“We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.” – John F. Kennedy
HARTFORD – Sen. Tony Hwang along with 14 other bipartisan Senators who voted NO today to a sixth extension of the state of emergency to continue Governor Ned Lamont’s extra-constitutional powers through February 15, 2022. The resolution passed with 18 yea and 15 nay votes.
Sen. Hwang reiterated his efforts to encourage Covid vaccination to ensure public health safety and his experience in Public Health Committee & Bipartisan Bioscience Caucus saying, “CT should be proud of the yeoman’s effort in maintaining a safe environment from Covid – and credit should be given to CT residents, businesses, frontline healthcare workers, municipal and state leaders. I believe in the scientific process and fully understand that ‘science is not perfect’. The Covid vaccine is a critical tool to minimizing the dangerous risk of this insidious pandemic. I have taken the Pfizer vaccine along with every member of my family.
Sen. Hwang shared his legislative thoughts and rationale of his Nay vote, “I am deeply troubled by the precedents we are choosing to set lately as a state government. Today’s decision to continue a hodge-podge state of emergency where there is no data or science based end of the tunnel or end date. On one hand we are offering praise for being the most-vaccinated state in the nation, but we are implementing vaccination mandates at the same time. We are continuing a state of emergency, but we are promoting mass attended sports events, fairs, and encouraging shopping and tourism. We are allowing the Governor to unilaterally govern by “emergency power” of executive orders without the co-equal legislative branch of government, but Governor Lamont’s on challenging decisions such as masks, left that decision to municipal town leaders, causing confusion, conflict and tension in our communities.”
Sen. Hwang continued, “We deserve consistent policy, transparent strategy and the reassertion of our three branches of our proper, representative government. Any opposition – partisan or just an alternative opinion from the public – should be engaged and supportively heard. Instead the people and the political minority have been disregarded or worse, labeled as extreme and uncooperative. The legislature, over the past year and a half, has given no indication that they would be uncooperative or slow to assemble and act. We must return to work in our full capacity to ensure that the public we represent are heard and considered in these decisions that impact all facets of day-to-day life in Connecticut.
Senator Hwang shared a recounting of growing up under One Party “EmergencyMartial Law” in Taiwan. There were some cautionary parallels between his experience then and the direction that this extended state of emergency is taking.
“Governor Lamont, I am asking you to see the problem in choosing the convenience of ruling by emergency powers. Instead, do the right thing and return us to the democratic, representative government which has been the key to making America the successful nation it has been since its founding.”
VIDEO of Sen. Hwang’s remarks on the Senate Floor: https://youtu.be/ZqULGXxhACM
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