Dear John,

I am writing with a new update from The Weekly Wrap, a recap of the week in Congress and highlights of my work.

Last week, the House considered legislation to ensure our communities are safer, healthier, and embody the diversity they represent. This includes the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – legislation to reduce the threat of gun violence across our country; The Keep Kids Fed Act, legislation to ensure schools can provide meals during the academic year; The Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act, which reauthorizes several key mental health programs and The LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, legislation to ensure individuals in the LGBTQI+ community are represented in federal survey data.

At the same time, I recognize the devastating impact the Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’ s Health Organization has had in communities across our state. Reproductive care and abortion access are essential. I will continue to fight so every person can make their personal health care decisions.

For the full recap, please read below. 

Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

After weeks of negotiations, and decades of delay Congress has passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act,comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation to protect America’s children, keep schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across the country. 

This legislation: 

• Provides $750 million to support state crisis intervention orders to help ensure deadly weapons are kept out of the hands of individuals who have been identified as a danger to themselves or others;
• Includes $250 million to support community-based violence prevention initiatives;
• Outlines an enhanced review process for buyers under 21 years of age; and 
• Allocates $300 million through the STOP School Violence Act to institute safety measures in and around schools, support school violence prevention efforts, and provide training to school personnel and students.

While I would have liked to see additional commonsense approaches to reduce gun violence in the package, I see this legislation as a start, and this bill represents meaningful action to save lives in Connecticut’s Fifth District and across the nation. We will always remember the families impacted by gun violence and continue to honor their memory with action. The bill heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature.

Additional information on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is available here. 

Keep Kids Fed Act

In Connecticut, 1 in 7 children face hunger. Children in food insecure households have a higher risk of being hospitalized in early childhood and suffering from chronic diseases, such as asthma. Equally as concerning, for adolescents, food insecurity is linked to mental health issues, such as depression and suicidal ideation. 

The House took action to help address and prevent child hunger by passing the bipartisan Keep Kids Fed Act. The legislation will ensure schools can continue providing meals for students as the academic year comes to an end. Specifically, the Keep Kids Feds Act would:

• Provide nationwide waiver authority for school meal flexibilities that do not increase costs;
• Allow waivers related to Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) during the summer months;
• Increase reimbursement rate for the 2022-2023 school year by an additional 15 cents per breakfast and 40 cents per lunch; and 
• Provide enhanced support for the Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP). 

Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 youth experienced mental illness in 2020. 

Last week, the House passed the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act, legislation to reauthorize key mental health and addiction programs, expand access to treatment, improve parity, and promote quality recovery housing to address the mental health and substance abuse crises facing millions of Americans. 

LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act

Last week, the House also passed the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act. This legislation would require federal agencies to collect voluntary information on sexual orientation and gender identity when collecting demographic survey data. 

This legislation will help to ensure lawmakers have the full and accurate data they need to better serve and better understand barriers facing LGBTQI+ constituents.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update. As always, please continue to share your thoughts and priorities with me.

Jahana Hayes

Member of Congress