2019 Press Releases

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• 8/22/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS 51 ATTORNEYS GENERAL AND 12 COMPANIES IN FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL ROBOCALLS

  Attorney General William Tong today announced that a bipartisan, public/private coalition that he joined, consisting of 51 attorneys general and 12 phone companies, has agreed to adopt eight principles to fight illegal robocalls.

• 8/22/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG CHALLENGES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION EXPEDITED REMOVAL RULE TO UNLAWFULLY DENY IMMIGRANTS DUE PROCESS

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of attorneys general, led by California, in opposing the Trump Administration’s new rule vastly expanding the use of expedited removal.

• 8/21/2019 AG TONG STATEMENT ON TRUMP PLAN FOR INDEFINITE MASS FAMILY DETENTION

  Attorney General William Tong issued the following statement today denouncing the latest plan by the Trump Administration to ignore the Flores settlement and initiate plans for indefinite mass detention of immigrant families.

• 8/20/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER PUBLIC CHARGE RULE

  Attorney General William Tong today joined the states of New York, Vermont and the City of New York in suing the Trump Administration over its Public Charge rule that seeks to deny green cards and visas to immigrants that have used or are deemed likely to use government assistance programs. Such a rule would cause immediate and long-term harm to public health and our economy, with particular harm to communities of color.

• 8/16/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS MULTISTATE COALITION OPPOSING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RULE RESTRICTING ASYLUM ACCESS

  Connecticut Attorney General William Tong today joined a multistate coalition, led by California and Massachusetts, in filing a comment letter opposing the Trump Administration’s attempt to illegally limit access to the asylum process. Under the rule, individuals entering the United States at the southern border, except in limited circumstances, are no longer able to seek asylum unless they applied for and were denied protection in at least one country they transited through prior to their arrival. In a comment letter, the coalition urges the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to rescind the policy.

• 8/14/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG TAKES ON FIGHT FOR GUN SAFETY AT U.S. SUPREME COURT

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a multistate coalition fighting to ensure that New York’s independence and sovereignty—along with the rights of all states and municipalities-- are protected in its effort to implement commonsense gun safety regulations. In an amicus brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court last night, Connecticut joined a coalition of 13 Attorneys General seeking to uphold that the right of states and localities to impose certain types of firearm regulations when they are substantially related to an important government objective, such as the protection of their citizens.

• 8/13/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS LAWSUIT AGAINST TRUMP'S DIRTY POWER RULE

  Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 22 states and 7 local governments today in announcing a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Dirty Power" rule.

• 8/13/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS COALITION CONDEMNING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S PROPOSED RULE THAT ELIMINATES ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS IN HEALTHCARE

  Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter opposing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) proposed rule to drastically undermine Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prohibits discrimination in federal healthcare programs, benefits, and services. Specifically, Section 1557 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, and age. The proposed rule would roll back anti-discrimination protections for women, LGBTQ individuals, individuals with limited English proficiency, and individuals with disabilities by undermining critical legal protections that guarantee healthcare as a right.

• 8/12/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG TO CHALLENGE PUBLIC CHARGE RULE ATTACK ON IMMIGRANT FAMILIES

  Attorney General William Tong issued a statement today signaling his intent to challenge the Trump Administration's new "public charge" rule, which would deny citizenship and permanent residency to immigrant families who receive, or are deemed likely to need, basic nutrition, healthcare, and housing benefits.

• 8/12/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS NATIONWIDE COALITION TO INTERVENE IN CENSUS CHALLENGE

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a 26-member coalition from around the country — including 15 states, the District of Columbia, three counties, six cities, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors — in opposing the State of Alabama’s attempt to advance a discriminatory agenda and tilt the power within Congress and the Electoral College by refusing to count every individual in the 2020 decennial census.

• 8/7/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG RELEASES GUIDANCE TO PROTECT AGAINST RELATIONSHIP SCAMS USING SOCIAL MEDIA

  Following an uptick in cases of fraud on Facebook and Instagram where scammers steal the identities of U.S. servicemembers to cheat people out of their money, Attorney General William Tong is urging Connecticut residents to be aware. These scammers will try to strike up an online relationship with you, earn your trust, and then steal money from you or your loved ones.

• 8/7/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG AND DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONER COLEMAN-MITCHELL ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT WITH HARTFORD HEALTHCARE TO TAKE AND ADMINISTER INHEALTH MEDICAL RECORDS

  Attorney General William Tong and Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Renée Coleman-Mitchell today announced an agreement between Hartford Healthcare and InHealth Med CT, PC to take over the possession of and administer the distribution of medical records requested by former InHealth patients.

• 8/7/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS BIPARTISAN COALITION OF 43 ATTORNEYS GENERAL URGING VIDEO STREAMING INDUSTRY TO PROTECT YOUNG VIEWERS FROM TOBACCO

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a bipartisan coalition of 43 attorneys general, co-led by Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, in urging the streaming industry to limit tobacco use in their video content. Due to the growing use of tobacco products amongst teens, the attorneys general urge the streaming industry to take proactive steps to protect the lives of young viewers. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of middle and high school students using e-cigarettes rose from 2.1 million in 2017 to 3.6 million in 2018.

• 8/5/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS 39 STATE COALITION IN SENDING LETTER TO CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP URGING REMOVAL OF FEDERAL BARRIERS TO TREAT OPIOID USE DISORDER

  Attorney General William Tong joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in a letter to Congress seeking the removal of federal barriers currently hindering the ability of health care providers to provide treatment for opioid use disorder. The letter, led by Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter and North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, was signed by 39 attorneys general.

• 8/2/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR UNLAWFULLY CUTTING PENALTIES FOR INDUSTRY VIOLATIONS OF FUEL EFFICIENCY STANDARDS

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit challenging the Trump Administration's efforts to unlawfully undermine federal penalties for automakers who violate fuel efficiency standards.