Simmons Nominated for Fourth Term in Connecticut’s House
Simmons said his record on jobs, taxes, the environment, and education qualify him for reelection based on his ability to work with Democrats in Congress balanced with his ability to maintain core principles.
“My family lives in Stonington, not Washington. The rest of the time I am here in Connecticut working with a bipartisan staff dedicated to helping people. I have kept the promise to the people I serve,” Simmons said.
Attorney Robert Poliner of Durham who served as Republican State Party Chairman nominated Simmons stating, “If there ever was a time and a person who deserves to be reelected, the time is now and the person is Rob Simmons.”
“As the longest serving Army officer in Congress, I believe in a strong national defense and supporting our troops,” Simmons said, adding he has seniority on the Armed Services Committee and serves as Vice Chairman of the Navy Subcommittee.
Specifically, Simmons said one of his major accomplishments was his work to retain the Groton Submarine Base from closure, which would have resulted in the loss of 31,000 jobs throughout the state.
“When our troops in Iraq complained that their humvees had inadequate armor, I promised to help. I led the fight to get more dollars for up-armor humvees and now they have the equipment they need to be safe,” Simmons said.
Serving as the Chair of the Intelligence Subcommittee, Simmons is “determined to improve American intelligence. At the same time we will preserve civil liberties from unreasonable surveillance.”
Simmons discussed his accomplishment in working towards the construction of a $25 million Veterans Home at Rocky Hill.
“As a Vietnam Veteran, I have kept the promise to my brothers and sisters in arms,” Simmons said.
The issue of transportation was another Simmons mentioned in his speech.
“We have delivered over $15 million for Route 11 and another $56 million for other highway projects in the region. This creates jobs and provides public safety,” Simmons said.
Route 11 is a four-lane uncompleted highway starting in Colchester and ending in Salem. Simmons proposes the highway be extended 10 miles to connect with Interstate 95 in Waterford.
The Connecticut Needs Route 11 website contends completion would benefit the area since “less traffic would use Route 9 to travel to Hartford, the traffic count between Exit 69 in Old Saybrook and the Route 11 junction (which includes the troubled vicinity of Exit 74) will decrease somewhat.”
“When the administration eliminated funds for Amtrak we put the money back in, and are currently replacing five old Amtrak bridges in Eastern Connecticut,” Simmons said.
Simmons also discussed Medicare stating that, “just this month we completed the enrollment of 350,000 Connecticut seniors under this voluntarily where citizens are saving thousands of dollars for their drugs.”
The ever-increasing burden of taxes was another issue Simmons is focusing his energies on.
“Connecticut taxpayers pay more taxes per capita than anyone else in America. That is why I have voted “No” on new taxes: “no” to the marriage tax, “no” to the income tax, and “no” to new gas taxes,” Simmons said.
“We have kept the promise on education,” Simmons said, adding that during his time in Congress federal funding for education in Connecticut has increased over 60 percent.
Regarding the environment, Simmons said “my first bill in Congress provides a “wild and scenic” study for the Eight Mile River. That bill is now the law.”
The river’s watershed protects water supplies of East Haddam, Salem, and Lyme, according to the Eight Mile River Wild and Scenic Committee.
“I have ten years of service in the Connecticut General Assembly. I have twelve years of experience on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC,” Simmons said.
