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Standing with the Hostages: I joined fellow Members of the House in standing behind hostage families at a candlelight vigil to commemorate 100 days since Hamas slaughtered, raped, and tortured innocent civilians and took hundreds more hostage. Congress must remain united in pursuing the release of all hostages.
Defending Ukraine: I voted against Speaker Johnson’s short-term funding measure. Consistent with my position from last summer, I will not bail the Republicans out of their continuing dysfunction unless they present a clear, credible, and concrete plan to fund Ukraine. Ukrainians are caught between Putin to their East and Trump to their West while they fight on the front lines of the free world, in their pursuit of self-determination. The funds already approved have had tremendous return on investment – making Russia weaker, NATO stronger, and boosting U.S. industrial capacity and jobs, including a billion dollars for Bay State industry alone. Congress must stop delaying and start shipping more materiel to our ally. I joined CNN to discuss my vote. You can watch it here.
Securing the border: I am angered by reports that Senate Republicans plan to torpedo an impending bipartisan deal to fund Ukraine and secure our border. By their own admission, they are responding to Trump’s request that he wants to campaign on the border, so he doesn’t want them to govern on it. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Mike Johnson must demonstrate political courage in standing up to Trump and MAGA in order to govern for the good of the country.
Last month, I joined state and local officials and service providers to deliver meals to migrants in our community. I remain committed to passing bipartisan immigration reform like the DIGNITY Act, which would upgrade border security and pre-process migrants in countries of origin; streamline & rationalize asylum & visa pathways; provide documentation and dignity to DREAMers; and help fund the upskilling of American workers.
Legislating on immigration in an election year is a tall order, but I will continue to press for pragmatism and compromise in order to improve border security and ensure due process.
In the weeds with the IT industry: I met with members of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) to discuss the importance to the IT industry of strong intellectual property laws; access to global markets; and a thriving U.S. R&D ecosystem. These issues are not just critical to outcompeting China, they are also impactful to the Massachusetts economy.
Combating Antisemitism: In response to the Boston City Council’s vote against accepting counter-terrorism funds, I sent a letter to Council President Ruthzee Louijeune urging the council to approve the funding when Mayor Michelle Wu re-submits the request. The Boston Globe concurred in an editorial. Regrettably, the Boston City Council has again delayed approval.
The Israel-Hamas War has heightened our region’s need for counter-terrorism security measures, as underscored in recent congressional testimony by the FBI Director. Greater Boston is a national hub for the Jewish community. As antisemitism proliferates, counter-terrorism funding is more pertinent than ever. Impeding its disbursement could undermine the trust of Greater Boston’s Jewish community. It is imperative that the City Council reconsider and approve these federal funds to support the safety of Greater Boston, including the town of Brookline in our district, which would be covered under the grant.
Building more housing: I sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee requesting the expansion of the successful Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program in the bipartisan tax package. I am happy to report the expansion was included in the bill that House Ways & Means approved. You can read more about the proposal, which also includes an expansion of the Child Tax Credit and inducement of corporate research & development, here.
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