Thursday, July 27, 2023

Congressman Jake Auchincloss: An Update for the past 2 weeks in review (7/26/23)

LAST 2 WEEKS IN REVIEW

I'm your representative in Congress and I write to keep you informed.

On the Hill

Opposing the NDAA: I voted against the House version of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). While considering this year's NDAA, I was willing to change my past opposition and support measures that increased Pentagon spending so long as those additional funds were directed to Ukraine. I was also committed to protecting service members' reproductive freedom. This NDAA did the opposite.

This NDAA repeats the same mistakes from years prior by encouraging the Pentagon to spend more, instead of forcing it to spend smarter. Further, it misses the mark on America's most urgent national security imperative: providing Ukraine the material necessary to defeat Russia. Our support for Ukraine has the highest return on investment of any national security funding of the 21st century. Congress can't ask Ukraine to do more with less while the Pentagon does less with more.

House Republicans should have used this NDAA to stand up to autocrats – in Russia and in China. By failing to fully fund Ukraine, they are not standing up to Vladimir Putin and they are sending the message that they will not stand up to Xi Jinping.

Additionally, I opposed an amendment to the NDAA that would restrict women's access to abortion. Our service members deserve reliable access to healthcare, regardless of where they are stationed.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship: Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Israeli President's address to a joint session of Congress. President Herzog spoke movingly of his deep personal attachment to the US-Israel relationship and of his commitment to our common democratic future. I share President Herzog's commitment to the U.S.-Israel partnership. I also share his concern that it continues based upon shared values.

A strong and independent judiciary is foundational to Israel's democracy, which for 75 years has been an inspiration to people the world over. As Americans well know through our constitutional amendment process, there are times when change may be necessary. Big change, though, requires deep consensus. I am disappointed that the coalition government did not seek consensus before passing the "reasonableness" component of its platform yesterday.

I have expressed my concerns to the Israeli Embassy regarding the process and the importance of an independent judiciary. I will continue to use my voice and vote to help realize a strong and healthy relationship between the United States and Israel, refreshed by tough conversations and grounded in shared democratic values.

Reducing Airport Delays: I also joined my colleagues in passing a bipartisan reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I helped shape this legislation to ensure it reduces airport delays for travelers, promotes cleaner travel by modernizing our airline infrastructure, and shores up aviation safety.

Specifically, the reauthorization works to improve air travel for passengers by boosting the hiring of air traffic controllers to reduce delays. It also requires airlines to plan for reimbursements for hotel and meal costs when there are mass cancellations. Further, the legislation works to allow young families to sit together at no extra cost. I am committed to supporting legislation that makes air travel easier and more fair for the flying public.

Outcompeting China: During hearings of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with the Chinese Communist Party, I spoke about how the United States can outcompete China and own the economic future.

While Xi Jinping inserts the Chinese Communist Party into ever-more elements of the economy, which struggles with high youth unemployment and massive debt, the United States should focus on the basics: rule of law, education, science, infrastructure, and a more fair and dynamic economy. We should also seek to strengthen trade relationships outside of China, which is why I argued for reauthorizing the Generalized System of Preferences, which would reduce the tariff burden (and thereby consumer prices) on imports from non-Chinese developing nations that wish to partner with the United States.

I also made it clear that Republicans' proposed cuts to federal science and education funding will hamstring our nation's competitiveness in STEM-led research and innovation. I strongly support, and will continue to advocate for, a doubling of our national R&D intensity, because science and education are critical drivers of social and economic progress.

Make your voice heard → Should Congress continue to provide funding to Ukraine in their fight against Russia?

Do you support Congress providing aid to Ukraine?

Around the Fourth

Blackstone Valley Boys and Girls Club: Recently, I visited the Blackstone Valley Boys and Girls Club with State Representative Soter and State Senator Fattman. The visit highlighted the importance of this organization in our community, and I remain as committed as ever to ensuring it has financial support for decades to come. The Club serves hundreds of children in the region by providing activities like fishing, swimming, games, and more.

Most impressively, the Club does it all while using a 150+ year old facility that, put simply, isn't up to par. Because of this, I am working to secure the funding it needs by including it as one of my FY24 Community Project Funding requests.

Southwick's Zoo: Teddy and I had a fantastic time visiting Southwick's Zoo, a landmark of our district. (Teddy's favorite animals were the monkeys). Beyond seeing all of the animals, we enjoyed hearing about the zoo's history as a family business, its conservation efforts, and owner Betsey Brewer's vision for future educational programming and community engagement.

Sharon Meet and Greet: I hosted a meet and greet in Sharon to hear from constituents about their priorities and how I can best represent them in Congress. It was a great conversation covering everything from unfair tactics by drug-pricing middlemen to the current government-funding debates in Congress. I look forward to more events like this in the future. Keep an eye out for upcoming meet and greets throughout the district later this summer.

Everwood Day Camp: On Friday, I also visited Everwood Day Camp in Sharon. I met with Jaime Pickles and her team, who have built a wonderful community of campers and counselors for hundreds of families throughout the district.

St. Mary of Carmen Festival: I also spoke at the St. Mary of Carmen Society's 88th annual festival. I had a wonderful time enjoying the rich culture and community that Nonantum brings to the Fourth District and Massachusetts as a whole. Thank you to Frank Battista, Carl Pasquarosa, Chuck Proia, and countless others for their tireless work to bring this great event to us each year.