Busy week for Esty: Campaign headquarters grand opening, passage of first bill in Congress

U.S. Representative Elizabeth Esty understands the key to a successful campaign in the 5th Congressional District, which includes Cheshire, Danbury, Litchfield County, the Farmington Valley, Meriden and the Naugatuck Valley, is interaction and connection with the people in her district.

As I said in an earlier PoliBlog, it’s this interaction and connection with constituents that will ultimately get her re-elected in November.

Esty made herself available to everyone who showed up at the grand opening of her headquarters on Saturday in Cheshire, taking photos, discussing issues and gearing up for an enthusiastic campaign.

“It’s so important for me to be out there every day talking to people and focusing on what is important for Connecticut,” Esty said at the grand opening. “Making good on that commitment and working hard for communities is essential.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get out there and tell our story about all the good things we are getting done.”

One of those “good things” that Esty got done happened on Monday as her hard work for the communities in her district paid off with a personal milestone  – passage of her first bill introduced as a member of Congress. The Collinsville Renewable Energy Promotion Act, introduced by Esty and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Cheshire,  passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 379-3. President Obama is expected to sign the bill within the next seven days.

The Collinsville Renewable Energy Promotion Act would permit the town of Canton to operate two small, currently inactive hydropower dams and generate locally-produced power. According to the press release, the dams are expected to produce nearly two megawatts of power, enough to power more than 1,500 homes.

 “I’m proud that our bill supporting clean, locally-produced energy passed and is now heading to President Obama’s desk to be signed into law,” Esty said in a press release on her website. “Our bill will help our communities move one step closer towards a clean energy future. I want to thank Canton First Selectman Dick Barlow for his commitment to this project and Senator Murphy for his longstanding dedication to this issue.

“I came to Congress to solve problems facing our communities, and I’m proud that my commonsense, straightforward proposal to help thousands of Connecticut families and businesses access clean, locally-produced energy will soon become law.”

Check out the Cheshire Democratic Town Committee's website at http://www.cheshiredem.org/  daily for more Cheshire Democrat news and views.