News List

Funding for a superstructure solution to a longtime traffic headache in Hampden County, Massachusetts has been announced. It could also have implications for the state's ongoing west-east rail project. It's one thing for drivers to brake and wait at a railway crossing as a locomotive heads through. But for drivers heading between West Springfield and Agawam at Front and Bridge streets -… Read more »

A plan to protect the New England Teamsters Pension Plan, the third largest Teamster pension fund in the nation, has been approved.   The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) announced the union’s acceptance by the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) Program, protecting the pensions of workers, retirees, and beneficiaries.   Congressman Richard E. Neal met with union… Read more »

Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement highlighting the latest award from the American Rescue Plan’s “Butch Lewis” program:   “Today, hundreds of thousands of pensioners will take a deep sigh of relief knowing that after a lifetime of hard work, their retirement security has been protected by the Biden-Harris… Read more »

Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal joined Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Rail & Transit Administrator Meredith Slesinger, West Springfield Mayor William C. Reichelt, Agawam Mayor Christopher Johnson, and state and local officials to announce funding for the construction of a flyover across the Front Street rail crossing and a new roadway configuration… Read more »

NASA astronaut Stephanie D. Wilson and her crewmates completed this week 18 months of training ahead of the planned August launch to the International Space Station.   For Wilson, the pathway to orbit really began in Pittsfield. As a student at what was then Crosby Junior High School, she interviewed a Williams College astronomer for her career day project.   “I was really… Read more »

Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement marking 235 years since the Committee was founded on July 24, 1789: “Today, the oldest Committee in Congress celebrates over 200 years as a legislative powerhouse. The history of Ways and Means is in many measures the history of our nation. Our history is storied, our reputation is iconic, and… Read more »

A small parcel of land off Liberty Street that was once targeted to be a gas station or small commercial plaza will instead be protected as a place for wetlands to remain undisturbed, trees to grow and animals to take refuge.   The city officially announced last week the purchase of nine contiguous lots, which total 5.8 acres, from O’Connell Oil Associates Inc. While it will… Read more »

Three Massachusetts lawmakers are pressing Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to ground the V-22 Osprey aircraft again until the military can fix the root causes of multiple recent accidents, including a deadly crash in Japan. In a letter sent to Austin on Thursday, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Rep. Richard Neal called the decision to return Ospreys… Read more »

Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal released the following statement after the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors voted to approve the Fiscal Year 2025-2029 five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), which includes $123 million to advance West-East Rail.   “I am very pleased with this announcement and the steady progress we continue to make in bringing… Read more »

The state Department of Transportation has approved a new five-year capital investment plan which includes another huge sum of money to advance the vision of West-East Rail. The $123 million will be used to make track improvements between Springfield and Worcester, plan and design a future station in Palmer, and add capacity to track in Pittsfield. It will also fund preliminary… Read more »