Dear Neighbor,
March always brings both warmth and renewal outdoors, with spring finally here, and a similar burst of activity on Beacon Hill and in our district. As we have done for several years now, my team and I have so enjoyed celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting amazing women leaders across our district. I also spoke with a group of young girls at a leadership program that teaches resilience, confidence, and inclusivity – values the world needs deeply these days.
Heading outside, I had the awesome privilege and absolute pleasure as Senate Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee to buckle up snowshoes, trek out into the woods with MassWildlife scientists, and snuggle a bear cub! Don’t try this without the scientists, folks. (Scroll down for more details and some can’t-miss photos!) Monitoring the health of our native black bear population is part of our state government’s ongoing conservation and wildlife protection efforts, work that my Committee oversees. 
Rausch Report
Relatedly, and back inside, the Senate took steps to further support animal welfare, passing an omnibus bill that protects animals from abuse and neglect while also supporting responsible pet owners. As a pet owner myself, I’m glad this bill will end the puppy mill to pet store pipeline in the Commonwealth and further restrict animal testing for consumer products. (We had some special Senate guests the day of the debate!)
Amid these and other things to celebrate are the ever-present and very real fears and concerns about the state of our country, ongoing wars, and geopolitics. These are difficult times, and the impacts of global and national decisions are felt by so many in our communities. My colleagues and I at the state government level continue to push back on the treacheries of Trump as much as we can, within the scopes of our roles and the limits of our state and federal constitutions. To that end, many of my pro-democracy bills are now under consideration in Ways and Means, and I late-filed a suite of five anti-ICE bills earlier this year. One day at a time, we keep going, and keep trying our best do the next right thing.
Read on in this month’s Rausch Report to learn more about recent legislation passed by the Senate, a recap of Women’s History Month recognitions, details on my upcoming annual Youth Summit and April events in the district, and more.
For real-time updates, please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. If you are a constituent and need assistance, please don’t hesitate to call me and my team at (617) 722-1555, email me at becca.rausch@masenate.gov, or attend upcoming office hours. We are here to help.
Yours in service,
Senator Becca Rausch
