WASHINGTON – Both Connecticut representatives who received campaign contributions from Anthony Weiner, D-NY,  have announced they will donate those funds to local charities.

U.S. Reps. Joe Courtney and Jim Himes will donate a total of $3,000 they received over the years from Weiner to various charities. Himes to call for Weiner to resign, saying the New York congressman’s actions surrounding photos he sent via Twitter were distracting Congress.

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is making sure new language in the GI Bill will not work against veterans seeking to use both state and federal benefits to attend Connecticut’s public universities.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is making sure new language in the GI Bill will not work against veterans seeking to use both state and federal benefits to attend Connecticut’s public universities.

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WEST HARTFORD — While the four candidates at Monday’s First Congressional debate swung mostly to the left, they still managed to disagree on a majority of issues.

This was the first debate between Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, Republican Ann Brickley, Green Party candidate Kenneth J. Krayeske and Socialist Action candidate Christopher Hutchinson.

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Mock billionaires paraded around the Capitol last week to thank Rell for not raising taxes on state’s wealthiest residents. Adorned in sequin gowns and tuxedos, the faux super rich stepped out of limousines and held up their champagne flutes to toast their beloved governor.

“Time and time again, [Rell] has resisted pandering to the needs of the working and middle class and stood up for billionaires and big corporation,” Iona Lottabotes said.

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As the recession drags on and the state budget stalemate continues a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday shows that Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s high approval rating has slipped to an all-time low.

However, 65 percent of voters still approve of the way Rell is handling her job, while 30 percent of voters disapprove. Rell’s approval rating is much higher than the governors of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio who are dealing with similar fiscal issues.

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The state’s Insurance Department will hold a public hearing Monday to address Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s proposed rate increase, which if approved could increase rates as much as 32 percent.

Some of the 56,000 Connecticut residents enrolled in Anthem’s individual insurance plans will be allowed to testify at the public hearing.

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As credit card debt piles on even before graduation, the real world gets a little more frightening for college graduates.

This year’s seniors collected an average of $4,100 in credit card debt, according to a Sallie Mae study.

However, legislation that became law last week aims to limit credit card solicitation on college campuses. Effective July 1, credit card companies were prohibited from marketing to college students during orientation or class registration periods, and schools were prohibited from selling students’ names and addresses to these companies.

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The more than 16,000 Connecticut residents who have chronic inflammatory bowel conditions will have access to employee-only restrooms starting on Oct. 1.

On June 18 Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed a bill, granting people with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease or a medical condition that requires use of an ostomy device access to private restrooms in retail stores.

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