In the News

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal on Thursday pledged to dutifully oppose tax cuts for the rich, and threats to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

But with Republican majorities in every branch of government, Neal and his fellow Democrats are hoping for conservative defectors and a vigilant legal system to aid their response to a flurry of orders from President Donald Trump’s administration.

During a telephone town hall Thursday evening, Neal outlined his priorities, and acknowledged the “chaotic nature of decision making from the administration.”

“What’s bothersome to us is the usurpation of congressional authority to announce these edicts that may well have very little legal standing,” Neal said of Trump’s use of executive orders since taking office last month.

Neal took aim at “DOGE,” the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which is being led by Elon Musk, the wealthiest person in the world. The department has come out in recent days vowing to cut many programs in the name of reducing fraud or waste.

The topic of DOGE was on the mind of voters too, as those who called in asked how Neal and his colleagues plan to deal with Musk, whose companies have received billions in government aid, and are set to receive more. Neal emphasized the need for public hearings at which DOGE and its employees must explain themselves.

“Those who oppose government spending often point to fraud and abuse,” Neal said. “If they name fraud, they should tell us where it is.”

Neal warned that an attempted data breach by DOGE would be a violation of privacy. There is an enormous amount of personal information and data on Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare at risk, he said.

“This was done in an arbitrary manner, and I think it violates the Constitution,” Neal said. “When people file this information, they should be assured it’s confidential.”

He also warned about the dangers of freezing National Institutes of Health funding, another Musk/Trump idea, which would imperil the millions of dollars coming to hospitals throughout Massachusetts and the entire country.

There are currently 56 lawsuits filed against Trump’s many orders, including legal action from Massachusetts regarding the NIH freeze.

Neal lambasted Republicans’ effort to extend $4.5 trillion in tax cuts during the next 10 years, accounting for a $4 trillion debt limit increase. Paying for the tax cuts will require significant spending reductions, and Republicans are already talking about finding savings in Medicaid and social services.

He said, “103,000 people in our district depend on Medicaid. Cutting health care to pay for all of it is irresponsible and indeed reckless.”

Top of mind for constituents on Thursday’s call, including questioners from Lanesborough, Adams, Lenox and Richmond: What are you going to do about it?

For one, Neal is counting on some dissension within Republican ranks.

“My colleagues on the other side of the aisle need to challenge some of these edicts coming from this administration,” Neal said. “Privately they know this is problematic, publicly they’re reluctant to talk about what’s happened.”

Apart from “raising the roof about it,” as he said about the tax cuts issue, Neal said he has some faith in the legal system, even the Supreme Court, stepping in to halt unlawful actions.

One questioner told Neal that they felt the opposition’s response to the Trump administration’s dismantling of the administrative state has been inadequate.

Neal argued that a large public response to Trump’s actions is paramount, and encouraged voters to call and write legislators and speak with “persuadable Republicans.”

“What is being suggested here and proposed needs to be resisted,” he said. “The threat to personal data, cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid … we need to stand together and push back against these ill-conceived proposals that we’re witnessing.”