Dear Friend, 

It’s Joe Courtney. Here to share a quick update on the latest news from the week. As always, thanks for starting your weekend here with me. 

Celebrating the Next Generation of Shipbuilders

Congratulations to a new class of Groton shipbuilders. On Wednesday evening, I joined the graduation ceremony for 38 shipbuilders who completed Electric Boat’s federally approved apprenticeship programs. 
With over 3,000 job openings at the Groton shipyard right now and all-time high levels of submarine tonnage output, these men and women have met the call to skill-up for long term shipbuilding careers.

During the ceremony, I had met Larry Spencer (pictured below), a new graduate of Electric Boat’s welding apprenticeship program. Larry is originally from Maine and was hired at EB in 2022. He’s bringing a ton of excitement to his work at a time of unprecedented demand for submarine construction from Congress and Navy.
 

Fighting to Hold Kristi Noem’s DHS Accountable

Last weekend, we witnessed the second fatal shooting by DHS agents in Minneapolis this month. The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti demand a thorough, professional investigation by local and state authorities who are qualified to carry out that task.

Unfortunately, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has shown that she is more interested in politically spinning the facts to escape accountability, which is one of the many reasons why tensions in Minnesota and across the country are dangerously on edge.

My office has received numerous inquiries regarding Congresswoman Robin Kelly’s bill to start impeachment proceedings against Kristi Noem. Last Friday, I signed on to join the bill. Secretary Noem’s reckless actions and incendiary public comments are escalating tensions and putting the public and local law enforcement at serious risk of harm.

Secretary Noem’s so-called “administrative warrants” authorizing DHA agents to enter private homes is flagrantly and brazenly unconstitutional. She is unfit for the powerful position she holds.

Last week, I voted against a DHS spending bill, along with the entire Connecticut House delegation. The bill would simply perpetuate the status quo rather than rein in DHS' rouge behavior. 

Congress still has a chance to vote to restore civilized norms in law enforcement and reject a funding bill that rubber stamps Kristi Noem's policies.

While the two parties continue to negotiate on real oversight and checks on DHS, the federal government is set to enter a partial shutdown beginning at 12:00am tomorrow, January 31st. It is expected that Congress will end the shutdown in a matter of days. I will continue to demand concrete reforms in law before supporting a further year of funding for DHS.

During the shutdown, my office will remain open to support you and your family. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions. For answers to FAQs, visit courtney.house.gov/shutdown.

Keeping Our Communities Safe

With tensions so high across the country, I met with leadership of the Norwich Police Department to discuss their diligent work to keep Norwich safe and maintain strong community connections with the city’s immigrant population.

Immigrant families contribute to Norwich’s economy, particularly in the health care sector, and are an important part of the beautiful fabric of this diverse city. The people of Norwich are lucky to have such a steady hand at a time when the population is growing and there is a lot of positive development underway.

We also had an encouraging conversation on real progress being made on reducing overdose deaths which is a result of good policing and prevention programs like Narcan distribution. The people of Norwich are lucky to have strong leadership at a time when the population is growing and there is a lot of positive development under way.

Eastern CT Residents Hit Hard by Rising Costs 

This week, I called constituents who are facing massive increases to their monthly health insurance premiums because leaders in Washington failed to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits. Two people I spoke with are now paying over 350% more per month for health care coverage. One constituent and their spouse chose not to renew their coverage at all because even high-deductible plans were completely unaffordable. 

The costs that Americans are facing in 2026 are far more than a monthly mortgage. All of the constituents I spoke with this week were dumbfounded that the Senate won’t take up the bipartisan bill that the House passed to lower these costs by extending ACA tax credits for three years. Senate leaders cannot wait any longer to act. 

Growing Eastern CT's Manufacturing Workforce

Eastern CT’s Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative surpassed 5,000 graduates in 2025 – a major milestone for the skills training program that we launched with a Congressional grant back in 2016. On Tuesday, I caught up with EWIB President Mike Nogelo and Collins & Jewell co-owner Chris Jewell to discuss the work ahead to skill people up for good manufacturing careers in eastern Connecticut.

Intern in My Office

My office is now accepting applications for summer internships in my offices in Washington, D.C., Norwich, and Enfield. The internship program is open to all students, regardless of major.

You can learn more and apply on my website.

Thank you for taking some time to read my update. If my office can be of any assistance, do not hesitate to call us at (860) 886-0139. 

Sincerely,

Joe Courtney
Member of Congress

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