In the News

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, and Pennsylvania Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly want to open a visa program that allows skilled Australians to work in the United States to include people from Ireland   Neal and Kelly introduced their legislation Tuesday. Neal is chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee that has jurisdiction over trade… Read more »

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, and Pennsylvania Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly want to open a visa program that allows skilled Australians to work in the United States to include people from Ireland   Neal and Kelly introduced their legislation Tuesday. Neal is chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee that has jurisdiction over trade… Read more »

A bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Congressman Richard E. Neal, Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, and Congressman Mike Kelly will add Ireland to the E3 non-immigrant visa program. Since 2005, the E3 program has provided 10,500 visas to skilled Australians each year under the U.S.-Australia trade agreement. The program has proven to be… Read more »

Federal and state officials point to the long-discussed East-West Rail project in Massachusetts as part of the effort to expand passenger rail use in America. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker is pledging to go “real hard” during his remaining months in office to put the East-West Passenger Rail project in line to receive funds from the federal infrastructure law. “Our goal is to… Read more »

Federal and state officials agreed Tuesday that Springfield can play an important role in the revitalization of passenger rail service in America, and Governor Charlie Baker pledged to use his remaining time in office to put the long-discussed East-West Rail expansion project in position to benefit from the new federal infrastructure law. “When I was growing up in Springfield,… Read more »

Governor Charlie Baker, state transportation leaders, and Congressman Richard Neal were on a train ride from Boston’s South Station to Union Station in Springfield Tuesday. Baker and Neal discussed what's needed to improve rail travel with Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. Neal grew up in Springfield and said it's his goal to make the city what it used to be known as, the… Read more »

Springfield’s rail lines were once the crossroad of New England and for two hours yesterday — from Boston’s South Station to Union Station here — Gov. Charlie Baker, U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal and the head of Amtrak got a mile-by-mile look at what needs to be done to bring those rail connections back. “All tracks lead through Springfield,” said Neal, D-Springfield, said following a news… Read more »

Governor Charlie Baker arrived in Springfield Tuesday afternoon by train. He and other officials are working to highlight the East-West rail, which would connect Boston with Pittsfield and Springfield. That project is now on track to move forward after the governor signed an infrastructure bond bill earlier this month. Baker was joined by Congressman Richard Neal, Amtrak CEO Stephen… Read more »

The City of Springfield welcomed Governor Charlie Baker from a Boston train ride to Springfield’s Union Station, to promote the East-West rail link in the state. Funds allocated to East-West Rail project in state infrastructure bill With only a few months left as Governor, Baker is trying to keep the momentum going to make sure the East-West trail project is on track for the next… Read more »

New York state is backing Massachusetts’ request for Amtrak to add two more trains from Boston through Springfield and on to Albany in what could be a transitional step toward increased east-west passenger rail service. “We are still not talking commuter service,” said Dana Roscoe, principal planner and transportation section manager for the Pioneer Valley Planning… Read more »