcommittee on Tax Policy and the Social Security Subcommittee, where he serves as the Chairman. Throughout his time in Congress, John has proven himself a staunch advocate for Connecticut’s working families, our manufacturing and small business ecosystem, and commonsense solutions for the problems Americans face everyday.
Born and raised in the federal housing project of Mayberry Village in East Hartford, John is fond of saying he is the product of public housing, public education, and public service. His father, Raymond, worked for Pratt & Whitney, while his mother, Pauline, served on the Town Council. John graduated from East Hartford High School in 1967 and from Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) in 1971.
Before entering Congress, John taught history and coached football at George J. Penney High School. He was also an owner of Larson & Lysik insurance agency, where he saw firsthand the challenges many small business owners must overcome. Following in his mother’s footsteps, serving on the East Hartford Board of Education and the East Hartford Town Council. In 1982, he was elected to the Connecticut State Senate, beginning a 12-year tenure representing the 3rd Senate District until 1995. Larson served as Senate President Pro Tempore for eight years from 1987 to 1995.
Commonsense Solutions for Connecticut
During his tenure in the Connecticut State Senate, John authored and passed the nation’s first Family Medical Leave Act. It would later serve as the model for a national law. As one of eight children raised by working parents, John knew how critical it was for working families to get the support they needed. No parent should ever have to choose between their job and their child. That’s why John supports expanding his original vision and providing paid family leave.
First elected to Congress in 1998, John swiftly established himself as a leader and consensus builder. As the Hartford Courant has said, “in a badly polarized Congress, [John] is more than willing to work with Republicans to get something done.” Recently John won an important victory on research and development, and righted a grave wrong in our tax code for those who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes.
In 2013, John was named Co-Chairman of the Congressional Joint Strike Fighter Caucus: a bipartisan group charged with keeping members informed on issues related to the development, testing, and deployment of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Ever a champion for Connecticut manufacturing, John led the effort to secure Pratt & Whitney as the sole producer of engines for the F35 Joint Strike Fighter as well as the Aerial Tanker, Presidential Helicopter, and second submarine in Groton. His legislation created the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, and he has worked tirelessly to bring academia, labor, private industry, and government together to develop next generation manufacturing programs in Connecticut.
John knows manufacturing is the lifeblood of Connecticut’s First District—thanks in large part to the historic Colt Factory. For more than a decade, John fought to preserve the legacy of American innovation and manufacturing that is Coltsville, and in 2014 he succeeded in securing Coltsville’s designation as a National Historical Park.
John formerly served on the Armed Services Committee, Science Committee, and as Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee. As a senior leader in the House Democratic Caucus, John was named chairman of the Task Force on Election Reform—created to develop reforms to take big money out of politics and address flaws in the electoral system. He continues to champion much-needed reforms to address the impact of Citizens United and the gutting of the Voting Rights Act.
Taking a Stand
Change doesn’t come swiftly to Washington, but John knows some things are too important to delay. As the nation continues to battle an epidemic of gun violence, John has called on Congress to vote on bipartisan reforms most Americans overwhelmingly support. He considers it unconscionable that even in the light of tragedies like Sandy Hook and the high levels of gun violence in urban centers like Hartford, Congress has yet to even hold a vote. Frustrated by the continues silence in Congress while Americans were crying out for action, John helped organize the historic sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives.
John has been a leader throughout his tenure in Congress, on every issue he tackles. He has championed the effort to end U.S. dependence of foreign oil through advancing domestic fuel cell technology. He knows these initiatives will do more than keep our planet clean, they will spark new growth for our economy and launch thousands of exciting new jobs. That’s why John introduced the Energy Independence Act, the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Authorization Act, and the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Infrastructure for America Act to fund and promote fuel cell and hydrogen energy technology. He is also a founder and co-chair of the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Coalition.
John stands up for those who need a champion. When he heard retirees in his district were living on $11,000 a year or less, he knew he had to act to keep anyone from retiring into poverty again. So he introduced the Social Security 2100 Act to enhance benefits and ensure the foundation of our retirement system remains strong for generations. John has also introduced proposals to allow the federal government to directly negotiate lower drug prices for over 40 million Medicare beneficiaries.
Among his efforts to promote development in Hartford, John hosted a delegation of community leaders from the impoverished 06120 zip code in Washington. John helped these residents of Hartford’s Promise Zone meet directly with the agencies and offices now aligned to support them. He also introduced the Promise Zone Job Creation Act to encourage employers to bring more jobs into places like Hartford’s North End.
Over the years, John has opposed the policies of preemption and unilateralism. He spoke out against the war in Iraq since its inception, and has focused his concerns on the threats of terrorism, protecting the homeland, and supporting first responders. A vigorous supporter of our troops, John visited Iraq three times, and succeeded in passing legislation to reimburse family members who purchased body armor for soldiers who had not been adequately equipped by the military. John also won a key victory for military families with children on the autism spectrum, ensuring their kids receive the care they need.
He is a lifelong resident of East Hartford, where he lives with his wife Leslie. They have three children: Carolyn, Laura, and Raymond.
Personal
Full Name: John Barry Larson
Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Leslie; 3 Children: Carolyn, Laura, Raymond
Birth Date: 07/22/1948
Birth Place:Hartford, CT
Home City: East Hartford, CT
Religion: Roman Catholic
Source: BA, Education, Central Connecticut State University, 1971 Representative, United States House of Representatives, Connecticut, District 1, 1999-present Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Connecticut, District 1, 2022 Chair, Democratic Caucus, United States House of Representatives, 2008-2010 Vice Chair, Democratic Caucus, United States House of Representatives, 2006-2008 President Pro Tempore, Connecticut State Senate, 1987-1995 Senator, Connecticut State Senate, 1983-1995 Member, East Hartford Town Council, 1979-1983 Former Teacher/Football Coach, George J. Penney High School Former Senior Fellow, Yale Bush Center for Child Development Insurance Company Executive, Larson and Lysik, 1977-1990 Washington, DC Office Hartford Office Email: Government Source: none Source: Open Secrets Congressman Larson is a member of the Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee & is the Ranking Member of the Social Security Subcommittee. The Committee on Ways and Means is the oldest committee of the United States Congress, and is the chief tax-writing committee in the House of Representatives. The Committee derives a large share of its jurisdiction from Article I, Section VII of the U.S. Constitution which declares, “All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives.” The jurisdiction of the committee includes the critically important areas of revenue, tariffs, reciprocal trade agreements, and the bonded debt of the United States. Revenue-related aspects of the Social Security system, Medicare, and social services programs are also within the purview of the Committee. (Learn more about the Committee on Ways and Means) Learn more about legislation sponsored and co-sponsored by Congressman Larson. Source: Government page The First Congressional District will soon be home to Connecticut’s first national historical park: the Coltsville National Historical Park. Manufacturing is part of our DNA in Connecticut. Yankee Ingenuity and a tradition of manufacturing expertise have – for generations – positioned Connecticut as a leader in Defense Manufacturing. The ongoing public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has turned Americans’ lives upside down. Many homeowners in parts of our state have discovered that their home foundations are crumbling due to a mineral called pyrrhotite in the concrete used to pour their h It is crucial everyone has access to high-quality education at all levels. As a former teacher, Representative Larson knows the importance of education and is working to ensure every student has ac The scientific evidence is clear: climate change poses an existential threat. This crisis cannot wait. Rep. Source: Government page Source: Wikipedia Principal cities include: Bristol, Hartford, and Torrington. The district has been represented by Democrat John B. Larson since 1999. John Barry Larson (born July 22, 1948) is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative for Connecticut’s 1st congressional district since 1999. The district is based in the state capital, Hartford. A member of the Democratic Party, Larson chaired the House Democratic Caucus during the 111th and 112th United States Congress. Larson was born in Hartford, but has spent most of his life in nearby East Hartford. He grew up in a public housing project. He was educated at East Hartford High School and Central Connecticut State University. He worked as a high school history teacher and an assistant athletics coach at George J. Penney High School (Penney High later merged with East Hartford High School). Larson began his career as the co-owner of an insurance agency in East Hartford before entering public service. In 1971, he was selected as a Senior Fellow to the Yale University Bush Center in Child Development and Social Policy by Head Start Program founder Edward Zigler. He transitioned into politics in 1977, when he served one term on the East Hartford Board of Education. He then served two terms on the East Hartford Town Council. In 1982, Larson was elected to the Connecticut Senate from the 3rd district, based in East Hartford. He served six terms in that body, the last four as president pro tempore. In 1994, Larson left the state senate and sought the Democratic nomination for governor of Connecticut, losing to Bill Curry in the primary. After being defeated for governor, Larson entered private business for several years but was able to maintain his political credentials. Due in part to service in the Democratic Party and his local connections in the state, he narrowly defeated Secretary of State Miles S. Rapoport in the Democratic primary for the 1st district when 17-year incumbent Barbara Kennelly gave up the seat to run for governor in 1998. The 1st has long been the most Democratic district in Connecticut, and Larson’s victory in November was a foregone conclusion. He has been reelected eleven times with no substantive opposition. On February 1, 2006, Larson was elected vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus. The previous vice chair, Jim Clyburn, became chair when Bob Menendez was appointed to the United States Senate. After the Democrats won control of Congress in the 2006 elections, Larson opted not to run for caucus chair—a post that went to former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rahm Emanuel—instead running unopposed for reelection as vice chair. After being reelected in 2008, Larson was elected chair of the caucus for the 111th Congress, after Emanuel was named White House Chief of Staff.[1] Larson has introduced various pieces of legislation in attempts to nationalize the US’s energy and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to protect the environment. He cosponsored the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 “to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers, to increase the efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government, and for other purposes.”[2] According to Larson, “I have become convinced of the need for comprehensive legislation to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we are emitting into the environment.”[3] His stances on environmental protection have earned him a rating of 100% with the League of Conservation Voters.[4] In 2010 Larson introduced the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, authorizing the creation of the Small Business Lending Fund Program administered by the Treasury Department to make capital investments in eligible institutions, in order to increase the availability of credit for small businesses. Larson was a strong advocate for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which increased federal spending in infrastructure, education, health and energy while expanding some welfare and social security programs. His liberal stance on government spending has earned him a rating of 9% with Citizens Against Government Waste, a conservative anti-government spending interest group.[4] Larson received media attention for scolding members of Congress for shutting down the government on September 30, 2013.[5] Larson was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.[6] Larson has consistently voted both to legalize same-sex marriage and to expand options for legal abortion. He voted to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, and in favor of the Sexual Orientation Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA).[7] The Human Rights Campaign gave Larson a rating of 94%. Larson voted not to end federal funding to Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice American both gave him a rating of 100%.[4] For the 118th Congress:[8] Larson is married to Leslie Best. They have three children and reside in East Hartford.[16] Education
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Phone: (202) 225-2265
Fax: (202) 225-1031
221 Main Street, 2nd Floor
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: (860) 278-8888
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Connecticut’s 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in the north-central part of the state, the district is anchored by the state capital of Hartford. It encompasses much of central Connecticut and includes towns within Hartford, Litchfield, and Middlesex counties.Wikipedia
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