Hello Everyone,
I hope everyone had a good long weekend and that at some point you were able to take a moment of pause to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his contributions to our nation. With all the winter weather this week, I would like to remind everyone to stay safe out there on the roads as well.
Now that session has started back up with the beginning of the new year, we’ve had a packed calendar here in the Senate. Just this week I had two hearings over at the State House. The first was the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, of which I am the Senate chair. We heard many resolutions relevant to our vets and how the Commonwealth works alongside our counterparts in the federal government.
The second hearing, this past Thursday, was for the Joint Committee on Housing. It was an exciting day as we heard testimony on the Housing Bond bill, which would be a game changer for our communities if passed. Over the past several months, I have been meeting with stakeholders across the district on what important elements must be included to ensure that the bill has real solutions to address the housing crisis here in Western Massachusetts. I will always advocate to ensure Western Massachusetts has a seat at the table and I’m looking forward to continuing these hearings and get some impactful work done for all those in the commonwealth.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of participating in the 12th Annual Legislative Luncheon hosted by the Congregation B’nai Israel Tikkun Olam Committee. The focus of which was combating the rise in antisemitism across the nation as well as their legislative priorities for the upcoming session. It was an insightful dialogue, and I am dedicated to supporting initiatives that promote understanding and tolerance in our community.
Tonight, I look forward to attending Mayor McCabe’s inaugural ball. This is an opportunity to celebrate our community’s achievements and come together to envision a positive future. It’s always great to get out and get know members of our community and our local officials, especially here in my hometown. I look forward to working alongside our local leaders to best benefit Westfield in the coming year.
This week, my team hosted office hours at Easthampton COA on Wednesday instead of Tuesday due to the snow. We also had our regularly scheduled office hours at the Holyoke COA on Wednesday. Next week we will be at the Westfield COA on Monday from 12:30pm to 1:30pm and at the Russell COA on Tuesday from 11:30am to 12:30pm. If you can’t 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.
Have a great weekend,
John Velis