Chris Murphy in 2024 CT Senate race

On Families & Children: Affordable child care in the richest country in the world

When you are living on a more modest salary, your entire world could fall apart if you lose access to a quality child care environment. People have to quit their jobs. They have to move back in with their parents. Because you will upend your entire life for your child.

Murphy laid out just how dire affording child care can be: "Let's say a family makes $42,000, doesn't qualify for our subsidy, is spending $22,000 a year on rent, $15,000 a year on childcare, that's $5,000 left. $100 a week for everything else. For food, for your cell phone, for your clothes for your kid. In the richest, most affluent country in the world, how can we justify leaving families who are doing the right thing, who are working in that position?"

Murphy concluded: "Do the right thing and support the President's proposed plan to support affordable, quality child care in this country."

On Welfare & Poverty: Raise $41,500 salary limit for subsidized childcare

That delivers an enormous harm to families but also to our workforce. I met a young woman and she's got a very young child. They are on the waitlist for a subsidized child care slot. She can't get into the workforce. Why? Because she has to stay home to take care of her young child.

In Connecticut, we have a program called Care for Kids. This program gives lower income families some subsidy so that they can afford child care. But that program cuts off for a one child family at $41,500 a year in income. Now that's a lower middle income salary in Connecticut.

On Drugs: Rated B by NORML: depoliticize medical marijuana

NORML Politician Info: rated B
• Candidate: Chris Murphy (D - CT)
• Comments:
• Signed on letter to President Obama about medical marijuana research: "We write to request your help in removing the administrative barriers to scientific research on medical treatments derived from the cannabis plant, also known as 'medical marijuana.' We have heard from numerous patients about the benefits they have experienced from using cannabis to treat serious illnesses." (4/15/16)
• Murphy is trying to change the federal classification of marijuana [citing] thousands of lives that have been changed for the better since Connecticut legalized medical marijuana. "That means that research can't be done at the federal level, that means that insurers can't reimburse, that means dispensaries can't buy over state lines. The federal government is standing in the way of science, standing in the way of good health. We need to depoliticize this issue." (3/14/16)

On Immigration: Republicans made it clear they want the border to be a mess