Dear Friend, 

It’s Joe Courtney. It’s been a busy week here in eastern Connecticut. I want to share an update on my continued work to protect Social Security and health care programs from cuts by the Trump Administration. Thank you for starting your Easter Weekend here with me. 

Hands Off Social Security 

President Trump promised: “I won’t touch Social Security." Now, he’s given Elon Musk total access to the Social Security Administration. 7,000 staff gone, offices closing, website crashes, and Americans' private Social Security data in the hands of an unelected billionaire. 

My office is being inundated with calls from constituents concerned about the status of their earned benefits under Trump Administration policies. On Tuesday, I held a town hall at the Estuary in Old Saybrook to hear directly from seniors. The message back from the room was clear: don’t let an unelected billionaire touch our earned benefits. 

Then, I held a rally outside of the New London Social Security Administration Office with Mayor Passero and the Alliance for Retired Americans. Nearly 200 people came to voice their anger that President Trump has given Elon Musk free rein over Social Security and other bedrock federal services.

It’s not fear mongering or hyperbole. Elon Musk himself has called Social Security a “Ponzi Scheme," called it an “entitlement," and marked it as “the first one to eliminate." 

Americans pay into Social Security their entire working lives. It’s a hard-earned benefit that 164,000 people in Connecticut rely on every month. I won’t sit back and let the richest man in the world take it away.

Real-Life Consequences of Gutting Health Care 

Since January 20, I’ve heard from thousands of constituents who are rightly outraged by two reckless decisions: the GOP’s budget proposal, which passed just last week and would slash Medicaid by $880 billion (according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office), and Elon Musk’s DOGE policies, which have gutted staffing and research at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Last night, I hosted a live conversation with two excellent guests: Laura Gregory, an advocate from Old Saybrook living with MS, and the Curran family, whose son Conner has Muscular Dystrophy. They shared their powerful stories and we talked about the urgent need to protect Medicaid/HUSKY and health care research as President Trump and his allies in Congress push for devastating cuts. Watch here. 

Watch the recording on YouTube here.

The Curran Family relies on Medicaid/HUSKY to cover expenses to care for their son, Conner, and help him live an active childhood. Conner’s father, Christopher, said, “If we didn’t have Medicaid he wouldn’t be able to go to college… Every parent would want their child to be able go to school, fulfill their dreams whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, this is real life stuff that effects real people…” 

He’s exactly right. 

It’s not just the Curran family speaking out. Dozens and dozens of medical professionals, advocacy groups, families, hospitals, and nonprofits are sounding the alarm on the GOP’s plan to gut the Medicaid program.

Cuts to staffing and research at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), have affected scientists and public health experts responsible for infectious disease research, cancer and neurological studies, new drug approvals at the FDA, and outbreak tracking.

It also impacts MS patients like Laura who shared the real benefit the NIH has provided to the MS community. Laura told me last night that, because of NIH funding, we have over 20 medications available for MS patients and we are seeing disease progression slow. But now, because of the wrecking ball taken to the NIH, research to find cures to MS will stall.  

These cuts cannot stand. That’s why I am pushing back against them alongside the grassroot, coast-to-coast coalition made up of individuals, families, patients, and providers who are doing everything we can to tell President Trump and Elon Musk to keep their hands off our health care. 

I’ll keep you updated as Speaker Johnson and the House Energy and Commerce Committee take additional action in the coming weeks on their devastating budget plan. 

Recognizing Connecticut's Small Business Person of the Year - Michelle Nicholson of Hebron

Congratulations to Michelle Nicholson, Owner and Founder of Flour Girl Bakery in Hebron, who earned the Connecticut Small Business Person of the Year award! Yesterday, I joined SBA Connecticut District Director Catherine Marx, Hebron Town Manager Andrew Tierney, State Rep. Steve Weir, and local business leaders to recognize Michelle’s success and contributions to the Hebron community. I tried one of the cheese scones – it was amazing! 

Small businesses are the lifeblood of Connecticut’s main streets. Thanks to small businesses like Flour Girl Bakery, Hebron’s Main Street is a thriving, walkable area for town residents and visitors from across our region. 

Michelle is one of three small business owners in eastern Connecticut who are being recognized by SBA Connecticut in 2025. Aimee Filippetti, owner Never Enough Bake Shop in Mystic is SBA CT’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and Seacoast Mushrooms in Stonington, owned by Chris Pacheco, is SBA CT’s Veteran Business of the Year. Business is booming in eastern Connecticut.

Visiting Enfield Loaves & Fishes 

On Monday, I visited Enfield Loaves & Fishes, a nonprofit organization which is being impacted by the Trump Administration’s cuts to federal emergency food assistance and “farm to food banks” programs that have been so successful.

Here’s what happened: Connecticut Foodshare receives trucks of food via a federal program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, known as TEFAP, which is operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Connecticut Foodshare then distributes that food to pantries across Connecticut, including Enfield Loaves & Fishes. 

In March, the Trump Administration announced it was withholding Congressionally appropriated TEFAP funding and canceling the Local Food for Schools program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which are federal programs a part of TEFAP. Shortly after, Connecticut Foodshare alerted my office that dozens of trucks had halted deliveries of food products to our state’s food banks.

The great team at Enfield Loaves & Fishes, led by Maya Matthews, provides hot meals every day to those in need. The notion that the Executive Branch can just withhold federal funding for a program that has already been lawfully appropriated is just completely wrong and immoral. I sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Rollins expressing my deep concern and requesting information on how the Department plans to rectify the challenges food pantries are now facing. 

Celebrating UConn Women's National Championship 

All of Connecticut is so proud of the UConn Women’s Huskies incredible achievement. Last Sunday, I had the chance to join the team and a huge crowd in Hartford to celebrate the program’s 12th National Championship. 

A Beautiful Community Recreation Center in New London 

The New London Community Recreation Center is going to be a transformational addition to the city, right on the Thames River at the historic Fort Trumbull site. On Tuesday, I joined Mayor Passero and New London Director of Recreation Joshua Posey for a tour of the center.

Thanks 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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