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Dear Friend,
I hope you had an enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend with friends and family honoring those who have served our nation. I'm here with an update on the next generation of shipbuilders, new housing developments in Willimantic, summer travel assistance, and more. As always, thanks for starting your weekend here with me.
200 Students Sign-on to Rewarding Careers at Electric Boat
This week, Grasso Tech hosted Electric Boat Signing Day which I had the pleasure to join virtually. Over 200 graduates from both traditional K-12 schools and career & technical education programs across Connecticut and New England signed on to join EB in high-skill, rewarding careers as welders, electricians, pipefitters, carpenters, and more.
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| Rep. Courtney addresses graduates and their families virtually at the Electric Boat signing day. |
Just last year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Norwich-New London job market was the fastest growing in Connecticut and the second fastest across New England. Clearly, a lot of that is being driven by Electric Boat where, in 2023, the company hired an eye-watering 5,300 new employees. For this growth to occur and continue, there have to be the right skills-training programs and educators, and these graduating students are a testament to that great effort.
As the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee, I've heard directly from Combatant Commanders about how the Virginia and Columbia programs Electric Boat is executing are of the utmost importance in responding to the challenges across the globe and keeping the US and our allies safe.
These grads will play a critical role in meeting that call.
Congratulations, again, to these new shipbuilders, their families, and their educators. I look forward to seeing you at the shipyard.
Celebrating New Housing in Willimantic
After 12 years of hard work between local, state, and federal partners, I joined community members in Willimantic last week for the Murray on Main ribbon cutting ceremony. This new housing complex, which opened its doors just six months ago, immediately filled to capacity with 16 residents and their families, and now has a waiting list. This is a testament to the pressing need for more developments, like Murray on Main, across the region.
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| Rep. Courtney speaks at the Murray on Main ribbon cutting ceremony. |
In addition to securing funding to build new housing units, I am working in Congress to deliver funding to upgrade existing housing and lower housing costs for everyone. Despite attempts from the majority party to make devastating cuts to housing programs, the final Fiscal Year 2024 budget boosted aid to help local housing authorities across the country make much-needed repairs to public housing buildings. The bill also increased funding for our most effective federal program aimed at helping families and residents make rent each month and prevent homelessness. At a time when families are struggling with the cost of living at no fault of their own, boosting support for these programs is a critical step to help families keep a roof over their heads.
Thank you to the residents at Murray on Main for the warm welcome, and to Sharon Castelli, the CEO of Chrysalis Center Housing Development Corporation, Barbara McGrath of the Northeastern CT Community Development Corporation, as well as town and state leaders for making this desperately needed housing unit a reality.
Federal Resources Fueling Small Business Growth
We're lucky to have a thriving small business scene in eastern Connecticut that spurs economic activity, employs over half of our state's workforce, and enriches our communities.
I caught up with small business owners in Willimantic last week to hear how federal aid from the American Rescue Plan Act is helping owners expand their footprint and maintain steady business.
At Trigo Wood Fired Pizza, owners Patrick Griffin and Garnet McLaughlin showed me how federal aid allowed them to complete the setup of their kitchen and seating area. Cheryl and Jim Preston of A Cupcake for Later used federal aid to purchase a mobile trailer to bring their business to farmers markets, concerts, and events. And at Grounded Coffee Company, owners Steven and Victoria Bachiochi made much needed improvements to the building. These are just a few examples of how federal aid is keeping our small business scene strong.
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| Rep. Courtney and Mayor DeVivo visit A Cupcake for Later |
My team and I are also here to help small businesses answer questions, find solutions, or just cut through the red tape when there's a problem.
On Tuesday, I visited AlphaQ, Inc., a locally-owned business in Colchester, to get an update on how my office successfully helped them resolve a matter concerning fraudulent activity with their bank. If you or your business need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out at 860-886-0139. We are here to help.
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| AlphaQ Inc. President Steve Prout gives Rep. Courtney a tour of the manufacturing facility. |
Connecticut continues to be an excellent place to open a small business. In 2023, small business applications in our state increased by 33% compared to 2019 – 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 $178.6 billion into the small business economy in 2023 – a historic level of support which is driving more entrepreneurs to open small businesses in our towns.
Summer Travel? My Office is Here to Help
If you have summer international travel plans and need to renew your passport or apply for the first time, don’t wait to act. Routine processing typically takes 6-8 weeks while expedited applications, for an additional fee, take 2-3 weeks. My Norwich office can help you navigate this process and determine the next best step– it’s one of the most frequent services we provide to Second District residents. Give us a call at (860) 886-0139.
If you are planning on making a trip down to our nation’s capital this summer, my Washington, D.C. office can help schedule tours for your family or group. We even provide guided tours of the Capitol building. Give us a call at (202) 225-2076.
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.
Sincerely,
Joe Courtney
Member of Congress
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