[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                       TRIBUTE TO CAROLYN LUMSDEN

 Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize 
Carolyn Lumsden, who received the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the 
Society of Professional Journalists.
  Ms. Lumsden, an opinion editor for the Hartford Courant, wrote an 
editorial series last year which revealed the breadth of the crumbling 
concrete foundations issue in northeastern Connecticut. Her work, 
``Crumbling Foundations,'' gave a thorough look at this tragic 
situation where hundreds, potentially tens of thousands, of homes have 
foundations that need to be replaced because the concrete contains an 
iron sulfide that ultimately weakens the structure. Through her months 
of research, Ms. Lumsden spoke with homeowners, engineers, geologists, 
data analysts, bankers, and lawyers to understand the complete scope of 
this problem.
  ``Crumbling Foundations'' initiated much-needed, positive progress 
for the people of Connecticut, thanks in part to the data and personal 
testimonies Ms. Lumsden gathered. In the months following the series' 
publishing, the Internal Revenue Service approved tax breaks for 
homeowners, and the State of Connecticut approved $100 million in 
bonding over 5 years to help the homeowners suffering from crumbling 
foundations. I am working, along with my congressional delegation 
colleagues, on additional Federal relief to homeowners and funding for 
research into pyrrhotite.
  Ms. Lumsden's dedication to using her position as a journalist to 
assist the people of Connecticut is deeply admirable. For over 200 
years, the American press has uncovered and reported vital information 
to the public about our communities. Thanks to ``Crumbling 
Foundations,'' our State is now acutely aware of this significant 
tragedy and is working actively to find a solution.
  I applaud her tireless efforts to uncover the truth of this problem 
and hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Ms. Lumsden on 
her well-earned honor.

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