Congressman Courtney and St. Patrick's Day

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day Middlesex County!!  Today we welcome United States Representative Joe Courtney as our guest speaker at our monthly breakfast meeting, which is sponsored by Pratt & Whitney. Representing the second congressional district, Congressman Courtney was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2006. He serves on the House Education and Labor Committee and House Armed Services Committee. On the Armed Services Committee, Congressman Courtney serves on the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces and the Military Readiness Subcommittees.   Representative Courtney has done a terrific job in Washington and I am so proud of the work he is doing to make this country a better place to live and work.  We are lucky to have him representing us, and we welcome him with much enthusiasm on this Saint Patrick’s Day! SOME THOUGHTS ON THIS GREAT DAY: During the month of March we have 39 meetings with our councils, committees and events.  We will touch close to 1,200 members and I’d like to thank all of our outstanding volunteers. I enjoy my job and have the great support of the business community.  One thing I can’t understand is why some people make and print nasty comments about people in politics and other organizations and then not have the guts to sign their name.  I have always respected those who voice their concerns even when their opinion is opposite of the Chamber’s, but I will never respect a gutless individual who won’t sign their name and own up to their words.  Shame on you!  I was brought up to always say and write what I believe, and to stand by those statements.  I am proud to represent the best Chamber in Connecticut, one that gets out on issues and isn’t afraid to fight for business! Why the support for the military base?  274 million reasons for our region – dollars, that is.  I want to give a big thanks to Bill Warner for working to get this and other information together and out to our citizens to keep them informed.  The importance of a military presence in our community is something we should all realize and embrace.  There are currently four sites being considered for the military base, and as long as the best site is chosen, it will be a win-win situation.  The site locations are on Saybrook Road, Aircraft Road, River Road and Freeman Road.   Why the support for Cromwell’s Police Chief Salvatore?  There are many reasons why, but mainly because he is a well-respected man of honor, integrity, and honesty.  Our Cromwell Division of the Chamber voted unanimously to support him in a meeting held on February 14 and we will continue showing our support for him. To my NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) friends, I only hope that you begin to realize the good in economic development and that you don’t turn into a CAVE (Citizen Against Virtually Everything).  That would be detrimental to our economy and would create a very negative attitude in Middlesex County.  I have supported projects in Westfield area of Middletown where I live as well as throughout Middlesex County, and I will continue to do so.  Our Chamber is the voice of businesses.  We have always been consistent and that is not going to change. As you know, the United States Air Force recently made the decision to award a European company with a major contract to build a new KC-767 Advance Tanker instead of an American company, Boeing.  I am extremely disappointed at this decision and feel as though our Air Force has let us down.  Boeing is America’s leading aerospace company, responsible for more of the world’s commercial and military planes than any other company in the world.       Connecticut would have had a lot to benefit from if Boeing was selected to build the tanker.  Pratt & Whitney would have been supplying the PW4000 engine as the exclusive power for the KC-767 Advance Tanker. As we all know, Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies and is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines.  The PW4000 would have assembled in Pratt & Whitney’s Middletown plant, and instead it’ll now be outsourced; a very poor choice. Enjoy this great day whether you’re Irish or not, and remember that we all have the luck of the Irish to be living and working in Middlesex County, where the sun always shines! For more information on Chamber breakfasts or any other upcoming events, contact the Chamber by phone at (860) 347-6924 or by email at

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393 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457
Phone: (860) 347-6924 | Fax: (860) 346-1043 | info@middlesexchamber.com
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