In the News

With much of their agenda stalled, Democrats vowed to pick up the pieces of their broken Build Back Better bill and figure out what they can pass, even if that means drastically cutting the size and scope of the legislation’s ambitious social spending and climate programs. “What we need to do now is to cut a deal — a principled deal — that spends whatever money we do spend, [and]… Read more »

The Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) convened to hear testimony on a series of bills. Among the legislation is S. 548, An Act relative to crumbling concrete foundations. The bill was filed by state Sen. Anne M. Gobi (D-Spencer), with broad support across the legislature.   Crumbling concrete foundations have been linked to a naturally… Read more »

 NORTHAMPTON — Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, was a firsthand witness to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol Building in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. “It was a coup. An attempted coup. That almost succeeded,” McGovern said. “I still look back at horror on that day. Yet McGovern doesn’t consider Jan. 6 to… Read more »

The recently passed $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill that will bring Massachusetts up to $2.8 billion in the next five years is slated to enhance public transportation in the state, but how the money will be allocated remains up in the air. One popular idea among officials is fare-free public transportation.   For example, the Worcester Regional Transit Authority… Read more »

The first installment of money from the federal bipartisan infrastructure law is being distributed to the states with Massachusetts in line to receive more than $800 million. The members of all-Democratic Massachusetts Congressional delegation, in a joint statement, applauded the announcement from the Federal Highway Administration that the money is on its way to be used for projects… Read more »

Nearly 60 restaurants in the Worcester area received a total of $13 million in aid from the Small Business Administration's Restaurant Revitalization Fund.  There are still thousands more who are still hoping that they can get the same kind of help.  “It was enormously successful," Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) said. "So successful, in fact, that it ran out of… Read more »

Area mayors met with both the Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and Congressman Richard Neal to discuss the federal funding to the commonwealth from the Bipartisanship Infrastructure Law. Mayors Nicolle Lachapelle of Easthampton, Domenic Sarno of Springfield, William Reichelt of West Springfield, William Sapelli of Agawam and John Vieau of Chicopee were among those who met with Neal and… Read more »

A member of President Joe Biden’s cabinet was in western Massachusetts Monday to highlight the bipartisan infrastructure law. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh traveled to Springfield’s Union Station, which was rehabilitated from a crumbling eyesore to a modern transportation center, where he talked about how the $1.2 trillion infrastructure law will spur economic growth. “Right here… Read more »

Congressman Richard Neal was joined by U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh in Springfield on Monday. The two were at Union Station to highlight the plans for Massachusetts to receive about $2.8 billion over five years for public transportation in the new bipartisan infrastructure law. During the event, Walsh, who served as mayor of Boston for more than seven years before joining the Biden… Read more »

Federal money could be coming to the state as soon as next summer as part of the major infrastructure bill that was passed in November. Former Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh was in Springfield Monday morning talking about how the bill will create economic growth. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh was joined by Congressman Richard Neal and six area mayors at Union Station to highlight how the… Read more »