On a radiant October Sunday afternoon, Rep. Jake Auchincloss met with approximately forty constituents to launch his campaign for a second Congressional term. For the most part, the gathering was focused on the War in the Middle East and the chaos in Congress.
A staunch supporter of Israel and Ukraine, the Rep. Auchincloss – a former Marine – reiterated his commitment, and that of President Biden, to both countries. Asked how the administration is planning to provide aid, the Congressman said the President is promoting both together. He assured his audience that Congressional support for both countries remained strong,
Very little in Rep. Auchincloss’s first term has been “business as usual,” with the aftermath of the January 6th coup attempt, Covid, the war in Ukraine, and the sliver of a Republican majority descending into a leaderless standstill. But there have been accomplishments, including the $63.5 million in ARPA funding, which has helped Newton in meeting the needs of students impacted by school closings during Covid; families and businesses hurt by Covid; vital infrastructure and green space repairs; and other vital municipal services. At this point, except for the lack of Republican leadership, he insisted there are still 330 votes for a range of bipartisan initiatives but fear of Trump controls the votes of the Republican Congress. Of the Republican caucus’s inability to elect a leader, he said, “It’s no surprise that election-deniers are having a hard time conducting their election.”
Rep. Auchinclose noted that in stressing the national debt and the need to reduce spending, Republicans propose cuts to National Institutes of Health and vital social services. He is concerned about the rising cost of childcare and the high cost of housing for young families and seniors. He thanked Councilor Crossley for her work in advocating for more housing construction.
Attending the event were Mayor Ruthanne Fuller (who was also celebrating her birthday), State Representative Kay Khan, and City Councilors Alicia Bowman, Deb Crossley, Marc Laredo and Tarik Lucas,
Rep. Auchincloss has worked closely with Rep. Khan and Mayor Fuller to make Newton’s three commuter rail stations accessible and ADA-compliant. He was able to secure $7 million in federal money and will work for additional spending once zoning that complies with the MBTA Communities Act is approved by Newton’s City Council. He also described a federal program that would allow employers to compensate workers who rely on public transportation.
Medicare Advantage plans are among Rep. Auchincloss’s spending targets. He is concerned that people are induced to sign up for them, and that the plans then charge the federal government high prices for the services they claim the plans promise to cover. In fact, there have been complaints about Medicare Advantage plan advertising that misleads Medicare recipients about benefits.
