Dear xxxxxx,

Today, as I reflect on the past year and enter a new year, I am pleased with what we were able to accomplish.  

Across the Fifth District, I have heard many of your compelling and heartfelt stories firsthand. Addressing your concerns with action, compassion, and resolution continues to be my priority. As your Congresswoman, I remain committed to working on your behalf in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Some highlights from 2024:

Alongside my congressional colleagues and the Connecticut Department of Transportation, I secured $125 million in federal funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Reconfiguring the I-91, I-691, and Route 15 interchange will reduce traffic and increase safety for drivers. Investing in modernizing infrastructure benefits communities

In March, I announced the inclusion of nearly $9 million to support fourteen Community Project Funding (CPF) requests from the Fifth District in the FY24 budget signed into law by President Biden. Each project submitted by my office addressed new units of affordable housing, housing infrastructure, water pollution, food insecurity, pedestrian safety improvement, and emergency communications across the Fifth District.

The community projects include:
Brookfield: $963,000 for Emergency Radio System Upgrade for the Town of Brookfield
Danbury: $1,666,279 for City of Danbury’s Transit Center Project 
Goshen: $50,000 for drinking water system improvements at units of affordable housing 
Litchfield: $500,000 to upgrade the Litchfield Volunteer Ambulance Facility 
Meriden: $1,000,000 for a new Senior Center at the City of Meriden 
Morris: $300,000 for affordable housing infrastructure with the Morris Housing Authority 
New Britain: $959,752 for NB FLUSH to renovate City of New Britain sewer infrastructure 
New Britain: $1,000,000 for a homeless center expansion at Friendship Service Center 
Plymouth: $959,752 for reduction of phosphorous at the Water Pollution Control Facility 
Salisbury: $110,000 for the Perry Street Affordable Homeownership project 
Torrington: $45,000 for fire suppression system repairs for the Torrington Housing Authority 
Waterbury: $850,000 for sidewalk improvements for the City of Waterbury at Hamilton Park 
Waterbury: $100,000 for a food pantry at The Gathering Place Community Church 
Woodbury: $225,000 for Flanders Nature Center to build an environmental education pavilion

In July, I announced Health360, Inc., would receive over $4 million in grant funding from AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This grant will fund placements for 150 Public Health AmeriCorps members at local universities, school districts, crisis call centers, and other community-based organizations. There, each member will receive training on mental health crisis management and work full-time for 10 months, expanding the ability of each organization to address local mental health needs. 

In November, the Connecticut Congressional delegation and I announced that Connecticut will receive $77.8 million from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) ahead of the winter season. This is the first allocation of LIHEAP dollars this cycle. LIHEAP is a lifeline for many families faced with rising heating costs.

Constituent Services

This past year, my casework team returned over $10 million to constituents through assistance from federal agencies, successfully closing more than 880 cases. My office hosted 23 "Casework on Your Corner” events at Meriden City Hall and Danbury City Hall. This initiative brings case workers directly to constituents, answering questions and opening cases to assist in real-time.

Too often, residents are unaware of the services a congressional office can provide.

I am dedicated to making resources and services more accessible to all who call the Fifth District home. My office is available to assist constituents in navigating problems with a federal agency, including:

    •    Social Security Administration (SSA)
    •    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
    •    Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
    •    U.S. Department of State
    •    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
    •    U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and other federal programs and      agencies.

The first Casework on Your Corner of 2025 will be held on Tuesday, January 7th, at Meriden City Hall from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Passport Day 

My office continues to be a resource for people experiencing an issue with a federal agency. I encourage constituents to call 860-223-8412 for more information on how to obtain congressional assistance. More information can also be found here.

To help constituents, in April, we processed 76 passport applications, and in September 135 passport applications were within 4 hours. While processing times for passports have decreased, by holding events such as Passport Day, my office is able to provide a swift, in-person solution to address fluctuating application processing times. My Passport Day events have helped process over 450 applications for passports and passport cards.

Leading Critical Legislation
One of the most important parts of my work in Congress is developing, creating, and monitoring laws. This past year, I introduced 33 pieces of legislation and cosponsored 698 bills in the U.S. House of Representatives focusing on education, gun violence prevention, nutrition, veterans, and more.

In August, I introduced a bicameral resolution to Keep Guns out of Schools. The safety of students and educators is deeply personal for me and so many Americans. This legislation aims to reaffirm that federal funds should not be used to arm school personnel with firearms. When more guns are put in schools, it creates an unnecessary risk for children and raises the likelihood of unintentional and unwarranted shootings. Not only does this put students and school communities at risk, but it also jeopardizes the safety of law enforcement. 

In September, I led the Student Food Security Act to address food insecurity among college students. For too long, students at colleges and universities have suffered food insecurity without proper support from federal and state governments. As we work to end hunger, it is crucial for us to invest in programs that provide college students with access to healthy, nutritious meals so they can succeed inside the classroom and beyond.

Over the last several years, farmers in the 5th District and across the country have frequently experienced extreme weather events, from unseasonable cold snaps to record flooding. Despite the growing need for federal disaster assistance for small farmers, USDA often lacks the funding for recovery. Earlier in June, I introduced the Save Our Small Farms Act to expand federal crop insurance. With this funding, small farms would gain better access to crop insurance policies.

In December, I introduced the Helping America’s Famers Act, which would authorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide up to $10 billion in zero-interest loans to assist farms impacted by disasters. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture, I will continue to advocate for economic relief, nutrition assistance, and equitable access.

A big end of year win was the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act. In November, I joined 326 members of the House to advance the Social Security Fairness Act to the Senate, where it passed overwhelmingly. This bipartisan legislation will eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). Millions of public servants have seen their Social Security benefits slashed or disappear due to these harmful provisions despite paying into the retirement system. I have long supported efforts to repeal these provisions and continue to advocate for key reforms to strengthen Social Security for generations to come.

I look forward to this legislation being signed into law.

It continues to be my privilege to serve and support the people of the Fifth District of Connecticut. I remain motivated and committed to the work we will continue to do in the coming year and look forward to making progress on the issues that matter to you most this upcoming year.

I wish you peace and joy in the new year.

Jahana Hayes  
Member of Congress