Rep. Jake Auchincloss has been traveling the Fourth Congressional District, connecting with constituents, giving high marks to the Biden Administration and low marks to the current House leadership. At the top of his list of Administration accomplishments, Rep. Auchincloss noted the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, of which he has been a strong proponent: “I know my Newton constituents care deeply about climate action [and] the Inflation Reduction Act is the biggest, boldest climate action investment in clean energy in history,” he said. He noted that it will have a generational impact on climate control and that in addition to helping the country meet its emissions elimination goals by 2030, the IRA offers cost savings in energy upgrades for homeowners. He said, “several thousand Newton constituents will be saving money on their health care bills” through lower drug price negotiations and Affordable Care Act premium support. Beyond its local significance, Rep. Auchincloss believes that the IRA is necessary because “the most powerful country” needs “to do its part and be an example to others” in the global climate crisis.
Addressing a matter of particular concern to Newton, Rep. Auchincloss said that the $7 million in federal funding he secured for Newton’s three commuter rail stations — Newtonville, West Newton and Auburndale — is still available, “but obviously it’s not sufficient“ to complete the entire design and renovation, which he estimates will cost more than $200 million. The “critical next step is for the state to prioritize the three stations,” he explained, noting that he will apply “for the second time in a row to the All Stations Accessibility Program this fall, which is basically a federal match for state investment.” However, he emphasized that additional federal investment depends on the state’s financial commitment. “We’ve potentially got a federal buy-in with this program that was authorized by the infrastructure law,” he said, praising Senator Creem and Representative Khan for their efforts. “It’s just (up to) the MBTA to apply for the $85 million set-aside in the approved Transportation Bond allocation.”
And now for the confrontational aspect of his job: Asked about the likelihood that Congress will allow the government to shut down by failing to pass its annual spending bill, Rep. Auchincloss reported that “senior Republicans are saying it’s more likely than not, now,” although he is committed to working hard to prevent the shut down, which might also halt or delay benefits such as Social Security for millions of Americans. It will also close down a number of federal programs considered non-essential. “What’s extremely frustrating with this entire scenario is that we actually have a deal,” he said, noting the bipartisan negotiations between the Biden administration and Speaker McCarthy, in averting the debt-limit crisis in spring. “Speaker McCarthy is simply kowtowing to his most extreme membership….(who) are saying that a government shutdown doesn’t matter…They are outside the mainstream of even what their moderate Republican colleagues want to go home to their districts and talk about.” according to Rep. Auchincloss.
The far-right Freedom Caucus, comprised of forty-five Republican House members, is controlling the agenda because, as the Congressman put it, the caucus controls the Speaker, and the Speaker controls what comes to the floor. Rep. Auchincloss said that the fact that the Freedom Caucus hasn’t been able to summon enough support for any appropriation bills and only twelve other bills demonstrates their lack of support among moderate Republicans.
Among Rep. Auchincloss’s priorities is funding for Ukraine, opposed by the “pro-Putin” Freedom Caucus, which says the country needs to focus on the southern border, and not appropriate money to protect Ukraine’s border. “The argument is confabulated… . [R]eally what’s driving them is …that Trump doesn’t like it…,” he said, offering the view that there is an “ethno-nationalist” movement globally as seen in “Slovakia and even Germany,” suggesting that the Proud Boys are an example of that authoritarian trend. At the same time, he pointed to Marjorie Taylor Greene’s proposal to cut funding for Ukraine, which garnered only 70 Republican votes.
In a prescient discussion about the possibility that the Speaker would allow consideration of a Biden impeachment effort, the Congressman acknowledged that was likely. On Tuesday, September 12th, Speaker McCarthy announced that the House will indeed launch an impeachment inquiry. “No reasonable Speaker would allow such a thing to be considered. It’s just another example of the fact that….he doesn’t have the mettle to be Speaker,” Rep. Auchincloss concluded.
Ed. Note: At the request of Rep. Auchincloss, we revised his statement about the MBTA’s responsibility regarding applying for the $85 million set-aside.
