As aCongressmember in what some call the second Trump era, Jahana Hayes feels an increased sense of urgency.
Appearing on Thursday evening at The Connecticut Mirror’s event
“In the Room” series
Hosted by John Dankosky at the C.H. Booth Library in Newtown, Hayes mentioned that she has become more vocal on the topics she cares about ever since her initial election to represent Connecticut’s 5th District in Congress, which occurred six years ago.
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After participating in four elections and evolving into an elected official, she contemplated her journey and reasons for becoming more “vocal” following President Donald J. Trump’s return to the White House.
When Hayes initially ran for Congress in 2018, she was relatively new to the political scene. Prior to this, she had been an educator in her hometown of Waterbury and had previously received the title of National Teacher of the Year.
She mentioned that when she entered Congress, she felt somewhat like an impostor, admitting that she never thought she would emerge victorious due to the immense challenge involved.
However, on Thursday, she expressed assurance in her role as a lawmaker and the viewpoint she offers thanks to her personal life experiences. Intentionally, she signed up for the House committees focusing on education and agriculture due to her career as an educator, where she witnessed children who relied solely on school-provided meals.
Currently, Hayes mentioned that certain topics are deal-breakers for her, with nutrition and education being the most important ones.
Despite trying to maintain a nonpartisan approach, I do have my limits,” Hayes stated. “I won’t collaborate with anyone who doesn’t support feeding children.” He continued, “In light of our current circumstances, I am fully committed to fighting for every issue that matters to me.
There was a period when I believed that if we could achieve this, we would survive to face future challenges and continue our efforts,” Hayes stated. “However, nowadays, everything feels pressing; every moment seems like the final opportunity to do things correctly. As a result, I believe I have become much more vocal about issues during my current tenure compared to what I used to be.
During the one-hour discussion, they explored various topics closely associated with her expertise gained from serving on two committees as well as through personal encounters: the potential disassembly of the U.S. Department of Education and the Republican-proposed tax legislation aimed at reducing expenditures for food aid programs.
Linda McMahon, the Education Secretary residing in Greenwich, has been overseeing the situation.
overhaul of her department
That Trump has vowed to abolish certain entities. Her commitment to return education control to the states and modify the federal agency’s supervision and duties might lead states such as Connecticut to compensate for these changes.
Hayes thinks that numerous individuals hold incorrect views regarding the role of the federal agency. He points out that the agency doesn’t establish curriculums; rather, it manages aspects such as student loans, Pell Grants, and civil rights issues. Hayes contends that a “strategic long-term investment” in public education is essential. Additionally, he expresses concern over potential consequences for special education should oversight shift away from the education department.
And as Republicans have
moved nearer to approving their tax legislation
Recently, Hayes took a prominent role during the debate in the House Agricultural Committee regarding President Trump’s “great bill,” which proposed significant reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), previously referred to as food stamps. As the ranking member of the Agricultural Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture, Hayes played a crucial part in these discussions.
The
proposed changes to SNAP
Would, for the first time, mandate that states contribute financially towards nutrition assistance programs for low-income residents and families. This cost-sharing initiative along with proposed new work requirements has sparked worries about potential reductions in benefits or alterations to eligibility criteria for states such as Connecticut.
Under the Republican proposal, stricter work mandates would affect specific groups of individuals. For those without dependents, the qualifying age for these rules would increase from 54 to 64 years old. Similarly, parents whose youngest child is aged seven or more will face comparable conditions. These participants must engage in employment-related activities or job preparation programs totaling a minimum of 80 hours per month.
Hunger is a matter of political decision,” Hayes stated. “Coming to Congress wasn’t about starving children. It’s unacceptable to claim we’ve saved $4 billion only to remove 7 million kids from a nutritional support program. The public doesn’t realize how steadfast I am when it comes to matters of food and nutrition.
During the last six years, Hayes mentioned that she gained deeper insights into the functioning of Congress along with understanding the dynamics among legislators. She pointed out that privately, she believed she was able to engage in meaningful discussions with her peers and achieve advancements on various issues. However, this changed once she discovered their voting behaviors shortly after.
Your vote informs me of your stance on an issue. I’m not interested in hollow statements or pledges,” Hayes stated. “It’s contradictory to claim you’re concerned about something yet cast a ballot that shows otherwise.
This prompted a query regarding her statement about regretting her vote for the Laken Riley Act, legislation mandating the imprisonment of illegal immigrants convicted of offenses such as breaking and entering, stealing, loitering, or inflicting significant harm. The act was enacted approximately one week following President Trump’s inauguration at the end of January.
Hayes was among the 46 House Democrats who voted with Republicans to pass the bill. Congresswoman Hayes and U.S. Representative Joe Courtney, from Connecticut’s 2ndDistrict, were the sole representatives from their state to support the legislation.
She mentioned that she was contemplating the upcoming 2024 elections and the voter sentiment regarding immigration as a key concern. Hayes particularly noticed the part about incarcerating someone for attacking a law enforcement official. It’s worth noting that her spouse, Milford Hayes, used to be a police officer before retiring.
Reflecting on her decision, she mentioned that she had reservations regarding other sections of the legislation, particularly because of worries over inadequate due process. Nonetheless, she ended up supporting it.
When she expressed her regrets during a recent CNN town hall, Hayes mentioned that she had been advised against making such statements publicly, particularly due to being a woman. However, on Thursday, she challenged this viewpoint and asserted that sharing these sentiments should be considered part of an elected official’s responsibilities.
What I’ve observed is that these policies often involve mistreating individuals by completely disregarding due process, leading to people being sent to jails abroad,” Hayes stated. “It’s as though they believe everyone who migrates here, regardless of their reasons, must be a criminal, a sexual predator, or a killer.
“They did not aim to develop an immigration strategy,” she stated. “The benefits of that clause do not outweigh the drawbacks I am witnessing now.”
When asked about
Trump pardoned ex-Governor John Rowland
Hayes contended that this “goes against what the party of law and order stands for,” while pointing out that Rowland’s pardon “is not even the most severe among them.”
Rowland, who hails from Waterbury, represented the 5th District between 1985 and 1991 before becoming governor. In his third term, he encountered an impeachment process along with a federal probe that culminated in his stepping down in 2004. Rowland admitted guilt to bribery allegations and spent under one year incarcerated. Roughly ten years afterward, he was found guilty once more and received additional jail time.
Hayes expressed her belief in giving second chances; however, she was critical of Trump’s approach to granting pardons to individuals who, in her view, have not accepted responsibility for what they did or were granted such favors despite being undeserving.
clemency by going to fundraising dinners.
“We’re discussing merely leveraging the presidential office and the pardoning authority for political gain,” she stated.
However, she recognized the favorable sentiments towards the ex-governor that persist in her home town.
I hail from Waterbury, where there are folks who still have affection for John Rowland,” Hayes stated. “I understand that. However, what you did was wrong.
