Congressman Auchincloss extends invitation for an Update and Q&A on Feb 8 in Franklin

Hi neighbor, On Saturday, February 8, I'll be hosting a congressional update and Q&A in Franklin. This is an opportunity for you to raise questions, hear updates on what I'm doing to represent the district's values & advance its priorities, and receive assistance with casework. Details about the visit are below. I hope you'll be able to join me. Congressional Update and Q&A with Congressman Jake Auchincloss Saturday, February 8, 2025 12:15pm – 1:15pm Franklin, MA Doors will open 15 minutes before the event. Location provided upon RSVP HERE Sincerely, Jake Auchincloss WASHINGTON 15 Independence Avenue SE 1524 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5931 NEWTON 29 Crafts Street Suite 375 Newton, MA 02458 Phone: (617) 332-3333 ATTLEBORO 8 North Main Street Suite 200 Attleboro, MA 02703 Phone: (508) 431-1110

Congressman Auchincloss schedules a congressional update and Q&A at Franklin High School Feb 8

Via Congressman Auchincloss 

"Congressman Jake Auchincloss (MA-04) is hosting a congressional update and Q&A in Franklin, MA. This is an opportunity for constituents to raise questions, hear updates on what Congressman Auchincloss is doing to represent the district's values and advance its priorities, and receive assistance with casework.

This event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 12:00 pm.

If you have questions, please call Congressman Auchincloss’ Newton office at (617) 332-3333 or the Attleboro office at (508) 431-1110.

When: Saturday, Feb 8, 2025 at 12:15 PM (to 1:15 PM)

Where: Franklin High School Auditorium

The event is free. Registration via Eventbrite -> 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/congressional-update-and-qa-wth-congressman-jake-auchincloss-tickets-1221026927409 

To learn more about Congressman Jake Auchincloss,    visit https://auchincloss.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.   

Congressman Auchincloss schedules a congressional update and Q&A at Franklin High School Feb 8

Congressman Auchincloss Appointed to Energy & Commerce

Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D, MA-04) has been appointed to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for the 119th Congress. The Committee is at the forefront of health care, technology, and energy policy. Rep. Auchincloss will serve on the Health, Energy, and Environment subcommittees. 

In particular, the committee has responsibility for matters including telecommunications, consumer protection, food and drug safety, public health and research, environmental quality, energy policy, and interstate and foreign commerce. 

 

Congressman Auchincloss Appointed to Energy & Commerce

“I am focused on lowering the cost of health care. Energy & Commerce is the prime committee for policy that can reduce co-pays and premiums, empower patients and doctors, and rein in the middlemen of corporate healthcare. I am excited to get working on legislation,” said Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D, MA-04)

 

A photo from Congressman Auchincloss’ first full-committee meeting can be viewed here -> 

Memorandum: Jake Auchincloss’ Fourth Year in Congress

This year, the House GOP pursued a series of wedge issues, torpedoing bipartisan policies in subservience to Donald Trump. Congressman Jake Auchincloss remained focused on working left, right, and center to deliver local wins and bipartisan solutions for the Fourth District of Massachusetts. 

Congressman Auchincloss’ Legislative Victories and Representing Values

• As a “heavy hitter on national security issues,” Auchincloss remained a forceful voice against China, Iran, and Russia’s global axis of authoritarianism serving on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
• Served as Democratic co-chair of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party’s Fentanyl Policy Working Group, where he led three bipartisan bills to crack down on the Chinese Communist Party’s role in subsidizing fentanyl precursors and analogues by coordinating U.S. government actions and implementing sanctions and fines.
• As a Member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, helped draft and pass the overwhelmingly bipartisan reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration, including improvements to air traffic control recruitment and training and his own legislation to help airports reduce congestion at the curb.
• Continued his leading role as an advocate for Ukraine’s right to defend itself from Russia’s invasion forces, and was a strong proponent for the congressional aid package earlier this year. 
• Led a letter with 52 House Members urging the Biden administration to pursue more vigorous Russian oil sanctions and questioning an exception granted to a U.S.-based company conducting business in Russia and fueling Vladimir Putin’s war economy. 
• Delivered cable hit after hit forcefully urging President Biden to remove all remaining restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-manufactured weapons in the final months of his presidency. Auchincloss’ Wall Street Journal op-ed implored Biden to enable Ukraine to deploy combined-arms tactics inside enemy territory, just as NATO militaries would. 
• Drafted and gained 60 bipartisan cosponsors for the “strongest set of reforms introduced in Congress to date” to tackle the prescription drug price-gouging abuses of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) – the middlemen of drug pricing – with the bipartisan Pharmacists Fight Back (PFB) Act 
• Confronted the surge in campus antisemitism by holding to account the eight colleges and universities scoring poorly on the ADL’s campus antisemitism report, and by leading a bipartisan letter with over 20 U.S. lawmakers urging the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to investigate these incidents on college campuses and issue a report to Congress with policy recommendations, as it did 20 years ago
• As an “outspoken advocate for gun violence reduction efforts,” wrote to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to encourage school districts to share federal resources available under the Biden administration on safe firearms storage with parents and guardians.
• Used his unique perspective as the youngest parent in the Democratic Caucus to take on trillion-dollar social media corporations on behalf of parents for their corrosive effects on youth mental health. He co-led the successful TikTok divestment bill and introduced his own legislation, the Verifying Kids Online Privacy Act, to raise the age of internet adulthood from 13 to 16 in support of replacing the phone-based childhood with the play-based childhood
• Worked across the aisle to tackle explicit deepfakes on social media – nearly 100% of which is non-consensual, intimate content of women. His legislation, the Intimate Privacy Protection Act, would amend Section 230 to prevent social media companies from evading their responsibility to remove deepfake pornography from their platforms.
•  Delivering Results at Home 

Since his first term in Congress, Congressman Auchincloss has secured tens of millions of dollars in water, transportation, and social services funding across the Massachusetts Fourth. The funds have fixed bridges, cleaned water, and unlocked land for housing. In the past year, he was able to secure over $7 million in FY24 Community Project Funding grants. 

In the past year, Auchincloss’ office provided assistance to constituents across all 35 cities and towns in MA-04:

• Nearly $1.494 million in tax refunds returned
• 1,270+ casework inquiries completed 
• 160+ people helped with Social Security benefits
• 400+ constituents helped with immigration issues
• Nearly 104,598 responses to constituents through emails, letters, and phone calls 

Recognized Leadership

Congressman Auchincloss received the Government Leader Award from the Massachusetts Society for Medical Research in recognition of his commitment to strong intellectual property protection for novel innovation, and health insurance reform that ensures first-dollar coverage for medicines.

Democratic Whip Katherine Clark stated “Jake Auchincloss is a policy leader on lowering patients’ prescription drug costs. In his first term, he helped negotiate and pass the law that empowered Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Now he’s at the forefront of efforts to ensure that health insurers improve patient access and lower out-of-pocket costs.

Shattering Echo Chambers

Congressman Auchincloss continued his aggressive “go everywhere” media strategy this year, using his voice as a “prominent, pragmatic, voice among younger members of the Democratic caucus” to reach diverse audiences. 

• During his fourth year in office, he made over 275 podcast, local media, and national television appearances. 
• While he represents some of the bluest zip codes in the country, the largest city in his district, Fall River, flipped red for President Trump for the first time since President Coolidge in 1924. Congressman Auchincloss appeals to both constituencies, as he is one of the Democrats that makes regular rounds on non-traditional media and conservative media outlets like Fox News.
• As part of this approach, Auchincloss has consistently shattered echo chambers on both the far right and far left: be it flipping the script on the GOP’s pandering to the NRA on conservative media, or pushing back on the far-left’s bad faith attacks on Israel. 
• This spring, Auchincloss garnered national headlines for calling out the far-left’s double-standard of failing to condemn the surge in antisemitic college protests. 
• Called a “particularly tough interrogator of PBM executives” at a House Oversight Hearing in July,  Auchincloss continued keeping the price-gouging abuses of PBMs at the forefront of national attention. Despite the GOP’s caving to the health insurance lobby at the end of this year, he will continue to put maximum pressure on PBMs next Congress. 

As we head into another year of Republican leadership and a second Donald Trump presidency,  Congressman Auchincloss will continue to defend democracy at home and abroad; uphold the rule of law and the sanctity of the Constitution; and advance bipartisan legislation to deliver results for Bay Staters.

Memorandum: Jake Auchincloss’ Fourth Year in Congress

U.S. Reps. Auchincloss, Boyle, and Lawler Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Designate November 2024 as Lung Cancer Awareness Month

U.S. Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), and Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced a bipartisan resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to designate November 2024 as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The initiative aims to draw attention to the importance of prevention, early detection, and research to curb lung cancer, which remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. In the United States Senate, the resolution is led by Senator Tina Smith (D-MN).

"Lung-cancer screening saves lives. The difference between early and late detection of a tumor is often a matter of life and death," said Rep. Auchincloss. "Washington needs to do more to advance awareness of screening and to support research and clinical care."

Bipartisan Resolution to Designate November 2024 as Lung Cancer Awareness Month

"Lung cancer impacts families and communities across the country. This resolution is an important step in raising awareness, encouraging preventative measures, and supporting groundbreaking research to save lives," said Rep. Boyle. "By coming together, we can ensure more Americans have access to the tools and resources needed to combat this devastating disease."

"Lung cancer is the deadliest and one of the most common forms of cancer," said Rep. Lawler. "We simply must do more to raise awareness and combat this deadly disease. That's why I'm joining Congressman Brendan Boyle in introducing a bipartisan resolution recognizing November as National Lung Cancer Awareness Month. One life lost to lung cancer is too many. Together, we can build a future where the devastation of lung cancer is no more."

The resolution highlights the need to increase public awareness campaigns, expand access to screening programs, and invest in life-saving research through federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss Announces Launch of Pro-Housing “YIMBY” Caucus to Tackle Affordable Housing Shortage

Today (11/21/24), U.S. Representatives Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Scott Peters (CA-50), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Marc Molinaro (NY-19), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), and Chuck Edwards (NC-11) announced the launch of the pro-housing “Yes In My Back Yard” (YIMBY) Caucus to promote the development of housing nationwide. The YIMBY movement focuses on encouraging new housing development, removing barriers to the construction of new homes, and investing in the infrastructure needed to unlock more affordable and walkable neighborhoods nationwide. 

The U.S. housing supply shortage, which sits between 4 and 7 million units, deprives young Americans of a strong start, pushes Americans into homelessness, and squeezes seniors on a fixed income. The co-chairs of this caucus will work to address these challenges at the federal level and convene regularly with local and state leaders who determine the bulk of housing policy. 

 

“The cost of housing is the greatest economic challenge facing Massachusetts. The answer: build more housing,” said Rep. Auchincloss. “At all levels of government, Americans need permitting & land use reforms that unlock more housing production.” 

 

Pro-Housing “YIMBY” Caucus to Tackle Affordable Housing Shortage

“San Diego is consistently one of the most expensive places to live in the country, and far too many people in our community cannot afford a home or are pushed into homelessness,” said Rep. Peters. “Back in 2018, I was one of the founding members of the San Diego Democratic YIMBY Club when it was a fledgling movement, and I am honored to be a founding Co-Chair of this effort in Congress. This caucus will be essential for fostering pro-housing growth policies that lower costs, help people achieve the dream of home ownership, and create vibrant, walkable, and transit-connected communities.”

 

“The cost of rent is far too high. We must act to expand affordable housing options,” said Rep. Garcia. “This is a long-term, structural problem requiring us to take bold steps to create the new homes our community needs. Embracing YIMBY-ism, building more housing units, and embracing mixed-use zoning will increase our housing supply and drive down costs for Americans. We need to get more ambitious with proposals to speed up housing production, including offering more financial incentives for states and local governments that welcome new construction.”

 

“Across the country, people are suffering under the weight of ever-higher housing costs,” said Laura Foote, Executive Director of YIMBY Action. “Our national housing shortage is pushing people down into poverty, away from opportunity, and throws a wet blanket on our economy. Building more housing near jobs has the ability to uplift millions of Americans and rebuild the middle class. We’re thrilled that a decade of YIMBY activism has led to this moment, and we’re grateful to the bipartisan leaders tackling America’s housing shortage head on.”

 

“The lack of housing supply and housing affordability are a national crisis affecting every region of our country,” said Laura Arce, Senior Vice President, UnidosUS. “We need comprehensive and commonsense solutions to build more types of housing in more places. UnidosUS commends the establishment of the YIMBY Caucus and stands ready to support its work to create a housing market that works for all families.” 

 

“The exclusionary land use regulations that caused California’s housing shortage and affordability crisis are not unique to California -- and the housing crisis has spread to every jurisdiction that copied California’s approach,” said Brian Hanlon, CEO of California YIMBY. “We need strong, pro-housing leadership at all levels of government to bring back the American dream of affordable homeownership, and to give renters a break on their housing costs. The creation of the bi-partisan House YIMBY caucus sends a powerful message: We must remove the barriers to housing abundance.”

 

 “America’s affordable and homelessness crisis demands urgent action by all levels of government to address its two main causes: the severe shortage of homes affordable to people with the lowest incomes and the wide gap between incomes and housing costs,” said Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “I applaud Representatives Robert Garcia (D-CA), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Scott Peters (D-CA), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Marc Molinaro (R-NY), and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) for creating the bipartisan YIMBY caucus to help advance housing solutions at the scale needed to help end this crisis once and for all.”

 

“BPC Action applauds Reps. Robert Garcia (D-CA), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Scott Peters (D-CA), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Marc Molinaro (R-NY), and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) for creating and co-chairing the bipartisan House YIMBY Caucus,” said Michele Stockwell, President, BPC Action. “At the heart of today’s housing affordability crisis is the acute shortage of affordable rental homes and entry-level homeownership options. We look forward to engaging with the YIMBY Caucus to identify common sense federal, state, and local actions that could be taken to ease regulatory barriers to increase our nation’s housing supply.”

 

“A critical shortage of apartment homes at all price points continues to impact communities across every corner of our country,” said National Apartment Association (NAA) President and CEO Bob Pinnegar. “Following an election where housing was at the forefront of conversation, now is the time for bold, bipartisan action. NAA applauds the formation of the Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) Caucus and looks forward to collaborating on sustainable solutions that boost housing supply and improve affordability for generations of renters to come.”

 

“State and local leaders across the country, from both political parties, are taking significant steps to ease restrictive regulations that limit housing growth,” said Alex Armlovich, Niskanen Center Senior Housing Policy Analyst. These efforts span various areas, including zoning and land use rules, permitting processes, procedural reviews, and multifamily building codes. The launch of the bipartisan House YIMBY Caucus marks a watershed in Congress’s recognition of the housing shortage and the need for stronger federal support to bolster state and local initiatives. Niskanen Center’s housing team applauds the founding YIMBY Caucus members—and looks forward to collaborating on innovative, bipartisan solutions to address the housing crisis.”

 

“As voters in the recent election cycle made clear, we need real solutions to our nation’s housing affordability crisis,” said Sharon Wilson Géno - President, NMHC. ”People on both sides of the aisle agree that we need to build more housing in communities across the country to ensure greater affordability and opportunity for all. NMHC is proud to support the creation of the bipartisan YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) Caucus. We look forward to working with the caucus to enact actionable solutions that will result in more housing choices for all Americans.”

Congressman Auchincloss Statement on Re-election

"I am honored to represent the District I grew up in, and I thank my constituents across the Massachusetts Fourth.

Next term, I intend to use my voice & vote to advance work that represents the values & priorities of our District:

• Lowering the cost of living, particularly in healthcare & housing
• Holding accountable the social media platforms that attention-frack our youth
• Passing gun-safety measures that protect children from their leading cause of death
• Interdicting fentanyl exports from China, which poison 100,000 Americans to death annually
• Delivering infrastructure funding for the 35 cities & towns of the District
• Protecting democracy from autocrats at home & abroad.

This term, I have led bipartisan legislation to rein in the Fortune 20 drug-pricing middlemen, known as Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), that price-gouge prescription drugs and bully independent pharmacists.
Next term, I will continue to drive legislation that lowers co-pays & premiums for prescription drugs and creates a level playing field against the self-dealing, greed, and malfeasance of PBMs.
 

This term, I have co-led bipartisan legislation to force TikTok's divestment from Chinese Communist control, while taking the lead on complementary bipartisan legislation to create a duty of care for all social media platforms relative to cyberbullying, defamation, intimate privacy violations, and other torts.
Next term, I will continue to fight back on behalf of parents against the ferocious lobbying of Big Tech to demand accountability of Meta, X, and more. These leviathans have profited by plundering the attention spans of our youth, impairing their sense of self & society.

This term, my political action committee, Beyond Thoughts & Prayers, has supported Democrats with more than $900,000 to win a gun-safety majority in Congress. J.D. Vance claims gun violence is a 'fact of life'. He's wrong: it's a fact of policy.
Next term, I'll fight against the GOP and the gun lobby to pass the policy that saves lives: background checks, safe-storage laws, an assault-weapons ban, red-flag requirements, resourcing for federal ghost-gun & crime-gun enforcement, and more.

This term, I have served as the co-chair of the Fentanyl Working Group, drafting bipartisan policy to interdict fentanyl exports from China through the Mexican drug cartels.
Next term, I will continue working in good faith with anybody – regardless of politics – to use sanctions, money-laundering, and customs authorities to stop the state-sponsored poisoning of Americans by the Chinese Communist Party.

This term, my office has delivered tens of millions of dollars in water and transportation funding to the 35 cities & towns of the Massachusetts Fourth. The funds have fixed bridges, cleaned water, and unlocked land for housing.
Next term, I will continue working closely with state & local officials to bring home federal dollars to fast-track infrastructure projects & economic development, particularly the construction of more housing, which is the Bay State's most pressing imperative.

This term, I have defended democracy wherever it's under attack. For Ukraine, against Russia. For Israel, against Iran. For the free world, against the Chinese Communist Party. And, of course: for Kamala Harris, against Donald Trump. 

Next term, I will continue to make the case for freedom & democracy in a fractured media landscape, by taking tough questions in front of skeptical audiences to meet people where they are. 

Thank you for the opportunity to represent you in the People's House. 

-- Jake Auchincloss

U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss, MA Lawmakers Urge DOJ, ATF To Crack Down on Interstate Gun Trafficking As Gun Violence Surges

U.S. Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA-04), Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Bill Keating (D-MA-09), Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), and U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) sent a letter to the Department of Justice and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) requesting that ATF ramp up its work to mitigate the influx of illegal firearms from other states into Massachusetts.   

The majority of guns recovered from crimes in Massachusetts are trafficked from other states with weaker gun laws. Straw purchasers, those who buy guns on behalf of people who cannot legally purchase guns, and unlicensed individuals often purchase guns in states with weaker gun laws and transport them via highways that have become popular gun trafficking corridors. This includes the notorious "Iron Pipeline" along Interstate 95. The guns are then resold for profit in states with tighter restrictions on gun purchases, undermining the efficacy of strong gun laws in states like Massachusetts. 

"While Massachusetts suffers one of the highest rates of interstate gun trafficking, this problem is not unique to the Commonwealth. Nationwide, almost one-third of guns recovered in crimes were trafficked from other states," wrote the lawmakers.

The lawmakers made five key recommendations to the ATF: 

• Strong implementation of a newly finalized rule that will require more sellers to obtain federal licenses and comply with federal safety requirements that help identify potential traffickers. These requirements include conducting background checks, maintaining inventory records, and reporting when customers purchase two or more handguns within five consecutive business days.
• Improve inspections of high-risk and noncompliant dealers. The ATF should conduct more frequent follow-up inspections of dealers that sell guns to straw purchasers and those that ignore other indications of trafficking. 
• Expand reporting requirements for multiple sales of rifles, in addition to revolvers and pistols, and require ATF to keep those reports for at least five years, up from the current requirement of two years. 
• Increase public access to gun trafficking data to allow researchers, journalists, and policymakers to have access to vital data on interstate gun trafficking and the sources of crime guns. 
• Ensure more consistent crime gun tracing and increase technical assistance to train local law enforcement on how to do so.  

The lawmakers requested an update on ATF's efforts to stem the flow of weapons across state lines by November 7, 2024. 

Congressman Jake Auchincloss is a member of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, and a national leader for gun violence prevention. Rep. Auchincloss has worked closely with the Biden Administration to ensure that ATF and DOJ are closing loopholes on background checks in existing legislation and cracking down on ghost guns. He has also cosponsored multiple pieces of anti-gun trafficking legislation, including the Trafficking Reduction and Criminal Enforcement (TRACE) Act.

 

U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss, MA Lawmakers Urge DOJ, ATF To Crack Down on Interstate Gun Trafficking As Gun Violence Surges

A Note from Congressman Auchincloss Marking One Year Since the Terrorist Attack on October 7, 2023 The terrorism of 7 October 2023 was an attack against Israel's right to exist. Israel, though, was not its only target. The barbarity was meant to make Jews of all nations afraid. To Jews here in Massachusetts, it was an earthquake that still reverberates in ways both personal and political.  The ongoing response of the free world to October 7th must encompass both international and domestic policy. On the international front, the United States must endeavor to lead the world in supporting Israel as it defends itself against the ring of fire encircling it: Hamas to its south, Hezbollah to its north, proxy terror groups in Iraq and Syria to its east, all fueled by the Islamic Republic of Iran. That support will take various forms – diplomatic, military, counsel – but always, it is deeper than personalities and politics. It draws on shared values and the common conviction that Israel and America are on the same side in the fight for freedom, democracy, and peace.  World leaders should forgo false moral equivalency and commit to the side of peace, for the sake of the Israeli people as well as the Palestinian, Lebanese, and Iranian people – and millions more who have been immiserated by the Islamic Republic of Iran's 50-year campaign of fanaticism and strife. On the home front, the United States and every nation must not allow fear to take hold. Antisemitism must be given no quarter in our politics, our education, our society. Jews will need allies in this effort. October 7 apologism, including the despicable dismissal of sexual violence against women, grows in the same illiberal soil that nourishes violence and bigotry in all its hateful forms. All who believe in social justice must uproot all forms of hate, including antisemitism. This anniversary arrives during the Jewish High Holidays. In our reflection and remembrance, let us hold close the hostages and their families. The hostages have been brutalized for a year, their families tormented. They must be returned, and there must be justice. Sincerely, Jake Auchincloss WASHINGTON 15 Independence Avenue SE 1524 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5931 NEWTON 29 Crafts Street Suite 375 Newton, MA 02458 Phone: (617) 332-3333 ATTLEBORO 8 North Main Steet Suite 200 Attleboro, MA 02703 Phone: (508) 431-1110

An Update From Congressman Jake Auchincloss for past 2 weeks (as of May 1, 2024)

Aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

LAST 2 WEEKS IN REVIEW I'm your representative in Congress and I write to keep you informed. Voting in defense of our allies in Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan  Helping Ukraine win CCP's state-sponsored fentanyl poisoning of the United States Advocating for more federal aid to address the migrant crisis           — Bringing drug-pricing policy center stage with the New England Council, Pioneer Institute, and Mass Biotech Council Upholding U.S.-Japanese ties with Consul General Suzuki Speaking to next-generation leaders at MIT Honoring MA-04's own heroic letter carrier Celebrating local talent for the Congressional Art Competition On the Hill Voting in defense of our allies in Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan: During a special Saturday session, I voted to defend our fellow democracies against the axis of China, Russia, and Iran. These autocracies are working together to upend the Pax Americana that has supported freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. The United States must respond by working together with our allies to fight back. The three bills, which will send $95.3 billion to aid our democratic allies, include $60.8 billion to Ukraine, $26.4 billion to Israel, and $8.1 billion to Taiwan, as well as $9.2 billion in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza and elsewhere.  Despite the big price tag, this national security bill is a bargain. For a tenth of what Congress spends annually on the military, we are investing in a free world that is more strong, self-reliant, and safe. The passage of these aid bills is even more critical following Iran's attack on Israel. As I told the Boston Globe:  "If the response to this attack is focused purely on Iran, it would miss the geopolitical reality that Iran, China, and Russia are inextricably linked in an axis opposed to the United States," Auchincloss said. "And they are working together to undermine freedom, democracy, and the rule of law." Helping Ukraine win: I joined MSNBC's "Way Too Early" before the vote to reiterate my support for our allies, and I spoke with Julie Mason afterward to remind listeners that victory in Ukraine is possible. The Ukrainians have the willpower to win, but they need Congress and the President to deliver the firepower. Victory looks like: a secure eastern border, freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, and accession to the European Union in the near term.  The House also passed a bill to increase sanctions against Russia and Iran and to allow the Biden administration to re-possess ~$5 billion in Russian assets, already frozen in the United States, to send to Ukraine. NATO should invest these assets into Ukraine's defense industrial base.  Should Speaker Johnson's job be threatened because he allowed aid to Ukraine to pass, I will vote to table the motion. My colleagues and I are in Washington to govern, and letting extremists sow chaos in the House benefits only the purveyors of clickbait. CCP's state-sponsored fentanyl poisoning of the United States: I expressed my concern about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s encouragement of fentanyl trafficking during a recent Select Committee on China hearing. The Committee released a report on April 16, which you can read here, that details how the CCP is not just facilitating, but subsidizing and abetting the manufacture and export of 97% of all fentanyl precursors. Chinese nationals are also assisting the drug cartels in laundering money from fentanyl trafficking. As I said in the hearing, an authoritarian government that can lock down its population overnight is capable of stopping fentanyl precursor manufacturers from breaking domestic and international laws. Instead, the CCP subsidizes them. The fentanyl crisis we're experiencing in the United States is tantamount to the state-sponsored poisoning of Americans by a foreign adversary. I am working in a bipartisan manner on a legislative response. Advocating for more aid to address the migrant crisis: I joined my colleagues in sending another letter to FEMA Administrator Criswell requesting the swift allocation of Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Shelter and Services Program (SSP) funding to address the migrant crisis. Additionally, the letter requested that FEMA broaden the eligibility criteria for SSP funding, which would allow new non-profit agencies, religious organizations, and groups that have not previously applied or received grants to apply for funding.  Nearly $7 million in SSP funds are on their way to Massachusetts, but this is still not enough to address the full financial scope of shelter and services for migrants. In the second half of 2023, Massachusetts saw a significant increase in families arriving, placing an even greater strain on the shelter system. The last round of SSP funding, allocated in September 2023, did not take into account this increase and failed to provide adequate resources at the time. Today, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development is housing over 3,800 families in hotels in addition to the more than 3,600 families currently in traditional shelters.  I will continue to advocate for the rapid disbursement of remaining FY24 federal funds and work to secure additional funding for Fiscal Year 2025. More fundamentally, America desperately needs immigration reform. I am a cosponsor of the DIGNITY Act, which is bipartisan and comprehensive legislation to upgrade border security and rationalize the naturalization process. I also continue to support the bipartisan border security bill agreed in the Senate but torpedoed by former president Trump for political purposes. Make your voice heard → I want to hear from you. Do you support increased federal Shelter and Services Program (SSP) funding for Massachusetts? Onwards, Jake WASHINGTON 15 Independence Avenue SE 1524 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5931 NEWTON 29 Crafts Street Suite 375 Newton, MA 02458 Phone: (617) 332-3333 ATTLEBORO 8 North Main Steet Suite 200 Attleboro, MA 02703 Phone: (508) 431-1110 Contact This newsletter was shortened for publication here. You need to subscribe to get your own copy to get the full contents. Or send me an email and I'll send you the full copy of this. Steve PS - You can also check online ->   https://auchincloss.house.gov/media/enewsletters  this edition is not yet posted there but it may be evntually

Congressman Auchincloss: An Update For the prior 2 weeks (as of 3/19/24)

LAST 2 WEEKS IN REVIEW I'm your representative in Congress and I write to keep you informed. Introducing legislation to hold social media corporations accountable for youth mental health Supporting TikTok's divestment State of the Union recap Lowering drug prices Ukraine aid update Bay State students in Washington           —  Biotech conversation with European consuls general Talking taxes with Citizens for Citizens Visiting Mansfield Delivering funds for bridges, clean water, and after-school activities On the Hill Introducing legislation to hold social media corporations accountable for youth mental health: I was excited to welcome Myrieme Nadri-Churchill, one of my constituents from Brookline, as my guest for President Biden's State of the Union. Myrieme is the Executive Director of Parents for Peace, a non-profit that empowers families, friends, and communities to prevent teens from falling victim to radicalization, violence, and extremism online using a public health approach. With the help of Myrieme's invaluable counsel, I recently introduced legislation to hold social media companies accountable for their effects on American youth. The Verifying Kids Online Privacy Act would build on the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 2000 (COPPA) by 1) increasing the internet age of adulthood from 13 to 16, and 2) requiring social media companies to verify the ages of their users in a privacy-protected manner. As the youngest Democratic parent in Congress, I am intent on ensuring that parents don't have to fight the Big Tech companies alone. Congress must protect our children's well-being from the greed of social media platforms that productize our children's attention spans for the benefit of advertisers.  Supporting TikTok's divestment: Last week, I voted to force TikTok to separate from its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, as the first step in a comprehensive policy to support youth mental health and de-platform disinformation. Under Chinese law, TikTok is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.  There are three steps Congress should take:  Step 1: Force TikTok to answer to Congress, not the Chinese Communist Party. Step 2: Pass my legislation to raise the age of internet adulthood from 13 to 16. Step 3: Hold social media corporations accountable for illegal actions committed on their platforms, through Section 230 reform.  State of the Union recap: I joined MSNBC following President Biden's State of the Union address to share my key takeaways on the sharp contrasts the president laid out between Democrats' and Republicans' positions on reproductive freedom, affordable healthcare, addressing gun violence, and defending our allies against dictators. The enduring legacy of Obamacare is just one example. For over a decade, Democrats have been fighting on behalf of the American patient to protect those with pre-existing conditions, and we're going to continue that fight against insurance companies to lower prescription drug costs.  The president opened the speech by directly linking January 6th with the Ukraine war: both are examples of authoritarians trampling on the rule of law. Russians didn't get a free and fair vote for their president in 2024; but Americans do. We must consider which vision of the American future to believe in – possibilities and progress or anger and regression.  Lowering prescription drug pricing: I joined The Hill for a fireside chat focused on lowering prescription drug pricing. I discussed my plan to rein in pharmacy benefit managers, which are drug-pricing middlemen owned by Fortune 50 health insurance companies. In particular, I advocated bipartisan legislation I helped introduce in the House, the Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act, which would sever the link between PBM compensation and the cost of medications. After decades of aggressive lobbying by the likes of UnitedHealthcare, Congress must get serious about holding these drug-pricing middlemen accountable. In his State of the Union speech, President Biden highlighted how Democrats were able to come together to take on the health insurance companies and pass Obamacare in the 2010s. This decade's fight against the insurance lobby must include lowering drug costs through PBM reform. Ukraine aid update: I spoke with CNN's Kasie Hunt about the immediate need for Congress to authorize additional military assistance for our allies in Ukraine. I signed a discharge petition filed by Congressman McGovern to force a vote on Ukraine aid in the House. Congress has the votes to fund Ukraine in its fight for freedom, but Speaker Johnson refuses to allow an up-or-down vote on the floor. I encourage all my Democratic colleagues – and those Republican Members who quote Reagan in their campaign ads – to join me and sign the discharge petition. MA-04 students in Washington: I welcomed groups from Dexter-Southfield, Dover-Sherborn, and my own alma mater, Newton North, over the last two weeks during their annual trips to D.C. With our nation's Capitol as the backdrop, I talked to students about the importance of social media regulations (they didn't always agree), supporting Ukraine, and defending democracy at home and abroad. They asked questions about a typical day in the life of a Congressman and how I got the job. I advised them to be willing to take risks in pursuit of their curiosity. I'm always impressed by how thoughtful and engaged Bay State students are. Make your voice heard → I want to hear from you.  Do you support forcing TikTok to be owned by a U.S. company? Around the Fourth Biotech conversation with European consuls general: I met with consuls general from Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Italy to discuss how the life sciences in Massachusetts factor into the global biotech enterprise. In the wide-ranging conversation, we discussed the importance of immigration, medical research, IP laws, and commercialization policies that reward makers, not takers. A booming biotech sector has propelled the Bay State's economy for over twenty years, but policymakers should not allow our success to justify complacency. Other states and countries–friends and foes alike–are competing hard.  In my recent op-ed on the subject in the Boston Globe, I explain how Congress should support progress:  "Rationalizing the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology, as recently advised by the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, is one opportunity to reward biotech makers and discourage snake-oil salesmen, by simultaneously streamlining and toughening regulations. Another example is regulating pharmacy benefit managers, the middlemen of the drug supply chain who decide on behalf of insurance companies which drugs patients can access. The PBMs take billions in profits that should be directed to lowering patients' out-of-pocket costs. In addition to supporting talent and passing pro-maker policy, policymakers should also provide infrastructure and standards for the life sciences. Clinical trials are the most expensive phase of biomedical innovation and are getting costlier. Improving the efficiency and diversity of clinical trials would be a rising tide to lift all biomedical boats, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, which I helped site in Massachusetts, should make it a priority. Another way to lift all boats is standardization, especially across bio-manufacturing, a growth sector for Massachusetts. Standardization of conventions, measures, and data reduces friction and amplifies U.S. soft power in international industry, as it did for telecommunications." Talking taxes with CFC: I met with Citizens for Citizens (CFC), a Massachusetts Community Action Agency that assists over 30,000 individuals in the Greater Fall River and Taunton areas each year to provide short-and long-term services for low-income individuals and families. CFC provided information about free tax prep services offered through the Massachusetts Association for Community Action.  The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax preparation services for qualifying taxpayers. The VITA program has operated for over 50 years and provides free tax help to people who need assistance in preparing their tax returns, including: People who generally make $64,000 or less Persons with disabilities Limited English-speaking taxpayers Our district has five VITA locations: CAN-DO in Newton, Citizens for Citizens in Fall River, Franklin Public Library in Franklin, and High Street Veterans Family Learning Center and Trustman Family Learning Center in Brookline. You can find the one nearest to you using the IRS locator tool: Find a Location for Free Tax Prep. Visiting Mansfield: I kicked off a full day in Mansfield by meeting with seniors at the Village at Willow Crossing, a senior living community that over 200 seniors call home. I toured the neighborhood and main lodge, which features 24-hour healthcare support that includes expert mind and memory care developed with Alzheimer's specialists. We discussed Medicare's ability to negotiate drug prices and the lowering of Part D costs for millions. Now, Congress must ensure that health insurance companies are passing on further negotiated prescription drug savings to patients. Next, I joined seniors for the town's annual St. Patrick's Day Lunch at the Mansfield Council On Aging, where we continued the conversation on the future of Medicare. Many also asked about Social Security, and I emphasized my commitment to protecting those earned benefits as well as my continued support of the Social Security Fairness Act and the Social Security 2100 Act. Then, alongside Rep. Adam Scanlon and Town Manager Kevin Dumas, I toured the Cate Springs PFAS treatment plant, which was funded in part by the American Rescue Plan. Cate Springs is one of several local PFAS treatment facilities supported by federal funds. Clean drinking water is a human right, and since taking office I have directed millions of dollars to local PFAS remediation. Finally, I wrapped up the day at the Mansfield BioIncubator to meet with the startup Aclarity, which electrochemically destroys PFAS using technology invented in Massachusetts. Tougher EPA regulations are rightfully pushing industry, landfills, and treatment plants to eliminate PFAS rather than cycle it. Delivering wins for the MA-04: I am excited to announce that my office was able to secure $14,000,000 in Community Project Funding for important infrastructure projects across the district. We focused on bridges, clean water, and affordable housing. Onwards, Jake WASHINGTON 15 Independence Avenue SE 1524 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5931 NEWTON 29 Crafts Street Suite 375 Newton, MA 02458 Phone: (617) 332-3333 ATTLEBORO 8 North Main Steet Suite 200 Attleboro, MA 02703 Phone: (508) 431-1110 Contact