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Dear Friend,
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! A few fun facts to start my weekly update: CT-02 is the most Irish Congressional District in CT. Over 120,000 residents in the Second District claim Irish heritage, but I know many more are celebrating today. Norwich also ranks as one of the Top 25 most Irish cities in the entire U.S.! In one of the most Irish states in the country (#7), there’s no better place to celebrate today than in CT-02.
Now, a few important updates on the AUKUS security agreement, expanded STEM learning in our schools, and lots more. Thanks for starting your weekend here with me.
A Bold Path Forward for AUKUS & an Important Role for Eastern CT to Play
On Monday, with the Groton-build USS Missouri (the Mighty Mo!) as the backdrop, I joined President Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for the announcement of a bold path forward for the AUKUS security pact. Our three nations have worked together for over 70 years to protect shared values and promote security throughout the world. In September 2021, a new era of our partnership was ushered in with AUKUS – a trilateral security pact to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific and deter potential conflict in the region. The centerpiece of the agreement is the goal of helping the Australian Navy modernize its submarine fleet with nuclear propulsion – extending their undersea reach and stealth. Their subs will be nuclear-powered – not nuclear-armed and thus in compliance with the UN Non-Proliferation treaty. This week's announcement is a major milestone in our nations' historic alliance, based on shared interests and shared democratic values. I was excited to join officers from all three Navies in San Diego – particularly Admiral Frank Caldwell, Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. No one has worked harder than Admiral Caldwell to bring us to this day. The United States has shared this technology only once before in 1958 with our UK allies. I also had a chance to speak with the New Labor Party Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who I have gotten to know from prior trips to Australia, about the impressive bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress and Australian Parliament for this endeavor. His Aussie enthusiasm was infectious for all of us in attendance.
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| On Monday, Rep. Courtney joined President Biden, Prime Minister Albanese, and Prime Minister Sunak for the announcement of new details for the AUKUS security pact. Rep. Courtney was also joined by Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program ADM. Frank Caldwell, United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Rep. Scott Peters, Rep. Sara Jacobs, sailors from all three navies, and many more who've worked to support AUKUS |
Congress is going to need to act to deliver on the plan laid out by the three heads of state. I’ve been working to build bipartisan support and pass legislation for AUKUS through the AUKUS Working Group – chaired by myself, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA), and Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT). We’re ready to keep our work up.
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| Click here to read more about the new details announced for AUKUS this week |
It’s clear that eastern Connecticut is going to play a critical role in making AUKUS a success. From our shipbuilders and submariners in Groton, to suppliers in every corner of the Second District, we deliver best in class nuclear-powered submarines for our Navy. With a 2-per-year build rate for Virginia-class submarines, continued construction of the Columbia fleet, and new work to support the sale of Virginia-class submarines to Australia in the 2030s, shipbuilding could be reaching near all-time highs. That’s great news for our entire region.
In Congress, we’ve prepared for this by making historic investments in our shipyards and suppliers. The 2023 federal budget included $751 million for the submarine industrial base, and in the President FY2024 budget request, he kept that investment strong. Increased shipbuilding means more work opportunities, and at Electric Boat’s Hiring Days, people are even getting job offers on the spot. Thanks in large part to federal investments in hugely successful Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative, those people are able to complete training and begin work in high-skill positions in a matter of weeks. Read more here in the Day.
Federal Funding is Helping Expand STEM Learning for Younger Students
Between AUKUS, rising demand for subs by our own US Navy, and other big-time opportunities like clean energy production and increasing need for skilled workers in all sorts of industries, there’s going to continue to be a ton of career opportunities here in our region. That’s great news, but it’s only part of the equation—we’ve also got to make sure that people in eastern CT have access to top-notch skills-training programs, including young people. That’s a major part of making sure people have the experience they need to go after these high-skill, high-pay careers, and growing our workforce will help us keep attracting even more new opportunities.
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| On Thursday, Rep. Courtney joined School Principal David St. Jean, Navy STEM Program Administrator Alex Gray, and students from UConn at Plainfield Central Middle School for an update on the federally funded program 'DoD STEM' |
Eastern CT already has one of the highest performing skills-training programs in the nation—EWIB’s Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative, which I was proud to help get going—but one of my biggest priorities has been expanding these opportunities to more young people and students. On Thursday, I visited Plainfield Central Middle School to see some of that work up close. With federal funding I voted to secure, local schools like Plainfield Central Middle are now teaming up with UConn and the U.S. Navy to help expand STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning to classrooms in eastern CT. The program—called DoD STEM—is giving students in our region a great chance for focused learning in high-demand fields like biotechnology and more, and it’s helping them attain knowledge and skills from an early age that can be built upon and will be valuable for their entire lives.
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| Through the DoD STEM program, UConn and the Navy are partnering with eastern Connecticut schools expand STEM learning opportunities for students |
I was glad back in 2021 to announce that UConn was awarded a $3 million federal grant through DoD Stem, and this week it was great to see those resources in action. UConn and the Navy STEM Ambassadors they’re teaming up with have done great work to expand these new learning opportunities to kids ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade, and they’re inspiring them to learn about all sorts of new career opportunities. Big thanks to everyone who helped show us around on Thursday—Navy STEM Program Administrator Alex Gray, Asst. Research Professor for Instructional Engineering at UConn Lexi Hain, and to all the faculty at Plainfield Central Middle School!
Great News on Lower Drug Costs for Seniors & All Americans
Some huge wins this week in the fight to lower drug costs for Americans. After Congress put the pressure on drugmakers by capping the cost of insulin at $35/month for Medicare beneficiaries, the three largest producers of insulin have now followed suit with price cuts.
The first crack in the dam came when Eli Lilly announced it would cap the price of its insulin at $35/month for Americans on private insurance plans. That was followed on Tuesday by Novo Nordisk lowering its list price for insulin by up to 75%, and then yesterday, Sanofi joined Eli Lilly in the $35/month insulin price cap for private insurance plans. These three companies make up roughly 90% of the insulin market in the U.S., and their decision to lower the cost of this life-giving drug is a result of Congress’ action last August. Make no mistake, the cost of insulin – a drug which has been off-patent for over 100 years – should be $35/month for every American by law. I strongly support this and voted in the last Congress to make it law with the Affordable Insulin Now Act. It’s unfortunate that the Senate limited the scope of our price cap, but encouraging to see Congress' action create a domino effect in which insulin prices come down for more Americans. All three price cuts announced by these companies will take effect on January 1st, 2024.
More good news came on Wednesday, when the Department of Health and Human Services announced 27 medications that will have their prices lowered because of a provision in our Medicare reform bill that prohibits drugmakers from raising prices higher than the annual rate of inflation. For years, pharmaceutical companies have raised the prices on their medications with no cause or limits. That’s lead to Americans paying unacceptably high prices for our medications – far more than other developed countries for the same drugs. Congress finally acted to put an end to this, and thanks to this new law, seniors will see savings on the 27 medications starting next month. Take a look at the full lists of Rx drugs, and more about other provisions in the Medicare reform bill – including a historic drug price negotiation – here.
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| Click here to read more about the cost reductions coming next month for 27 Medicare Part medications thanks to last year's Medicare reform bill |
Nathan Hale: Leave His Honored Status Be
"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Those words spoken by Nathan Hale in 1776 still stir the hearts and souls of Americans today.
A quick reminder why it is important and appropriate that Coventry’s Nathan Hale is the official State Hero of Connecticut. He was a true patriot whose selfless courage best represents our state’s history and spirit. Hale was an intelligence officer for our nation during the Revolutionary War, and at 21-years-old, was captured and executed, leaving behind a tale of unfailing bravery and a a heroic example of service to our nation. That service is not only recognized in his home state and hometown of Coventry, but also at CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. There’s been some talk that Connecticut’s State Hero may be changed, but I firmly believe the State Assembly should leave Nathan Hale’s honored status be.
Thanks for taking some time to ready 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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