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Dear Friend,
It’s Joe Courtney. Here to share an update on the latest news from Congress and back home in eastern Connecticut. As always, thanks for starting your weekend here with me.
Happy Independence Day!
First, I want to wish everyone in Connecticut’s Second District a happy and safe Independence Day! 249 years ago, our nation threw off King George III's autocratic rule, defining our national identity. Today and everyday, thank you to our servicemembers, military families, and veterans for bravely defending our freedom.
It was a total blast to join the 40th annual Willimantic Boom Box Parade today. A true grassroots patriotic tradition.
The Wrong Priorities for America: The Largest Health Care Cuts in U.S. History & A Tax Giveaway for the Rich
At a time when Americans are struggling with an affordability crisis and the tax code is slated to sunset tax breaks for millionaires in December, Congress has a golden opportunity and a long runway to lower the cost of living, cut the national debt, and grow our economy. Instead, the Republican majority in Congress chose to jam through a partisan budget bill (H.R. 1) which gives a massive tax break to millionaires and billionaires and partially offsets it with the largest health care cuts in U.S. history, cuts to food assistance programs, and the elimination of millions of clean energy construction jobs. The net result is a bill which turbocharges the deficit by trillions of dollars.
I returned to Washington on Tuesday in strong opposition to this bill – a big NO. The American people oppose the bill by a 2-1 margin. I’m furious and disappointed that H.R. 1 still passed on Thursday.
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Hearing strong opposition to H.R. 1 during town halls. Top: Tolland. Bottom: Madison.
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Over the past four months, I’ve crisscrossed Connecticut's Second District to speak with people about the impacts of H.R. 1 on our towns. The story was the same everywhere. This bill will hurt everyday Americans so that the top 1% can have a tax giveaway.
On Monday, I visited Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford to speak with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Asha Dhamija about the impacts of the nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid and Affordable Care Act cuts including in the partisan budget bill. Emergency rooms will be overwhelmed with newly uninsured patients and everyone will pay the price. Hospitals will be forced to cut back services and potentially close. To add to the pain, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has calculated that H.R. 1 will also trigger $500 billion in cuts to Medicare. Shameful.
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| Windham Town Hall in March. |
The vote on this bill was a gut check for every member of Congress. With its passage, President Trump and the majority in Congress have now showed that they care more about making the rich richer than they do about making America stronger and more affordable for working and middle-class families. Like any law, it can be overturned, and over time, the will of the majority will ensure that it is.
Summer Meals Keep Kids Fed
Before returning to Washington, I visited the kids at Thames River Magnet School during lunchtime – powered by Groton Public Schools’ summer meals program. USDA funding makes free breakfast and lunch possible for students in Groton, an example of how federal support keeps Connecticut kids fed year round. The partisan budget bill which passed the House and Senate this week will cut SNAP funding by $200 billion. When food costs remain high and prices are rising under President Trump’s tariff policies, cutting the programs that keep people fed is inexcusable.
UConn Partners with Australian University to Advance AUKUS
Eastern Connecticut and Australia may be 10,000 miles apart, but our partnership through AUKUS is ironclad and only getting stronger. Last week, I had the chance to meet virtually with a delegation from the University of Adelaide visiting UConn in Storrs.
Submarines are at the center of AUKUS. UConn’s National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology is leading research to advance the U.S. Navy’s future undersea fleet, and now, UConn is sharing that expertise with our allies. From Storrs to the Groton shipyard and joint training at Sub Base New London, eastern Connecticut is playing a critical role in making AUKUS a success.
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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