Hello everyone,
I hope you all had a great week and are enjoying the summer weather!
With the end of the legislative session approaching, it’s been another busy week on Beacon Hill as we continued discussions on the Economic Development Bond Bill in the Senate, and other bills that are still pending in the Legislature.
Tuesday morning though, I was in the District and had the chance to sit down with the Westfield Fire Chief, Eric Bishop, at the Fire Headquarters. I never pass up an opportunity to meet with our community’s first responders and learn more about their day to day work, and how my office can better support their needs going forward, including potential infrastructure improvements.
Wednesday brought a full day at the State House, beginning with Democratic Caucus where I discussed with my colleagues several bills that I hope we will take up before the end of legislative sessions. Wednesday afternoon, Gabe also welcomed students from Westfield State University’s Summer Bridge Program for a tour of the State House and overview of the history and the Massachusetts legislative process. It’s always encouraging to see young people engaging with the government and learning more about how our institutions work. Go Owls!
Later that afternoon, the Senate began debate on a major Economic Development Bill, (S.3178), a proposal that aims to strengthen the Massachusetts economy by investing $325 million into job creation, supporting small businesses, downtown revitalization, expansion of housing production, and increasing public safety. The debate on the over 500 amendments filed continued on Thursday and led to a final bill that was amended and improved by every member of the Senate. I am proud to join my colleagues in supporting legislation that will drive Massachusetts forward through investing in our communities and directly supporting our local communities.
To round out the week, Mark attended the Barnes Air National Guard Base Restoration Advisory Board meeting on Thursday night, where they discussed updates from the Environmental Restoration Program (ERP), which manages the cleanup of any chemicals affecting our drinking water and air quality.
This week, Team Velis hosted office hours in Easthampton. Next week, we will host office hours at the Russell Council on Aging on Tuesday from 11:30am to 12:30pm, and again at the Southampton Council on Aging on Wednesday from 9:30am to 10:30am . If you are unable to make office hours, please remember that you can reach us by email at john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone at (413)- 572-3920, or online at senatorjohnvelis.com
Best,
John Velis