Hello Everyone,
This is the last full week of August, and while I can’t speak for everyone, this summer felt like it absolutely flew by. School starts for most of the districts this week and I hope that both students and teachers alike have a great start to the school year!
Monday afternoon, I was lucky enough to be invited to have lunch at the West Springfield Council on Aging. I spoke on a range of topics with the other attendees, including housing and veterans’ affairs. A big thank you to the COA for putting this on.
That afternoon, I held a talk at the West Springfield Public Library to speak about my deployment in Afghanistan as we near the first anniversary of the United States’ withdrawal from the nation after almost two decades of conflict. The reverberations of our withdrawal is still being felt throughout Central and Western Asia and probably will be for decades to come. Thank you to the Library for hosting and to everyone who attended these two events in West Springfield.
On Thursday, I attended the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce’s annual legislative luncheon. Our local businesses form the cornerstone of Western Massachusetts’ economy and I am always happy to meet with them and find out what issues are affecting our district. I spoke extensively on the recent passage of the Mental Health ABC Act and my own bill, the SPEED Act, which eases the transition of frequently moving military families. Thank you to all the local business who attended and to the Chamber for putting this on.
Tuesday night, I had what was one of the most fun meetings with constituents I’ve ever had: playing with the Agawam Youth Football Association! It was great to get to know the coaches, players, and families. Local sport leagues of any age bracket are one of the best ways to bring our communities together. I’m looking forward to the next kickoff already.
This week I joined twelve other bipartisan legislators in a letter urging Senate President Spilka to call a special legislative session to take up the Economic Development bill. I continue to hear from folks throughout our communities about the high costs they’re facing at the store, the gas pump, and beyond. The Economic Development bill contains important tax relief measures that will make a real difference and I remain committed to getting it across the finish line.
This week my team held office hours in Westfield on Monday. Next week, we will be at the Southwick COA on Friday from 10:00am – 11:00am. Please feel free to stop by with any questions or concerns. We are always happy to help!
As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office. I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com where you can also sign up for my newsletter!
Sincerely,
John Velis