After summer recess, Congress is back in session today. Immigration, ISIS, the economy? Sure, those are all important to discuss, but for at least one U.S. Senator, Ray Rice and the NFL are on the top of his mind.  Leaked footage of Ray Rice committing domestic abuse shows how weak and wrong .@NFLcommish’s penalty was. Goodell should reconsider. -RB  — Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) September 8, 2014  To go along with his tweet, Sen. Blumenthal’s office released an official statement on the matter, reiterating his call for the NFL and the Ravens to increase Rice’s punishment.  “The video released today emphasizes how egregiously weak and wrong the initial penalty against Ray Rice was — as the Commissioner has acknowledged — and it constitutes new, powerful evidence that requires the Commissioner to reconsider and reach a stronger punishment,” Blumenthal said in the statement. “The NFL took a positive step forward with its new policy on domestic violence, but in the wake of this new video, allowing Ray Rice to take the field after only a two-game suspension would be a disappointing step backwards.”  Predictably, there’s been some backlash on the Connecticut democrat for weighing in on a decidedly non-governmental matter. However, considering millions of NFL fans who work in jobs unconnected to sports thought it appropriate to give their opinions on the matter today, perhaps, Blumenthal should be given a break.  Plus, this isn’t the first time Congress has weighed in on sporting matters. Congress has been very active in terms of the NFL’s concussion policy for year.  Marissa Payne writes for The Early Lead, a fast-breaking sports blog, where she focuses on what she calls the “cultural anthropological” side of sports, aka “mostly the fun stuff.” She is also an avid WWE fan.  SECTION: {section=sports, subsection=null}!!! 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The Connecticut democrat calls for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to come up with a harsher punishment for the Ravens running back.