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Dear Friend,
I hope you and your family enjoyed a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving.
I’m thankful every day to have the honor of representing eastern Connecticut in Congress, and this week, I caught up with local volunteers who helped ensure families had access to quality Thanksgiving meals. Here with an update on those visits and more. Thanks for starting your weekend here with me.
Caring Communities Providing Thanksgiving Meals to Families in Need
At local food pantries, volunteers have worked hard this past week to provide turkeys and fixings to families in need and ensure that everyone has access to a quality meal on Thanksgiving. I made stops to St. Vincent de Paul Place in Norwich and Enfield Food Shelf to lend a hand in their annual Turkey drives. With the help of donations from local community partners, the food pantries have once again helped to meet the needs of our communities this holiday.
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| Last Friday, Rep. Courtney joined St. Vincent de Paul Place and Mohegan Tribe for their annual Turkey Drive in Norwich |
Federally funded food assistance programs are an indispensable resource for many families in Connecticut. In Congress, I’m working to ensure these programs – including the Emergency Food Assistance Program hosted at St. Vincent de Paul Place – receive steady funding in the 2024 budget. During a time of rising need nationwide, there is no excuse for cuts to food assistance as the House majority has proposed.
Thank you to all the volunteers at eastern Connecticut food pantries for your vital service.
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| On Monday, Rep. Courtney joined the Enfield Food Shelf for their annual Turkey Drive |
Supporting Small Businesses
We’re lucky to have a thriving small business scene in eastern Connecticut. This week, ahead of tomorrow’s Small Business Saturday, I joined SBA Connecticut District Director Katherine Marx and North Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Karen Campbell in Enfield with Mayor Ken Nelson and more local officials for a small business tour. We met with local business owners at floral business the Growth Company, Darly’s Boutique, and furniture restoration store One Piece at a Time.
 On Tuesday, Rep. Courtney, SBA Connecticut District Director District Director Katherine Marx, North Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Karen Campbell, Enfield Mayor Ken Nelson, and more visited small businesses the Growth Company, Darly’s Boutique, and One Piece at a Time. |
Connecticut continues to be an excellent place to open a small business. Last year, small business applications in our state increased by 35% – a continuation of surging growth since our bounce back from the pandemic. Small businesses employ nearly half of our state’s workforce. This growth is thanks in part to historic federal investments from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Nationwide, the SBA invested $162.9 billion into the small business economy in 2022 – a historic level of support which is driving more entrepreneurs to open small businesses in our towns. Tomorrow, we can support our small business, retail stores, entertainment venues, restaurants, and more by shopping small.
Expanding Access to Local Recovery Services
On Tuesday, I joined Hartford HealthCare for the grand opening of the newly renovated Ridge Recovery Center in Windham. This spectacular, over 50 bed, 47,000 square ft. facility is urgently needed as we continue to tackle the plague of opioid addiction in our communities. Prior to the opening of the Ridge Recovery Center, there were only a few, if any, beds available at treatment centers in eastern Connecticut – meaning thousands of people in need of treatment have been unable to access it. Now, access to a wide range of high-quality treatment services close to home will be greatly improved.
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| On Tuesday, Rep. Courtney was joined by President and CEO of Hartford HealthCare Jeffrey Flaks, Senior Vice President and East Region President Donna Handley, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Tribal Elder Herb Halfcrow Boyd Jr., Vice President of Rushford Operations Kristie Scott, Senior Vice President Jim O'Dea, State Senator Cathy Osten, and Mayor Tom DeVivo |
My office and I are continuing our work to secure federal resources for treatment centers, organizations working to prevent substance misuse, and law enforcement working to prevent fentanyl and other opioids from entering our communities.
Recently, President Biden struck an important agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping to crack down on companies in China that produce chemical precursors for fentanyl. This is aimed at limiting the exportation of these chemicals from China to Mexico, where much of fentanyl in the United States is produced. Then, in a meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the President secured a commitment from Mexico’s leader for greater cooperation to prevent the trafficking of fentanyl into the United States. In Congress, I’m pushing for further action, namely boosting resources to step up apprehension of fentanyl at our border with Mexico and making fentanyl-related substances permanent Schedule 1 drugs before current scheduling expires.
Highlighting Lower Health Care Costs
During the open enrollment windows for Medicare and Access Health CT plans, my office and I are working alongside Connecticut organizations and providers to answer questions about 2024 coverage. On Tuesday, I hosted a roundtable discussion to highlight health care provisions we passed in the Inflation Reduction Act which are lowering costs for Connecticut residents.
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| On Tuesday, Rep. Courtney hosted a roundtable on open enrollment and lower health care costs with Generations Family Health Center, the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Access Health CT, and Connecticut residents who are saving costs thanks to provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. |
The Inflation Reduction Act extended enhanced premium subsidies for health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. These subsidies were originally passed under the American Rescue Plan and were critical cost savers for families during the pandemic. They were set to expire, but thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, ACA subsidies are now extended to 2025 and are available to more families. The enhanced premium subsidies will save many Connecticut families thousands of dollars each year in health care costs.
Long-awaited provisions to lower prescription drug costs for seniors are now in effect thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. During our discussion on Tuesday, we heard from Jewett City resident Deb Golas who has saved hundreds of dollars per month thanks to the $35/month cap on insulin costs included in the bill. Also under an Inflation Reduction Act provision, adult recommended vaccines, including the once costly shingles vaccine, are now free.
Thank you 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. Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Joe Courtney
Member of Congress
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