Eleni Kavros DeGraw

Dear Neighbor,

Today was our Opening Day of Session 2026, and while it is a short session, it feels like a very short session with only 63 days to conduct our legislative business.
 
You may notice that many of us wore red today. February is American Heart Health Month, and it was part of Representative Tammy Exum's ongoing efforts to educate people on the importance of cardiovascular health, as well as to remind people to ask their doctors if a Cardiac Calcium Score test is right for them. This non-invasive test takes only 3 minutes, is often covered by insurance, or if it isn't, costs around $150, and in Rep. Exum's case, it most likely would have saved her husband Earl's life.
 
We also heard Governor Lamont's address today in a joint session between the Senate and the House. He focused on affordability and some of his new proposals to help people across Connecticut. He also sent a very clear message regarding ICE.

From his speech," We have perhaps the best trained police force in the world, making Connecticut one of the very safest states. ICE is just the opposite. They see the world as us versus them. They are not trained to de-escalate – they are barely trained at all. They hide behind a mask, they come to Connecticut – and Minneapolis – to arrest people outside of schools or courthouses, often based upon the color of their skin.
 
Some of our Hispanic kids are scared to go to school. Those kids at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven – we call them Dreamers; The White House calls them criminal aliens.
 
That young mother shot twice in the head in Minneapolis – The White House called her a domestic terrorist; she reminded me of my daughter.
 
Connecticut is protecting our schools and courthouses, where people go not to break the law but because they are following the law. ICE, everywhere you go, uninvited, violence follows. Go home. We are keeping Connecticut safe without you."
 
Please note below that there is a new series regarding changes to student loans that starts this evening with the Office of the Student Loan Ombudsperson in conjunction with the Student Debt Crisis Center. These changes are a result of HR 1, passed by Congress last year.
 
The House will be in session, once again, tomorrow, as we take up the bill the Senate debated today regarding the extension of the $500 million dollars set aside to combat federal money losses Connecticut has seen over the last year and to prepare for more potential cuts.
 
Wishing you a good week,

Eleni