22 January—Thursday afternoon, in a weak—make that an aggresively curious—moment, I ventured to Jahana Hayes’s website to ask our current congresswoman if she had any comments on the yellow ribbons. That’s all I asked. I didn’t express an opinion.

Friday afternoon, I was rather surprised—but thoroughly delighted—to receive her office’s reply so promptly. I present it verbatim, with the canned bromide crap only tangentially related to my question but touting Jahana’s dedication to military matters in brown type.

The text in black type is somewhat more relevant. But—no surprise—my question wasn’t answered. Nor, contrary to Jahana’s assertion, had I expressed my thoughts on “this important matter”; I was merely asking for hers.

It’s not unlikely that Jahana and her staff have been coached on the yellow ribbons, inter alia, by BOLBOWAB Burgess Barbara Ellis, who happens to be Jahana’s campaign manager.

I could say that Jahana—because the buck stops with her—has simply weaseled out of commenting on the yellow ribbons, but I’d never say anything like that—even though that’s precisely what she has done. And her excuse that she’s prohibited from “weighing in on a local issue” is a crock at best, especially since her colleagues in both houses do it with Ex-Lax regularity.

So here’s Jahana Hayes’s reply to my simple question:

Dear Mr. Rosenberg,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the yellow ribbons on the Litchfield Green. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this important matter.

As someone with family members currently deployed, I am personally committed to honoring the brave men and women who serve our country. In Congress, my support of the military and veterans has been unwavering. I have worked to substantively improve the lives of servicemembers and their families in both the 116th and 117th Congresses.

I have supported efforts to increase pay for servicemembers, to incentivize businesses to hire military spouses, and to invest in barrack modernization and military childcare centers. As Chairwoman of the Nutrition, Oversight and Department Operations Subcommittee, I prioritized hearings to address hunger among active duty servicemembers and veterans and supported legislation to ensure more military families have access to school meals.

To support veterans and their families, I introduced legislation to increase access to mental healthcare at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and to improve benefits for families. Three of my veteran mental health and benefits bills were signed into law by President Donald Trump. During the 117th Congress, I introduced legislation to increase Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits for surviving families. I have also supported efforts to create a national memorial for those who served during the Global War on Terrorism and to get more veterans service organizations (VSOs) the capital necessary to renovate facilities. Just this week, I voted in support of the EVEST Act which requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to automatically enroll veterans who are eligible for health care into the VA system. This legislation included my own amendment, which requires multiple forms of communication be sent to inform veterans of their eligibility for benefits.

My support of our military is demonstrated through my legislative actions in matters that fall under Congressional jurisdiction.

On the matter of the yellow ribbon display on the Litchfield Green, although I represent the people of the borough of Litchfield, I do not represent the borough residents for all purposes. Local elected officials are the appropriate individuals for this issue. Additionally, protocol set forth by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics prohibits me from weighing in on a local issue such as this. I cannot have my opinion interpreted as a direction or suggestion concerning the Borough Board’s position on use of the Green due to my position as a Member of the House. I simply may not direct any elected official to take a position for or against an issue in their elected capacity.

In my position as a federal legislator, the removal of the yellow ribbons does not fall under my jurisdiction. This issue is within the purview of the Litchfield Borough Board, and they should be contacted with any questions or comments on this matter. The current Senior Burgess of the Board is Gayle Carr and contact information for the Borough Board can be found here. [Link to Borough website.]

Thank you again for contacting me on this matter. Your feedback is essential for me to effectively serve as your Representative in Congress. Please continue to share your opinions, concerns, and priorities with me. To keep up with my work in Congress, please sign up for my e-newsletter here.

Sincerely,

Jahana Hayes

Member of Congress

Editor’s totally irrelevant note: A congressional pension is vested after five years. Were Jahana Hayes to be elected for a third term, she’d qualify . . .