Dear Friend, 

Today, we pay tribute to Dustin Demonte and Alex Hamzy—two exceptional Police Officers from Bristol who we lost yesterday in a tragic and senseless act of violence. 

The loss of these officers is a sickening reminder of the dangers our police officers face while serving and protecting our communities. Sgt. Demonte and Officer Hamzy were ambushed and killed after responding to a 911 call of reported domestic violence. Officer Alec Iurato was also seriously injured, and thankfully has since been released from the hospital. All our communities depend on brave and honorable public servants, and this is a devastating loss. Every person in our state and country should mourn this tragedy, and pray for Officer Iurato’s recovery. 

Now, a few quick updates on our work this week. 

Social Security Checks to Increase by 8.7% in 2023 

Yesterday, the Social Security Administration officially announced an 8.7% increase to Social Security checks in 2023 via the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). On average, it will mean $140 more in recipients' checks each month. At a time when higher costs have hit many seniors hard, this historic boost is welcome news. It’s also joined by impactful cost-savers that will kick in starting in January. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, the price of insulin for Medicare beneficiaries will be capped at $35/month – a massive reduction to the cost thousands of Seniors in eastern CT currently pay for this live-saving medication.

Also coming in 2023, the Medicare Part B premium will be reduced by 3%. That’s the first time in 11 years the Part B premium has gone down in its annual adjustment. In Congress, I pushed for this to happen when it became clear that the 2022 premiums were calculated on outdated drug price information and seniors were being overcharged. Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services followed suit and announced the Part B premium reduction.

On Thursday, the Social Security Administration announced the 2023 COLA for Social Security will increase checks by 8.7%

In previous years, the COLA increases to Social Security checks have been eroded by increased Medicare Part B premiums and, for seniors with diabetes, the high price of insulin – hundreds of dollars per month. In 2023, the Part B premium reduction and the capped price of insulin will mean more money from Social Security checks is kept in the pockets of seniors and people with disabilities. Starting in 2025 under the Inflation Reduction Act, we’ll also see an overall $2,000/year cap on prescription drug costs for people on Medicare – important for people with conditions like multiple sclerosis, which require treatment that currently can cost thousands of dollars per month. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare will also finally be able to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower, fairer drug prices. Please contact my office for more information on the Medicare reforms included in the Inflation Reduction Act, when and how they’re going to be rolled out, and how much they’ll save seniors in eastern Connecticut.  

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is Kick-Starting Redevelopment and Growth in Vernon

Back in June, I was excited to announce that Vernon, Stafford, and New London would each receive federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to clean up and revitalize currently vacant “brownfield” sites for future development. All three of these projects will help unlock economic potential and open up space in our towns for residential, economic, and recreational activity, and the project slated for the Town of Vernon in particularly exciting. Thanks to the IIJA, Vernon will officially receive $650,000 to restore the old Daniels Mill for future development. 

On Thursday, Rep. Courtney visited the Daniels Mill (right) in the Rockville section of Vernon with New England EPA Regional Administrator David Cash to meet with town officials and celebrate the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding which will be used to revitalize the building for future development

Cleaning up brownfield sites is particularly important in Connecticut, with our long industrial history, but it can be costly. The Daniels Mill is located in the Rockville section of Vernon, and it’s the last building in the old Amerbelle Mill Complex in need of rehabilitation. Projects like this have been on the “to-do” list for a long time, but a lack of funding has kept it out of reach—until now. Now that we passed the IIJA and it was signed into law, new Infrastructure funding is coming home to Connecticut in several different ways, and this is one of them. The IIJA provided the EPA with $180 million to clean up brownfield sites nationwide this year (as well as additional funding through 2026), and now EPA has awarded the Town of Vernon a competitive grant through the Brownfield Cleanup Grant program to revitalize the old mill, converting a currently vacant property into one that’s safe and ready for a variety of economic activity. 

I’ve been working with local officials for years to help secure necessary funding to restore the Daniels Mill and other brownfield sites, and after passing the IIJA it was great to see the Town of Vernon finally get the resources it needs to move forward on this important and exciting project. Infrastructure funding through the IIJA is already being used to make needed repairs to our region’s roads, bridges, and waterways, and it’s creating jobs and setting our towns up for economic growth though great projects like these. 

Connecting Eastern CT Students with Locally Grown Produce 

Students having healthy choices available in their school lunches is an important part of their educational development, and in eastern Connecticut, we’re home to lots of organic fruit and vegetable farmers. The federal Farm to School program helps farmers like these bring their produce to local schools – and provides students with the chance to learn more about how we grow our food. Last Friday, I stopped by the Thames River Magnet School in Groton to talk about how a recent Farm to School grant they received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – which I helped them secure – has been put to use to help improve their farming education programs, to build a new garden area, and to help improve school meals. We also got to bite into some Connecticut-grown apples. 

Last week, Rep. Courtney visited the Thames River Magnet School to hear how they’ve used a recent Farm to School grant to improve their meals program. He also met with students and enjoyed some Connecticut-grown apples.

Thanks to the great students for welcoming me, and to the staff at Groton Public Schools and Thames River Magnet School for showing me how the Farm to School grant has benefited their meals program and their food education. In Congress, my colleagues and I on the House Education and Labor Committee put kids' nutrition first when it comes to school meals programs. We authorized the first funding for the Farm to School grant program back in 2010, and since 2013, it’s helped schools implement meals programs that provide students with healthily, locally grown options – while also giving a boost to local farmers. This year, we voted to increase mandatory funding for Farm to School through the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act – which also includes my bipartisan bill to ensure kids have the choice of nutritious milk options in their lunches, the School Milk Nutrition Act. The Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act has passed in Committee, and it awaits a vote on the House floor. At Thames River Magnet School, it was great to see the benefits of the Farm to School program for kids in Groton. 

At Thames River Magnet School, Rep. Courtney was given a tour of meals program and new garden area by Principal Jamie Giordano, Groton Public Schools Superintendent Susan Austin, Groton Food Service Director Ernie Koschmiede, and more staff from GPS and the school

Deserved Recognition for Two Public Servants at the Somers Veterans Affairs Department 

We have amazing people in every corner of the Second District who do outstanding work to serve our veteran community – the largest of any Congressional District in Connecticut. At the Somers Veterans Affairs Department, Director David McCaffrey and Deputy Director Sherri Marquis have assisted thousands of veterans on issues related to care and benefits. They draw on their own experiences as Navy veterans to serve others in Somers. Last month, they received Community Service awards from the town in recognition of their tireless work. My Military and Veterans’ Representative Manuel Meneses (USN, Ret.) was in Somers to congratulate them on the deserved award. 

In Somers, Veterans Affairs Department Director David McCaffrey and Deputy Director Sherri Marquis were presented with Community Service awards for their tireless work serving the veteran community. Rep. Courtney’s Military and Veterans'’ Representative Manuel Meneses (USN, Ret.) was in Somers to congratulate them on the deserved award.

My office helps connect veterans in eastern Connecticut to the services and benefits they’ve earned. From tracking down medals to help working with the VA, don’t hesitate to give my Norwich office a call. 

Happy Birthday to the U.S. Navy

On October 13th, we marked the 247th birthday of the United States Navy. Eastern Connecticut is home to SUBASE New London, and to more Submariners, Sailors, and U.S. Navy veterans than any other part of our state. It is one of the greatest honors of my life to represent them in Congress, and it’s something I am grateful for every day.

As Chairman of the bipartisan Seapower Subcommittee, ensuring that our Navy and its sailors have the tools they need is one of my primary responsibilities. With so much activity taking place today in the Indo-Pacific and around the globe, the role of our Navy to maintain peace and security in the maritime domain remains as critically important as at any time in our nation’s history. Happy birthday to the U.S. Navy and thank you to all our Navy sailors and their families who have answered the call to serve. 

Thanks as always for reading my update. If we can be of any assistance, don’t hesitate to give my Norwich office a call at (860) 886-0139. Have a great weekend! 

Sincerely,

Joe Courtney
Member of Congress

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