Dear Friend, 

It's Joe Courtney. After a busy week, I'm here with an update on the latest news from Congress and lots more from back home in eastern Connecticut. As always, thanks for starting your weekend with me.

Voting to Avert a Shutdown

Tonight, I voted to pass a Continuing Resolution that funds the government through mid-March and – in a win for working class families – removes the demand of Elon Musk to suspend the debt ceiling, which would have cost tax payers $4 trillion. 

This bill ensures essential services remain uninterrupted, and retains several important provisions I fought for, like shipbuilding investments and essential aid for our farmers. To be clear, Elon Musk’s last minute intrusion had nothing to do with keeping the government open and was all about his selfish desire to pave the way for a tax cut for the super rich next year. Last night, I joined a bipartisan group of members to stop a blank check for Musk and his cronies.

Tonight, the House passed a continuing resolution to fund the federal government through mid-March by a vote of 366-34-1.

In eastern Connecticut, the short-term spending bill will ensure that federal employees, including roughly 9,000 sailors and officers at the Groton submarine base, will not have their pay disrupted, as well the Coast Guard Academy staff in New London. Their important work will continue uninterrupted. 

Many farms in Connecticut have felt the devastating consequences of several extreme weather events over the last two years. My colleagues and I in the Connecticut delegation have been leading the push for direct disaster assistance that is free of red tap and roadblocks and meets the real needs of our farmers and producers. I am thrilled that this bill achieves that goal.

Marking One Year Since Congress Made AUKUS a Reality

This week marks one year since Congress passed historic provisions in the 2024 national defense bill to make the AUKUS security agreement a reality. To mark this special anniversary for our three nations, and eastern Connecticut in particular, I put together a few posters and gave a breakdown of where AUKUS is now and how the U.S. submarine industrial base will make it a success. Watch below.

For evidence of AUKUS's success in real-time, look no further than the news this week from the USS Vermont. Lieutenant Commander James became the first Australian Navy submariner to earn his "dolphins" while serving aboard a Virginia-class submarine. To qualify for this award, sailors must achieve the highest level of proficiency in submarine systems, compartments, and equipment. Good on ya, LCDR James, for earning this elite qualification. I look forward to seeing many more Aussie sailors earn their dolphins.

Visiting the Fantastic Students & Teachers at Windham Tech

Last Friday, I had the chance to visit Windham Tech High School with Dr. Alice Pritchard, the new interim executive director for Connecticut’s career and technical education system. School Principal Eric Hilversum and Directors Jim Cardin (Precision Machine Shop), Rob Hany (Automotive), and Brian Charron (Carpentry) briefed us on the great success Windham Tech is accomplishing with local employers such as Electric Boat, BNL Industries in Vernon, Westminster Tool in Plainfield, and Micro Precision in Windham, to name a few. 

The high point was meeting the enthusiastic students in classrooms for machine engineering, carpentry, public safety, and automotive technology. Career and technical education opens up all sorts of doors for students. Congress must expand the Perkins Grant Program that our career and technical schools depend on. Go Tigers! 

Meeting with Stonington Farms Shellfish & the New Ranking Member of the Ag Committee

Aquaculture businesses are a huge part of eastern Connecticut's farming heritage. I'm committed to supporting them in Congress.

On Wednesday, the Ranking Member on the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota, joined me for a meeting with Stonington Farms Shellfish Company owner Elizabeth Nicolletti. The meeting came less than 24 hours after Congresswoman Craig was elected to serve as Ranking Member of the House Committee which overseas agriculture policy. 

Stonington Farms Shellfish Company is a thriving oyster farming enterprise on the banks of the Mystic River. Elizabeth briefed Ranking Member Craig on the huge upside of aquaculture and the importance of full parity in the programs of USDA as well as the businesses exciting initiative to hire and train neurodivergent populations. Thank you to Elizabeth for meeting with us. I look forward to hosting Ranking Member Craig in eastern Connecticut for visits to local farms.

Joining Andover's "Wreaths Across America" 

Last Saturday, I had the honor of joining Andover’s first ever Wreaths Across America ceremony – a nationwide holiday season tradition to remember those who served and those are are currently serving in the military. Veterans Monument Park along Route 6 was the perfect setting for this ceremony. 

Volunteers laid over 150 wreaths for veterans’ grave markers at Townsend Cemetery, Olde Burial Ground, and the First Congregational Church Cemetery. Congratulations to the townspeople who stepped up to make Andover a “Wreaths Across America” town. 

The Navy Receives the 24th Virginia-Class Submarine

On Wednesday, the Navy took control of the future USS Iowa (SSN 797), the 24th Virginia-class submarine. Congratulations to the world-class shipbuilders at Electric Boat on successful delivery of this boat, the second Virginia-class submarine delivered in 2024. Next year, the Navy will take delivery of the future USS Massachusetts and the future USS Idaho, the 25th and 26th boats in the class. 

The momentum for the Virginia-class program is strong and will be bolstered by the 2025 national defense bill. In case you missed it in last week's update, the national defense bill authorizes funding for two Virginia-class submarines, full funding for the Columbia program, a wage increase for Electric Boat’s frontline shipyard workers, and makes critical investments for the submarine industrial base to meet demand. After we passed the defense bill in the House last week, the Senate followed suit on Wednesday, and soon, the President will sign in into law.

The Infrastructure Law Delivers New Buses for River Valley Transit

Good news. On Tuesday, River Valley Transit held a ribbon cutting on two new electric buses, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. These buses are better for our environment, quieter for riders and the neighborhoods they drive through, and come with in-seat USB chargers – pretty handy. 

The two new buses will launch in January as part of the River Valley Transit fleet that operates throughout Middlesex County, and also provides service to Madison, Meridian, and New London. Most services are open to the general public with no age or disability restrictions.

This is yet another example of the Infrastructure Law, which Congress passed in 2021, modernizing transportation infrastructure in eastern Connecticut. To view River Valley Transit bus route schedules, click here. 

Congratulations to Killingly High School

Congratulations to the Killingly High School football team. Last Friday night, they "ran the table", defeating a very good Sheehan-Wallingford team to secure another Connecticut state title. Great players, great coaching, and lots of support in town – that’s an unbeatable combination! 

Thanks for taking some time to read my update. 

I hope you and your loved ones enjoy a happy and peaceful holiday next week. 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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