Leaders from the House Ways and Means and Veterans’ Affairs Committees today called on U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig to automatically provide the economic impact payments authorized by the CARES Act to people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and to individuals who receive Veterans Affairs... Read more »

United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA), along with Representatives Richard E. Neal (D-MA-01) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), today wrote to Ryan Lilly, Director of the Veterans Affairs (VA) New England Healthcare System, expressing their concern about the disturbing reports of the deaths of veteran residents at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home (HSH) and the Chelsea Sol... Read more »

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Today, House Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) questioned why the Department of Labor has yet to distribute emergency administrative funding to help states process a record-breaking number of applications for unemployment compensation. In a letter to U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia, Chairman Neal asked why some states have yet to receive the administ... Read more »

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Last week, Congress successfully passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, that was signed into law on Friday, March 27, 2020. The CARES Act, in part, provides for an additional $5 for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, including over $4.75 million in funds for communities within the district. These grants provide funding for needs ... Read more »

SPRINGFIELD, MA – House Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement after the Department of Treasury announced that Social Security beneficiaries will automatically receive CARES Act economic impact payments and will not have to file a simplified tax return to access those funds: “This reversal gets us one step closer to accomplishing what we set out to do in th... Read more »

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Today, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) called on the Trump Administration to provide Congress and the public with detailed information on how they are addressing the shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) that many states and health care providers are experiencing due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter to Vice President Pence, head o... Read more »

In light of yesterday’s news that non-filing taxpayers will need to file a “simple tax return” to receive the 2020 recovery rebate, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) called on tax preparation companies to offer support to non-filers as those individuals seek to receive this crisis assistance. In a letter to Tim Hugo, Executive Director of the Free File Alliance, a nonp... Read more »

Springfield, MA – Congressman Richard E. Neal released the following statement after the news of deaths at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home was reported Monday evening. “I am heartbroken by the sudden loss of life of eleven veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. While the Commonwealth of Massachusetts manages the health care facility, I have always worked hard to secure federal assistance for the home b... Read more »

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Today, Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement regarding seniors’ access to the economic impact payments included in the CARES Act: “My fellow Ways and Means Democrats and I have been inundated with calls from concerned senior citizens regarding their ability to receive the economic impact payments Congress included in the CARES Act, which is now law. Yes... Read more »

Springfield, MA - In order to continue to keep the public aware of ongoing resources for the coronavirus or COVID-19 and to address concerns in the region, Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means Richard E. Neal teamed up with Dr. James Lederer, Chief Medical and Chief Quality Officer of Berkshire Health Systems, to hold a telephone town hall event where the public could ask questions on... Read more »