Joseph Courtney

Joe Courtney, a Democrat, has represented the Second Congressional District of Connecticut in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2007.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Biography
Courtney was born on April 6, 1953 in Hartford, Conn. He received a bachelors degree from Tufts University in 1975, and a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1978. Courtney served as a state representative from Vernon, Connecticut, representing Connecticut's 56th district from 1987 to 1994. In 1998, he made an unsuccessful bid for Lieutenant Governor. Courtney ran for Congress against incumbent Rob Simmons (R-Conn.) in 2002, and is trying to unseat Simmons again in 2006. .

He is a partner in the law firm Courtney, Boyan & Foran, and also serves as Town Attorney in Vernon.

Courtney and his wife Aubrey have two children.

2006 election
Courtney's election contest against Rep. Rob Simmons (R-Conn.) was very close, with Courtney leading by less than 200 votes following an initial count, and less than 100 after a counting error was detected. This count did not include provisional ballots. Following a final recount, Courtney was declared the winner by less than 100 votes. 

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Education and Labor
 * Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness
 * Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
 * House Committee on Armed Services
 * Subcommittee on Readiness
 * Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces

Resources

 * Joe Courtney, official campaign site.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Connecticut Local Politics