Hello Everyone,
I hope you all had a great week! In case you missed it, earlier this week it was announced that the Veterans Home in Holyoke has officially met all state and federal licensure and certification milestones! This is huge news for the Home and speaks to the hard work of the dedicated staff who go above and beyond to care for our Veterans. Congratulations!
This week thousands of state legislators and staff from around the country flocked to Boston to attend the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) 50th annual summit. As the host state for the summit, I was grateful to have the opportunity to participate in panels and programs that showcase our great state. On Sunday morning I helped kick off the summit by meeting with fellow lawmakers on the NCSL Military and Veterans Affairs Task Force to discuss all that we have accomplished here in Massachusetts to improve the lives of our veterans, service members, and their families. Later in the week I participated in panels to discuss the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism’s work and another to discuss the youth behavioral health crisis that we are seeing across the nation.
On Wednesday I was happy to be back in the district where I had an opportunity to visit the YMCA of Greater Westfield’s Camp Shepard. I had the best time interacting with local campers to hear about how their summer is going and all the incredible experiences they have had at camp. I was also grateful for the opportunity to learn more about future improvements that the YMCA hopes to be make to benefit future campers and the Greater Westfield community.
On Friday afternoon I joined Representative Pease at the American Legion Post 124 to share a joint resolution from the Massachusetts House of Representatives and State Senate recognizing the sacrifices of our Vietnam Veterans and acknowledging the lifelong impacts of Agent Orange exposure ahead of Agent Orange Awareness Day on Sunday August 10th. Agent Orange is a toxic herbicide used during the Vietnam War that those service members exposed, as well as their children, are more likely to develop series health conditions such as cancer. The treatment our Vietnam Veterans endured when they returned home and long after is beyond unconscionable to me which is why I am so deeply dedicated to ensuring they receive the best care, treatment, and honor that they so deserve.
This week Team Velis hosted office hours in Agawam. Next week Team Velis will be hosting office hours on Tuesday at the Chicopee Council on Aging from 10:00AM to 11:00AM, and on Wednesday at the West Springfield Council on Aging from 11:00AM to 12:00PM. If you are unable to make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.  
Best, 
John Velis