Dear John,

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

Last week, I attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Northwest Hills Regional Animal Facility in Torrington, a project supported by Community Project Funding I secured. Also, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions convened a hearing, Safeguarding Workers’ Rights and Liberties. The hearing focused on the ramifications of a national right-to-work law. 

More from the week:  As we marked the 35th commemoration of World AIDS Day, I joined Members of the Congressional Black Caucus to emphasize the importance of reauthorizing the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).  Additionally, on Friday, the House passed H.Res.878, legislation to expel Rep. George Santos from the House of Representatives. Lastly, I am including an update on the healthcare open enrollment period.

The full recap is available below. 

Torrington Animal Facility Ribbon Cutting

On Monday, I joined Torrington Mayor Elinor Carbone, Police Chief William Baldwin, Ray Drew, the Public Works Director, and representatives from the Northwest Hill Council of Governments for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Northwest Hills Regional Animal Facility. 

During Fiscal Year 2022, I secured $1.1 million for the construction of the Northwest Hills Regional Animal Facility through Community Project Funding (CPF). The project is also supported by $1 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. 

The Northwest Hills Regional Animal Facility will provide the City of Torrington with full-time animal control officers seven days a week and will accommodate the 19 other towns that comprise the Northwest Hills Council of Government. 

The ceremony represents years of hard work in the town. It is a great example of local communities deciding how their tax dollars should be spent. 

Safeguarding Worker’s Rights and Liberties

On Thursday, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions convened a hearing, Safeguarding Workers’ Rights and Liberties. The hearing focused on the ramifications of a national right-to-work law, as outlined in H.R. 1200, the National Right to Work Act. This legislation would be detrimental to American workers – 70% of whom approve of labor unions. 

During the hearing, I focused my remarks on how the National Right to Work Act would limit the rights of workers to unionize and bargain collectively. Last year, the subcommittee received testimony describing the numerous tactics employers use to prevent workers from forming a union at every stage of the organizing process. Further, workers across the country are seeing corporations enjoy incredible profits while they are left with stagnant wages. 

Congress should be making it easier for workers to mobilize, not harder. As your Congresswoman, I will continue to support measures that ensure workplace protections – including the right to organize.

World AIDS Day

Friday, December 1, 2023, was the 35th commemoration of World AIDS Day. Established in 1988, World AIDS Day is an opportunity to remember the lives lost to HIV/AIDS and commit to accelerating efforts to fight the disease and supporting those with and experiencing risk for HIV. 

I joined Representative Barbara Lee (CA-12) and Members of the Congressional Black Caucus for a press conference to emphasize the importance of the reauthorization of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Through PEPFAR, the U.S. government has invested over $100 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response, the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history, saving 25 million lives, preventing millions of HIV infections, and accelerating progress toward controlling the global HIV/AIDS pandemic in more than 50 countries. 

Congress must reauthorize this lifesaving legislation to end the AIDS epidemic.

Expulsion of Rep. George Santos 

Last week, the House passed H.Res.878, Providing for the Expulsion of Representative George Santos (NY-03) from the United States House of Representatives.

For several months, Representative Santos has discredited the integrity of our political processes and flagrantly misled the people of New York’s Third Congressional District. On Friday, in a vote of 311 to 114, the House acted to hold him accountable for his unethical and unlawful behavior. 

I recognize the significant precedent and critical responsibility associated with removing a Member from Congress. In the history of this institution, only five representatives have been removed from office through a vote by their peers. Article I, section 5 of the Constitution provides that “each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish it’s Members for disorderly Behavior, and with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.”

The privilege to serve in the United States House of Representatives should not be taken lightly. With nearly two dozen federal felony charges, Mr. Santos had proved he was not fit to serve in this governing body. 

Healthcare Open Enrollment Period

The deadline to apply for Medicare Open Enrollment is Thursday, December 7, 2023. You can visit http://Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to find and compare plans now. Even if you are happy with your current Medicare plan, compare all your prescription drug and health coverage options. You might find a plan with better coverage. 

Additionally, the annual open enrollment period to buy or modify an individual or family health care plan for the coming year runs from November 1, 2023, to January 15, 2024. This is the time you can shop, compare, and enroll in or renew a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) and/or Stand-Alone Dental Plan (SADP). 

To sign up for or renew your health and dental coverage, please visit https://www.accesshealthct.com/. For assistance and customer support, you are welcome to contact the Customer Support Center at 1-855-805-4325. Early reports show more than 97,000 individuals have enrolled in a health plan through Access Health CT and approximately 80% of households are projected to renew. 

If you have additional questions or if you are experiencing trouble with your health coverage, please contact my Waterbury Office at (860) 223-8412, where a member of my team would be happy to assist you.

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