Born, Raised, and Educated in Massachusetts
Richard E. Neal was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and was raised and educated in the City of Springfield. He is a graduate of American International College, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, and his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Barney School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Hartford. Prior to his time in Congress, Neal was a high school teacher, member of the Springfield City Council, and Mayor of the City of Springfield from 1984 to 1988.
Elected to the United States House of Representatives
Congressman Neal was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1988 and served his first two terms on the House Banking Committee before joining the Ways and Means Committee in 1993. From his early days in Congress, Neal has been a staunch advocate for improving and expanding access to health care, creating a simpler and fairer tax code, and enhancing retirement savings for our nation’s seniors. In January 2019, Congressman Neal was elected by his colleagues to assume the esteemed position of Chairman, marking the first time since 1875 that a representative from Massachusetts had done so.
Leadership on the Ways & Means Committee
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Congressman Neal and the Ways and Means Committee worked tirelessly to bring relief to the American people.
The first relief bill, the CARES Act, enacted several provisions Ways and Means Committee Democrats secured, including federal unemployment compensation, economic assistance payments, and telehealth flexibility. This bill singlehandedly saved the American economy.
In the American Rescue Plan Act, the Ways and Means Committee was responsible for nearly $1 trillion of the $1.9 trillion package. Under Chairman Neal’s leadership, the bill put more money directly into people’s pockets, helping them better afford childcare and health coverage. With the inclusion of the Butch Lewis Act, the American Rescue Plan also shored up the hard-earned retirement security for millions of Americans nationwide, saving the pensions of more than 1.1 million workers, retirees, and beneficiaries to the tune of more than $67 billion.
Legislative Achievements
In addition to the COVID-19 relief packages, Chairman Neal spearheaded a number of historic legislative achievements during the 116th and 117th Congress, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, marking the largest long-term investment in our infrastructure and economy in our nation’s history, and the Chips and Science Act, which will reinvigorate our nation’s domestic manufacturing of chips and incentivize research and development. Chairman Neal also helped address retirement security with his bipartisan bill “SECURE 2.0,” which will increase participation in work-based retirement savings by expanding automatic enrollment in 401(k) plans and enhancing the start-up credit for small businesses to sponsor a retirement plan.
In addition, Chairman Neal led efforts to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), much of which was written in the Ways and Means Committee. The IRA is a historic win for American families and the planet, with provisions that will lower costs while investing in Americans’ health and our future climate security. This includes lowering health care costs for millions of low and middle-income Americans by extending the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credit enhancements through 2025; allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and capping the out-of-pocket cost of medications for seniors, including capping the cost of insulin at $35/month; making the largest investment in our nation’s efforts to combat the climate crisis, generating 9 million good paying jobs; and investing in the IRS to ensure taxpayers are treated fairly and are able to access resources to make filing as easy as possible.
Delivering for the First District of Massachusetts
Congressman Neal has fought tirelessly for the people of Massachusetts’ First District, bringing home billions of dollars in federal funding and supporting initiatives throughout the district.
- Delivering more than $400 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act – bills that were drafted in the Ways and Means Committee under the Congressman’s chairmanship.
- Securing more than $23 million in funding to support Community Projects throughout the First District.
- Bringing in more than $75 million to support the $103 million redevelopment of Springfield Union Station.
- Securing more than $144 million in CRISI grants to support West-East Rail.
- Acquiring a new fleet of F-35A aircraft for Barnes Air National Guard, ensuring the viability of the base for decades to come.
- Securing $263.5 million from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs State Home Construction Grant Program to support the construction of a new Holyoke Veterans’ Home.
- Changing the qualifications for a Community Access Hospital, allowing North Adams Regional Hospital to reopen after being closed for 10 years.
Democratic Leader of the Friends of Ireland Caucus
Congressman Neal is the Democratic Leader of the Friends of Ireland Caucus, where he has advocated for maintaining strong relations between the U.S. and Ireland. In 1994, after the Irish Republican Army declared its first ceasefire of the Troubles, at the direction of then-Speaker of the House Tom Foley, Neal traveled to Ireland to observe the ceasefire and meet with members of the Irish and British governments. Neal was the first member of Congress to travel to Ireland after the establishment of a ceasefire and represented the United States Congress in what would later be recognized as the first step toward peace and reconciliation on the island.
As a steadfast partner and friend to the island of Ireland for more than 40 years, he played a prominent role in bringing the Good Friday Agreement to fruition, ending the longest period of conflict in Irish history. Since then, he has continued to lead congressional support for upholding the principles of the accord and ensuring the gains that have been achieved can be enjoyed by future generations, including no return to a hard border.
Respected Leader in Congress and Academia
Congressman Neal is the dean of both the Massachusetts Delegation and the New England Congressional Delegation, as well as an At-Large Whip for the House Democrats. Congressman Neal is a long-time guest lecturer at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and has received many awards and honorary degrees in his career, including an Honorary Degree of Humane Letters from Mount Holyoke College where he is a former trustee, an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Public Service from Springfield College, an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws from Ulster University in Northern Ireland, and an Honorary Degree from Queen’s University Belfast.
