Dear John,

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

Last week, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held the first full committee hearing of the 118th Congress, “Education in Crisis.” Additionally, the House Committee on Agriculture has formally organized. I am pleased to share I will serve as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.

More from the week: My staff joined representatives from the City of Danbury for the groundbreaking ceremony of Danbury Career Academy and representatives from the City of New Britain and the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) to announce a grant award through the Safer Streets and Roads for All program. Lastly, I am happy to share the Danbury Volunteer Fire Battalion will receive a $26,904 Assistance to Firefighters grant.

For the full recap, please read below.

Education and the Workforce

On Wednesday, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held its first hearing of the 118th Congress. During the hearing, my focus was on the teacher labor shortage exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Connecticut, childcare workers dropped 28% from 2019 to 2021, and weeks before classes began last fall, Connecticut schools had more than a thousand vacancies.

 No less concerning, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than half of the country's public schools reported being understaffed at the start of the 2022-23 school year, and 69% of public schools reported that the primary challenge staffing classrooms was they had too few teacher candidates applying for open positions.

During the hearing we examined the many ways in which we can work to close these gaps.

The hearing can be viewed here. 

House Agriculture Committee

On Wednesday, the House Committee on Agriculture formally organized. I will serve on the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture as the Ranking Member. 

As Farm Bill re-authorization negotiations begin, the work of this subcommittee will be crucial in ensuring robust food assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as well as support for farmers, growers, and producers. 

To learn more about the House Committee on Agriculture, please click here.

 

Danbury Career Academy Groundbreaking

Last week, my staff joined Danbury Mayor Dean Esposito for the Danbury Career Academy Groundbreaking Ceremony. The new career academy-style high schools will connect 1,400 students with career pathways during their high school education. Further, the academy seeks to expose students to various fields, including business technology, scientific innovation, and cybersecurity.

The group received congressional certificates from my office in recognition of the important work they are doing to invest in the future of our workforce.

New Britain Safer Streets for All Grant Award

My staff were also on location with New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart and the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) for the announcement of $958,000 in Safer Streets and Roads for All funding. This funding will support a safety action plan to reduce vehicular and pedestrian accidents. The Safer Streets and Roads for All Grant Program is funded by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Danbury Volunteer Fire Battalion – Grant Award

The Danbury Volunteer Fire Battalion is composed of four volunteer fire companies - Padanaram Hose Co. #3, Water Witch Hose Co. #7, Germantown Fire Department #10, and Beaver Brook Fire Department #11.

I helped to secure $26,904 in grant funding for Danbury Volunteer Fire Battalion Thirty-One, Inc. The funding will assist the department with the maintenance of personal protective equipment.

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