Showing posts with label 4th District. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4th District. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

A Note from Congressman Auchincloss Marking One Year Since the Terrorist Attack on October 7, 2023


A Note from Congressman Auchincloss Marking One Year Since the Terrorist Attack on October 7, 2023

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,

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Jake Auchincloss

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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




Thursday, May 2, 2024

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


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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

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  • 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

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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?

 

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Onwards,

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Jake

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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

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Wednesday, March 20, 2024

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


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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

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  • 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

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

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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?

 

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Around the Fourth

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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,

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Jake

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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



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Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Auchincloss Secures District Wins in Passage of Federal Minibus - Franklin Ridge gains $850K

Auchincloss Secures District Wins in Passage of Federal Minibus

"Minibus" Funding Bill Includes Auchincloss Community Project Funding Requests 

Last weekend, Congress passed a partial government funding bill that was signed by President Biden and includes key wins for the Fourth District. The bill provides funding for 15 Community Project Funding (CPF) requests sponsored by Congressman Auchincloss. 

"Clean drinking water & better bridges have been my priority for three funding cycles," said Auchincloss. "These projects take time – they're not quick & flashy – but the benefits will extend for a generation."

Auchincloss Projects Included in Passage: 

  • Pleasant Street Neighborhood Stabilization Plan Streetscapes Improvement Project, Fall River Amount Received: $1,666,279 
  • Danforth St. Bridge Reconstruction Project, Taunton  Amount Received: $1,000,000
  • Weir Bridge Reconstruction Project, Taunton   Amount Received: $1,000,000
  • Cleaning and Lining Large Water Main near Wading River Water Treatment Plan, Attleboro  Amount Received: $959,752
  • Ferry Street Sewer Pump Station Rehabilitation Project, Fall River   Amount Received: $959,752
  • PFAS Treatment Project, Bellingham   Amount Received: $959,752
  • Walnut Street Sewer Project, Foxborough    Amount Received: $959,752
  • Town Center Package Sewer Plant, Norfolk    Amount Received: $959,752
  • McKeon PFAS Treatment Facility, North Attleborough   Amount Received: $959,752
  • Construction of Route 6 Corridor Sewer Collection System, Swansea   Amount Received: $959,752
  • Water Quality Improvements, Wrentham  Amount Received: $959,752
  • Blackstone Valley Boys and Girls Club Stone House Renovation Project, Blackstone   Amount Received: $850,000
  • Franklin Ridge Senior Affordable Housing Project, Franklin  Amount Received: $850,000
  • South Main Street Bridge, Freetown   Amount Received: $500,000
  • Pleasant Street Infrastructure Improvements, Medfield    Amount Received: $500,000

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

Auchincloss Secures District Wins in Passage of Federal Minibus
Auchincloss Secures District Wins in Passage of Federal Minibus

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Auchincloss Announces Guest For President Biden’s State Of The Union Address And Social Media Legislation


Auchincloss Announces Guest For President Biden’s State Of The Union Address
Auchincloss Announces Guest For President Biden’s State Of The Union Address


Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D, MA-04) is announcing Brookline's Myrieme Nadri-Churchill (M.Ed) as his guest for President Biden's State of the Union Address to Congress on Thursday, March 7th. Myrieme serves as Executive Director of Parents for Peace, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit empowering families, friends, and communities to prevent radicalization, violence, and extremism using a public health approach.


Parents for Peace began as a support group for other families who had lost loved ones to extremism and soon expanded to offer a confidential helpline to assist families grappling with new cases of extremism


With antisemitism rapidly increasing throughout the country, and specifically Massachusetts, the work Myrieme is doing is more crucial than ever. Nadri-Churchill's unusual combination of intervention and coaching experience shaped the unique methodology of the Parents for Peace helpline. She has helped hundreds of American families successfully intervene to rescue loved ones falling into extremism. 


In addition to announcing his guest, Auchincloss is introducing the Verifying Kids' Online Privacy Act. Most of the young individuals that Parents for Peace works with were radicalized by extremist groups through social media. Amid rising youth mental health challenges and continued negligence on the part of social media companies to serve the best interests of our children online, Congress must enact stronger protections to ensure social media companies are held accountable and that parents may have confidence in how their children use social media. 


The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which took effect in 2000, requires that a website operator have increased protections for children under 13, including verifying parental consent before collecting any personal information. Major social media companies have, by and large, decided that it is easier to not allow kids under 13 to use their services instead of complying with this "burdensome" requirement. However, companies often simply ask users to input their birthday when creating an account, which is easily faked. 


This legislation would take two major steps to address the gaps in COPPA's protections: 1) increasing the age of those protected from 13 to 16, and 2) requiring social media companies to develop privacy-protective methods of verifying the age of its users to ensure that COPPA's protections extend to all children on a platform. 


Requiring age verification would constitute a critical step in ensuring that companies uphold the protections included in COPPA. Importantly, this legislation would not require a specific age verification method, but would allow for companies to design a privacy-protective method that fits their platform, while still requiring those companies to submit these processes to the Federal Trade Commission to be considered for COPPA's existing safe harbor provisions. Companies would also be barred from selling, transferring, or otherwise using any data collected in the verification process for any purpose other than verification. 


Lastly, this legislation would establish a Children's Online Safety Fund to support Department of Education grants that support digital literacy programs to promote safe and healthy internet use for children. The Fund would be financed by civil penalties obtained by the federal government from violations of COPPA. 


"As the youngest parent in the Democratic caucus, I speak daily with parents who are stressed about their children's social media usage, and I speak with youth who are made increasingly lonely and anxious as a result of their social media habits. Meanwhile, trillion-dollar social media corporations continue to productize our children to sell ads. Congress must fight back on behalf of parents and children, who don't have the time or resources to outfox algorithms. My legislation directly holds social media corporations accountable for their negligent approach to our children's wellbeing," said Auchincloss


"The ease of access to manipulative ideological content has enabled the variety of radicalizations we see in our helpline work with families, from White Supremacy and ISIS to eco-terrorism and Antifa. The families come from a broad cross-section of American society, with children being radicalized as young as 12. Seeing the harsh realities of this every day, I urge our leaders to support policies that limit minors' access to social media platforms and increase parental supervision over their online activities," said Churchill, Executive Director of Parents for Peace.


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

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Congressman Auchincloss: An Update For the past 2 weeks (03/05/24)


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LAST 2 WEEKS IN REVIEW

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

  • Standing with our allies
  • 30th anniversary of the Brady Bill
  • Attorneys General share support for my drug-pricing efforts
  • Protecting kids online with the Dads Caucus
  • Talking transportation with Radio Boston

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  • The state of Massachusetts manufacturing
  • Medically tailored meals in Mansfield
  • Virtual Roundtables with constituents across the district

On the Hill

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Standing with our allies: I joined CNN to discuss funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Putin's murder of Alexei Navalny is emblematic of his drive towards autocratic governance – a repressive vision shared by dictators like Xi Jinping. Ukraine is fighting on the front lines against this assault on democracy. Navalny's murder underscores why it is so critical to fund Ukraine and all our democratic allies abroad. 

Next, we turned to the Israel-Hamas war. I stressed the immediate need to secure the return of the hostages, surge aid, and deny Hamas, which has immiserated the Palestinian people and vowed to repeat the atrocities of October 7th, any role in postwar governance of Gaza. 

Right now, there is a deal on the table that would enable a temporary ceasefire, unlock aid, and return many of the hostages. Israel has agreed to it. For the sake of the hostages and the Palestinian people, Hamas must accept it.

Then, I followed up with WBUR, where I explained why Speaker Mike Johnson won't bring the Senate's national security bill to the House floor: he's afraid of Trump. The House has the votes to pass funding for our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as humanitarian aid to Gaza; it has the support of a bipartisan majority. But the MAGA flank is vociferous, and Speaker Johnson fears they'll move to oust him for standing up to what a former Bush 41 foreign policy advisor has called the GOP's "bizarre romance with Russian authoritarianism." 

Speaker Johnson does not have control of his conference and is on the way out, regardless. His legacy will be defined by whether he stands with Ukraine.

Recognizing 30 years of the Brady Bill: I shared my thoughts with you last week on the enduring legacy of the Brady Bill, which has blocked almost 4.9 million illegal gun transactions since its enactment in 1994. Last Congress, we passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – the first major piece of gun safety legislation since Brady's passage. 90 percent of Americans – Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike – want to expand Brady to include universal background checks and strengthen extreme risk protection orders, or "red flag" laws, to prevent criminals from purchasing guns. I am committed to going beyond thoughts and prayers and to working with members of good conscience across the aisle to enact bipartisan, common-sense gun safety legislation that will end the scourge of gun violence in America. 

Attorneys General share support for my drug-pricing efforts: I was happy to see Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and a coalition of attorneys general from across the country send a letter to Congressional Leadership last week in support of drug-pricing legislation that I helped introduce in the House. The letter states that "the DRUG Act, Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act, and The Lower Costs, More Transparency Act…would be an important step toward reforming this industry." Among other things, these bills would de-link PBM compensation from the cost of medications, prohibit spread pricing and patient steering, and prohibit PBMs from paying affiliated pharmacies more than independent community pharmacies. In plain English: they would help lower drug prices for patients!

I have been encouraged to see the efforts of state regulators and law enforcement to stop PBMs from evading state law and regulations. Now, Congress must pass legislation so that state and federal regulators have the necessary tools to work together to finally hold drug-pricing middlemen accountable.

Talking transportation with Radio Boston: I spoke with WBUR about my ideas for replacing the federal gas tax with state and local funding mechanisms as we look toward a transportation system unencumbered by automobile dominance. The federal government induces states and cities to choose highways over transit by offering better deals on funding for these projects. Owning two cars shouldn't be a precondition to participate in civil society.

In a 2022 op-ed, I explained why the federal gas tax would be better used to subsidize locally-sponsored projects that promote walkability, micromobility, and transit: 
"The benefits of reforming federal highway funding and changing the way we spend the federal gas tax would be swift and tangible. First, giving states and cities more latitude will encourage local innovation, helping us find better transportation solutions and root out failed practices.

Second, it will compel honest accounting of the cost of car-centric infrastructure. Right now, federal gas tax revenue incentivizes states to build and build without thinking about the compounded costs of maintaining an ever-expanding roadway, which are paid for by our children in the form of federal debt. Eliminating that revenue stream eliminates that unsustainable incentive. 

Third, a transparent account of the costs of maintenance will make it more likely that states implement strategies like congestion pricing and improved alternative mobility options, like cycling lanes, rail, and on-demand transit. The transition will be disruptive to politicians and bureaucrats, but the net effect will be a lower carbon footprint, better mobility, and more walkable downtowns." 

Protecting kids online: I was appointed Chair of a new Congressional Dads Caucus working group focused on children's mental health and online safety. The Technology, Media, and the Family Working Group will convene subject matter experts to educate members on issues related to modern technology and media and their impact on families, particularly children. 

As a millennial parent in Congress, I know parents shouldn't have to wrestle with trillion-dollar social media corporations over what's best for their children. Meta, TikTok, and the rest are attention-fracking America's youth, but they are so big and profitable that they have knocked down objectors. As Chair of this working group, I am intent on taking on their corporate greed to protect our children's mental health, cognitive development, and sense of self.

Are you concerned about the impact of social media on children's mental health?

 

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Around the Fourth

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The state of manufacturing in MA: I joined State Senator Paul Feeney and MassMEP at CPS Technologies in Norton to discuss how I am working to help equip Bay Staters to pursue the roughly 150,000 manufacturing jobs that require moderate on-the-job training, but no experience or degree. We also discussed the current landscape of manufacturing in Massachusetts. The Voice of the Manufacturer Survey in Massachusetts quantified my own impression from dozens of conversations with manufacturers across our district: access to talent is the most significant concern right now. According to the survey, 'availability of skilled labor' was the most commonly cited impediment to growth.

To build a skilled workforce for the 21st century, there are two steps Congress should take that would secure our border and our economic future:

  • Pass the bipartisan DIGNITY Act, which would help secure the border and provide documentation & dignity for immigrants, while also creating a skills fund, open to all, for apprenticeships and earn-and-learn programs financed by fees and back-taxes from naturalization; and
  • Encourage the federal government to set a better example in its own hiring practices by not defaulting to degree requirements that screen out qualified applicants without degrees.

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Medically tailored meals in Mansfield: I also joined Community Servings, a nonprofit organization that prepares and delivers medically tailored meals for patients and their families, at their Mansfield ribbon-cutting ceremony. The thought leaders and volunteers at Community Servings are not only helping people in a moment of illness and insecurity; studies indicate that they are also taking costs out of the health care system by treating the whole person, including their daily nutrition needs. I hope Community Servings' approach to food as medicine can help inspire a broader societal reckoning with our appetite for the high-sugar, ultra-processed foods that are ultimately making us sicker.

Virtual roundtables with constituents across the district: Over the past two weeks, I held a series of virtual roundtables with constituents in Brookline, North Attleborough, Mansfield, Sharon, Dover, Sherborn, Needham, Blackstone, Millville, Medfield, and Taunton. We discussed a wide range of topics from immigration, the Israel-Hamas war, and aid to Ukraine and our allies abroad to funding for complex disease research and access to multimodal transportation. I am encouraged by my neighbors' eagerness to engage in conversations about how federal policy impacts them at home. I value these virtual roundtable conversations with constituents and, along with phone calls, online opinion submissions, and informal conversations across the district with residents, it helps me to better serve as your voice and vote in Congress. 

In addition to these community-centered conversations, I invited students from across MA-04 to join me for a virtual roundtable during the February school break. These bright students came prepared with great questions about the House, improving access to diabetes medications, what I did for fun at their age (read American history), and my favorite part of being a Member of Congress (calling high school seniors who have been accepted into military service academies).

Onwards,

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Jake

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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


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