Dear Friends, 

Americans are getting squeezed by high prices everywhere they look – at the grocery store, pharmacy, and the kitchen table. Whether it’s cuts to health care and food assistance or new tariffs, President Trump’s policies have only raised costs even more. In Congress, I’m fighting back against his wrongheaded agenda and offering real solutions to help families make ends meet.  

Even after Congress authorized funding to keep food assistance flowing to families during the recent government shutdown, it was shameful to watch President Trump block SNAP benefits from going out. Connecticut rose above these political games. Governor Lamont authorized funding to ensure SNAP recipients received their full November benefits, and food pantries across the state – from Hands on Hartford to Midwest Food Bank in Manchester – stepped up to get meals on the table. While federal funding for SNAP has resumed, massive benefit cuts are still on the way thanks to the Republican Budget. I recently introduced two bills with Rep. Jahana Hayes to reverse these cuts to nutrition benefits and prevent the President from withholding benefits from families in need.

Reps. Larson and Joe Courtney visit Midwest Food Bank in Manchester.  

I am also proud to report that, together, we defeated the Trump Administration’s plan to curtail Social Security disability benefits. Their proposal could have denied more than 750,000 Americans the support they have earned and need, after a lifetime of playing by the rules. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and I led a coalition of 165 House Democrats to halt this plan – and after a month of public outcry, it was withdrawn. At a time when older Americans were just hit with a Medicare Part B premium increase and only a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security, it won’t be enough to just protect benefits. We need to expand them during this cost-of-living crisis. I introduced the Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act with Rep. Steven Horsford and Senator Elizabeth Warren to do just that. Our bill would provide a $200/month emergency benefit increase – to help seniors, veterans, and disabled workers with a little bit more breathing room to pay the bills.

   Reps. Larson and Debbie Wasserman Schultz discuss Trump's plan to strip disability benefits, and how they fought to defeat it.

Just yesterday, Medicare announced a new round of lower costs for some of the most commonly prescribed medications, including Ozempic and Wegovy. I helped author and pass the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, finally empowering Medicare to directly negotiate prices for consumers and capping out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors at $2,000/year. Last week, I joined a group of my colleagues to put forward the Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act, a comprehensive plan to rein in pharmaceutical price gouging and expand the cost savings we achieved for seniors on Medicare to all Americans. You can read more about our plan HERE.   

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. May you enjoy the holiday surrounded by friends, family, and lots of great food. If you have any questions or need assistance with a federal agency, you can reach out to my office at any time at 860-278-8888. To follow what I’m working on both in Washington and in Connecticut, visit my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or follow me on Instagram.     

Regards,

John B. Larson
Member of Congress