Congressman Richard Neal serves as the people’s representative in the United States Congress from the First Congressional District of Massachusetts, representing 87 cities and towns in the western and central part of the state.

Congressman Neal has spent his career dedicated to serving others, motivated by the experiences of people he has met along the way and his own personal story. Throughout his district and across the nation, he is known as a champion of the middle class, an advocate for fairness, and a voice of reason.

Former western Massachusetts Congressman John Olver has called him “one of the most powerful voices in the Democratic caucus.”

Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle has stated “Richie Neal has spent his career vigilantly advocating for the people of our district, making sure residents have the rights, support, and opportunity they need and deserve.”

Fourth Berkshire District State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli says, “We all are fortunate to have this wonderful, caring and compassionate leader as our Congressman. To have our Congressman be the voice of the Democratic Party on key issues such as tax policy, health care reform and immigration can only help improve the lives of all Americans. As the ranking member of the powerful Ways & Means committee our Congressman is in the best position to help us deal with the infrastructure needs of Western Mass.”

Throughout his public service career, working families have always been at the forefront of his mind when casting votes or crafting legislation. He is a member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and a lifelong member of the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1459.

As Chair of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Neal has jurisdiction over all tax and trade issues, Social Security, and Medicare.

Additionally, he is the Dean of the New England Congressional Delegation, where he brings the regional issues and perspectives of New England’s six states to the forefront of the Congressional agenda.

Over his career in Congress, Congressman Neal has been an advocate of fairness and simplification of the U.S. tax code, supporter of policies that increase the national savings rate, fought relentlessly to protect Social Security and Medicare from privatization, promoted Financial Aid Seminars for college bound students and families, been instrumental in economic development initiatives throughout the district, and much more.

Congressman Neal was born in Worcester and grew up in Springfield along with his two younger sisters. Thanks to the kindness of his grandmother and aunt and the Social Security survivor benefits that his parents never got to enjoy, he was able to attend and earn his Bachelor’s Degree in political science from American International College. Later, he studied at the Barney School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Hartford, receiving a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.

Prior to serving in Congress, he taught students as a high school history teacher before serving the community as a city councilor, mayoral aide, and as Mayor of the City of Springfield.

Congressman Neal has received honorary degrees from Springfield College, Western New England College, Elms College, Westfield State University, Suffolk University, Mount Holyoke College, and most recently the University of Hartford.

In addition to serving in the United States Congress, Congressman Neal commits his time as a National Trustee at the Kennedy Library in Boston. He also continues to teach college students at the University of Massachusetts where he is a longtime lecturer on politics and journalism.

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change poses a profound threat to our way of life, and Richie understands the urgency of the need for solutions.

One of his top priorities as Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee is making the environment we share cleaner and safer, while also promoting renewable energy that creates thousands of jobs in the process. That’s why he held the first Ways & Means hearing on climate change in over a decade. It’s why he cosponsored the Climate Action Now Act, which would enter the US back into Paris Climate accords, and set hard limits on carbon emissions. And it’s why he negotiated directly with Canadian President Trudeau and Mexican President Lopez Abrador to create a trade agreement that includes tougher and more enforceable environmental policies.

Protecting our planet for future generations should not be a partisan issue.

As Chairman, Richie is also a champion of the GREEN Act, which would be Congress’s largest tax investment ever in combating climate change and promoting clean energy. The act extends current renewable energy tax incentives, and creates new models to increase the use of green energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The bill will:

• Promote the use of green energy technologies and incentivize the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through new and existing tax benefits.
• Increase energy efficiency and green energy use in both residential and commercial buildings.
• Support the use of zero-emission transportation and supporting infrastructure.
• Invest in a green workforce through energy credits for manufacturers.
• Advance environmental justice through tax credits for research and academic programs.

To keep our environment safe for generations to come, we must embrace clean energy as our pathway forward.

Richie also supports tougher clean water standards for so-called “forever chemicals” like PFAS, which can taint water for generations, and legislation to create a carbon capture incentive program within the EPA.

He is proud to have a legislative rating of 97% on environmental issues from the League of Conservation Voters, which speaks to his deep and continuing commitment to fighting climate change.

GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA

Richie has long been a supporter of stronger gun safety measures. Too often, our failure to implement stronger rules on guns has harmed the most vulnerable in our society. From Columbine High School, to Sandy Hook Elementary, to Parkland, FL, Richie grieves for the lives lost, and stands in solidarity with the families of the victims.

In 2018, hundreds of students from Pittsfield High School and Taconic High School walked out of their classrooms following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Afterward, Richie met with the students who organized the protest to thank them for their activism, hear their concerns, and collaborate on initiatives that he could bring back to his colleagues in Washington.

“As a father and grandfather, I don’t think parents should have to worry about the safety of their children when they drop them off at school in the morning.”

After meeting with the students, Richie renewed his call for the implementation of 10 common-sense gun safety measures, to curb this senseless violence.

Federal Assault Weapons Ban: assault weapons are made for battlefields, not our neighborhoods. Richie was proud to support the 1994 assault weapons ban and urges his colleagues to join him in supporting a new assault weapons ban.

Bump Stock Ban: the 2017 Las Vegas shooting was the deadliest mass-shooter attack in American history. Bump stocks, like the one that the Las Vegas shooter used to slaughter nearly 60 people, must be banned.

Universal Background Checks: a universal background check law would ensure that people prohibited from purchasing firearms cannot do so through an unregulated sale from an unlicensed or online seller or at a gun show. Closing this background check loophole is critical to making sure criminals and other dangerous people do not have access to firearms. It is also a policy supported by 95 percent of Americans.

Domestic Abusers Should Not Have Access To Guns: expand firearm prohibitions for domestic abusers to include dating partner abusers and convicted stalkers.

No Fly, No Buy: if an individual cannot get on a plane because of their status on the “No Fly List,” then that person should not be able to purchase a gun.

Allow The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) To Fund Gun Violence Research: in order to effectively solve this public health crisis, our country must begin to fully understand it. Richie supports funding that allows the CDC to research gun safety measures. This research is critical for policymakers to understand and recommend effective solutions for making schools and communities safer.

Mental Health Background Checks: Richie supports changing the law to require states to report records of individuals prohibited to carry guns to the FBI’s background check system. This way, individuals deemed unsafe to carry firearms due to mental health reasons cannot purchase dangerous weapons through loopholes.

Do Not Arm School Teachers: a recent Quinnipiac Poll found that while 75 percent of individuals believe that Congress must do more to reduce gun violence, only 20 percent think giving educators guns is the answer. Our teachers need more funding for educational materials, curriculum support and school supplies to help our kids succeed.

Impose Minimum Age Requirement To Buy Guns: the minimum age to purchase all firearms in America must be 21 years old in all 50 states.

Pass The Bipartisan Thompson-King Public Safety And Second Amendment Rights Protection Act: this bill would give states resources to help them submit information to the background checks system. It would also expand the system to cover all commercial firearm sales, closing the gun show, internet, and classified-ad loopholes. It currently has over 200 Democratic and Republican co-sponsors, and Richie is proud to be one.

Richie’s record on gun control has been consistent over the years. He is proud to stand with Moms Demand Action and the Brady Campaign in their efforts to curtail gun violence.

In Congress, Richie:

• Voted YES on making it easier to sue gun manufacturers for firearm deaths.
• Voted NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse.
• Voted NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1.
• Earned an F rating from the NRA, for his pro-gun safety voting record.

HEALTH CARE

When it comes to achieving health care coverage for every American, Richie’s focus has always been on what Congress can do to deliver positive change to the people, right away. That’s why he helped write the Affordable Care Act, which finally made health insurance obtainable for tens of millions of Americans.

He knows that as significant as that victory was, the work is not nearly done. He agrees with Barack Obama and Joe Biden - we need to do everything we can to strengthen and expand the coverage provided by the ACA, and defend it from constant attacks by the Trump administration.

While Trump tried to take affordable healthcare away from nearly 130 million people with pre-existing conditions, Richie is working to cover more people and make coverage more affordable. He has given his full support to a bill that would lower premiums for working-class people by hundreds of dollars a year. It would also reduce deductibles and prescription drug costs, encourage more states to expand Medicaid coverage, and result in millions more Americans getting covered.

As Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee, Richie has made healthcare a top priority. That’s why he held his first hearing as Chairman on protecting healthcare for those with pre-existing conditions. Over the last two years, Richie has also:

• Passed H.R. 3, which allows Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and make those prices available to people with private insurance.
• Proposed the Prescription Drug STAR Act, which requires pharma companies to be more open and upfront on drug pricing, so Americans are not paying higher prices for drugs being sold for less in other countries.
• Advocated for lower drug prices by holding two hearings on the rising prescription drug prices and Overcoming Pharmaceutical Barriers.
• Held a hearing on pathways to universal health care.
• Filed bill to expand telehealth practices, in order to make healthcare more accessible in rural communities.

IMMIGRATION

Richie believes that immigrants make America great. The way the Trump administration has weaponized hatred toward immigrants is shameful, and Richie will continue to stand up to such rhetoric.

In particular, Donald Trump has singled out refugees who come to the US fleeing violence in Latin America, tearing families apart and subjecting them to inhumane treatment in border detention facilities. Richie traveled to the border to visit ICE detainment centers personally, and has denounced the way those taken into custody - including young children - are being treated.

Richie is a supporter of the DREAM Act, and he worked closely with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to craft an amendment extending Affordable Care Act benefits to DREAMers.

“As the grandson of immigrants myself, I won’t turn my back on today’s DREAMers. We need real, comprehensive immigration reform.”

He believes that we must do more to create pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, to welcome new Americans, to live up to our reputation as the Land of Opportunity, and to protect immigrant communities from all forms of intolerance.

• He supports a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers.
• He supports birthright citizenship.
• He voted NO on Trump’s border wall.
• He voted to expand America’s work visa program.
• He spoke out against a proposal to increase funding for ICE.

INFRASTRUCTURE & BROADBAND

America needs to invest in our future. Our roads, bridges and railroads are in declining shape, and millions of us are out of work due to COVID-19.

That’s why Richie helped write the Moving Forward Act, which tackles both these challenges. Here at home in Western and Central Massachusetts, it would jumpstart crucial projects like rural broadband and east-west rail, while creating thousands of jobs across the state.

The bill won’t just benefit our area - it will create 10 million new jobs nationwide. With each dollar invested, our nation becomes more competitive and prosperous. And as Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee, Richie made sure the bill included the largest tax investment ever to combat climate change. It prioritizes investments in clean energy technology, creates good paying union jobs in the green energy sector, and expands green job opportunities in America to ensure we continue to lead the way on climate.

“Rebuilding America’s infrastructure is the most significant investment we can make to strengthen our economy, create jobs, improve our environment, and come out of the pandemic a stronger nation.”

When it comes to supporting rural communities, Richie believes in closing the information gap by working to make fast, reliable internet a reality all across Massachusetts. He has met with Governors Deval Patrick and Charlie Baker to push for faster progress on this much-needed expansion.

Richie has also backed the following infrastructure investments:

• Rehabilitating Springfield’s Union Station, which is now a modernized rail hub that has been an economic development catalyst for the city and the region.

• Investing $25 billion in rail expansion that will connect Springfield and Pittsfield to Boston.

• Funding the Accelerated Bridge Program, which helps repair bridges across Massachusetts, including the Broad Brook Bridge in Easthampton and the South End Bridge in Springfield.

• Supporting the construction of offshore wind and creation of new clean energy jobs.

• Supporting permanent Build America Bonds.

• Modernizing and investing in America’s bus infrastructure, to make streets safer for pedestrians, passengers, and transit workers alike.

• Upgrading and connecting active transportation systems, including sidewalks, bike paths, and trails across Massachusetts and the country.

• Investing in America’s critical infrastructure, such as highways, bridges, transit and rail programs, while incentivizing new green infrastructure solutions, through the INVEST in America Act.

LGBTQ+ RIGHTS

Richie has long been an ally of the movement for LGBTQ+ human rights. In this fight, actions speak louder than words - and as Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, Richie has been a champion of legislation that advances LGBTQ+ equality.

Fifty years after the Stonewall riots, Richie shepherded legislation called the PRIDE Act through committee, leading to the bill’s passage by the House. The act corrected long-standing discriminatory practices in our tax system that affected the LGBTQ+ community. The progress made with this bill states loudly and clearly that the federal government respects the dignity and equality of all married couples, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.

“I will always use my position as Chairman to ensure that LGBTQ+ people receive fair treatment, and to reaffirm the declaration that there is no place for hate here in America.”

In his role as Ways & Means Chair, Richie has also:

• ‍Cosponsored the Protecting LGBTQ Youth Act, because it’s on all of us to keep kids safe. ️‍

• Spoken out against Trump’s hateful decision to ban trans people from military service. ️‍

• Cosponsored of the Equality Act, to guarantee full civil rights protections to all LGBTQ+ people. ️

• Invited PULSE Nightclub shooting survivor Brandon Wolf to testify on Capitol Hill. ️

• Highlighted the problem of tax exemptions for organizations that promote hate and intolerance.

• Applauded and supported the Supreme Court ruling protecting all Americans, regardless of orientation, from workplace discrimination.

These milestones, while significant, are not enough.

Richie believes that it is the moral duty of Congress to codify these equal rights. He wholeheartedly supports the Equality Act to create clear and consistent protections for LGBTQ+ people across the board.

“It wasn’t hard telling my dad I was gay - I always knew he had my back and would support me no matter what.”

Richie’s record as an ally has been steady over the years, both legislatively and as an advocate. The Human Rights Campaign has consistently awarded him a 100% rating for his work on these issues, and his LGBTQ+ colleagues in Congress have given him their 2020 endorsement.

In Congress, he has:

• Voted YES to repeal the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy;
• Cosponsored the Student Non-Discrimination Act, to protect LGBTQ+ students in schools;
• Repeatedly voted YES for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation;
• Repeatedly voted NO on a proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman;
• Voted NO on legislation that would have banned same-sex couples in the District of Columbia from adopting;
• Voted YES on the Gay and Lesbian Youth Suicide Prevention Act;
• Signed an Amicus Brief in support of a lawsuit challenging the Defense of Marriage Act.

“There’s always more work to be done, and as an ally, I’m always listening and learning. But you can also count on me to take action - because Love Wins, but not without a fight.”

JOBS & THE ECONOMY

Richie knows that the middle class is the engine that powers America’s economy. For too long, income stagnation has plagued our hardworking families - so Richie is working to cut taxes on the middle class, and fighting to raise the minimum wage.

As the nation struggles with the economic impact of COVID-19, he has focused on bringing relief to those hardest hit. He was a leading proponent of expanding unemployment insurance, raising payments and extending benefits to gig-workers and the self-employed. And he has helped small businesses survive and keep their employees on payroll through the Paycheck Protection Program.

As Chair of the Ways & Means Committee, one of Richie’s top priorities is making sure that every American who’s looking for work can find a job. He knows that we need to invest in education and training to prepare current and future generations for the jobs of the future.

ADDRESSING THE OPIOID CRISIS

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, there were 1,977 confirmed opioid-related overdose related deaths in 2017. This is unacceptable. The opioid epidemic does not discriminate: it affects all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds throughout our communities. I call on the Trump Administration in Washington to focus on expanding treatment and prevention efforts, instead of enacting stricter criminal penalties.

Congressman Neal has worked closely with community leaders, health care professionals, and law enforcement on efforts, including:

• Introduced legislation designed to help a growing number of seniors in our society impacted by opioids

• Introduced legislation to make it easier for first responders to provide lifesaving Naloxone treatment to overdose victims

• Recently hosted federal and local officials in Shelburne Falls to discuss how communities in Western Massachusetts could identify ways to fix the opioid crisis

• Hosted screenings of the moving HBO documentary entitled “Heroin: Cape Cod USA” to bring awareness to the implications of the crisis in all communities, not just our nation’s larger cities

• Supported hospitals and other parts of the health care community to ensure they have the tools they need to fight back against this public health crisis

• Leading Democrat on the STOP Act which is designed to help stop fentanyl and carfentanil from crossing borders to our nation and into drug dealer hands

• Continues to protect programs like Medicaid expansion in the Affordable Care Act that have played crucial roles in helping individuals and their families facing the crushing impacts of opioid addiction

• Encouraged the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans to provide real help and funding, not just talk, for opioid use disorders

PUERTO RICO

Richie is proud to represent Massachusetts’ largest Puerto Rican population. Throughout his career, he has fought for the rights of both the Puerto Rican population in Western and Central Massachusetts and the island itself.

That’s why he has fought for fairer tax treatment for the island. It’s why he voted to provide opportunities for self-determination of statehood. And it’s why, in 2018, when the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria, Congressman Neal was quick to lend a hand.

• He called on the Trump administration to ensure Puerto Rico’s infrastructure was secured after a report showed true devastation to the island.

• He worked with other Massachusetts colleagues on Capitol Hill to secure the necessary federal response to help Puerto Ricans impacted by the hurricane.

• He traveled to Puerto Rico with Sen. Elizabeth Warren to better understand the emergency efforts and the needs of the people following Hurricane Maria.

• He partnered with Rep. Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR) to introduce legislation that would set aside funds from the Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program to specifically be invested in Puerto Rico and other U.S. Territories.

Richie also believes that we need to recognize, celebrate and support the heritage and culture of Puerto Rico, and of the entire American Latinx community - and he has backed that belief up with action.

• He has recognized the historic service of the 65th Infantry Borinqueneers during the Korean War, and honoring the people of Puerto Rico who continue to serve and volunteer for service in the Armed Forces.

• He co-sponsored legislation to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating Latinx heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.

• He supports the building of the National Museum of the American Latino.

RACIAL JUSTICE

Richie believes that the time is always right to confront inequality and injustice everywhere it exists. He is proud to have the endorsement of Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights hero who marched and organized alongside Dr. Martin Luther King for the cause of justice and equality - and he vows to carry the fight forward.

Richie recognizes that insidious racism impacts the lives and livelihoods of people of color in countless ways. He believes that every member of Congress has a responsibility to carry out our nation’s fundamental promise of equal justice for all Americans, and to affirm that Black Lives Matter.

Reforming Law Enforcement

Protests across America have made it clear: now is the time to address police brutality and excessive force, which disproportionately affect people of color.

Richie has met the moment by signing on as an original cosponsor of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. The bill, recently passed by the House of Representatives, will bring meaningful reform by:

• Banning all chokeholds.
• Eliminating the qualified immunity doctrine, which makes it nearly impossible to hold police officers accountable for wrongful conduct.
• Banning no-knock warrants in drug cases.
• Establishing a National Police Misconduct Registry, so that problematic officers who are fired from one department can’t simply be shuffled to another jurisdiction without any accountability.
• Ending racial, religious and discriminatory profiling.

But even before this moment, Richie’s record has always been one of working to create meaningful change to the way we police our citizens, handle incarceration, and create a more just society:

• He has advocated for barring military force from being used against American civilians.
• He cosponsored legislation to make lynching a federal hate crime.
• He has consistently condemned police brutality, racial profiling, and the use of excessive force.
• He cosponsored a bill calling for a National Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation, and serves as an advisor to a project creating model commissions in communities across America.
• He voted no on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime.
• He voted to fund alternative sentencing instead of more prisons, and to expand services to help formerly incarcerated people re-enter society.

Lastly, he has fought tirelessly against the death penalty, voting repeatedly to end the practice, and to make it harder to carry out.

Addressing Inequities in Health Outcomes

Richie has used the power of the Chair’s gavel to shine a light on issues that disproportionately impact people of color - and one issue that often goes unaddressed is differences in health care outcomes.

After assuming the chairmanship, he called a hearing to draw the Ways and Means Committee’s attention to the critical problem of racial and economic disparities in the maternal mortality crisis. Afterward, he took action, cosponsoring a bill aimed at providing solutions.

When COVID-19 hit, Richie called the first virtual hearing in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives to discuss racial disparities in the infection and death rate. He has pressed the Trump administration to account for how relief money was allocated to communities of color, and has offered support to bills that provide solutions to these policy issues.

Closing the Education Achievement Gap

As a lifelong educator, Richie believes high-quality, affordable education is essential to a functioning society. He knows all too well that students of color face countless barriers to entry and challenges within the educational system, and he is determined to find solutions.

“I was afforded the opportunity for education through public school, community college then eventually a four-year degree, and I am committed to ensuring this for all that seek it.”

That’s why he voted for an $85 million dollar grant program for Black and Hispanic colleges; voted to permanently fund HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions with $225 million in federal dollars annually; and voted to lower barriers to education by lowering interest rates on college loans. He also backed legislation to streamline financial aid forms, making it easier for all kids to apply for aid and afford a higher education.

Supporting Minority-Owned Small Businesses

Richie’s commitment to supporting small and minority-owned businesses has been a constant throughout his career. In his second term in Congress, he warned that President Bush’s banking reform plan could harm such businesses - so he wrote an amendment requiring the administration to take steps to ensure that they weren’t negatively impacted. Despite his lack of seniority at the time, his skill as a consensus-builder led to the amendment passing, and being incorporated into the final bill.

Today, Richie is once again working to have the backs of minority-owned businesses, as the COVID-19 crisis wreaks havoc on our economy. After Congress passed the CARES Act, Richie quickly saw that despite the bill’s massive investment in America, more help was needed. He ensured that the next bill included $300 billion for small businesses, distributed through community banks, credit unions and micro lenders with the explicit goal of getting to minority-owned and women-owned businesses.

RESPONDING TO COVID-19

Since COVID-19 first began to spread, Richie has worked closely with colleagues in the House and Senate to address the pandemic.

This is a twofold crisis: a public health emergency, paired with an economic body blow that has harmed middle-class and working-class people most of all. Richie’s response has taken both challenges into account.

Reckoning with the Public Health Crisis

To meet the challenge posed by COVID-19, Richie led the way on allocating $200 billion nationally for health care provision. That money went directly toward free testing, high-quality treatment, protective gear for frontline health care workers, and more. Thanks to his leadership, Massachusetts received hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid to benefit doctors, nurses and patients.

In Western and Central Massachusetts, that aid has gone to health care providers in Great Barrington, Holyoke, Huntington, Pittsfield, Southbridge, Springfield, Worthington, and other cities and towns.

He has gone above and beyond to ensure that health care workers here and across the country are treated fairly by the Trump administration. When the Department of Homeland Security planned to seize a shipment of protective equipment intended for doctors and nurses in Springfield, Richie put his foot down, and made sure the masks got to the workers who needed them. And he has closely monitored the way the government has distributed this relief money.

Crucially, Richie has also demanded that Congress pay attention to those most affected by the virus. He has used his post as Ways and Means Committee Chair to hold much-needed hearings on the crisis in nursing homes dealing with the spread of COVID-19, and on the disproportionate impact of the virus on communities of color.

Relief for Those Who Need It Most

Richie has also worked tirelessly to bring economic relief to workers, families, and small businesses. He knows well that federal aid can be the boost hardworking people need to survive trying times. He’s a son of the working class who lost his parents at a young age, and was raised by his grandmother, who could afford to raise him thanks to the Social Security survivors’ benefits his parents left behind.

Richie ensured that the relief packages prioritized expanding and strengthening unemployment insurance, offering paid sick days and family and medical leave, and extending tax credits to keep small businesses open and workers on the payroll.

As Chairman of Ways and Means, he has taken the lead in bringing direct assistance to working people, including those who have lost jobs. That means:

• Expanding unemployment insurance with an extra $600 weekly.
• Sending $1200 to every low- and middle-income American.
• Extending unemployment benefits to gig workers and self-employed people.
• Adding an additional 13 weeks to states unemployment benefits.
• Expanding work-sharing programs to keep more people employed.

At the same time, the best way to maintain hope of full recovery in the long term is to help small businesses - the real muscle behind our economy - survive in the near term.

That’s why Richie put together a package of more than $730 billion in small business relief and job retention programs, to keep the doors open, the lights on, and employees on the payroll.

You don’t have to look far beyond your front door to find a local business in Western or Central Massachusetts that has benefited from these badly needed measures.

These extraordinary measures are still not enough - it’s also necessary to protect those among us who are most vulnerable in an economic crisis.

That’s why Richie prioritized a freeze on foreclosures. He also fought for - and won - $2 billion in new federal investment to address emergency housing needs, homelessness, and food insecurity. Portions of that investment have gone to every county in the 1st Congressional District. And he recently hosted a Committee hearing focused on the child-care crisis created by the pandemic, so that Congress could hear directly from essential workers.

Support for Every Sector Dealing with the Crisis

The fallout from the pandemic has affected every aspect of our lives. Richie has not only acted to safeguard the health and economic futures of all Americans - he has also worked to bridge the gap for all kinds of services that have been impacted.

Richie knows that the federal government doesn’t always have the answers. Local governments are in the best position to know what’s needed on the ground, but with revenues from sales, income, and property taxes plummeting, they would not have been able to implement their solutions.

Thanks to Richie’s work, billions in aid has gone directly to cities, towns, and regional agencies, allowing them to ramp up essential services instead of shutting them down. That means:

• Support for our public schools as they scramble to adjust to online classes.

• Help for the overwhelmed agencies that process unemployment claims.

• Keeping local and regional transit running, safely, so essential workers can still get to work.

• Relief for higher education institutions, one of the biggest employers in the district - including community colleges and technical schools.

• Stopgap funding for cultural institutions, to preserve the rich cultural heritage of Western and Central Mass.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Millions of Americans depend on Social Security for their income because so many people can no longer rely on the traditional employer-sponsored pension. Millions more are currently contributing to the program through their paychecks. As Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee, Richie has worked to strengthen and enhance social security for all Americans.

Richie has used his Chairmanship to highlight the importance of Social Security, and has worked to protect and improve the program by:

• Co-sponsoring legislation and holding hearings on increasing benefit amounts for beneficiaries.

• Writing the bill to eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision for over 73,000 Massachusetts residents. His bill, the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act, will provide monthly payments to current WEP retirees, and ensures no benefits are cut to current and future retirees.

• Supporting legislation to reform the Social Security payee program, ensuring robust oversight of a program that is critical to protecting the most vulnerable.

• Protecting Social Security benefits for our veterans, who have sacrificed for our country, because more veterans currently receive benefits from Social Security than Veterans disability or pension benefits.

RETIREMENT

The American retirement system has been successful in helping many prepare for retirement, especially those who work for large employers and the government, but nearly half of American private sector employees work for an employer that does not offer a retirement plan. Richie believes we need to do more to ensure that every American has an opportunity to save and prepare for a financially secure retirement.

Richie has been a long-time champion of reforms to help Americans prepare for financial security in retirement, including:

• Passing the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act), which became the biggest expansion of retirement saving opportunities for middle class Americans in decades.

• Passing the Butch Lewis Act, to rehabilitate multi-employer pensions and protect the 1.3 million workers and retirees in multi-employer plans.

• Proposing enhancements to the Saver’s Credit, to ensure that all middle-class families are provided with an incentive to save.

• Fighting to make it easier for part-time workers to save by ensuring that long-term, part-time workers can participate in their employer’s 401(k) plan.

• Encouraging employers to offer lifetime income options in defined contribution retirement plans, making it easier for workers to manage their assets in retirement.

A PROMISE.

I’m proud to work for the people of Western and Central Mass. As your Congressman, I’ve fought tirelessly for policies that make a difference for hard-working families and future generations: fairer taxes, affordable and accessible healthcare, taking on climate change, preserving Social Security, and more.

Today, we face profound challenges. Longstanding racial injustice is finally being confronted. A pandemic has turned lives upside down. And through it all, we have a President who has turned his back on our problems, sowed division, and fanned the flames of hate.

These challenges may be daunting, but my promise to you remains the same: I will always have your back. I went to Congress to fight for hard-working families across this district and across America, and that’s exactly what I intend to keep doing.