Dear John,

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

Last week, the House and Senate convened for a joint session of Congress with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. During his address, the Prime Minister highlighted the start of a new era between the United States and Japan. Also, the House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a hearing of Veterans benefits legislation including my bill, the Caring for Survivors Act.

More from the week: I spoke in support of The Stronger Workforce for America Act, a bipartisan reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Additionally, I met with representatives from Save the Children to discuss global anti-hunger initiatives; and I participated a National Hunger Seder with MAZON: a Jewish Response to Hunger.

Finally, I am including an update on the 2024 Congressional Art Competition.

For the full recap, read below. 

The U.S. – Japanese Alliance 

Last week, the House and Senate convened for a joint session of Congress with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

During his address, Prime Minister Kishida highlighted the start of a new era in the alliance between the United States and Japan. The address also highlighted the importance of the United States continuing to serve as a defender of democracy.

The full address can be found here. 

Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs 

On Thursday, the House Committee on Veterans Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on several pieces of legislation to improve Veterans benefits, including my bill the Caring for Survivors Act.

The Caring for Survivors Act would adjust monthly benefits for family members and survivors of veterans who lost their lives in service to the United States by increasing Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). The legislation will support thousands of military and veteran survivors who feel their current benefits are less than they have earned and have not been adjusted over time.

The Caring for Survivors Act builds on my legislation to support veterans, which has been signed into law by both Democrat and Republican administrations.

To learn more about The Caring for Survivors Act, click here.

To learn more about my work to support Veterans, click here.

A Stronger Workforce for America

The A Stronger Workforce for America Act is bipartisan legislation to reauthorize and improve the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Specifically, the legislation upgrades the skills of the American workforce by dedicating 50 percent of the adult and dislocated worker funding towards upskilling workers, creates an emphasis on employer-led initiatives that equip workers with the skill sets to fill jobs in critical industries and help the currently employed workforce upskill to avoid displacement and advance their careers, and ensures workers displaced from their jobs through no fault of their own can access robust skill development services, including through “individual training accounts.”

The A Stronger Workforce for America Act also includes provisions from my legislation, the YouthBuild for the Future Act. YouthBuild is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational services for opportunity youth ages 16-24 who left school without a secondary diploma. My bill expands the program to ensure more opportunity youth in the Fifth District can have successful futures.

On Monday, I spoke in support of the critical legislation. Listen to my remarks here. 

Save the Children 

Save the Children is an international humanitarian organization that has worked to protect children for more than 100 years. In 2022 alone, Save the Children programs helped 118 million children in 116 countries become healthier, safer, and better educated.

On Wednesday, I met with representatives from the organization to discuss our shared commitment to fighting global hunger. Specifically, we discussed programs like Food for Peace and McGovern Dole Food for Education, both of which are supported by the Farm Bill.

Administered by the United States Agency for International Development (U.S. AID), the Office of Food for Peace provides emergency and long-term food assistance to vulnerable populations. The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program helps support education, child development, and food security in low-income food deficit countries around the globe.

International food aid programs are critical to alleviating food insecurity and must remain a part of Farm Bill negotiations.

MAZON’s 15th Annual National Hunger Seder

MAZON: a Jewish Response to Hunger is a national organization fighting to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and Israel.

On Thursday, I attended a National Hunger Seder with MAZON: a Jewish Response to Hunger. The occasion marked the Passover holiday, an important time for people of the Jewish faith.

During the seder, I heard the retelling of stories and discussions that reaffirmed my commitment to ending global hunger.

2024 Congressional Art Competition Showcase – Now Open

The submissions are in!

Students all across the Fifth have submitted artwork for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition - over 200 submissions have been received. 

All are welcome to view the artwork on display at a special exhibit hosted by the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, now through May 5th. 

Lastly, congratulations to the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies who have earned their sixth NCAA men’s basketball championship. UConn is now the first school to win back-to-back NCAA titles in both men’s and women’s basketball. Connecticut is truly the “basketball capital of the world.”  Go Huskies!

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