Elizabeth Esty

Elizabeth Esty

Democratic Party

Prior offices

Cheshire Town Council

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Connecticut House of Representatives District 103

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U.S. House Connecticut District 5

Successor: Jahana Hayes

Predecessor: Christopher S. Murphy

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Report an officeholder change

Compensation

Net worth

(2012) $3,923,539

Education

Bachelor's

Harvard University

Law

Yale Law School

Personal

Religion

Congregationalist

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Personal website

Personal Facebook

Personal Twitter

Elizabeth Esty is a former Democratic member of the U.S. House representing the 5th Congressional District of Connecticut from 2013 to 2019.

On April 2, 2018, Esty announced she would not seek re-election. The announcement came after she was criticized for her handling of sexual harassment allegations by her former chief of staff.

Esty previously served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 2009-2011.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Esty's academic, professional, and political career:

• 2013-2019: U.S. Representative from Connecticut's 5th Congressional District
• 2008-2010: Connecticut House of Representatives
• 2005-2008: Cheshire, Connecticut, Town council
• 1985: Graduated from Yale University with a J.D.
• 1981: Graduated from Harvard University with an A.B.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2017-2018

Esty served on the following committees:

• Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

2015-2016

Esty served on the following committees:

• Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  • Subcommittee on Research and Technology
• Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  • Subcommittee on Highways & Transit
  • Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines & Hazardous Materials
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources & Environment

2013-2014

Esty served on the following committees:

• Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Research and Science Education
• United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Connecticut House

2009-2010

While a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, Esty served on the following committees.

• Appropriations
• Energy and Technology
• Public Health

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018

For detailed information about each vote, click here.

• Votes on domestic policy (click to expand)

  Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Conference report) (HR 2)

   Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018

  Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023.

  Voted Nay on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2 (second vote))

   Bill Passed (213-211) on June 21, 2018

  Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance. It also proposed modifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as the food stamp program.

  Voted Nay on: Securing America’s Future Act of 2018 (HR 4760)

   Bill Failed (193-231) on June 21, 2018

  Proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status, and preventing separation of families at the border.

  Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)

   Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018

  Reauthorizes through FY2023 and modifies some Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.

  Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR 36)

   Bill Passed (237-189) on October 3, 2017

  Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill provided exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.

  Kate's Law (HR 3004)

   Bill Passed (257-167) on June 29, 2017

  Proposed increasing criminal penalties for individuals in the country illegally who were convicted of certain crimes, deported, and then re-entered the U.S. illegally.

  No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (HR 3003)

   Bill Passed (228-195) on June 29, 2017

  Proposed withholding federal funds from states and localities that chose not to follow federal immigration laws.

  American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)

   Bill passed (217-213) on May 4, 2017

  Proposed modifying the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.

• Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand)

  Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 6157)

   Bill Passed (361-61) on September 26, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.

  Voted Yea on: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 5895)

   Bill Passed (377-20) on September 13, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.

  Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 6157)

   Bill Passed (359-49) on June 28, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.

  Voted Nay on: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 5895)

   Bill Passed (235-179) on June 8, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.

  Voted Nay on: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S 2155)

   Bill Passed (258-159) on May 22, 2018

  Proposed exempting some banks from the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act

  Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)

   Bill Passed (256-167) on March 22, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.

  Voted Yea on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)

   Bill Passed (240-186) on February 9, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Further Extension Of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1892)

   Bill Passed (245-182) on February 6, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)

   Bill Passed (266-150) on January 22, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)

   Bill Passed (230-197) on January 18, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 16, 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)

   Bill Passed (231-188) on December 21, 2017

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

   Bill Passed (227-203) on December 19, 2017

  Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes (HJ Res 123)

   Bill Passed (235-193) on December 7, 2017

  Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017.

  Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

   Bill Passed (227-205) on November 16, 2017

  Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses.

  Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

   Bill Passed (216-212) on October 26, 2017

  Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. (This bill proposed adopting the Senate's budget resolution.)

  Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

   Bill Passed (219-206) on October 5, 2017

  Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027.

  
  

  Voted Nay on: Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3354)

   Bill Passed (211-198) on September 14, 2017

  Proposed providing FY2018 appropriations for the federal government. It combined 12 appropriations bills.

  Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)

   Bill Passed (316-90) on September 8, 2017

  Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts.

  Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 601)

   Bill Passed (419-3) on September 6, 2017

  Proposed providing $7.85 billion for disaster relief requirements, including response and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey.

  Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 (HR 10)

   Bill passed (233-186) on June 8, 2017

  Proposed amending the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, among other acts.

  Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)

   Bill passed (309-118) on May 3, 2017

  Proposed a $1.2 trillion budget to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017.

• Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand)

  Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (HR 5515)

   Bill Passed (351-66) on May 24, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities

  Voted Nay on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)

   Bill Passed (250-166) on January 30, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations for military functions administered by the Department of Defense and for other purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018.

  
  

  Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018—Conference report (HR 2810)

   Bill Passed (356-70) on November 14, 2017

  Proposed authorizing FY2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths.

  Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3219)

   Bill Passed (235-192) on July 27, 2017

  Proposed making appropriations for defense, military construction, Veterans Affairs, the Legislative Branch, energy and water development, and for other purposes for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018.

  Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)

   Bill Passed (419-3) on July 25, 2017

  Proposed providing congressional review and measures to counter aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes.

  Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180, second vote)

   Bill Passed (380-35) on July 28, 2017

  Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.

  Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180)

   Bill Failed (241-163) on July 24, 2017

  Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.

  National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)

   Bill Passed (344-81) on July 14, 2017

  Proposed authorizing fiscal year 2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It did not provide budget authority.

  Voted Yea on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 1301)

   Bill passed (371-48) on March 8, 2017

  The $577.9 billion fiscal year 2017 defense spending bill proposed $516.1 billion in base budget funding and $61.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism funding.

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Esty's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 Trade adjustment assistance On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Esty was one of 144 Democrats to vote against the bill. Trade promotion authority On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Esty was one of 157 Democrats to vote against the measure. Trade promotion authority second vote After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining his or her original position on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Esty was one of 158 Democrats to vote against the amendment. Trade adjustment assistance second vote The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Esty was one of 175 Democrats to vote in favor of HR 1295. Defense spending authorization On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Esty voted with 40 Democrats and 228 Republicans to approve the bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Esty voted with 134 other Democrats and 235 Republicans to approve the bill. On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, including Esty, voted against the resolution. 2015 budget On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Esty voted with 186 Democrats and 79 Republicans in favor of the bill. It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Esty voted with 176 Democrats to approve the bill. Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Esty voted with 161 Democrats for the bill. Suspension of Iran sanctions relief On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Esty voted with 185 Democrats against the bill. Presidential non-compliance of section 2 On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Esty voted with 185 Democrats against the resolution. Export-Import Bank On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods. Esty voted with 185 Democrats and 127 Republicans in favor of the bill. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Esty voted with 141 Democrats and 196 Republicans to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Esty voted with 179 Democrats against the bill. Cyber security On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies. Esty voted with 43 Democrats and 19 Republicans against the bill. On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Esty voted with 78 Democrats and 37 Republicans against the bill. Immigration On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137. The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Esty voted with 134 Democrats and two Republicans against the bill. 113th Congress The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Esty's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security DHS Appropriations Esty voted against HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines. Keystone Pipeline Amendment Esty voted in favor of House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines. CISPA (2013) Esty voted in opposition to HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party. NDAA Esty voted in support of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote. Economy Farm bill On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, known as the Farm Bill. The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill provides for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop. However, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states. Esty voted with 102 other Democratic representatives against the bill. 2014 Budget On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014. The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582 page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill. The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations. It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the protection of the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Esty joined with the majority of the Democratic party and voted in favor of the bill. Government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Esty voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate. The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Esty voted for HR 2775. Federal Pay Adjustment Act Esty did not vote on HR 273 - Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees. The bill passed the House on February 15, 2013, with a vote of 261 - 154. The bill called for stopping a 0.5 percent pay increase for all federal workers from taking effect. The raises were projected to cost $11 billion over 10 years. Immigration Morton Memos Prohibition Esty voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines. Healthcare Healthcare Reform Rules Esty voted against House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines. Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act Esty voted against HR 2009 - Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act of 2013. The bill passed through the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 232-185. The bill would prevent the IRS and Treasury Secretary from enforcing the powers provided to them in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The vote largely followed party lines. Social issues Amash amendment Esty voted in favor of House Amendment 413 - Prohibits the National Security Agency from Collecting Records Under the Patriot Act. The amendment failed on July 4, 2013, by a vote of 205-217. The amendment would have prohibited the collection of records by the National Security Agency under the Patriot Act. Both parties were split on the vote.

Issues

2016 presidential endorsement

✓ Etsy endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

See also: Endorsements for Hillary Clinton

American response in Syria

See also: United States involvement in Syria

Esty said on September 3, 2013, "It's not an easy sell for me to consider voting for this, but I'm trying to keep an open mind. I'm quite concerned about the 'what ifs.'"

Elections

2018

On April 2, 2018, Esty announced she would not seek re-election in 2018. The announcement came after she was criticized for her handling of sexual harassment allegations by her former chief of staff. She wrote in a Facebook post, “I have determined that it is in the best interest of my constituents and my family to end my time in Congress at the end of this year and not seek re-election. Too many women have been harmed by harassment in the workplace. In the terrible situation in my office, I could have and should have done better."

2016

See also: Connecticut's 5th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Elizabeth Esty (D) defeated Clay Cope (R), Stephanie Piddock (I), and John Pistone (I) in the general election on November 8, 2016. No candidate faced a primary election in August. Cope defeated John Pistone and Matt Maxwell at the Republican convention. Esty won re-election in the November 8 election.

U.S. House, Connecticut District 5 General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Elizabeth Esty Incumbent	58%	179,252
	Republican	Clay Cope	42%	129,801
	N/A	Write-in	0%	29
Total Votes				309,082
Source: Connecticut Secretary of State

2014

See also: Connecticut's 5th Congressional District elections, 2014

Esty won re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. She ran unopposed in the Democratic primary election on August 12, 2014. She defeated Mark Greenberg (R) and John Pistone (I) in the general election on November 4, 2014.

Esty was a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Frontline Program. The program was designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents heading into the 2014 election.

U.S. House, Connecticut District 5 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Elizabeth Esty Incumbent	53.2%	113,564
	Republican	Mark Greenberg	45.8%	97,767
	Independent	John Pistone	0.9%	1,970
Total Votes				213,301
Source: Connecticut Secretary of the State

2012

See also: Connecticut's 5th Congressional District elections, 2012

Esty won election in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Connecticut's 5th District. Esty defeated Christopher Donovan and Dan Roberti in the Democratic primary. She then defeated Andrew Roraback (R) and John Pistone (I) in the general election on November 6, 2012.

Following the Democratic primary on August 14, 2012, in which Esty defeated Christopher Donovan, the endorsed candidate of the Democratic party, discussion speculated on whether Donovan would choose to still run against Esty in the general election as the Working Families Party nominee. However, in late August 2012 discussion began between Donovan, Esty and the Working Families Party over whether Esty might pick up the nomination of the party, preventing division amongst the Democratic party that might give way to a win by Republican nominee Andrew Roraback in the general election.

While Donovan was endorsed by the Democratic party and was the frontrunner for most of the campaign, an investigation by the FBI close to the primary hurt his chances. Two of Donovan's staff members were among eight people arrested and were immediately fired and replaced after a sting operation by the FBI in which the staffers were allegedly accepting campaign contributions from straw donors. Although Donovan was not implicated and an investigation paid for by the campaign cleared him of having any knowledge of wrongdoing, it was enough to derail his campaign.

U.S. House, Connecticut District 5 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Elizabeth Esty	51.3%	146,098
	Republican	Andrew Roraback	48.7%	138,637
	Independent	John Pistone	0%	12
Total Votes				284,747
Source: Connecticut Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

U.S. House, Connecticut District 5 Democratic Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Elizabeth Esty	44.5%	12,679
Chris Donovan	32.4%	9,215
Dan Roberti	23.1%	6,584
Total Votes		28,478

Endorsements

In August 2012 Esty received endorsements from the Connecticut AFL-CIO and Governor Dan Malloy (D).

2010

See also: Connecticut House of Representatives elections, 2010

Esty ran for re-election to the 103rd District seat in 2010. She was defeated by Al Adinolfi (R) in the November 2 general election.

2008

On November 4, 2008, Esty won election to the Connecticut House of Representatives from Connecticut's 103rd District, defeating Al Adinolfi (R). Esty received 6,088 votes in the election while Adinolfi received 5,867 votes. Esty raised $30,525 for her campaign; Adinolfi raised $30,000.

Connecticut House of Representatives, District 103
Candidates		Votes
Elizabeth Esty (D)		6,088
Al Adinolfi (R)		5,867

Campaign themes

2016

The following issues were listed on Esty's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“	Education: I support increasing STEM education, improving the quality of early childhood education, and making college more affordable. Energy and Environment : It’s time to invest in clean energy technologies to revitalize American manufacturing, create good-paying jobs, and protect our children’s future. I support a clean and energy-efficient future and protecting Connecticut’s environment. Fiscal Responsibility and Protecting Taxpayers : I have voted to end tax breaks and wasteful subsidies for big oil and big agriculture companies. I am also a proud cosponsor of the No Budget No Pay Act. Gun Violence Prevention : As a vice chair of the U.S. House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I have been a strong advocate for commonsense reforms that will reduce gun violence, make our communities safer, and respects our 2nd Amendment rights. Health Care : Every American deserves quality affordable health care. I am working on commonsense improvements to the Affordable Care Act to make it work better for Connecticut businesses and families.	”
—Elizabeth Esty's campaign website, http://elizabethesty.com/issues/

2014

Esty's campaign website listed the following issues:

“	Education: "I support increasing STEM education, improving the quality of early childhood education, and making college more affordable. " Energy and Environment: "It’s time to invest in clean energy technologies to revitalize American manufacturing, create good-paying jobs, and protect our children’s future. I support a clean and energy-efficient future and protecting Connecticut’s environment." Fiscal Responsibility and Protecting Taxpayers: "I have voted to end tax breaks and wasteful subsidies for big oil and big agriculture companies. I am also a proud cosponsor of the No Budget No Pay Act." Gun Violence Prevention: "As a vice chair of the U.S. House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I have been a strong advocate for commonsense reforms that will reduce gun violence, make our communities safer, and respects our 2nd Amendment rights." Health Care: "Every American deserves quality affordable health care. I am working on commonsense improvements to the Affordable Care Act to make it work better for Connecticut businesses and families."	”
—Elizabeth Esty's campaign website, http://elizabethesty.com/issues/

2012

• Job creation and economic growth
• Clean and affordable energy
• Fiscal responsibility and protecting taxpayers
• Protecting seniors
• Affordable, quality health care
• Clean environment
• Quality education
• Foreign policy and national security
• Veterans
• Marriage equality and equal rights
• Women's rights

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Elizabeth Esty campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2016	U.S. House, Connecticut District 5	Won	$1,957,762	N/A**
2014	U.S. House (Connecticut, District 5)	Won	$2,952,364	N/A**
2012	U.S. House Connecticut District 5	Won	$3,269,050	N/A**
Grand total			$8,179,176	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only availabale data.

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Esty's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $2,187,079 and $5,660,000. That averages to $3,923,539, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic representatives in 2012 of $5,700,168.36. Esty ranked as the 91st most wealthy representative in 2012. Between 2011 and 2012, Esty's calculated net worth decreased by an average of 20 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Elizabeth Esty Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2011	$4,907,060
2012	$3,923,539
Growth from 2011 to 2012:	−20%
Average annual growth:	−20%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Esty received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Lawyers/Law Firms industry.

From 2011-2014, 27.99 percent of Esty's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Elizabeth Esty Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$5,256,851
Total Spent	$3,776,045
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$449,025
Retired	$335,685
Women's Issues	$243,269
Securities & Investment	$223,900
Leadership PACs	$219,330
% total in top industry	8.54%
% total in top two industries	14.93%
% total in top five industries	27.99%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Esty was a moderate Democratic follower as of July 2014.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Esty most often votes with:

• Suzanne Bonamici
• Chris Gibson

Esty least often votes with:

• Jim Matheson
• Justin Amash

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Elizabeth Esty missed 25 of 1,709 roll call votes from January 2013 to September 2015. This amounted to 1.5 percent, which was lower than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Esty ranked 140th in the liberal rankings in 2013.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Esty voted with the Democratic Party 93.3 percent of the time, which ranked 96th among the 204 House Democratic members as of July 2014.

2013

Esty voted with the Democratic Party 92.8 percent of the time, which ranked 104th among the 201 House Democratic members as of June 2013.

Noteworthy events

Retirement after chief of staff sexual misconduct allegations

See also: Sexual assault and harassment in American politics (2017-2018)

On April 2, 2018, Esty announced she would not seek re-election in November 2018. In a Facebook post, Etsy wrote, "Too many women have been harmed by harassment in the workplace. In the terrible situation in my office, I could have and should have done better."

In March 2018, multiple news outlets accused Esty of not firing her chief of staff for three months after sexual abuse allegations surfaced against him from female staffers in 2016. The female staff members claimed they experienced "violence, death threats and sexual harassment" from former chief of staff Tony Baker. In a public apology, Esty said she regretted not pushing forward an internal investigation that revealed more widespread allegations of abuse and helping Baker secure a new job. Politicians across the state called for her resignation, including Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D), former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz (D), the Connecticut Republican Party, and state Sens. Mae Flexer (D) and Catherine A. Osten (D). Esty dismissed these calls to resign.

2016 Democratic National Convention

• Delegate to the 2016 DNC (click to expand)

  See also: Democratic National Convention, 2016

  Elizabeth Esty
  Democratic National Convention, 2016
  Status:	Superdelegate
  State:	Connecticut
  Supporting:	Hillary Clinton
  Delegates to the DNC 2016
  Calendar and delegate rules overview • Types of delegates • State election law and delegates • Superdelegates by state

  Esty was a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from Connecticut. Esty was one of 16 superdelegates from Connecticut. Superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention were not bound by the results of their state’s primary or caucus to support a specific presidential candidate. Esty supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. Clinton formally won the Democratic nomination for president on July 26, 2016.

  What is a superdelegate?

  See also: Superdelegates and the 2016 Democratic National Convention

  Superdelegates in 2016 were automatic delegates to the Democratic National Convention, meaning that, unlike regular delegates, they were not elected to this position. Also unlike regular delegates, they were not required to pledge their support to any presidential candidate, and they were not bound by the results of their state's presidential primary election or caucus. In 2016, superdelegates included members of the Democratic National Committee, Democratic members of Congress, Democratic governors, and distinguished party leaders, including former presidents and vice presidents. All superdelegates were free to support any presidential candidate of their choosing at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

  Connecticut superdelegates

  Connecticut had a total of 16 superdelegates in 2016. All of them are listed below beneath the candidate they are known to have supported. As of June 1, 2016, 15 Connecticut superdelegates were known to have expressed their support for Hillary Clinton, while the support of one superdelegate was unknown. At the time, there were no known superdelegates from Connecticut supporting Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination.

  Clinton

  • Chris Dodd
  • Chris Murphy (Connecticut)
  • Dan Malloy
  • Dorothy Mrowka
  • Elizabeth Esty
  • Joe Courtney
  • John Larson (Connecticut)
  • John Olsen
  • Michael Cacace
  • Nancy DiNardo
  • Nick Balletto
  • Nancy Wyman
  • Richard Blumenthal
  • Rosa DeLauro
  • Jim Himes

  Unknown

  • Joanne Sullivan

  Connecticut primary results

  See also: Presidential election in Connecticut, 2016

  Hillary Clinton narrowly defeated Bernie Sanders in Connecticut's Democratic primary by 5 percentage points. In a CNN exit poll, 56 percent of women who participated supported Clinton, while 57 percent of men supported Sanders. Winning the support of 69 percent, Clinton swept voters 65 and over. Sanders had overwhelming support from voters age 17 to 29, winning 84 percent of their support.

  Connecticut Democratic Primary, 2016
  Candidate	Vote %	Votes	Delegates
  Hillary Clinton	51.8%	170,048	28
  Bernie Sanders	46.4%	152,395	27
  Roque De La Fuente	0.3%	960	0
  Other	1.5%	4,872	0
  Totals		328,275	55
  Source: The New York Times and Connecticut Secretary of State

  Delegate allocation

  See also: 2016 presidential nominations: calendar and delegate rules

  

  Connecticut had 71 delegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Of this total, 55 were pledged delegates. National party rules stipulated how Democratic delegates in all states were allocated. Pledged delegates were allocated to a candidate in proportion to the votes he or she received in a state's primary or caucus. A candidate was eligible to receive a share of the state's pledged delegates if he or she won at least 15 percent of the votes cast in the primary or caucus. There were three types of pledged Democratic delegates: congressional district delegates, at-large delegates, and party leaders and elected officials (PLEOs). Congressional district delegates were allocated proportionally based on the primary or caucus results in a given district. At-large and PLEO delegates were allocated proportionally based on statewide primary results.

  Sixteen party leaders and elected officials served as unpledged delegates. These delegates were not required to adhere to the results of a state's primary or caucus.

Recent news

This section links to a Google news search for the term Elizabeth + Esty + Connecticut + Congress

Elizabeth Esty News Feed

See also

• Connecticut
• United States congressional delegations from Connecticut
• United States House of Representatives
• Connecticut's 5th Congressional District

External links

Suggest a link

 

• Social media:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
• Biographies:
  • U.S. Congress
  • Wikipedia
• Political profiles:
  • GovTrack
  • CongressMerge
  • Project Vote Smart
  • Roll Call
• Financial (federal level):
  • OpenSecrets.org
• Financial (state level):
  • Follow The Money
• Interest group ratings:
  • Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions:
  • On The Issues
  • Project Vote Smart
• Legislation:
  • Congress.gov
• Public statements:
  • Project Vote Smart
• Voting record:
  • Project Vote Smart
  • Washington Post
• Media appearances:
  • C-SPAN

• Connecticut House Democrats - Rep. Elizabeth Esty (dead link)
• Profile at Yale Law School

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Christopher S. Murphy	U.S. House- Connecticut District 5 2013–2019	Succeeded by Jahana Hayes
Preceded by '	Connecticut State House District 103 2009–2011	Succeeded by Al Adinolfi

[show]

Connecticut's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Richard Blumenthal (D)

Christopher Murphy (D)

Representatives

District 1

John Larson (D)

District 2

Joe Courtney (D)

District 3

Rosa DeLauro (D)

District 4

Jim Himes (D)

District 5

Jahana Hayes (D)

Democratic Party (7)