LAST 3 WEEKS IN REVIEW

No troops on American streets

Soldiers on the National Mall: The president’s deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C. is a violation of posse comitatus, the principle that the military should not be used for law enforcement. I strongly opposed the deployment of Marines to Los Angeles and reject, as well, this sequel in the nation’s capital.

Democrats must also offer our own strong alternative to the authoritarian view of law and order. Defending the rule of law means both upholding principles and norms and confronting everyday problems—open-air drug use, homeless encampments, shoplifting, and quality of life violations. Democrats can be the party of law & order if we uphold order in our daily lives as well as defend the law in our constitutional system. 

Donald Trump’s threats to federalize the Massachusetts National Guard: I will work with the congressional delegation and state and local leaders to resist any effort to federalize the National Guard over Governor Maura Healey’s objections. Any deployment in Massachusetts should be countered with mass, nonviolent resistance.

Day-in-the-life documentary of a congressman

What does a Member of Congress do all day?: Tangle News, a political newsletter, came to Washington to shadow me for 72 hours and give an inside look at my day-to-day representing Bay Staters. Tangle joined me in committee hearings, legislative meetings, and even a virtual town hall to pull back the curtain on how Congress really works. You can watch the documentary here. 

This is Tangle’s Isaac Saul explaining how the documentary came together: 

”What is life actually like for a member of Congress?..

I’m a politics reporter, and despite spending so much time talking to politicians, or reporting in and around Washington, D.C., or following the news, I think my honest answer is I just don’t know.

Or, I should say, I didn’t know.

That was until a couple months ago, when I got to spend three straight days with Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA). Auchincloss is a three-term member of Congress; he’s young, just 37, and he’s noted that he’s the youngest Democratic father in Congress.

…I wanted to shadow a member and pull back the curtain on what their daily life was really like. The stumbling block, as you can imagine, was finding someone in Congress who would actually allow such a level of access.

And then a funny thing happened: Rep. Auchincloss wrote me an email.

The email was a response to a Tangle newsletter about healthcare, and he was criticizing a position I had taken. We struck up a correspondence, and then it suddenly hit me: Would he do it?

…So, today, we’re releasing a documentary-style video on YouTube about the time we spent with him.”

Taking on RFK Jr. and his corrupt inner circle 

Leading oversight over RFK Jr. and HHS: RFK Jr. talks a lot about chronic disease, but what he has actually delivered is corruption and quackery. He frames himself as a reformer, yet his record shows a pattern of grift and conspiracy-mongering that undercuts any serious attempt at public health progress. The baseless firing of the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in order to advance his anti-vax agenda is only the most recent example.

From reforming the NIH to tackling the drivers of obesity and diabetes, there is real bipartisan potential to make progress on chronic disease. However, this kind of work requires integrity and evidence-based policymaking. I spoke to Bloomberg about my efforts to defend science and hold RFK Jr. accountable. 

Here are excerpts:

"Auchincloss has used his perch to lodge aggressive criticism of Kennedy, trotting out foam display boards with elaborate charts showing Kennedy advisers’ ties to the business world and slamming Kennedy’s advisers as “bros” with views “based in conspiracy and quackery.” In a chamber where speeches often get monotonous and bogged down in jargon, Auchincloss’ animation and willingness to punch back stand out.

Auchincloss has also raised alarms about Kennedy advisers’ financial interests in wellness companies and how this could lead to a regulatory system that makes decisions on whether a product is safe, not whether it actually works. He’s still awaiting responses to letters he sent in June probing the business ties of Trump administration health officials.

He also said Kennedy’s stances on vaccines show he doesn’t take science seriously. And he’s criticized FDA Commissioner Marty Makary for announcing on Bloomberg TV a plan to speed up drug reviews if pharmaceutical companies meet a set of vague criteria… Auchincloss called the initiative a “horrible idea." “It now makes fear or favor from the FDA commissioner the arbiter of what’s safe and effective,” he said."

Addressing antisemitism in our schools 

Antisemitism has no place in our schools: There has been a surge of antisemitism in Massachusetts. In our public schools, Jewish and Israeli students are subject to harassment and ostracization that undermine their sense of self and their inclusion in American society. I commend Senator John Velis, Representative Simon Cataldo, and the members of the Special State Commission on Combating Antisemitism for their leadership in devising a response to antisemitism in our state, which is home to a vibrant Jewish community and Israeli diaspora.

The mainstreaming of antisemitism will not be addressed with performative gestures or one-off bias training, lacking proven efficacy. Our schools must both educate against antisemitism, including with a model curriculum focused on Holocaust education, and educate for critical thinking. In an era marked by post-truth politics and conspiracies platformed by social media, we must be intentional about educating future citizens who reject hate and embrace the American tradition of pluralism, freedom, and individual dignity.

I encourage Massachusetts lawmakers and administrators to center this Commission’s recommendations in their follow-up work. The full report can be found here.

Rejecting the Israeli Cabinet’s approach to conditions in Gaza

Food aid in Gaza: I have recently cosponsored H.Res. 473 to increase pressure for humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. Nearly 2.2 million people there are facing severe hunger, and the situation is dire. This resolution calls on the White House to secure the release of hostages, ensure the immediate and safe delivery of food and aid, and work toward a lasting end to the conflict. Without doubt, Hamas will make each of these efforts harder and more dangerous. It does not care about Palestinian children. But Israel and its allies must.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s (GHF) distribution of aid has been chaotic and uncoordinated. The GHF and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) need to improve access to aid by adding distribution sites, which were reduced from 400 to 4 in a grossly irresponsible move; by expanding the range of supplies; by improving communication to civilians and ensuring children have priority and protected access; and by better coordinating between the IDF and humanitarian access missions. As the White House pursues a comprehensive deal to end the war, release the hostages, and exclude Hamas from postwar governance, it must put pressure on Israel to make these changes and surge food and medicine to Gaza. The conditions are unconscionable, and the prime minister’s excuses are unacceptable. 

West Bank violence prevention: Amid a rise in violence on the West Bank and efforts to annex territory, I cosponsored the West Bank Violence Prevention Act. This bill codifies the Biden Administration’s executive order that imposed sanctions on extremists in the region from both sides, an order that the Trump Administration revoked in its first week. Standing up to violence and holding extremists accountable is critical, and this legislation would ensure those measures remain in place to protect civilians and prevent further instability in the West Bank.

Trump rolling out the red carpet for Putin

Trump-Putin summit failure: In Alaska, American troops were ordered to (literally) roll out the red carpet for Vladimir Putin. Since then, no peace talks have advanced, while Russian air strikes continue to kill Ukrainian children. As predicted, the Kremlin played Trump. The only way to get a deal with Putin is through strength, not through wining and dining him.

Ukraine and NATO can strengthen our position. First, seize the €300 billion in frozen Russian assets held in Brussels and invest it in Ukraine’s military-industrial base. Second, authorize Ukraine to fire long-range missiles against oil and troop-staging sites inside Russia. Third, tighten sanctions and enforce price caps to cripple Russia’s oil economy. Finally, begin the process of admitting Ukraine into the European Union by granting it security guarantees through Article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty, which provides for defensive support from Germany, France, and other EU nations.

Constituent services award: I'm honored that my staff and I received the 'Best of Constituent Service' award from the Congressional Management Foundation.  

This award recognizes "exceptional dedication to serving constituents through effective casework. It highlights a congressional office's commitment to resolving individual issues, providing personalized support, and ensuring that constituents receive the assistance they need."

Dana, Stephanie, Catarina, Kian, Ishaan, and Michael do a tremendous job for the Massachusetts Fourth working out of our district offices in Newton, Attleboro, and Fall River, and I'm pleased that they are recognized for it.

During August, when Congress is not in session, these six staffers and I traveled around the Massachusetts Fourth to speak with and hear from constituents.

Attleboro: Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro broke ground on a new emergency department that will improve trauma care and provide separate, state-of-the-art accommodations for psychiatric crises. Federal funds helped get it across the finish line. 

Better addressing behavioral health has been a theme across Massachusetts public health over the last decade. The state has rolled out community behavioral health centers, sheriffs are promoting addiction and mental health services in jails, schools and shelters are bringing in clinicians, first responders are including behavioral health specialists on their calls, and emergency rooms are changing intake patterns. This adaptation is necessary and beneficial. 

It also raises the question of underlying causation. Reduced stigma, increased loneliness and anxiety, and opioids are all likely drivers of increased utilization of mental health services. One of the challenges and opportunities ahead is to better address mental health with both medical and non-medical means.

Fall River: The indefatigable Carole Fiola, a Fall River State Representative, organized a business tour for me in the city. We met with InvaGen Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures asthma inhalers and is hiring as it expands. We also visited Walsh Pharmacy, where owner Tom Pasternak discussed the importance of federal and state legislation to reform pharmacy benefit managers, the middlemen of drug pricing. At Carl's Collision, a family business since 1961, we toured their facility, which has grown into a factory for auto repair that innovates in technology and distribution.

State Representatives Alan Silvia and Steve Ouellette joined along with Mayor Paul Coogan for these discussions, as well as on our visit to the Fall River Housing Authority's Resource Fair. At the fair, we spoke with a host of community providers, from the housing authority to Bristol Community College to the Trustees of Reservations (land conservation) to mental-health clinicians for children. I also spoke with Fall River high schoolers who work for the city during the summer.

I remain committed to working closely with state and local officials to support Fall River’s strengths, like housing and business development, while also tackling challenges in education and services for children.

Freetown: The Freetown Council on Aging invited me to their cookout, where I spoke with seniors about the number one issue on their minds: prices. The president is trying to lie about prices, but it won't work; firing the meteorologist doesn't change the weather. 

Housing, health care, utilities, and local taxes are all going up faster than wages or Social Security benefits. That's because each of those sectors has cost disease. Treating cost disease in rent, health premiums, or utility and tax bills requires cutting regulations that hold back production (like zoning), adopting technology where it takes out cost (like in energy), and taking on special interests that keep prices high (like in health care).

Norton: Thanks to Joe Carvalho for hosting me at Second Nature Farm in Norton, with a farm stand in Rehoboth selling his vegetables and flowers. Joe walked me through his farm as we discussed land use and ownership challenges, farms as forums for education, and, of course, food. Best tomatoes and carrots I've eaten all summer!

Millis: Amy Cohen is a Millis resident who founded Coffee & Conversations: Less Debate, More Understanding, which aims to bring residents together across the political divide. I asked her to get coffee with me and invited her state representatives, Marcus Vaughn (R) and James Arena-DeRosa (D). 

Amy shared with us her experience as a pro-choice advocate who forged respectful relationships with pro-life protesters. We took inspiration from her attitude of curiosity and her IRL approach to community. We even had a political discussion ourselves, about the State House's pending legislation to ban smartphones in schools. (Do it!)

Sharon, Wrentham, and Norfolk: Every year, I visit each of the 35 cities and towns I represent in order to speak with local leaders, business owners, and residents. My visits to Sharon, Wrentham, and Norfolk on Wednesday complete the circuit. 

In Sharon, Select Board Members introduced me to restaurant, hair salon, and dry cleaner owners to discuss local business conditions. In Wrentham, I discussed progress and plans for their flagship recreation complex. And at the Norfolk Farmers Market, I met with residents and reviewed the town's budget, and aspirations for MCI Norfolk, with Select Board Members. 

Everywhere, local officials are anxious about spiraling municipal health insurance premiums. In addition, constituents are distressed by attacks on the rule of law by this administration, which I am committed to opposing at every juncture.

Swansea: The Gospel and Democracy Club at Swansea's Christ Church invited me for a congressional update and Q&A. I took questions about the rule of law, Texas gerrymandering, Democrats' path forward, and even fusion power. Even more important than the content was the format: citizens coming together, of their own accord, to talk about hard issues. Nobody had a screen or keyboard — it was democracy in real life. 

Taunton: IQE is a compound semiconductor manufacturing plant based in Taunton. It specializes in gallium nitride (GaN) compound semiconductors, which are higher-performing than typical silicon semiconductors. GaN semiconductors can handle higher temperatures and voltages than silicon, making them critical complements to silicon semiconductors in devices like your smartphone and many military applications. IQE is seeking to expand its GaN manufacturing here in Massachusetts, so I met with its leadership alongside state and local officials to discuss how the public sector can best partner with its plans.

A GaN center of excellence is an example of the type of manufacturing that Massachusetts wins: low-volume, high-value. Whether it's motorcycle jackets in the textile industry (Fall River), biologics in medicines (Norton), or cold-chain products in logistics (Franklin), the Bay State is best positioned to create manufacturing jobs where companies are building products that are R&D intensive, modest in land & power footprint, and designed to exacting specifications for high-value end-uses.

The future of NIL: Blake James, Boston College’s Athletics Director, met with me to discuss the SCORE Act, legislation designed to protect student-athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Boston College supports the legislation, and I agree that college sports need the structure and certainty of legislation. Negotiation and amendments would have produced a bipartisan product in committee, but that deliberation was not afforded. As many other Democrats on Energy & Commerce have indicated, I believe at least two core concerns need to be addressed with this NIL bill:

Liability limitation: The sweeping exemption for NCAA organizations from federal and state antitrust laws is far too broad. To date, it's only through litigation that student-athletes have been able to hold universities accountable for issues like injury treatment and prevention or sexual assault mishandling. No industry should ever have blanket and perpetual immunity from civil action.

Revenue impact for smaller schools: This bill cements the current arrangement in which the richest conferences that draw big money from football are able to dominate. There should be more consideration for smaller schools and conferences, and women's and Olympic sports.

In-real-life versus digital dopamine: At a side-summit to the National Conference of State Legislatures, I addressed legislators from 18 states, as well as better internet advocates. We discussed the fault line between digital dopamine and in-real-life (IRL) effort, and how to get ourselves – and particularly our children – on the right side of it. 

Social media corporations, online gambling sites, and other consumer apps are routing Americans’ attention spans to an economy of endless scrolling. It's all digital reward and no IRL effort. As a Member of the committee with jurisdiction over much of both the digital and IRL economies, I am committed to stronger standards and regulation for online companies, paired with cutting red tape to make it easier to get stuff done IRL.

Strengthening judicial independence: Chief Judge Denise Casper and Clerk of Court Robert Farrell together administer the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. I met with both to discuss judicial independence, funding, and technology as it relates to the Bay State's federal court. More than at any other time in modern history, the autonomy and efficacy of our judicial system are vital. Politicians can criticize court decisions; they can appeal court decisions; but they must respect court decisions. That deference is under strain, although I was encouraged that the Chief Judge did not report any flagrant violations of her writs to date.

To help ensure this independence and to support swift access to justice, the courts must also be funded to add judges and to upgrade systems. I will advocate for enhanced appropriations. I am also interested in how the judicial system handles AI. The rise of deepfakes will require new standards and testing of evidence. On the benefits side of the ledger, AI-enabled translation may improve efficiency. Other sectors of society will look to the bar for best practices in AI applications.

Brownfield redevelopment for housing: I have been an outspoken proponent of building new cities (read my essay here). Here in Massachusetts, there are many federal-or state-owned brownfields that could be redeveloped into new developments or even new towns. In June, Governor Maura Healey announced the state would release more than 450 acres of unused land, aiming to create up to 3,500 new housing units. I met with two of the state officials responsible for making this happen: Adam Baacke, Commissioner of the Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance, and Gina McLaughlin, Senior Advisor to Secretary of Housing Ed Augustus.

We discussed land-use regulations, financing options, and the political opposition entailed in developing state-owned acreage. We also reviewed opportunities within this congressional district, where I'll be as helpful as possible. I'm encouraged that the governor is thinking creatively about how to build more housing, faster, since the price of housing is the single biggest challenge facing the Massachusetts economy.

Do you support building housing on state-owned land?

Question: “How will you vote on the "insider trading" issue in Congress?"

 - Karin, Auburndale

Answer: Hi Karin, since coming to Congress, I have been a strong supporter of legislation to prevent Members of Congress from trading stocks. Neither legislative, judicial, nor senior executive officials should own individual bonds or equities, since that leads to the appearance or actuality of conflicts of interest. There is room for modest and tightly defined exceptions. For example, spouses of these officials should be allowed to earn equity that vests from the spouse’s employment, independent of the official’s career.

I myself do not buy or sell individual stocks or bonds through market trading, as I do not believe that is appropriate.

You can submit a question for a future newsletter here. Please note that casework inquiries for federal agencies must be submitted to my website here. My casework team will respond to these in a timely manner. 

Onwards,

Jake