Larson Named a "New Englander of the Year"

Hartford, CT – This month Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) was named a "New Englander of the Year" by the New England Council for his leadership in job creation, energy independence, and advanced manufacturing. The prestigious award from the nation's oldest regional business organization goes to individuals who have made significant contributions to the New England Region. Congressman Larson is the first member of the House of Representatives from Connecticut to receive this award.

"Being a New Englander has always meant an ennobling sense of rugged individualism, innovation, and entrepreneurship, combined with an understanding of the common weal and the knowledge that we're in this together. New England has long been the home of innovation, advanced manufacturing, bio-sciences and technologies, and some of the world's best Universities and teaching schools. Despite the current atmosphere in Washington, I know New England can lead the way in our nation pulling together to once again demonstrate that our nation's great experiment in Democracy worked," Larson said when presented with the award. "I'm very pleased to be joining the ranks of the former senior Senator from Connecticut Chris Dodd, Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank, and fellow honoree David McCullough, who I consider to be the preeminent American Historian. It's an honor to receive this award, and I look forward to continuing my work to bring jobs and economic success to the region."

Larson, a champion of the President's Jobs Bill, created the Connecticut Manufacturing Job Match Initiative, to match Connecticut job seekers with manufacturing job openings in the state. To date, the job match initiative has helped nearly 500 Connecticut job seekers try to further their careers in manufacturing.

In 2009, Congressman Larson worked to pass the American Recovery and Investment Act which has created or saved nearly 40,000 jobs in Connecticut. Congressman Larson led a successful bipartisan effort to eliminate additional government spending on an "alternate engine" for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, ensuring that East Hartford's Pratt & Whitney would exclusively provide the programs propulsion system and solidifying the future of defense manufacturing in Connecticut.

Larson has also introduced legislation to regulate oil speculation and is a supporter of cleaner, more efficient, domestic energy, including fuel cells and natural gas. Most recently Larson introduced 'The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Infrastructure for America Act of 2012', seeking to improve fuel cell and hydrogen energy infrastructure and increase federal incentives for the use of fuel cell technology.

Congressman Larson formally received the honor on October 4th during the 2012 New England Council Annual Dinner in Boston. Other honorees included Abigail P. Johnson, President of Fidelity Financial Services, Robert K. Sheridan, President and CEO of Savings Bank Life Insurance, and David McCullough, two time Pulitzer Prize winning author and historian.

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