Responding to the State of Our UnionThe Senate didn't need a rambling speech to understand the impact federal policies are having on Massachusetts communities. That's why we've been responding in real time over the past year.
President Trump delivered his State of the Union address Tuesday night. As we've come to expect, his speech spun a web of lies while completely ignoring the reality of what's happening to our country—and to people like you and me, our families and our neighbors. In the Massachusetts Senate, we believe in being honest. We also believe in focusing on substance and solutions, not soundbites. That's why the Senate has spent the past year examining ways to protect our residents, defend our values and lead Massachusetts during the second Trump administration. Because right now our rule of law is at risk and our residents are worried about their jobs and their healthcare, while our president only seems to care about punishing people who don't agree with him and making money for himself and his friends. We clearly need to act—and we have been through the Senate's Response 2025 initiative. What's at StakeIt's no secret that Massachusetts largely stands for everything Trump is trying to tear down. Personally, think he's jealous. We invest heavily in public education at every level, celebrate the strength that our diversity brings, and practice "small d" democracy in communities across our Commonwealth. Our economy is built on scientific research, innovation, and hard work, all of which we appreciate and celebrate. So, it should come as no surprise that the Trump Administration's pro-billionaire, anti-democratic, anti-science and, frankly, anti-American policies pose a number of threats to our Commonwealth. What Response 2025 Means for MassachusettsTo address these threats, the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy—of which I am Chair—has worked every day for nearly a year to analyze federal actions in real time, collaborate with experts, and elevate carefully-considered policy solutions. This is all part of the Senate's Response 2025 initiative, a name derived from the source of many policies we're responding to: the infamous Project 2025 agenda. Together, we have proposed and passed:
There's more. The Steering and Policy Committee have detailed all of our actions—from protecting the LGBTQ+ community to preventing book bans to keeping construction going on much-needed new housing even as costs rise due to tariffs—in a letter located on our committee website.
2025 May be Over, but Response 2025 is NotThe work to respond to Project 2025 is ongoing, because the impact from these policies is ongoing. Our committee continues to meet weekly—and remains committed to staying alert to new federal actions that could affect Massachusetts residents. Obviously, our top concern right now is the actions of ICE in our communities and the need to protect our immigrant neighbors. The Steering and Policy Committee was instrumental in helping to develop Senate President Pro Tempore Brownsberger's newly-proposed bill that seeks to protect residents from direct actions by federal law enforcement that violate our rights protected under the United States Constitution. While immigration enforcement falls to the federal government—only Congress can enact the comprehensive reforms needed to update our immigration system—we can and will act to protect our residents here in the Commonwealth. Senator Brownsberger's bill is just one piece of a broader, ongoing review of immigrant protections being undertaken as part of Response 2025. The Best Offense is a Good DefenseMassachusetts has always believed that the best offense is a good defense. We have budgeted carefully, set up strong civil rights protections, and kept faith with science, innovation and education. We invest in strong, sustainable programs to best serve our residents. We are focused on doing what we can to weather the storm ahead. But we also will never hesitate to protect our residents and our way of life when needed. Just like the patriots in my district 250 years ago on the Lexington Battle Green, we will never wait to be asked to lead—we just do it. And we will never back down when it comes to defending our values of freedom, compassion, creativity, integrity and justice for all. Know someone who may be interested in the Senate's Response 2025 initiative to protect and defend Massachusetts? Share this post!
© 2026 Massachusetts State Senate
|
Friday, February 27, 2026
Mass Senate: Responding to the State of Our Union
