Author: john_velis

(BOSTON 9/24/2021) On Monday, September 24^th, the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs held a public hearing on legislation related to services for Veterans and their family members in the Commonwealth. Senator John Velis (D-Westfield), the Senate Chair of the committee, began the hearing by noting that several Gold Star Family Members would be testifying during the hearing on legislation that impacts them. 

“Today we will be hearing from some of the most selfless and courageous individuals on our planet, Gold Star Family Members,” stated Senator Velis. “We will be beginning with their testimony, and I want to personally thank them for their sacrifice and for being with us here today.” 

The family members testified in support of S2434/H3668, An Act increasing annuity for disabled Veterans and Gold Star families, which was filed by Senator Velis and Representative Daniel J Hunt. The bill would increase the annuity for disabled Veterans and Gold Star families from $2,000 to $3,000 and would repeal a statute that restricts surviving spouses from getting their annuity if they remarry.  

Several Gold Star wives testified that the current statute restricting spouses from receiving their annuity if they remarry is cruel and unfair. They noted the pain their families have been through since losing their loved ones, and the challenges they face in trying to find happiness while honoring the memory of their loved ones. Remarrying does not negate the sacrifices they made, and should not diminish the services provided to them by the Commonwealth they stated. 

“I will always be a Gold Star wife,” said Erin Vasselian, one of the participants who testified during the hearing.  

Other Gold Star Family Members noted that the annuity they receive allows them to support their families and help their children continue their education. While they stated that the current amount is an enormous help, they stressed that they still face numerous financial challenges with the loss of their loved ones.  

“This bill is absolutely a priority on our Committee’s agenda,” said Senator Velis after the hearing. “These families have made the ultimate sacrifice and it is on us —as a Commonwealth—to take care of them.” 

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(BOSTON 9/14/2021) On Tuesday, September 14^th, Senator John Velis (D-Westfield) submitted testimony to the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy, in support of H3332/H3345/S2159, An Act relative to the proper disposal of miniatures. The legislation would encourage and incentivize residents to dispose of miniature “nip” bottles properly by placing a five deposit on them. In his testimony, Senator Velis highlighted the work of Agawam resident Jack Coughlin on this issue, who tragically passed away last April after years of community service and environmental advocacy.  

“Jack had endless energy and spent most of his retired years walking through Agawam and the surrounding communities, picking up these “nip” bottles and ensuring they were disposed of properly,” stated Senator Velis in his letter to the Committee. “While he was known to organize community clean ups and recruit volunteers, more often than not Jack would simply go out on his own and collect as many “nips” as he could himself, often walking up to ten miles a day. Jack didn’t just believe that a single person could make a difference, he proved it.” 

Mr. Coughlin was a resident of Agawam who was known far and wide for his commitment to community service and dedication to cleaning up local green spaces. He volunteered on local projects throughout Agawam and beyond and was a member of numerous community organizations. One day last January, while picking up roadside trash alongside Mill Street in Agawam, Mr. Coughlin was struck by a passing car. He suffered multiple fractures and was left paralyzed. On April 17^th, at the age of 78, he died at the Berkshire Medical Center in Western Massachusetts after being hospitalized for three months.  

Senator Velis noted that Mr. Coughlin was a staunch advocate for including miniature bottles in amending Massachusetts bottle deposit laws. He regularly participated in meetings with local groups and municipal boards, and came to the State House multiple times to testify in support of this legislation. 

“This legislation is a good idea for so many reasons. It promotes recycling, reduces trash throughout our streets and roadways, and helps protect our environment and precious natural resources,” stated Senator Velis. “Jack Coughlin understood the pressing environmental issues we face and he understood that all of us can play a role in keeping our communities clean. For him, that meant going out each and every day to physically pick up the trash that others had left behind. For us as lawmakers, that means getting important legislation like this written into law.” 

Now that the public hearing for the legislation has been held the Committee will consider testimony and deliberate before deciding the outcome of the bill.  

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(BOSTON 7/6/2021) On Tuesday, July 6^th, the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs held a public hearing on legislation related to families of military members in Massachusetts. The committee is chaired by Representative Paul McMurtry (D-Dedham) and Senator John C. Velis ( D-Westfield).  

One of the bills heard was SB2433, An Act relative to military spouse-licensure portability, education and enrollment of dependents. Otherwise known as the SPEED Act, the legislation was filed by Chairman Velis to help military families in their transition to Massachusetts.  

The bill would speed up the state professional licensure process for spouses of military members by eliminating current cumbersome processes and requiring the Division of Professional Licensure to respond to an application within 30 days, the timeframe recommended by the Department of Defense. This would make it easier for spouses to find new jobs upon arriving in Massachusetts. 

The legislation also supports children of service members as well. By allowing rolling and virtual enrollment for students of military families who are moving to the Commonwealth, the legislation ensures that children will not miss any school because of their transition. The legislation also ensures that military children in college in Massachusetts will continue to receive in-state tuition rates regardless of if their military parent is reassigned out of the Commonwealth. 

Lastly the legislation creates a Purple Star School Program to designate Massachusetts schools that have demonstrated a major commitment to military students and families by meeting specific state designated requirements. The Purple Star School Program, which was started in Ohio,  encourages school districts to increase their supports for military families and helps families identify the schools that are best prepared to meet their needs. 

In September of 2019, the Secretary of Defense defined a fourth line of effort to the National Defense Strategy to support the wellbeing of military families. Military spouse licensure was designated as a key initiative in this effort. The Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act requires the Department of Defense and each of the military services to produce annual basing decision scorecards at the state and installation level considering military family readiness issues, with one of the top criteria being interstate portability of licensure credentials. 

In his testimony to the committee, Chairman Velis noted that the Department of Defense looks closely at these issue when considering whether a state should be selected for a mission assignment. 

“These changes will ensure that we are doing everything in our power to ease transitions for these families who are already sacrificing so much for us. These changes are also an important signal to the Department of Defense that our military installations are primed with support and that we are a viable state for future investments,” stated Chairman Velis. “Part of any evaluation on Massachusetts military installations, like the ongoing Airforce evaluation of Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, includes looking at how our Commonwealth supports military families. Projects like these bring enormous economic development and federal investments to our Commonwealth and this legislation will only improve our chances of being selected.” 

Christopher Arnold, Northeast Region Liaison for the Department of Defense-State Liaison Office, testified in support of the legislation during the hearing.  “Massachusetts is a state that has long been a home – permanent and temporary – to the worthiest men and women in the United States military who serve and sacrifice for our country,” stated Arnold. “This impressive legislation would make Massachusetts a nationwide leader in addressing quality-of-life issues for military families.” 

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Happy Autumn everyone,  

With the passing of the equinox this last week and summer being officially over,  things are starting to pick back up in the State House.  To start this week, the Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee visited Hanscom Air Force Base in Middlesex County where we received a briefing from the Massachusetts National Guard about their initiatives as well as cyber capabilities.  As Senate chair of this committee, it’s imperative that I know what the Guard needs as well as how they’re functioning.  I can also say that as a major in the Army reserves, it’s good to see how the other branches of our military are working.  

The Veterans and Federal Affairs committee also held a hearing on Friday at the State house where we heard testimony on legislation related to services for Veterans and family members throughout the Commonwealth. A number of Gold Star Family Members testified on legislation that directly impacts them and their testimony was powerful and moving.  Now that hearing has been held, I will be working with committee members on this critical legislation in the coming weeks.  

I also got my hands dirty this week with Governor Baker and DCR Director Jim Montgomery at a tree planting in General Shepard Park in downtown Westfield.  This was a part of the “Greening Gateway Cities” 30,000 Tree Planting Program, which aims to regreen midsize cities across the Commonwealth.  Trees mitigate stormwater runoff, reduce heating/cooling energy use, clean our air, and just plain make our city look good.  I look forward to more of these plantings in our Gateway Cities as the program continues.   

I’m always proud to attend new business openings and I’m excited to announce the grand opening of Giftology on Route 20 in Westfield.  This store specializes in gifts made by local artists for every occasion.  Mayor Humason and I were lucky enough to be invited to the ribbon cutting and I’m already looking forward to all the anniversaries I’ll be attending as they become a staple in our community.  

This week was also the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce Breakfast.  It’s been almost two years since the onset of the pandemic and our small businesses have born the brunt of the resulting economic decline.  Thankfully, we’re starting to show signs of recovery, but we’re not out of the woods yet or anywhere near where we were before the pandemic.  The Chamber allows our local business to work together to grow and their annual breakfast provides a forum for their concerns and struggles.  As a legislator, it’s important for myself and my colleagues to work alongside the business community so that we can create policy that benefits the entire community. This years breakfast was a huge success and I thank the Chamber for putting it on.   

The Big E is finally back!. After two years away, one of Western Mass’s largest economic driver is finally open again.  I’ll be seeing many of you this week at the Westfield Day parade on Thursday.  Feel free to say hello if you see me and be sure to enjoy the rest of the Eastern States Exposition safely and responsibly.  

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 

Greetings everyone, 

Hope you’re all doing well! The Big E began this Friday, so bunker down the hatches and prepare for traffic! For anyone who may not know, The Big E, formally known as The Eastern States Exposition, is billed as “New England’s Great State fair”. Running for 17 days, it is the largest agricultural event on the eastern seaboard and the sixth-largest fair in the nation. So many local vendors will be at the fair as well and I hope everybody attending has a great time  

It was great to join the Russell Police Department for a lovely Family Fun Day last Sunday at Strathmore Park. Always fantastic to be outside enjoying the weather and talking to so many constituents. Many thanks to the Department for organizing! 

This past Monday I met with mentors for the Veterans Treatment Court.  The goal of Veterans’ Treatment Courts is to divert those with mental health issues and homelessness from the traditional justice system to give them treatment and tools for rehabilitation and readjustment. This court model requires regular court appearances, as well as mandatory attendance at treatment sessions and frequent testing for substance use, while still allowing the veteran to remain in their community. Mentors are a critical support for Veterans in this process and we had a great discussion about how they work alongside court officials and the district attorney’s office to be as effective as possible.  On Monday I also met with Ascentria Care, an organization that provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrants. So many Afghan citizens worked alongside our military forces in Afghanistan over the past twenty years and right now Ascentria Care is focusing their efforts on helping these refugees evacuate and come to the United States. 

On Tuesday my office welcomed Katherine Pinney, a senior at Westfield State University as an intern for this fall. She’s a Political Science and Economics double major, with a concentration in Public Administration and a minor in Policy and Ethics. I’d had the pleasure of meeting Katherine briefly in 2018 and again in 2019 when Westfield State’s Student Government Association invited me to speak at their meetings. We are looking forward to having her on our team! On Tuesday I also had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Linda Thompson, Westfield State University’s new President, to discuss the University’s preparations and plans for this coming year.  

I want to congratulate the Holyoke City Office of Planning and Economic Development on the ribbon cutting of ValleyBike Share in Holyoke this past Friday. ValleyBike Share is designed to promote short bike trips within core communities such as Amherst, Easthampton, Holyoke, Northampton, South Hadley and Springfield. These communities, alongside the University of Massachusetts and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission have contracted a collaboration and partnership with Bewegen Technologies and Corps Logistics to bring bike share to our region. While I couldn’t attend the ribbon cutting, I was able to be a part of constitution day at Roberta G. Doering Middle School in Agawam on Friday. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with the 6^th grade class about our democratic institutions and how to get involved in our public policy process. Plenty of future leaders in our communities! 

On Saturday, my office presented a Senate citation to the Westfield Women’s Club for their grand re-opening. The new club has received a number of handicap accessibility upgrades and I look forward to seeing residents using the building again. Later in the day my office presented a another Senate citation to St. Mary’s for their 2^nd annual Founder’s Day. I was glad Team Velis could help recognize Reverend Creane and Sister Lavoie for all their achievements and work for the Parish and School.  

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 

Greetings everyone,

While most of my weekly updates are written in a light tone, this week’s comes on a somber one and with a heavy heart.  This Saturday marks the twentieth anniversary of the September 11^th attacks.  Two decades ago, nearly 3000 lives were lost and what it meant to be an American was changed forever.  Our nation is no stranger to conflict but never in our history had there been such a massive and unprovoked attack against innocent civilians.  The attacks were meant to strike terror into our hearts and demolish the sense of security that was so integral to the American way of life. 

Overnight, a new lens of fear was placed over how we see gatherings, our neighbors, and our place on the world stage.  This lens, along with so many sociopolitical after effects, are still felt today.  Only two weeks ago did we formally withdraw from Afghanistan.  Our presence there, which was a direct result of these attacks, will be felt on both sides for decades to come.  I did two deployments in Afghanistan myself.  There were many who did the same and ended up making the ultimate sacrifice.  As we move forward from this tragedy as a country, we must never forget those we lost on September 11^th, 2001, as well as those lost in subsequent conflicts. It is paramount that we honor their memory as we ponder our country’s new place in the world and what it means it means to be an American.

To honor those lost, I have been and will be attending various events in the Valley including a ceremony with the Westfield Fire Department, a vigil Friday evening with Veterans organizations, a memorial car show at Liberty Manor, a wreath laying for the families from Westfield who lost members in the towers, and a community ceremony at the Sons of Erin’s memorial. 

This week I also attended another virtual symposium for my National Council of State Legislators Opioid Fellowship.  I, along with medical experts and other state legislators, discussed the different aspects of policy regarding substance abuse and how we can best use legislation to combat this epidemic.  As the Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery, this fellowship is something I take very seriously as the legislature considers opioid related legislation and I’m looking forward to the next round of talks.  . 

The Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee also held a hearing this week.  As Senate Chair of this committee, I presided over the hearing where we heard testimony from both constituents and lawmakers on a myriad of bills.  One bill of note was, S2462, an Act to establish a Medal of Fidelity. This bill, if passed, would establish a Medal of Fidelity to be awarded to the next of kin of Veterans who passed away from deployment related events outside of combat, such as burn pit exposure or mental health issues, after returning home.

There was also a “glendi’ this week and for those of you who are not of Greek descent, it’s a word that translates as “celebration”.  This glendi was held by the Greek Cultural Center of Springfield and was meant to celebrate all things Hellenic. It is typically a weekend long celebration of food, music, and culture, and I was glad to stop by in Springfield to participate.  Εις υγείαν!

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

Happy September Everyone, 

It’s hard to believe that fall is just around the corner.  Although I love summer, I’m excited for cooler nights, changing leaves, and most of all, the Big E.  I know a lot of our students returned to school this week as well and I hope all those who did had a great first one back.  It’s good to see our teachers and students back in person after a year of being stuck at home during the pandemic.  

 While this huge milestone is definitely worth celebrating, I do still urge all to remain vigilant against COVID-19.  Massachusetts has one of the lowest hospitalizations rates and one of the highest vaccinations rates.  These two facts are not unrelated and if you have not already gotten vaccinated, I urge all of you to do so as soon as you can.  I also urge those who have COVID-19 or similar symptoms to stay home and talk to your doctor.  Please visit vaxfinder.mass.gov for vaccine locations and mass.gov/covid-19-testing for testing locations.  

This week Governor Baker announced the recipients of the Municipality Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Grants at an event right here in Easthampton alongside myself, Representative Dan Carey, and Mayor Nicole LaChappelle.  These grants fund infrastructure projects for towns in need of upgrades to protect against natural disasters and a changing climate.  For their Cherry Street green infrastructure and slope reconstruction project, the city of Easthampton was awarded two million in grant dollars.  For their Klaus Anderson Road/Johnson Brook Replacement Culvert and Green Infrastructure, the town of Southwick was awarded over seven hundred thousand dollars in grant money.  These funds will help build a resilient and climate friendly infrastructure and I congratulate both communities.  

This past Tuesday was International Opioid Overdose Awareness day.  I attended a vigil sponsored by CORE on the Westfield Green to remember all those that we have lost to substance abuse.  The Coalition for Outreach, Recovery, and Education (CORE) works to ensure that those who are suffering from substance abuse issues are able to seek help and works to increase education resources on how to prevent substance abuse issues.  The opioid epidemic has claimed too many lives and has touched countless more. As the Vice-chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery, I will work my knuckles to the bone to create good policy that will help lift our communities out of this tragedy.  If anyone is need of more information on CORE of Greater Westfield and their programs, please contact Kathi Cotugno at 413-642-9322, or by email  at kathi.cotugno@cityofwestfield.org.  

I had also had the pleasure of meeting with the Shapiro Foundation this week.  For those of you who don’t know,  this group works alongside refugees from all over the world to assist in the long and very difficult process of repatriation.  In the past couple weeks, they have been almost overwhelmed with the influx of refugees from Afghanistan.  These are people who worked directly alongside US and ally forces and are trying to flee the brutal regime of the Taliban.  When I was deployed in Afghanistan, I served alongside many Afghan men and women who have now been put into dire straits because of their association with Western forces.  The Shapiro Foundation is doing the excellent work of assisting these refugees in everything from their departure from Afghanistan, to resettling in their new homes, to even setting up English lessons.  I look forward to working alongside this group in the coming months and years.   

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

Hello all,

As I am sure you are all aware, the recent events in Afghanistan are heartbreaking. I am devastated for US service members that were killed and their families. I continue to work with our federal delegation to do all that we can to get American citizens and our allies out of harm’s way. This has been a tough time for us all, especially Veterans. If you are looking for resources, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

The Agawam Public Library has started a new initiative to commemorate the 20th anniversary of September 11th. The library is creating a public display of 3,000 US flags to memorialize the 3000+ lives lost on 9/11. Patrons that simply visit, check out books, or get a new library card will receive one flag to contribute to the display.

As Chairman of the Joint Committee on Veteran and Federal Affairs, we have been hosting listening sessions across the Commonwealth to better understand the needs of Veterans. This week, I was fortunate enough to host a roundtable discussion at the Holyoke War Memorial Affairs on Massachusetts Veterans Treatment Courts. It was great to hear from the experts and the people with “their boots on the ground” on what we can do-legislatively. Treatment Courts, like the one in Holyoke, are another avenue to help our service-members and I look forward to supporting them as Chairman.

Later in the week, I met with stakeholders concerning sports betting here in the Commonwealth. I look forward to working on this legislation that will legalize sports betting in a safe way and bring in much needed revenue for the Commonwealth. I also had the chance to tour the Forest Park Zoo. It was great to see my friend and Agawam resident, Nathan, and have him show me around the Zoo.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 is back on the rise due to the delta variant, and we must continue to stay vigilant. I implore that you all take the time to get vaccinated. If you need help with signing up for a vaccine, do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

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

Hello Everyone, 

I hope all is well and that everyone is enjoying the last few weeks of summer we have left. Especially with the COVID-19 delta variant surging, I want to encourage everyone to get vaccinated if you have not done so already. The vaccine is safe, effective, and is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community. Vaccine locations and information can be found at mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine. 

I want to start off this update by recognizing the incredibly heartbreaking situation we are seeing play out in Afghanistan right now. As someone who has served in Afghanistan, I know what a difficult time this is for Veterans, active service-members, and their families. Those who have served our country over the last twenty years in Afghanistan are nothing less than heroes and their sacrifices will never be forgotten. 

 I also know how critical it is for our nation to evacuate all Americans and Afghan allies who are still in danger in Afghanistan right now. During my time in Afghanistan, I worked closely with many Afghan linguists, translators, and guides. These were local residents who signed up to work with the U.S. despite the risks it brought to themselves and their families. As the Taliban regains power and looks for retribution, these individuals now face imminent danger with each passing day. Earlier this week I was joined by legislators across our state on a letter to our federal partners urging them to do everything in their power to safely evacuate our allies. These people were there for us and we cannot leave them behind.  

This week I continued my work as Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal affairs. On Wednesday, I was glad to host and organize a virtual presentation by the Veterans Legal Services organization for committee members. It is so important that we support our Veterans in their civilian life, and VLS is a great organization that provides legal aid to Vets across the Commonwealth. Later in the week, I met with Mike Jones and other board members from Friends of the Springfield Veterans Center to learn how the group supports the center and Veterans across the community. 

On Tuesday I was fortunate enough to join Representative Carey for a tour of the Treehouse Foundation community in Easthampton, which was founded to support foster and adoptive families. Since its inception, 95% of Treehouse Youth have graduated high school and 100% have attended college or vocational training. We had a great discussion about the vital work the foundation does for children in foster care and how there are still gaps in social services within our communities. 

I strongly believe that we must continue to increase access to mental and behavioral healthcare in our communities, and on Friday I had a great meeting with Baystate Medical Center’s Vice President of Government Relations, Mike Knapik, and Dr. Barry Savert. We discussed the Behavioral Health Wing at Baystate and the needs of Western Massachusetts more generally.  

This weekend is the Westfield Fair! It should be a great time to get outside and attend some fair festivities. I hope that everyone who is around will come out and enjoy all that our community has to offer. 

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 

Hello Everyone, 

I hope with the extremely warm weather this week that everyone was able to stay cool and safe. Exposure to high temperatures for extended periods of time can be very dangerous and I encourage you to check out heat safety tips at mass.gov/mema/heat 

As a part of my continued work as Chairman of the Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee, this week I met with the Veterans group BRAVE (Business Resources for American Veterans, Employment and Enterprise). We discussed an ongoing issue in our Commonwealth where Veterans struggle to get certain credits from military training accepted for course credit at Massachusetts colleges. We need to ensure that we are supporting our Veterans during their transitions to academic institutions and I look forward to working closely with BRAVE as Chairman to address these issues.  

On Wednesday I started my morning in Westfield at the newly renovated Dunkin’ on Elm Street to present them with a Senate citation and enjoy a cup of coffee. Later that day I was fortunate to attend a retirement celebration in Holyoke for four of the original founders of the Homework House. The Homework House is an incredible academic support program for students in our community and I was proud to help recognize these exceptional mentors for all their hard work over the years.  

On Friday I attended a  community event at the Log Cabin in Holyoke in honor of the families of those lost last spring at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. We must never forget the tragedies that took place at the facility and the impact that has been felt by so many families throughout our communities. I am grateful to have been a part of the event. 

I started off my Saturday morning by joining Mayor Humason and Westfield community members for the ribbon cutting ceremony of Tiny Toes Learning Center on Mainline Drive. Congratulations to Fran and Laura Hastings on the opening and welcome to Westfield! Later on in the day I drove over to Southampton for the Southampton Town Picnic at Conant Park Pavilion. My favorite part of the job is always speaking directly with constituents, and it was great to see so many neighbors and friends in person. 

Especially with the COVID-19 delta variant on the rise, I want to remind everyone that COVID-19 vaccines are widely available. The vaccine is safe, effective, and is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community. I encourage you to talk to your doctor about any concerns and questions that you may have. Vaccine locations and information can be found at mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine 

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