Dear Friend,

I know many of you are as frustrated as I am by the gridlock in Congress this year, so I wanted to take a moment to share some good news. This week, we passed the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual piece of legislation that advances funding and other priorities for our national security.  

But what I’m most excited to write to you about is the impact this legislation will have on our state. Connecticut is a national leader in defense manufacturing, and the National Defense Authorization Act commits billions of dollars to our factories with multi-year contracts for submarine and helicopter development, along with wage improvement for shipyard workers. That investment will create and maintain thousands of jobs across the state.  It also overhauls the Defense acquisition system to make it easier for Connecticut businesses to get their innovative and cutting-edge products adopted by the Pentagon.

I’m also glad that this bill includes a pay raise for all military personnel, extends and improves childcare support for military families, and strengthens workforce protections against arbitrary reductions. As we celebrate this holiday season, I’m reassured to know that we were able to deliver some security for our servicemembers in Connecticut and across the country.

As always, my office is standing by to help you with federal agencies. Please don’t hesitate to call my Bridgeport office at (203) 333-6600 if there is anything my team can do to assist you and be sure to sign up for my newsletter and follow me on Facebook and Instagram to get updates on how my work in Washington helps you here at home in Connecticut. 

Sincerely,

Jim