US Rep. Richard Neal touts Paycheck Protection Program in Holyoke as businesses struggle to survive coronavirus
MassLive
“Kevin and Jennifer Chateauneuf can’t let folks eat at the dining stools at Nick’s Nest, the 99-year-old hot dog stand on Northampton Street they’ve owned for 15 years. And everyone — even U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, who visited Thursday to talk about the federal Paycheck Protection Program — has to wear a mask when they come in to order… The Chateauneufs hosted Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, along with two other loan recipients, Peter Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin banquet facility, and Michael Zaskey, owner of Zasco Productions in Chicopee, and others. ‘I can’t imagine Holyoke without Nick’s Nest and without the Log Cabin,’ Neal said Thursday.”
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Neal wants to restore Nixon-era state and local aid program
Roll Call
“The Massachusetts Democrat told the nation’s mayors Wednesday that he would try to resurrect a federal revenue-sharing program for cities and states that was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. The initiative would be part of a Democratic push to help states and local governments that are bleeding from lost revenue during the economic shutdown.
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Neal, McGovern lead debates on new $484B aid package, oversight committee
Daily Hampshire Gazette
“Two of the region’s powerful politicians played pivotal roles on a pair of COVID-19 measures — a $484 billion aid package and the creation of a subcommittee to oversee coronavirus spending — approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday. U.S Rep Richard Neal, D-Springfield, led House debate on the aid package that will see $321 billion shore up the empty “Paycheck Protection Program” meant for small businesses, $75 billion in emergency aid for hospitals, $60 billion in economic disaster loans for small businesses and $25 billion for coronavirus testing.”
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Congressmen Neal visits recycling facility in Springfield for Earth Day
WWLP
“Congressman Richard Neal visited the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility on Bernie Avenue in honor of Earth Day Wednesday… He spoke with 22News on how the facility has improved the environment in the Pioneer Valley since it first opened.”
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Rep. Neal calls for more funding for hospitals dealing with COVID-19
WWLP
“Congressman Richard Neal is urging the Department of Health and Human Services to disburse additional CARES Act funds to Massachusetts hospitals. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, includes $100 billion to address the increased costs faced by healthcare providers and lost revenue.”
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Rep. Neal discusses efforts to help reopen the economy
Western Mass News
“As the reopening debate wages across the country, reviving the economy has been one of the most cited arguments for relaxing social distancing. However, with more small business assistance working its way through Capitol Hill, Congressman Richard Neal, who was in western Mass. today, is speaking out on efforts to help the economy reopen.”
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Immigration and coronavirus: Massachusetts lawmakers pledge to fight President Donald Trump's order to halt immigration
MassLive
“Several Massachusetts lawmakers say President Donald Trump’s plan to halt immigration amid the COVID-19 pandemic smacks of racism and scapegoating designed to divide the nation at a time when tens of thousands of Americans have died in less than two months. The lawmakers, all Democrats, pledged Tuesday to fight an upcoming executive order announced in Trump’s tweet after 10 p.m. on Monday night.”
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Coronavirus Recovery: US Rep. Richard Neal hails aid for hospitals, calls for money to state and local governments in next stimulus bill
MassLive
“U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal said Tuesday he expects to go back to Washington later this week and vote on a new $484 billion coronavirus relief bill, legislation he said he spent the weekend hashing out with the Trump administration while working in concert with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others.”
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Paycheck Protection Program set to help small businesses stay open
Western Mass News
“The Paycheck Protection Program was set up to help small businesses stay open during the coronavirus pandemic, but within two weeks that money was drained. Now efforts are underway in Congress to replenish the funds. Western Mass News spoke with Congressman Richard Neal today - who said this new package, under discussion in Washington, will not only help small businesses but also hospitals and expand coronavirus testing.”
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Mass. hospital executive says he was questioned by FBI while buying equipment
Boston Globe
“Artenstein got in touch with US Representative Richard Neal, a Democrat whose district includes Springfield, and Neal said he was able to get the equipment released through a call to the US Department of Health and Human Services. ‘It was a tense period there for a few hours there,’ Neal, who chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, told the Globe. He said he relayed to federal officials that ‘there are a lot of lives that could be on the line because of this, and I wanted that equipment moved now.’”
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Rep. Richard Neal says agreement is imminent on 4th coronavirus relief package
WCVB Boston (ABC)
“Rep. Richard Neal said an agreement between the House of Representatives and the Senate on the next coronavirus relief package is "imminent.” The veteran Massachusetts congressman spoke about the talks surrounding the fourth COVID-19 relief bill during a live appearance on WCVB's "On the Record" Sunday, which he made remotely from outside his Springfield home.”
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Coronavirus: Springfield triage tents receive testing kits, aided by US Rep. Richard Neal
MassLive
“Neal, D-Springfield, chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, said in a news release that he recognized the urgency of the situation and contacted the state to provide the test kits. ‘Phase One of the Coronavirus Relief Act was about testing, testing, testing,’ Neal said. ‘While it is imperative that the tests get into the hands of health care providers who need them most, we must not forget our most vulnerable populations as well.’”
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Coronavirus recovery bill sends $841M to Massachusetts hospitals, Rep. Richard Neal says
MassLive
“‘Hospitals and other health care providers in Massachusetts are experiencing tremendous strain as they respond to the COVID-19 crisis and care for an influx of extremely sick patients,” said Congressman Neal. “This infusion of federal funds will help providers stay afloat during the unprecedented coronavirus emergency and get the resources they need to keep frontline health care workers safe. I’m proud to have been an author of the CARES Act, and I will continue to support our state’s health care providers as Congress crafts additional COVID-19 response legislation.’”
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Neal: 60 Million Stimulus Checks Expected To Go Out Monday
WGBH
“Americans who earn less than $99,000 a year can expect to receive stimulus checks from the federal government beginning Monday, Rep. Richard Neal said Thursday on Boston Public Radio. As Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Neal had significant influence over the language that was put into the stimulus bill.”
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Community health centers promised $36.5M from CARES Act
MassLive
“Community health centers in Massachusetts will receive more than $36.5 million to assist in combating the COVID-19 outbreak... Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield was one of the drafters of the legislation."With major stress on our healthcare system, our community health centers are more indispensable than ever,” said Neal, the House Ways and Means Committee chairman. “As an author of the CARES Act, I was able to work with my colleagues to ensure that the funding would be there to keep health centers running while hospitals are managing the worst COVID-19 cases."
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Members of Mass. congressional delegation seek more resources in battle against COVID-19 in veterans’ homes
Boston.com
“Members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation are expressing their concern about the spread of the novel coronavirus at veterans’ homes. Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and representatives Richard Neal and Ayanna Pressley sent a letter to Ryan Lilly, network director at the VA New England Healthcare System, expressing their concerns about the COVID-19 outbreaks at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home and Chelsea Soldiers’ Home, asking that more resources be obtained and deployed to mitigate the spread of the virus.”
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Neal asks when feds will send money to process unemployment claims
MassLive
“With nearly 10 million Americans — 330,000 Massachusetts residents among them — filing for unemployment in the last two weeks, U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal is asking why the U.S. Department of Labor has yet to distribute emergency administrative funding so states can process the claims.”
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Coronavirus relief act brings $4.8 million to Western Massachusetts, says US Rep. Richard Neal
MassLive
“Five cities in the 1st Congressional District represented by US Rep Richard Neal are getting 4.8 million under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act passed last week in Washington.”
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Neal telephone town hall addresses COVID-19 constituent concerns
22 News (WWLP)
“Congressman Richard Neal held a telephone town hall meeting on Tuesday afternoon to address the concerns of constituents about the COVID-19 crisis. He was joined by Dr. James Lederer, Chief Medical and Chief Quality Officer of Berkshire Health System.”
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U.S. Rep. Neal on Soldiers' Home coronavirus outbreak: ‘There must be accountability'
MassLive
“U.S. Rep Richard Neal on Tuesday called for accountability after revelation about a dozen deaths at the Soldier's Home in Holyoke with several linked to the coronavirus pandemic. During a telephone town hall, meanwhile, Neal reassured a woman whose husband lives in the state run facility that public officials are working to understand what happened there and what can be done to halt the outbreak.”
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