Thomas Dec is chair of the Wilton Democratic Town Committee.
In Wilton, our local officials have a long history of working together, regardless of party affiliation, to put the town’s interests ahead of all others. By and large, Wilton has bucked the partisan politics that have come to define the national political landscape. It is one of the many reasons why Wilton is such a great place to live.
It is fitting that Congressman Jim Himes, who has represented us for the past six years, has taken these values to Washington. Himes has friends on both sides of the aisle, and on issues ranging from healthcare to regulatory reform to energy policy, he hasn’t hesitated to disagree with members of his own party nor stand up for what he believes in. He has brought a reasoned, moderate approach to the halls of Congress and has kept his focus on the issues most important to us.
In the aftermath of the financial crisis, Congressman Himes helped write portions of the landmark Dodd-Frank legislation, bringing reasonable regulations to the financial markets. He understands the importance of supporting our small businesses, and in the past session passed the JOBS Act, a bill to help them more easily grow and flourish.
On transportation, a key issue to Wilton and Fairfield County, Congressman Himes was one of the leaders responsible for securing the over $100 million of investment required for the replacement of the Walk Bridge on Metro North’s New Haven Line. He secured funds for capital improvements to Wilton’s train station and down at the Stamford Transportation Center, the busiest station on the New Haven Line. And when House Republicans moved to reduce federal transportation funding by over $900 million, Congressman Himes was on the front lines advocating on our behalf.
It is also important that we have a congressman who is right on women’s issues. As a husband and father to two daughters, he has fought for legislation that promotes equal pay for women and access to healthcare. It is and always will be a deeply personal and important concern for the Congressman. In fact, one of his first votes in Congress was for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which provided important provisions to ensure equal pay for equal work. He has also opposed efforts to weaken protections for domestic violence victims.
A number of groups have recognized Jim for his leadership in Washington. He was named a “Problem Solver” by No-Labels, a group dedicated to fostering bipartisan cooperation. In 2012 he was recognized by USA Today as one of the “Brave 38” for his support of a bipartisan budget compromise to address the nation’s fiscal challenges. Congressman Himes has also been called a “Fiscal Hero” and an “Economic Patriot” for his work to help fix our federal budget.
Since he was first elected, Congressman Himes exemplified what we hope to see in a congressman. He has kept his focus on doing the best possible job representing and advocating for his constituents. He has been a regular at community events and is deeply attune to the needs of the enormous diversity of the people he represents. He has maintained incredible integrity in an environment famed for its ability to skew one’s moral compass.
Congressman Himes has been there for us and I hope you will join me in being there for him when you go to the polls tomorrow. Please support Congressman Himes and his Democratic colleagues, vote ROW B.