Dear Friends, 

The Trump Administration has continued to go after funding for programs that support Connecticut workers and retirees. I continue to speak up against these cuts in Congress and remain focused on strengthening your benefits and investing in good-paying jobs.

The Manufacturing Extension Partnership supports nearly 1,000 jobs in our state and helps grow our economy to the tune of $274 million, but the Trump Administration recently announced they would be canceling the program. Senator Blumenthal and I visited HABCO Industries in Glastonbury to meet with local manufacturers who would be impacted by these cuts that will hinder investments in technology and innovation. Connecticut has a rich history of manufacturing, home to Pratt & Whitney, Electric Boat, Sikorsky, and hundreds of small businesses that contribute to our manufacturing supply chain. We are calling on the Administration to restore funding for this program – which was approved by Congress – without delay. You can view our full press conference below.

At the direction of the White House, the Social Security Administration (SSA) continues to move forward with cuts to services and staff. Elon Musk’s ‘DOGE’ even listed the Torrington office that serves Northwest Connecticut for closure! While they have pared back some of these cuts, the Social Security website has crashed multiple times and phone wait times are skyrocketing – making it even harder for Americans to access their earned benefits. After Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee voted down my previous effort to get answers on these cuts, I filed a new inquiry into President Trump’s plans for SSA. I also introduced the Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act to protect these offices that ensure your benefits are delivered in full and on time. Last week, I visited the Middletown field office with my colleagues, workers, and retirees to call for action. 

Rep. Larson, Connecticut AFL-CIO President Ed Hawthorne, CSEA SEIU Local 2001 President Travis Woodward, Senator Richard Blumenthal, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro with workers and retirees in Middletown 

I also met with the I.B.E.W. Local 42 at their new training center in East Windsor. The entire Connecticut delegation worked together to secure record federal funding to upgrade our electrical grid that their 1,600 members work each and every day. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Connecticut was awarded $6.5 million in federal funding to make the grid more resilient to extreme weather conditions and invest in the recruitment and retention of skilled electrical workers. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, we invested $4 million in cutting-edge grid modernization research to prevent outages by installing underground power distribution lines. The Trump Administration has threatened to roll back these programs, and we’ve written to them demanding answers. I will continue to work with my colleagues and I.B.E.W. line workers to grow our skilled workforce and modernize our grid.  

Rep. Larson at the I.B.E.W. Local 42 training center in East Windsor 

As your representative in Congress, I am committed to doing everything I can to hold this Administration accountable. My office has prepared a web page where you can find updates on the Trump Administration and a full list of actions I have taken since the President took office. To follow what I’m working on both in Washington and in Connecticut, visit my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or follow me on Instagram.     

Regards,

John B. Larson
Member of Congress