BRIDGEPORT, CT – As Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) heads back to Washington for legislative businesses this week, he will take with him input sought from constituents in each of the towns and cities in the 4th District. During his recent 17 Towns in 17 Days tour, Himes held business walks, visited senior centers, and met with local leaders and town officials to discuss the unique strengths and concerns of each community.
“As we all know, businesses and families across Southwest Connecticut are struggling to come out of the economic downturn, but my visits throughout the district showed me that hopes are high," said Himes. “I met many business owners eager to learn more about low-cost loans that might help them expand and create jobs and heard from others eager to provide health coverage to their employees by taking advantage of the new health reform law.”
In Monroe and Norwalk, Himes visited local senior centers to discuss the pressing issues of Social Security and health care reform. Himes reinforced his commitment to protecting Social Security from privatization and answered questions about the new health care law.
During his tour of the district, Himes met with first responders and local officials to gather input on efforts to better prepare our communities for emergencies and natural disasters, like the storms that swept through Southwest Connecticut this spring. Himes made stops in Easton, Monroe, and Trumbull to highlight the importance of a proposed regional communications center. In Greenwich, Himes toured the Byram River Watershed to update residents on his efforts to mitigate flooding. And, in Oxford, Himes met with First Selectwoman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers to learn about the emergency management and economic development needs of the community.
In Ridgefield, Himes highlighted one of the most important issues relating to our country’s long-term prosperity—education. Himes hosted a forum that brought together parents and educators to discuss changes to local and national policies to improve schools.
“As we work to restore our economic security in the short term, we must continually focus on ensuring all children have access to the high-quality education that will ready them to lead the world economy in the coming decades,” said Himes. “That means restoring America’s leadership in education and fostering innovation in the private sector.”
For photos taken during the tour, please click here. A full list of locations and events are available upon request.