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Dear Friend,
I am back in eastern Connecticut and here with an update on my work to lower the price of groceries, bipartisan action in the House, a robust workload at Electric Boat, and more from the week. As always, thanks for starting your week here with me.
Tackling High Grocery Prices
While core inflation in May fell to the lowest levels in three years, grocery prices have remained stubbornly high which has put a major strain on families and workers. However, data show that grocery stores’ costs have come down after a surge caused by the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, yet corporations are not passing on their savings to consumers. Instead, their own profits are growing.
I am a co-sponsor of the bicameral Price Gouging Prevention Act and working to advance it through Congress to hold corporations accountable for inexcusably raising costs and finally give families breathing room.
The Price Gouging Prevention Act specifically would target dominant companies that have exploited the pandemic to boost profits; prohibit price gouging at the federal level – anytime and anywhere; require public companies to clearly disclose costs and pricing strategies; and more.
I will keep working with my colleagues to advance this measure and others that will give families more breathing room.
Again, Bipartisanship is the Only Path Forward
This week, the House advanced two of my bipartisan bills– one to preserve the Long Island Sound and the other to improve health care access for injured federal workers.
At every major juncture this Congress, I have joined a bipartisan coalition to uphold Congress’ Constitutional duty and prevent gridlock from bringing Washington to a halt. Whether it was to prevent a default on our full-faith and credit or fully fund our government, it has been a center-left, center-right coalition coming together to do the people’s work.
The bipartisan action this week in both the Natural Resources Committee and the Education and Workforce Committee demonstrated once again that, in a narrowly divided Congress, bipartisanship is the only path forward.
Here’s what you need to know about my two bills that advanced out of Committee.
The Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act, which I co-lead with Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY), reauthorizes the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Long Island Sound Programs for five years to ensure the Sound remains a valuable resource for our communities.
The bipartisan action on this bill is a very encouraging boost to the long-term efforts to preserve and manage this unique tidal estuary. Congress last established a five-year reauthorization under the then-Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Act in 2018, and it is necessary for us to renew our commitment to these critical programs.
Thank you to my fellow Long Island Sound Caucus Chairman, Congressman LaLota, for his leadership in advancing this bill through the Natural Resources Committee.
The second bill, the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act, which I have led alongside Mr. Wallberg (R-MI) for years, makes sure federal workers injured on the job receive the quality care they need.
Every member of Congress is well aware of the shortage of physicians we're facing across the country. That's why it's important to intelligently reform outdated policies that are preventing a major portion of America's workforce—federal employees—from accessing health care efficiently when they get hurt on the job, and it's why this bill is so important.
Our bill will make corrections to federal law that will relieve pressure on the physician shortage by ensuring federal employees can visit licensed Nurse Practitioners and Physician's Assistants as their primary care providers when they need treatment for workplace injuries or illnesses, which they're currently barred from doing. Our bill would also enable NPs and PAs to certify workers' claims, get reimbursed, and help federal employees from the Park Service, to the Postal Service, to the 1,000 federal workers at SUBASE New London—including firefighters, police officers, and crane operators—to get healthy and back on the job sooner.
Next, both of these bills will receive a vote from the full House.
ICYMI: No Shortage of Work for Electric Boat, Now or Into the Future
This week, Connecticut’s Fox 61 highlighted the incredible hiring growth taking place at Electric Boat thanks to a slew of work on deck through the Virginia and Columbia programs.
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| Watch the clip here. |
Right now, the shipyard is completing work on the first boat in the Columbia Class submarine program, the USS District of Columbia. As the Navy’s highest acquisition priority, this program, which is nearly three times the size of a Virginia Class submarine, has 11 more boats planned for procurement that will ensure the hiring pace at Electric Boat surges into the 2040s as serial production begins in just two years. The shipyard also has 15 Virginia Class boats under construction right now and, according to the Navy’s projections, will see work on attack submarines at the two-per-year cadence continue into the 2050s.
While I’m working diligently in Congress to make sure demand signal stays strong just as it has for the past 13 years, there’s no question that the current workload will require Electric Boat to maintain robust hiring efforts now and into the coming decades.
On the House Floor this week, I highlighted this exciting momentum made possible by the excellent training programs taking place at both technical schools and traditional high schools across the region. Take a look.
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| Watch Rep. Courtney's Floor speech here. |
Federal Resources Fueling Housing Development
There’s no question our state – like the rest of the nation – is experiencing a concerning housing shortage. But across eastern Connecticut, I am seeing promising work underway to meet the needs of our workers and families, thanks in part to federal resources.
For example, the American Rescue Plan, which Congress passed in 2021, provided Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut with funding to rehabilitate and construct 14 homes across Norwich. Last Friday, I visited one of the sites — which will soon be home to a young family — to hear from the crew about their progress.
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| Rep. Courtney visits with Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut in Norwich. |
Additionally, federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which I voted to approve, is helping local housing authorities across the state make much needed improvements to current housing stock and build new public housing units. I toured the federally-funded Thomas F. Dorsey Building alongside the Norwich Housing Authority to hear how annual funding will allow the housing authority to make building improvements.
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| Rep. Courtney meets with Vernon Housing Authority's Executive Director, Jeff Arn. |
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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