In the News

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – 22News had a chance to catch up with Congressman Richard Neal Friday morning at our 22News studio. Here’s what he had to say about the proposed GOP tax bill and the FCC’s decision to rollback net neutrality.

GOP tax bill 

President Trump is hoping Congress will pass a $1.5 trillion dollar tax reform bill as early as next week.

Supporters of the plan say that it will stimulate the economy and bring tax relief to middle class families. But, the proposal also eliminates or caps some popular deductions, and that’s something Congressman Richard Neal says has been concerning people here in western Massachusetts.

“I think that losing the deduction for student interest, I think that capping the state and local tax deduction, capping the income tax deduction, and then at the same time cutting the top rate for people in the very top of the income scale from 39.6 to 37%,” Neal said.

Neal says that the bill has been crafted with no input from Democrats and no public hearings.

Net neutrality

The FCC voted Thursday to eliminate net neutrality rules that were put into place under the Obama administration.

The rules legally prohibited internet service providers from slowing or blocking websites and apps, or charging for faster speeds.

Congressman Richard Neal told 22News he hopes Congress overturns the FCC’s decision.

“It’s really the maintaining of the democratization of the internet, and to understand that start-ups and opportunity and people who just want to access that information have the opportunity,” Neal said.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says that the old net neutrality regulations were heavy-handed. He says that the vote will simply change the internet back to the way it was regulated before 2015.