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Dear Friend,
It’s Joe Courtney. After another busy week here in eastern Connecticut, I'm here with an update on manufacturing careers for students, the impact of tariffs, and lots more. As always, thanks for starting your weekend here with me.
High School Students Launch Manufacturing Careers
There are thousands of new shipbuilding careers in eastern Connecticut. Our comprehensive high schools are using federal support from the U.S. Education Department to expand career and technical education and connect students to manufacturing careers.
Yesterday, I visited Tourtellotte Memorial High School in Thompson for an Electric Boat application day. Senior class students took welding tests and interviewed for jobs at the Electric Boat shipyard. Electric Boat made on-the-spot job offers! After graduation this spring, the seniors will be part of “Team Submarine”. Congratulations!
Tourtellotte Memorial High School used Perkins Grant funding from the U.S. Education Department to build a new welding lab where students learned their trade. Yesterday’s job offers exemplify the importance of having national support for career and technical education.
This was Congress’ goal when it created the U.S. Education Department and the National Perkins Career and Technical Education Act in 1984. Today, it’s launching careers in eastern Connecticut and helping meet our workforce needs. Now, the Trump Administration is attempting to abolish the U.S. Education Department, which would no doubt throttle federal support for career and technical education and harm students and teachers.
Tracking the Consequences of Trump Tariffs
President Trump promised in his inauguration speech that he would direct his Administration to “rapidly bring down costs and prices”. Instead, he has implemented a chaotic tariff policy that is doing the exact opposite and creating immense uncertainty. Consumer confidence has now plummeted to the second lowest level since 1952.
I’m working across the aisle in Congress to stop these harmful tariffs. This week, I visited Fiddleheads Food Co-op in New London to discuss how the Trump tariffs are impacting food costs.
Trump tariffs on imported produce are already disruptive for store managers. The price of avocados and bananas have jumped, and the store is bracing for more. Fiddleheads is doing their best to shield customers from higher prices, but there is only so much of a margin they can absorb.
Fiddleheads specializes in locally grown produce from Connecticut farmers. During my visit, I spoke with Hunts Brook Farm owner Rob Schacht (pictured above) about the uncertainty his Quaker Hill farm is facing as a result of President Trump’s tariff policies.
Rob is planning to upgrade a produce washing and packing area from a tent to a complete building, but it’s not hard to predict the total project costs under new tariffs on building materials. Read more in the Day.
Today, I visited a new housing development in Pawcatuck to speak with Home Builders & Remodelers Association of CT President Matt Gilchrist about the rising costs of home construction under President Trump's tariffs. The cost of custom built wooden trusses from Canada have risen by 30% and imported metal components – nails, screws, clasps, etc. – have risen even higher. Nationally, the Home Builders Association estimates the total cost of new homes will increase by over $9,000 per home because of Trump “Liberation Day” tariffs. In the midst of the housing crisis, intentionally raising the costs of construction is unacceptable.
Not only are Trump tariffs bad policy, they are unconstitutional. Under Article I of the Constitution, only Congress has the “Power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts, and Excises.” That means tariffs. On Wednesday, I joined Connecticut’s Attorney General William Tong to announce a multi-state lawsuit to block President Trump’s tariffs on legal grounds.
Whether you’re a consumer trying to buy avocados or a local farm trying to expand your operation, President Trump’s unilateral tariffs are needlessly raising costs. Foreign governments have also lost confidence in the United States. After Trump tore up his own free trade agreement and imposed tariffs on Canadian goods, the Canadian government is now rethinking a deal to buy U.S. F35s with Connecticut-made engines.
Congress needs to step in to get us back on track. We must pass the bipartisan Trade Review Act which would require Congressional approval of new tariffs.
Growing Eastern CT's Skilled Workforce
With funding from Congress, the Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative has turbocharged eastern Connecticut’s workforce. In just ten weeks and at no cost, students from all backgrounds can get skilled up for a career in manufacturing. On Monday, I joined a welding class at Grasso Tech to speak with students and teachers.
Talking with Grasso Tech Students
Also on Monday, I spoke with Grasso Tech sophomores and answered their questions on health care affordability, tariffs, and foreign policy. Thanks to Mr. Dolan's civics class for asking thoughtful questions about Congress and our nation.
Protecting Child Care in Eastern Connecticut
Head Start funding in an investment in children and our future. I will always fight to protect it in Congress. Yesterday, I visited EASTCONN’s Head Start center in Danielson to see the funding in action.
The Trump Administration is making unconscionable cuts to the Head Start program at the Department of Health and Human Services, which administers its funding. These cuts have led to the closure of the Boston Regional Head Start office which serves Connecticut. I’m fighting back in Congress.
Fighting to Protect Our Environment
Our natural environment is our treasure. President Trump & Elon Musk are gutting the EPA to let big corporations run roughshod over it. No one wants that! On Tuesday, we celebrated Earth Day, and CT Attorney General Tong and I joined students at Three Rivers Community College to discuss the fight underway to protect our environment.
Thanks for taking some time to read my update. If we can be of any assistance, don't hesitate to give my Norwich office a call at (860) 886-0139.
Sincerely,
Joe Courtney
Member of Congress
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