Dear friend, 

After a very productive district work period, I am writing with another Weekly Wrap, a recap of the week in Congress and highlights of my work. 

Last week, I hosted a Town Hall in Waterbury. The event was well attended by over 100 Waterbury constituents and residents from across the district. Also, I participated in Connecticut Delta Day at the State Capitol and the Connecticut Education Association (CEA) 2026 Education Issues Summit.

More from the week:  I completed a site visit with Salisbury Housing Trust, and I met with First Selectman Eric Epstein of Kent. 

I am also including an update on government funding. 

For my full recap, please read below. 

Waterbury Town Hall Recap

In case you missed it, on Saturday, I hosted a Town Hall in Waterbury. The event was well attended by over 100 Waterbury constituents and residents from across the district.

During the town hall, I shared my work on behalf of the largest city in my district. Since coming to office, Waterbury has received nearly $90 million through federal awards. This funding has supported a wide range of projects, including education, housing, community mental health, workforce development, and support for seniors. 

I have also secured over $7 million in Community Project Funding that has supported renovations at Fulton Park Pool, Hamilton Park Pool, Chromebooks for Waterbury Public Schools, and community engagement projects through the Waterbury Police Activity League (PAL).

In Congress, I am also working to undo cuts to critical programs that many Waterbury residents depend on like, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. 

The town hall had plenty of time for questions and answers – which covered everything from addressing the cost of living, reining in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and education funding.  I was unable to answer the last three questions submitted by students from the CUYO Leadership Program in Waterbury, so I went to their program at the North End Recreation Center for an impromptu mini town hall. Students asked meaningful questions and I was happy to have this uninterrupted time to engage with them.

This town hall made clear: my constituents are paying attention, they are concerned, and they are showing up because they care about our country.

If you were not able to ask your question during the town hall, you can still send me a message here. 

Delta Day at Connecticut State Capitol

Last week was Connecticut Delta Day at the State Capitol, an opportunity for the public to engage on the policy issues most important to them. The theme for the event was “Protecting Civil Liberties, Defending Democracy; Freedom to Speak, Freedom to Live, Freedom to Thrive.” 

I participated in an education panel alongside Dr. Melissa Jenkins, Chief Turnaround Officer at the Connecticut State Department of Education and Dr. Andrae Townsel, Superintendent of Hartford Public Schools. During the panel, I reiterated the role of the Department of Education in protecting the civil rights of students and administering the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the federal law that ensures all children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education tailored to their learning needs. 

In case you missed it, I organized Members of the Democratic Caucus for a Special-Order Hour on IDEA to highlight this landmark legislation and what it means for students with disabilities.  

Additional information is available here.

CEA Education Issues Summit

On Wednesday, I also participated in the Connecticut Education Association (CEA) 2026 Education Issues Summit alongside American Federation of Teachers (AFT) National President Randi Weingarten, State Senator Jan Hochadel, and Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) Co-Director Joshua Cowen.

As the Trump Administration continues to attack public education, it is imperative supports are in place for the educator workforce. This means standing up for the public servants educating the next generation. I introduced the Respect, Advancement, and Increasing Support for Educators (RAISE) Act, legislation to create a tax credit of up to $15,000 for public school teachers and close the wage gap facing the profession.

Teachers play a critical role in shaping young lives throughout the country. They are instrumental in fostering character development and personal growth in students, ultimately influencing their future contributions to the workforce. Despite serving in this essential and multifaceted role, public school teachers earn approximately 27 percent less than similar college graduates working in other careers.

Instead of tearing educators down, we should be building them up.

To learn more about the RAISE Act, please click here. 

Affordable Housing Success in Salisbury

In 2024, I secured Community Project Funding (CPF) for the Salisbury Housing Trust to build affordable homes in the area. The funding supported the construction of new homes to be sold to households earning at or below 80% of the median income of the area. This affordable housing project helps expand homeownership opportunities to families priced out of the market and creates homes for local workers.

Last week, I completed a site visit of the finished homes on Perry Street in Salisbury. It is not often that you see a project move from concept to completion. I was happy to be able to support this effort, and I commend the Salisbury Housing Trust for their tireless work to develop affordable home ownership opportunities. 

Meeting with First Selectman Eric Epstein

On Thursday, I met with Kent First Selectman Eric Epstein, who is among the newly elected local officials in the Fifth.

During the meeting, First Selectman Epstein shared his vision and priorities for the town.

I look forward to collaborating with the First Selectman on behalf of all the people we serve in Kent. 

Update on Government Funding

Last week, the United States Senate failed to pass the House version of H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026. This legislation contained the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills for the Department of Defense, Financial Services and General Government, Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Services, Department of Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, Department of State and Foreign Operations, and Department of Homeland Security. The Senate removed funding for the Department Homeland Security (DHS) from the appropriations package and instead inserted a two-week continuing resolution for DHS, which expires Friday, February 13th. 

A government shutdown began on Saturday morning, January 31st, 2026, at 12:00 am.

Today, the House voted to pass the Senate Amendment to HR 7148. I voted no on this legislation because Congress has already sent an unprecedented level of funding to ICE and DHS through the One Big Beautiful Bill passed and signed into law by Republicans in July 2025. The legislation dramatically expanded funding for interior immigration enforcement, detention, and incarceration. I cannot vote to give DHS or ICE more funding without tangible reforms to reel in the unchecked power of the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem. 

The legislation passed by a vote of 217-214. 

And that’s a wrap.  

Thank you for taking the time to read this update. As always, please continue to share your thoughts and priorities with me.   

Jahana Hayes

Member of Congress