Dear Friend, 

It’s Joe Courtney. Here to share a quick update on the latest news from the week. As always, thanks for starting your weekend here with me. 

Supporting Local Drug Prevention Efforts

Thank you to Enfield, Ellington, and Vernon representatives from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America for coming to Congress this week to urge support for federal substance abuse prevention programs. 

Pictured: Deputy Chief Steve Kaselouskas, Mary Kay Tshonas, Alyssa Skewes, Leanne Mason-Doughty, Karen Edelson, Kelly Fisher, Amy Morales, Tessa Ridel, Timothy St. James, and Patrice Sulik

This was a critical time for their advocacy because the Trump Administration’s proposed budget sought to eliminate critical federal support for local prevention efforts. 

After long negotiation, Congress voted this past Tuesday to reject these cuts, ensuring that the hard won progress in the battle to reduce underage drinking and overdose harm and deaths in the last three years will continue. CADCA’s grassroots action from eastern Connecticut in Washington will save lives. 

Standing Up for the Caring Profession

America’s nurses continue to make their voices heard in strong opposition to the Department of Education’s insulting proposal to classify graduate nursing degrees as non-professional. At a time when we face a nationwide nursing shortage, this disgraceful classification cuts the available amount of federal student loans available to nursing students, such as nurse practitioners and nurse anesthesiologists, in half compared to what’s available for “professional” degrees. As this hearing revealed, this is a plan that will be a windfall for big banks at the expense of student borrowers. 

These student loan caps are a result of cuts in the Big Ugly Bill (H.R. 1). On January 29th, the comment period opened for the Department of Education’s proposed rule, and this week, in an Education and Workforce Committee hearing, I called on every Member of Congress to stand up for the caring profession and oppose the nursing graduate student loan caps. Watch the full clip here. 

The fantasy that we hear from those who support these student loan caps is that the caps will somehow introduce market discipline in terms of tuition costs. The fact of the matter is that banks know better because they were lobbying for these caps so that student borrowers will be forced into the private loan market. 

Of course, with private loans, there’s always an underwriting component in terms of qualifying for the loan, whether it’s a collateral requirement or a financial position where the bank can certify that it’s a low-risk loan. 

Banks recognize that this is going to be an issue for a lot of students, and are now talking about coming to Congress to ask for loan guarantees – a trip back in time in terms of the rip off that was in the student loan space where banks get total government guarantees as well as higher interest rates. 

It’s not too late for the Department of Education to reverse course on these insulting student loan caps. I will continue to urge my colleagues in Congress to stand up for the caring profession. 

Reining in Kristi Noem’s ICE & Ending the Shutdown

On Tuesday, I voted to pass a bill, H.R. 7148, which provides full year funding for 70% of the government except for the Department of Homeland Security, which was handcuffed at only 10 days while an attempt is made to put urgently needed reforms in place to stop ICE’s lawlessness.

I have not, and will not support any full-year funding bill for DHS that does not include critical reforms in law that rein in Kristi Noem's out-of-control agency. Those reforms must include: no DHS agents in masks, no detention of U.S. citizens, ending ICE’s unconstitutional policy entering people’s homes or arresting them without a judicial warrant, and full independent investigations into the homicide of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as well as other cases of indiscriminate brutality and excessive use of force by agents. 

Congressional leaders and the White House will be tested as to whether they are listening to the American people’s outrage over ICE’s lawlessness.

H.R. 7148 also ended the partial government shutdown, preventing disruptions to basic services and functions including pay for military servicemembers, Head Start, and air travel. 

The five full-year funding bills in this package, which do not include DHS, are a rare bipartisan result for Congressional oversight. The bills keep Connecticut's defense industry on a growth trajectory and go a great distance to ensure President Trump and OMB Director Russell Vought cannot hijack Congressionally appropriated funding. Critical programs like Title I funding for our schools and NIH medical research into fighting cancer, drug addiction, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and other devastating illnesses will be better protected in law from Trump cuts.

Celebrating Black History Month and Honoring CT Heroes

During Black History Month, we celebrate the rich history and contributions of Black Americans. Eastern Connecticut is home to inspiring Black leaders who have shaped our shared story.

This month, I’m remembering the story of Private First Class Mary Jewel Barlow – a Hartford-native and a member of the U.S. Army’s 6888th Postal Directory Battalion, the first and only all-black, all-female Women’s Army Corps unit to serve overseas during WWII.

The 6888th mission was to label, sort, and clear millions of pieces of mail that had been stockpiled in warehouses in England and France for months or even years. Barlow and her fellow battalion members worked tirelessly through adverse conditions, including segregated living and eating facilities, and cleared the backlog of mail in just three months, half the predicted time. The story of her battalion was recently told in the movie "The Six Triple Eight," directed by Tyler Perry.

While stationed in Rouen, France, Pfc. Barlow, Pfc. Mary H. Bankston, and Sgt. Dolores M. Brown were tragically killed in a jeep accident on July 8th, 1945. The three servicemembers were buried at the Normandy American Cemetery, three of only four women buried at the cemetery. Last summer, during a Congressional delegation to Normandy, I had the honor of visiting their gravesites.    

12 years following Mary’s death, her brother, Boce Barlow Jr., became the first Black judge in the state of Connecticut's history in 1957 and the first Black Connecticut State Senator nine years later. Service stories like Mary and Boce Barlow’s are a powerful inspiration. Black History Month is a time to ensure they receive the recognition they deserve.

Working for Connecticut Farmers

Thanks to the Tolland County Farm Bureau for hosting me at their "Friends of Agriculture" gathering to provide an update on my work in Congress for Connecticut farmers.

The President’s tariffs have driven up operating costs for farmers and farm incomes are not keeping pace. At a time when the survival of so many small farms is at risk, we need to be doing all we can to help grow their businesses, not driving up their costs

Tolland Students Excel in in STEM

Last weekend, I also had the chance to join the Tolland County Robotics Rumble. Teams of students from across Connecticut, ranging from fourth grade to high school, built, programmed, and competed against each other. These students are seriously talented. Congratulations to all of the teams for accomplishments and for developing real-world, highly-valuable STEM skills. 

Fighting for Strong Unions

Also last weekend, I joined the Connecticut State Council of Machinists in Mystic to provide an update on my work in Congress to support strong unions and grow our region’s workforce. 

Eastern Connecticut’s manufacturing sector sets the standard for the nation. That’s made possible by strong unions who secure safer workplaces and good wages for workers and their families. 

Thank you for taking some time to read my update. If my office can be of any assistance, do not hesitate to call us at (860) 886-0139. 

Sincerely,

Joe Courtney
Member of Congress

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