Send Jahana Hayes back to Congress

Sept. 23rdd is not a good day in American history. On Sept. 23, 1955 the men who killed Emmet Till were acquitted. On Sept. 23, 2020 the men who killed Breonna Taylor were acquitted. So much for the arc of history over 65 years. Where does the state of Connecticut stand in its progress over this time?

One measure of where we are now is the delegation we send to Washington.

The population of Connecticut is onethird minority, but until two years ago, we had no minority representation. That was when Jahana Hayes was elected to Congress. Hayes is up for reelection and her record shows that she deserves to be re-elected because she focuses on the needs of her constituents.

When people think of our state, they may picture historical town greens with white churches, or the shore with beaches and sailboats, or the treecovered mountains that are the foothills of the Berkshire. In fact, the majority of people live in cities, small and large. When we consider the broad range of people in the 5th Congressional District who enrich our culture and contribute to our economy, we need to think about who is watching out for constituents’ daily needs.

That is the kind of legislation Hayes focuses on in Congress: The National Apprenticeship Act, to support moving people from school to work; The Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, aimed at creating jobs by updating our energy infrastructure; better health care for veterans; and protections for pregnant workers. These are practical measures that affect people’s daily lives. That’s one kind of representation the people of Connecticut need and Hayes works across the aisle to bring it about.

Let’s keep Connecticut moving forward by sending Jahana Hayes back to Congress.

Betty Krasne Kent