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Dear Friend,
After a busy week in eastern Connecticut, I’m here with an update on workforce development programs, lower drug costs for seniors, and more. Thanks for starting your weekend here with me.
Hosting U.S. Labor Secretary Martin Walsh in Eastern Connecticut
On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin Walsh visited eastern Connecticut for the second time as Labor Sectary to highlight new federal support for job training programs. At a time when there are two job openings for every unemployed person in Connecticut, the need to close the skills gap so that critical occupations can be filled is the highest priority for our state. We began the day at Grosso Tech in Groton which has been the sight of a successful pre-apprenticeship program since 2016, the Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative (MPI). At the time, I worked with the Eastern Connecticut workforce board and the U.S. Department of Labor to secure $6 million dollars to start an accelerated, industry accepted metal trades training program that to date has graduated over 2,500 workers. During his visit, Connecticut announced a $70 million investment of federal American Rescue Plan funds to size-up MPI across the state as well as extend the program to health care, information technology, green energy, and construction sectors. Watch this video to learn more about the Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative and its success in eastern Connecticut.
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| Click here to watch a video on the Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative and its great success in eastern Connecticut |
MPI will continue its great work since Electric Boat and other manufacturers project a goal of over 4,000 new jobs in the region. However, Connecticut’s new program – Career ConneCT – will use MPI’s model to fill jobs in other sectors that our state’s economy needs.
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| Rep. Courtney was joined at Grasso Tech by Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and MPI graduates Chrissy Bourgoin (left) and David Dorr (right) |
From Grasso Tech, Secretary Walsh and I headed over to the Gold Star Bridge in New London to see new repairs paid for by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The skilled construction workers described their success with apprenticeship training to meet the huge increase in bridge work and road paid for by the new law. That same day, Amtrak announced $65 million to replace the 115 year old Connecticut River Bridge.
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| Rep. Courtney and Sec. Walsh's second stop on Tuesday was to the Gold Star Bridge, where the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is funding much-needed repairs to the northbound span |
Our last stop was at Three Rivers Community college to learn about their two-year Associates Program for nursing as well as a new $10 million apprenticeship nursing program which will benefit Lawrence and Memorial Hospital in New London. Secretary Walsh was extremely impressed with how our region is using federal dollars from the Department of Labor and extremely complimentary to all the workers and mentors who are showing fantastic results connecting young people and middle aged people to new careers.
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| Rep. Courtney and Sec. Walsh's final stop of the day was at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich where they joined a roundtable discussion to learn about the school's two-year Associates Program for nursing as well as a new $10 million apprenticeship nursing program |
Big thanks to Secretary Walsh for coming out to eastern Connecticut for an exciting day of stops!
Lower Drug Prices Are on the Way for Seniors
Last week, we passed the Inflation Reduction Act in Congress. Now, the President has signed it into law. This is a solid bill that's going to bring real relief to seniors and families across eastern Connecticut when it comes to lowering costs, especially with things like reforms to Medicare that will cut the cost of prescription drugs for beneficiaries and strengthen the program for future generations. Take a look at the steps the Inflation Reduction Act takes to lower drug costs.
For years, I’ve heard from seniors struggling with the rising costs of prescription medication. Now, for the first time, we’re going to see the bargaining power of Medicare be used to make sure America’s seniors have access to the same lower, fairer prices that drug companies offer to people in other countries. The Inflation Reduction Act is also going to cap out-of-pocket costs for seniors on Medicare Part D at $2,000 per year, and it’s going help prevent drug companies from jacking up prices year after year at a rate faster than inflation. These are smart investments, and they’re going to be seen directly in people’s wallets. In addition, Medicare program finances will be strengthened by eliminating wasteful spending on overpriced drugs, which will extend the life of the Medicare trust fund which is beneficial to all.
Just before I voted to help pass the Inflation Reduction Act last week, I stopped outside the Capitol to give a full breakdown of the bill—you can watch that here, and visit my Inflation Reduction Act FAQ page on my website.
Visiting an Aerospace Manufacturer in Columbia
Earlier this month, I visited Columbia Manufacturing. They are a high-performance original parts and equipment manufacturer here in CT-02 that supports America’s commercial and defense aerospace industries. They’re churning with activity these days and looking to grow.
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| Recently, Rep. Courtney visited Columbia Manufacturing, a high-performance original parts and equipment manufacturer |
Columbia provides precision components for domestic and international turbine engine manufacturers. They’ve got several major customers—like Pratt & Whitney, GE Aviation, and others. Their work is supported and authorized in Congress by the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, which I chair. Many of the aircraft they produced components for – like the F-15, F-16, and more are authorized directly by our Seapower Subcommittee.
Manufacturers like Columbia depend on apprenticeship and skills training programs like the Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative and others to fill out their workforce, and the new Career ConneCT program is going to help them grow even more. The federal funding we’ve secured in Congress allows the programs to upskill people from all backgrounds looking to start careers in manufacturing industries like aerospace.
What the Young Farmer Success Act Could Mean for Connecticut’s Farming Future
This week, I stopped by Cloverleigh Farms in Columbia to visit with Susan Mitchell and Josh Carnes. They’ve recently transformed a 90-acre parcel in Columbia into organic vegetables and hormone free beef farm. While I was there, I had the chance to pick my first melon.
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| On Wednesday, Rep. Courtney visited Cloverleigh Farm in Columbia. Owner Susan Mitchell worked with Rep. Courtney to introduce the bipartisan Young Farmer Success Act in Congress. |
Susan and Josh know firsthand the challenges young farmers face when starting out – especially when it comes to managing their student debt. Susan employs three young women to tend to the vegetables who are very inspired to be part of Connecticut’s farm future. As I heard from them, student loan debt is a huge obstacle to making a career commitment to farming.
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| While at Cloverleigh Farm, Rep. Courtney met with three young employees who are excited about a career in agriculture, but face the major barrier of their student loan debt. The Young Farmer Success Act would make full-time farmers eligible for student debt forgiveness through the PSLF program |
Over the last four years, I have worked worked with Susan and other young farmers to introduce the bipartisan Young Farmer Success Act in Congress. This bill would make full-time farmers eligible for student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Farmers grow our food, steward our land, and support rural communities. That’s true public service we rely on, but the average age of farmers in the US continues to rise – now at 59-years-old. Groups like the National Young Farmers Coalition have been raising the alarm about our agricultural workforce. Brining a new generation of young people into careers in farming and ranching has got to be a national priority. The Young Farmer Success Act aims to do that while helping young people like those at Cloverleigh peruse their passion. I’m proud that it has the support for farmers like Susan and Josh and groups like the National Young Farmers Coalition. Read more about the bipartisan Young Farmer Success Act here.
Thanks as always for taking some time to read my update. If we can be of any assistance, don’t heistate to give my Norwich office a call at (860) 886-0139. Enjoy the weekend!
Sincerely,
Joe Courtney
Member of Congress
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