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Congressional App Challenge: Congratulations to Ritika Roy, a high-school junior from North Attleborough who attends Bishop Feehan High School, for winning the Congressional App Challenge with ‘Handshake’, an app that real-time translates American Sign Language into English, and vice versa. Ritika demonstrated impressive technical skill and product development sophistication. Runners-up were Aishwaryalakshmi Saravanan (Sharon), Neha Raj (Sherborn), and Sophia Yan (Newton) for apps dedicated to breast cancer research, insights into state legislators’ records, and homework planning. Our guest judge, Michael Costello (Newton), evaluated the technical coding elements for the challenge. The creativity and technical facility of all these high-schoolers is impressive, and the conversation was especially fun for me as a former tech product manager.
Supporting Migrants: I joined state and local officials and social service providers to bring necessities, and some holiday gift bags, to migrant families at a motel in the district. Speaking with the on the ground service providers at the motel, the National Guard, and first responders who were running a vaccine clinic made me proud of the Bay State’s 400-year tradition of welcoming new arrivals to our Commonwealth and integrating them into the economy and society.
I remain committed to securing federal funding to backfill the state’s outlays on shelter and services, and to passing bipartisan immigration reform like the DIGNITY Act, which would upgrade border security and pre-process migrants in countries of origin, streamline and rationalize asylum and visa pathways, provide documentation and dignity to DREAMers, and help fund the upskilling of American workers.
Turkish-American Business Owners: I met with Turkish-American professionals at Lazzoni Furniture in Newton for a wide-ranging conversation on housing, workforce, and science. They are a tight-knit community whose stories underscore how critical immigration is to the dynamism of our culture and economy here in Massachusetts. Next time will be a breakfast event so that I can enjoy my favorite drink – Turkish coffee.
Visiting Franklin: With my partners in state and local government, I visited three sites in Franklin where federal action can drive progress. At the Southern New England Trunkline Trail, we discussed our efforts in ongoing negotiations with CSX Rail to purchase land in order to extend the trail to downtown Franklin. At the fire station, we celebrated the chief’s recent string of success with federal grants for training and equipment, and got an update on his plans for the next application, this one to accommodate the increase in mental-health calls. Finally, we toured the Nu-Style brownfield, where the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is funding the cleanup necessary to redevelop the formerly polluted site.
I also visited the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School in Franklin to see their programming, from electrical and HVAC to nursing and law enforcement, and to get briefed on their construction plans for a recently approved new facility, and how Congress’s landmark climate law may be able to help lower the school’s energy bills through tax credits for renewable sources.
I then toured Dean College, also in Franklin, and met with President Kenneth Elmore to learn about their new biomanufacturing certificate, an addition to curriculum widely known for theater and dance. As the Democratic Chair of the House STEM Caucus, I’m committed to supporting the full scope of STEM careers, from precision manufacturing through trades through R&D.
Islamic Center of New England: I met with members of the Islamic Center of New England at Sharon to tour the mosque and for, as they put it, a hard and heartfelt conversation on the war in Gaza. While we respectfully diverged on some geopolitical issues, we connected deeply, as Americans and as parents, on the tragedy of war and the suffering it brings to children; on the promise of the United States to treat all its citizens equally regardless of color or creed; and on the value of human-to-human conversations to demonstrate common ground and to build trust. I was particularly moved by the story of one member’s grandmother, who taught herself the Quran, the Torah, and the Bible to widen her worldview.
Congressional Award: In 1979, Congress established the Congressional Award Foundation to recognize initiative, service, and achievement in young people. Charlotte Elwy, of Wellesley, is the most recent laureate from the Massachusetts Fourth, earning a Silver Award for 200 hours of public service, 100 hours of personal development, and 100 hours of physical fitness. I encourage all Bay Staters between the ages of 13 and 24 to consider pursuing the Congressional Award. |