Dear John,

Welcome to your Weekly Wrap, a recap of the week in Congress and highlights of my work.

Last week, our nation celebrated the Week of the Young Child. To mark the occasion, I visited Easterseals childhood education program in Waterbury. Also, I cosponsored the Universal Full Day Kindergarten Act, legislation to expand access to full day kindergarten programs.

More from the week: On Tuesday, I participated in a legislative forum with the residents of Heritage Village in Southbury. Also, I joined representatives from Meriden to discuss plans for economic development throughout the city. Lastly, I joined the Governor Ned Lamont to announce the first round of grants for the Connecticut Public Schools HVAC/Indoor Air Quality Grant Program.

For the full recap, please read below.

Celebrating Week of the Young Child

The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world’s largest early childhood education association. The purpose of the week is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and recognize the early childhood programs and services that support them.

To honor the occasion this year, I joined Easterseals Children’s Center in Waterbury, where I read to the preschool class. Reading to young children helps build language skills and exposes them to new words and ways of using language. It also helps them learn about the world, which makes it easier once they get to school.

I was greeted by bright eyes and listening ears and a reminder at every turn of the importance of my work as the Congresswoman for the Fifth District of Connecticut. 

My second stop at Easterseals was the Children’s Academy, East Campus, where I observed an early childhood education classroom.

Easterseals has been serving people with disabilities and special needs since 1958, ensuring people with disabilities and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work, and play in their communities.

Universal Full Day Kindergarten Act

Studies show that enrollment in full-day Kindergarten improves children’s short and long-term academic outcomes, especially for low-income students, students of color, and English learners. Evidence also points to increased non-academic benefits of full-day Kindergarten programs, including children’s socioemotional development and families’ overall well-being.

Despite this, only 17 states and the District of Columbia require districts to offer full-day Kindergarten, and an estimated 40 percent of Kindergarten-age students do not have access to such programs.

 Last week, I cosponsored the Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act, legislation to create a grant program aimed at expanding access to full-day Kindergarten for families across the country. States and Tribes that apply would receive funds to carry out no-cost, high-quality, full-day Kindergarten programs taught by qualified teachers. The legislation would also require the U.S. Department of Education to release an annual report on the availability of full-day Kindergarten across states.

Additional information on the Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act is available here.

Heritage Village Forum

On Tuesday, I participated in a legislative forum with the residents of Heritage Village in Southbury. I was pleased to hear their unique perspectives on the most pressing issues facing the 118th Congress.

Most notably, we discussed the Social Security Fairness Act, which repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government. Over 93,300 households in the Fifth rely on Social Security.

We also discussed measures the federal government is taking to lower the costs of prescription drugs. Americans pay 2 to 3 times more for prescription drugs than citizens of other countries. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2023, takes this challenge head-on. The IRA allows Medicare to negotiate the price of drugs for the first time, cap out-of-pocket costs for approximately 19,000 Connecticut Medicare beneficiaries, and cap the price of insulin at $35 a month for Seniors.

Supporting Economic Development in Meriden
 
On Monday, I met with representatives from the City of Meriden to discuss their vision for economic development throughout the city.

We also discussed their proposal to construct a new senior center which would also house the city’s Department of Health and Human Services. The project would provide for an optimally located single-building structure where seniors can engage in typical senior center activities while also accessing health and social services provided by the city’s health department.

Indoor Air Quality Grant Program

On Wednesday, I joined Senator Blumenthal, Governor Ned Lamont, and several esteemed colleagues to announce $56 million has been approved as part of the first round of grants released under the Connecticut Public Schools HVAC/Indoor Air Quality Grant Program.
 
The Indoor Air Quality Grant Program ensures Connecticut public schools have a dedicated source of funding to improve air quality within school buildings. Specifically, the program encourages public school districts to install, replace, or upgrade heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Funding for the program comes from two revenue streams - state bond funding and the American Rescue Plan Act.

Crumbling school facilities pose significant health and safety threats to more than 50 million students and 3 million teachers in public schools across the nation. No less concerning, studies show poor air quality inside classrooms takes a toll on student concentration and performance and is linked to increased school absences.

This investment in school infrastructure will help ensure students learn in the healthiest environment possible.


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