Dear Friends,

March has been full of meaningful moments in Southwest Connecticut. I celebrated women-owned businesses and spoke with students across the district, and I memorialized a treasured friend. Here are some memories from the last month. 

Honoring the Life of a Hero

Lt. Col. David Cole was buried at Arlington National Cemetery after a lifetime of dedicated service. A Vietnam War veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and lifetime member of the NAACP, David was a pillar of our community here in Southwest Connecticut. He leaves behind a loving family and a legacy of resilience and civic duty.

At the end of the day, our country is great not because of our wealth or our power, but because we are fortunate enough to be led, loved, served and taught by people like Lt. Col. David Paul Cole.

Laying Lt. Col. David Paul Cole to rest alongside his family at Arlington National Cemetery.

Celebrating Women’s History Month in Norwalk

This Women’s History Month, we lauded the achievements of female leaders in our community and considered the progress yet to be made. Two years ago, Stamford elected its first-ever female mayor, Caroline Simmons. Today, more than half of the elected officials in Connecticut’s fourth district are women. I joined with some of those leaders to speak with Norwalk’s local girl scout troops about how a bill becomes a law and the joys of public service.

These young women are future doctors, lawyers, and lawmakers. They are the next generation of warriors in the fight for equal pay and gender equality. I was thrilled to be a part of this celebration and was even lucky enough to award all the Girl Scouts, Daisies, and Brownie troop members their Democracy badge!

Celebrating the achievements of Junior Girl Scout Troop 50063 and Brownie Troop 50024 alongside State Rep. Anabel Figueroa, State Rep. Rachel Khanna, Westport First Selectwoman Jen Tooker, Redding First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton, State Senator Ceci Maher, Weston First Selectwoman Sam Nestor, State Rep. Sarah Keitt, State Rep. Dominique Johnson, and State Rep. Tracy Marra.

I also visited the Wall Street Theater and the Northeast Athletic Center, both majority female-owned small businesses right here in Norwalk. Since opening over 100 years ago, the Wall Street Theater has combined our community’s rich history with live shows, interactive entertainment, and a lively arts scene in the heart of Norwalk’s downtown. The Northeast Athletic Center is the premier volleyball club in Connecticut, offering fitness training and co-ed programs for athletes at every stage of their volleyball career. 

It is a testament to the talents of our community’s female entrepreneurs that we have so many prosperous women-owned businesses in Southwest Connecticut.

Taking stage at Norwalk’s Wall Street Theater with Executive Director Suzanne Cahill.	Learning winning volleyball techniques from Cat Maynard at her club, the Northeast Athletic Center.

As your voice in Congress, I do my job best when I hear directly from you. Answering questions from local high schoolers helps me hear what is top of mind for our young adults. I joined the Staples High School Civics Club and Fairchild Wheeler Magnet School’s 9th grade Civics class for lively discussions about civic engagement and some of our nation’s most pressing political issues. The students of Southwest Connecticut always ask thought-provoking questions that make me a better representative for our district in Congress.

Chatting with students at Staples High School in Westport.

I also joined my friends and colleagues, Mayor Caroline Simmons, State Sen. Pat Billie Miller, and State Rep. Cory Paris for a town hall at the Stamford Boys and Girls Club. We discussed community projects in Stamford- for which I’ve secured federal funding- and we answered attendees’ questions about everything from infrastructure to UFOs. Thanks to everyone who attended, and I hope to see even more friendly faces at the next town hall.

A full house at the Stamford Boys and Girls Club for a Town Hall with Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons, State Representative Cory Paris, and State Senator Pat Billie Miller.

A Foray into Late Night Comedy

My job often takes me to remarkable places, and it was a particular thrill to appear on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this month. We traded jokes—I like to think I had some funny one-liners—and I unpacked some of the confusion about the various unidentified aerial phenomenon in our skies. Plus, I gave Stephen a jar of my homemade honey. My bees were very pleased to have their work showcased on the silver screen!

On the set of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Sláinte!

Feeling the luck of the Irish in Southwest Connecticut! I joined Bridgeport’s and Greenwich’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parades. It was great to see so many members of our community come out (even in the cold!) to celebrate such a fun holiday and the return of a neighborhood tradition after a three-year hiatus.

Spreading merriment as part of Bridgeport’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade along with Sens. Blumenthal and Murphy.

As always, I’m here to serve you. If you’re having trouble with a federal agency, please do not hesitate to call my office at (203) 333-6600.  

Sincerely,

Jim