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Dear Friend,
After a busy week in Congress, I’m back home in eastern Connecticut. Here with an update on a strong bipartisan call to keep submarine construction steady, work-based learning for students, and lots more. As always, thanks for starting your weekend here with me.
Leading the Bipartisan Call for Two-Virginia Class Submarines
This week, I led 132 bipartisan Members of Congress in calling for full funding for two Virginia-class submarines in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget. This comes after the Navy’s initial 2025 budget request to Congress included funding for just one Virginia submarine.
The submarine industrial base is picking up the tempo post-COVID: Record hiring at Electric Boat (5,300 hires in 2023 and 5,200 hires planned in 2024), rising starting wages under a new five-year labor agreement, supplier investments in new manufacturing technology, and hugely successful workforce training programs. Combined, these are delivering results for the Virginia-class program.
Four Virginia submarines are set to be delivered to our Navy in a 14-month window between October 2023 and December 2024. For keeping the momentum strong and growing U.S. undersea supremacy, there is no alternative other than consistent funding for two Virginia submarines in the federal budget. That's what I hear constantly from eastern Connecticut shipbuilders and suppliers, and this week, Members of Congress showed that they have their backs.
Visiting Ellis Tech Students in the School's Work-Based Learning Program
At Ellis Technical High School in Danielson, work-based learning is providing students with career paths at local employers and lifelong skills across industries. I recently met with current Ellis Tech students and graduates at Woodstock Building Associates, A. Reynolds Electric LLC, and Vanilla Bean Café in Pomfret.
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| Rep. Courtney with Ellis Tech students at Woodstock Building Associates and A. Reynolds Electric |
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| Rep. Courtney with Ellis Tech students at Vanilla Bean Café |
At a time when Connecticut has tens of thousands of job openings, this program at Ellis Tech is exactly what our workers, businesses, and economy need. It was a pleasure to hear about the valuable skills and experiences the work-based learning provides to students, setting them up for a rewarding career.
Helping Protect Firefighters from Toxic Chemicals
The brave work firefighters take on every day puts them at high risk for toxic chemical exposure. Keeping equipment clean when they return to the station is critical for safety.
As a 2024 Community Project, I worked with the Town of Lisbon and the Lisbon Fire Department to secure $140k in federal funding for uniform decontamination machines at their new – currently under construction – fire station.
I met with former Lisbon Fire Chief and current Chairman of the Fire Station Building Committee Mark Robinson, First Selectman Tom Sparkman, and incoming Fire Chief Dave Gifford for a tour of the station. The decontamination machines will be accompanied by a new shower system to keep firefighters safe from toxic exposure.
Celebrating Opening Day at Vernon's Miracle Field
Last Saturday, we celebrated Opening Day at the new Vernon Miracle Field. After years of fundraising and recruitment, the baseball field will now give children with physical and cognitive challenges opportunities to play sports.
Kudos to Steve and Laurel Liebowitz for their steadfast volunteer work to make this safe, state of the art ball field a reality for the Vernon community. Federal funding from the American Rescue Plan contributed to the cause, but most of the project was funded through grassroots heartfelt donations.
Play ball!!!
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| Left: Steve Liebowitz |
Meeting with the Connecticut Teacher of the Year
This week, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes and I had the chance to meet with Connecticut Teacher of the Year Kiana Foster-Mauro from New London's Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School and Rhode Island Teacher of the Year Aimee Couto.
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| Left to right: Rep. Jahana Hayes, CT Teacher of the Year Kiana Foster-Mauro, Rep. Joe Courtney, RI Teacher of the Year Aimee Couto |
Connecticut has a track-record of excellent educators and school districts across the state. It’s part of what makes our state a great place to call home. Ahead of Teacher Appreciation Week beginning this Monday, thank you to our brilliant educators for all they do to help every student succeed!
Supporting Preston Public Works
Making needed facility and equipment upgrades can be costly projects for our towns. As a 2024 Community Project, I worked with Preston to secure $279,000 to replace the Town’s antiquated and deteriorating winter sand storage shed and to purchase a generator for the Town’s Public Works facility, which has frequently lost power, putting the Department’s fuel-system, garage doors, and communications offline.
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| Preston Public Works' old winter sand storage site |
I caught up with Preston First Selectman Sandra A. Gauthier, Town Director of Finance and School Business Operations Cynthia Varricchio, and Public Works Crew Leader Adam Collins to see where the upgrades will be made.
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| Left to right: Public Works Crew Leader Adam Collins, Director of Finance and School Business Operations Cynthia Varricchio, Rep. Courtney, First Selectman Sandra A. Gauthier |
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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