Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Congressman Auchincloss: An Update for the past 2 weeks in review (10/03/23)

LAST 2 WEEKS IN REVIEW

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

On the Hill

Avoiding a Government Shutdown

Avoiding a Government Shutdown: On Saturday, I voted to prevent a government shutdown. This was the responsible thing to do, but it is the last time I will support a GOP compromise that does not provide clear, credible, and concrete terms for supporting Ukraine.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy played political games with American livelihoods and Ukrainian lives. He caved to MAGA extremists and handed Putin a propaganda victory by excising funding for Ukraine from the continuing resolution to fund the government. Kevin McCarthy sided with the Kremlin over Ukraine. Without Democrats stepping up as the adults in the room, his conference would have voted to shut the government down rather than support Ukraine's fight for freedom.

Moving forward, I am committed to supporting an aid package for Ukraine that supports their efforts against Russia's brutal invasion. You can hear more of my thoughts on WBUR and on CNN.

Lowering the Cost of Prescription Drugs: I joined the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability's hearing on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), which are the drug-pricing middlemen owned by insurance companies. It is unacceptable that PBMs drive up out-of-pocket costs for Americans through rent-seeking and self-dealing. I am working on legislation to increase transparency and lower prescription drug costs for Americans. No family should have to decide between their life-saving medications and paying for groceries.

Additionally, before we passed the continuing resolution to fund the government, I led 40 of my colleagues in calling for Medicare to continue its drug price negotiation program in the case of a government shutdown. The program will lower drug costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries, as part of the president's commitment to improving economic security for Americans.

Supporting Israel: On Friday, Republicans put forth a deeply-flawed funding bill that cut security aid to Israel, which I opposed. While the bill did not pass, nearly all House Republicans voted in support of such a measure. Israel is our only reliable, democratic ally in the Middle East. Cutting their security assistance would make the entire region, and the United States, less safe.

ACT Press Conference: I hosted a press conference with the Association for Commuter Transportation to expand the use of public transit by commuters. I announced that I'll be introducing legislation to restore transit benefits, cut by President Trump, that reduce traffic and put money back in employees' pockets. My bill restores the deductibility of transportation benefits and encourages companies to provide transit subsidies to their employees. With employers struggling to attract and retain talent, our roads becoming more congested, and public transit ridership down, it's time to empower employers to offer better transit benefits.

Do you support employers offering transit benefits to support public transportation?

Around the Fourth

Supporting Local Farmers

Supporting Local Farmers: Over the summer, I heard from local farmers about their priorities in the upcoming Farm Bill Reauthorization at a roundtable I hosted. Now, I am advocating to improve crop insurance and SNAP benefits in the Farm Bill. Specifically, I support making SNAP benefits applicable to fresh local produce and including dairy and cheese.

Migrant Crisis: I've heard from many of my constituents about the influx of migrants to Massachusetts. I believe we must provide a safe haven for those seeking refuge, but I also understand the challenges that cities and towns are facing in trying to accommodate newcomers. Further, the crisis is made worse by federal work authorization delays.

That's why I cosponsored the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act to speed up and streamline how migrants get approved to work. We have employers struggling to find workers and migrants looking for work. Now, we just have to cut through the red tape, which will empower migrants to provide for themselves and their families and bolster the Massachusetts economy. The Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act is just one part of the comprehensive immigration solution that Congress must deliver.

Onwards,