Dear Friend, 

After a busy week in eastern Connecticut, I’m here with an update on a honey farm in Norwich, the expansion of a clean energy technology business in Ellington, and more from the week. As always, thanks for starting your weekend here with me.

A Start-Up Connecting Eastern CT Farmers Directly to their Customers 

On Tuesday, I stopped by Drew’s Honeybees in Norwich. They partner with eastern Connecticut agricultural startup Healthy PlanEat to ship their honey directly to consumers. We have lots of farmers in the Second District who work with Healthy PlanEat’s food delivery box program to sell their fruits, vegetables, and other products. The program was created by Dr. Rosemary Ostfeld to improve access to healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. It’s also a great way to support local eastern Connecticut farms like Drew's Honeybees.

On Wednesday, Rep. Courtney visited Drew's Honeybees in Norwich, a honey farm that partners with the start-up Healthy PlanEat to ship honey directly to customers

Healthy PlanEat has run a successful pilot program for their delivery box service, partnering with local farms including Provider Farm in Salem and Cloverleigh Farm in Columbia. From their online storefront, Healthy PlanEat sells a “farmer’s box” which they deliver through the Postal Service. I’m glad to support Healthy PlanEat’s work in Congress by directing the USPS to look into how their delivery network can be used more effectively to deliver food directly from local farms to their customers. Thank you to Rosemary Ostfeld, Julia Kurnik of the World Wildlife Foundation who work in conjunction with Healthy PlanEat, and the entire team at Drew’s Honeybees for welcoming me. 

Visits to Electric Boat, the Coast Guard Academy, and the Site of the Future National Coast Guard Museum 

There’s all sorts of activity going on along the shoreline in New London County. On Monday, I visited Electric Boat, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the site of the future National Coast Guard Museum. I was glad to be joined by my friend and colleague Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, and by several others. Read more about each of our stops below! 

Make no mistake, eastern Connecticut is taking on a monumental challenge in shipbuilding. With a continued two-per-year build rate of VA-class submarines and construction of the Columbia fleet just beginning, EB is expanding its facilities to make room for increased levels of work and thousands of new jobs. On Monday, Congresswoman DeLauro and I toured EB’s massive new South Yard Assembly Building – where Columbia will be constructed — and heard about the need for skilled workers to fill open manufacturing positions. I helped kick-start the Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative with federal funding in 2016 to help us meet this challenge. The program has since graduated over 2,700 people into manufacturing careers, and the Youth MPI program is working with schools in our region to provide a new generation with opportunities to acquire in-demand skills like those EB is looking for. As shipbuilding activity ramps up in the coming years, we need to be laser-focused on sizing up the MPI and expanding it to new populations in eastern Connecticut.

Rep. Courtney, Rep. DeLauro, Sen. Murphy, and State Rep. Anthony Nolan also received an update from officials at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London on recruitment, infrastructure needs, and flight operations

We’re lucky to be the home of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, and Rep. DeLauro and I stopped by on Monday along with Senator Chris Murphy and State Rep. Anthony Nolan for an update from their leadership on recruitment efforts, infrastructure needs, and flight operations. Coast Guard Officers take on a diverse range of missions, and many people don’t know that their work has them supporting our national security all around the globe. Their training begins in eastern Connecticut, and the skills they earn here also prepare them for highly sought-after jobs once their service is completed. I’ve always been proud to support our U.S. Coast Guard, it’s great to know that new funding through the IIJA is helping them make some important infrastructure improvements at the Academy, and I’ll keep working to ensure the Academy gets the support it needs.

On Monday, Rep. Courtney, Rep. DeLauro, Sen. Murphy, and State Rep. Anthony Nolan visited the site of the future National Coast Guard Museum in New London to check-in on construction progress

Our last stop of the day was to the site of the future National Coast Guard Museum in New London. After preparation last month, cranes are now in action along the Thames River as construction kicks off. When completed, the Coast Guard Museum will provide our nation’s oldest sea service with the honor and recognition it deserves. The process of making this project a reality was years long, and I’m proud to have supported it every step of the way with my colleagues Rep. DeLauro and Sen. Murphy, who both played key roles in securing funding in this year’s budget to finally make construction possible. To keep the museum thriving, I also secured funding for future exhibits and artifacts from the Coast Guard’s 232-year history. 

Earthlight Technologies in Ellington Cuts the Ribbon on Their New Zero-Carbon Facility

Our clean energy technology sector is seeing tons of growth right now, and more is on the way thanks to investments through the new Infrastructure Law (the IIJA), and clean energy tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act. These credits will make it easier for homeowners and businesses to install energy-efficient, cost-saving, and zero-carbon appliances. There are also tax credits for solar installations and electric vehicles. I know people and businesses across eastern Connecticut are looking for ways to lower energy bills with new technology, and one of the companies that does great work to help them is Earthlight Technologies in Ellington. Earthlight works with homeowners, businesses, and farmers to install solar panels, electric vehicle chargers, and an array of energy efficiency upgrades to lower electric bills. Last Friday, I joined the team at Earthlight for the grand opening of their new zero-carbon manufacturing facility in Ellington. 

Last week, Rep. Courtney joined Earthlight Technologies at the grand opening ceremony for their new carbon-zero facility in Ellington

Thanks to co-founders CEO Tim Schneider, President Sam Schneider, and the whole Schneider family for inviting me to join them at the ribbon cutting. I also had the chance to tour the new facility and thank you to the Earthlight teams in solar and energy efficiency for showing me around. From the offshore wind hub under construction at State Pier New London to great businesses like Earthlight, we’re setting ourselves up in eastern Connecticut to be leaders in the new clean energy sector. 

On his visit, Rep. Courtney toured the new facility and spoke with Earthlight team members about their work in residential and commercial solar, electric vehicle charging stations, and energy efficient technology

Providing a Legislative Update to Veterans in Norwich 

On Tuesday, I stopped by the monthly Norwich veterans’ coffeehouse meeting to catch up with the group and provide an update on my work in Congress for eastern CT veterans. I was excited to share good news on benefits coming next year. Thanks to the Veteran’s Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, which we passed in bipartisan fashion in September, veterans with disabilities and their families will receive the same COLA benefits increase as the Social Security COLA increase. This year, that increase is a significant 8.7%. High costs tied to global inflation have been felt by everyone, and thanks to this bill that the President signed into law just last week, veterans' benefits will increase next year to keep up.  

On Tuesday, Rep. Courtney attended the Norwich Veterans' Coffeehouse at Easterseals Veterans Rally Point to provide an update on his work for eastern Connecticut veterans in Congress

I also provided an update on the Honoring Our PACT Act – a comprehensive, bipartisan veterans care bill we got done in Congress to ensure that veterans who served in the Gulf War and in the post-9/11 era will not have to go through the same long and unfair process that denied Vietnam veterans care at the VA for illnesses contracted from toxic exposure. The bill adds 23 new presumptive conditions for burn puts and other toxic exposures. It also builds on the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act to expand the presumptions of exposure to toxic substances for veterans who served in locations beyond Vietnam – including Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Guam or America Samoa, and Johnston Atoll – effective October 1st, 2022. The PACT Act also adds hypertension to the list of Agent Orange presumed conditions – effective October 1st, 2026. Vietnam veterans who are 85 years or older, homeless, or terminally ill will be eligible immediately for these changes in coverage. For a full list of VA coverage changes made by the Honoring Our PACT Act, check out my one-pager here. 

The new Easterseals Veterans Rally Point opened in Norwich last year, and has since provided amenities and services to over 5,600 individuals

This month’s Norwich veterans’ coffeehouse met at Easterseals Veterans Rally Point Center (VRP) which had its grand opening almost one year ago. The new VRP provides all sorts of amenities and services to veterans – a weight room, rock wall, resources for vets who want to start their own businesses or change careers, financial counseling, and a lot more. It was great to catch up with the team there and hear about their success serving over 5,600 individuals since the ribbon cutting in November of last year.

Medicare Enrollment is Open & Hearing Aids are Now Available Over the Counter 

Two big updates this week on lower costs for seniors. The Medicare enrollment period for 2023 is now open. Through December 7th, you can sign up to take advantage of lower costs and improved care thanks to reforms we got in Congress. Starting 2023, the monthly out-pocket cost for insulin will capped at $35/month for Medicare beneficiaries – a huge cost-saver for the one third of beneficiaries with diabetes who rely on this life-saving medication. Also in 2023, Part D beneficiaries will pay nothing out-of-pocket for more vaccines – including the shingles vaccine. You can preview available plans here and get started on signing up at medicare.gov. Take a look at all of the reforms made to Medicare under the Inflation Reduction in my one-pager here.

Starting this week, you can now buy hearing aids over the counter for cheaper prices. This is because of an FDA rule change which will now mean no prescription, no haggling with insurance, and no audiology visit is needed to purchase hearing aids. Not only will this change make acquiring them quicker and more convenient – it will drive costs down by 60% on average. That could mean as much as $3,000 in savings per pair for families. 

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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