Dear John,

Welcome back to The Weekly Wrap, a recap of the week in Congress and highlights of my work. 

Last week, the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services held a hearing to discuss investments in juvenile justice programs. Also, I joined WTIC 1080AM to provide an update on the Inflation Reduction Act.Additionally, I joined students at Western Connecticut State University radio, WXCI 91.7FM to answer questions about student loan forgiveness and my bipartisan  work to support veterans. On Sunday, I spent the day honoring the lives of those lost to the tragic events of September 11, 2001. 

For the full recap, please read below. 

Investments in Juvenile Justice Programs

Research indicates the more a young person interacts with the juvenile justice system, the more likely they are to re-offend or drop out of school. If we are serious about supporting young people as they work to improve their lives, Congress must be deliberate about the resources devoted to prevention and intervention programs. 

On Thursday, the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services convened a hearing, “An Ounce of Prevention: Investments in Juvenile Justice Programs,” to hear from leaders about the ways in which proactive support services can reduce delinquency and give youth an opportunity to thrive. These support services can include job training and workforce development programs, safe and affordable housing, and childcare. 

One example of these programs is YouthBuild. The YouthBuild program equips young people with education, employment, and leadership skills while helping participants earn their high school diploma and develop skills in high need trades, such as construction, healthcare, information technology and logistics.

In April, I introduced the YouthBuild for the Future Act which would authorize $1 billion over six years for YouthBuild, and improve program supports for vulnerable young people who are not in school or employed. The YouthBuild for the Future Act was included in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) which passed in the House on May 17, 2022.  

Additional information on the YouthBuild for the Future Act is available here.

To watch the full subcommittee hearing, An Ounce of Prevention: Investments in Juvenile Justice Programs, please click here.

WTIC 1080AM and WXCI 91.7FM

On Monday, I joined WTIC 1080AM for a discussion on the Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act makes historic investments to lower healthcare costs, fight inflation, expand domestic energy production and manufacturing, and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030.

I also joined students at Western Connecticut State University radio, WXCI 91.7FM. During the interview, I answered questions about everything from student hunger to the educator profession to my bipartisan work on behalf of veterans.

The Feed Hungry Veterans Act would use U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability standards to ensure certain disabled veterans have access to vital benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and do not face barriers because of work requirements.

The Palomares Veterans Act removes barriers to benefits and compensation for the veterans who responded to the 1966 nuclear accident in Palomares, Spain. This legislation was signed into law as a part of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. 

Honoring with Action 

On Sunday, we honored the innocent lives taken from us on September 11, 2001. 21 years after this tragic event, we continue to remember the sacrifice of the first responders who answered the call of duty. I joined families and local leaders at Sherwood Island State Park, the home of Connecticut’s official 9/11 memorial.

In the afternoon, my office joined the friends, family, and fellow scouts of Ethan Cratty, member of the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 230 of Wolcott. Ethan has achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable from the Boy Scouts of America.

This honor was particularly fitting, as Ethan’s project was a parklet built to compliment the 9/11 Memorial his troop created last year. We continue to honor this day with reflection and action.

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