Local Issues
Being accessible to my constituents and fighting for their priorities in Washington is the focus of my time in Congress. We’ve worked hard in my first term to be as accessible as possible to the people I represent, through our frequent office hours across the district, top-notch casework team and steady schedule of local events.
In Washington, the needs and strengths of the 4th District have guided my agenda. Massachusetts’s 4th District boasts a long and proud tradition of leadership in industry and education. Our challenge today is to carry this history forward and translate it into new economic opportunities.
The cities and towns of the 4th District were at the forefront of the traditional manufacturing economy and have all of the inherent capabilities necessary to lead the 21st century innovation economy as well. To that end, I was proud to introduce the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act, with a Republican colleague, which would create a network of regional manufacturing institutes across the country to help communities like ours not just adapt to – but to lead – the modern economy.
Investments in education, transportation, workforce development, and R&D will be the keys to our district’s sustainable success. In Congress, I have fought to prioritize funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Sciences Foundation (NSF), both critical drivers of the R&D at the heart of Massachusetts’ economy. As Honorary Chair of the Governor’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Council and a member of the House Committee on Science & Technology, I have made STEM education and workforce training the centerpiece of my legislative efforts to date – introducing bills not just to improve our STEM efforts but to expand the number of women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups in the modern economy.
Throughout the 4th District, we see evidence of innovation everywhere we look. From the planned South Coast Life Science and Technology Park in Fall River, to the ever-expanding Myles Standish Industrial Park in Taunton, to the rapidly-growing precision manufacturing sector in the Metrowest area, our district is on the path towards dynamic leadership in the 21st century economy.
As our universities and private sector companies continue to grow and innovate and compete, I believe our government can be a partner, working to augment and accelerate their hard work. Transportation investments like South Coast Rail will give workers access to more job opportunities, and also will give each growing company access to a wider pool of employees, suppliers, and resources. Funding for important projects like the revitalization of Attleboro’s downtown and the development of Fall River’s waterfront will attract even more private investment in our district, as people recognize that our cities and towns are promising places to start businesses, buy homes, or build careers.
Besides fighting for local economic growth, I have worked hard to advocate for the citizens of the 4th Congressional District in Washington. When a local newspaper highlighted the alarming rate of cancer amongst former nuclear employees at an Attleboro Texas Instruments plant, I worked with the Department of Labor, Department of Energy and Texas Instruments to connect former employees with the health benefits available to them. As a result, claims have skyrocketed and more and more former workers and families continue to access the benefits they deserve.
When communities in the MetroWest were struggling to afford the back-breaking cost of compliance with new EPA regulations, I raised this issue with the EPA Administrator during a Science & Technology Committee hearing in Washington. Since then, my office has worked with the agency as well as local stakeholders to brainstorm ways local communities can be both environmentally safe and economically secure.
Finally, I’m proud to work in partnership with other members of the Massachusetts Delegation – as well as local leaders on the ground – to preserve critical federal funding for our cities and towns, from Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants and the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
More on Local Issues
Newton, MA -- Congressman Joe Kennedy III released the following statement on the results of the 2014 elections in Massachusetts.
Before starting this job, I always thought of recess as a nice relaxing break from class. A few games of kickball or football. A little excess energy spent on the playground. Maybe even a few minor injuries falling off the monkey bars. And while there’s no shortage of running around during a Congressional recess, I’ve found it to be a bit of a misnomer.
Newton, MA – Congressman Joe Kennedy III released the following statement today on the passing of former Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino.
Newton, MA – Congressman Joe Kennedy III today received the Massachusetts Association of Vocation Administrators (MAVA) ‘Legislator of the Year’ award. During a ceremony at Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton, career-technical education (CTE) leaders from across the Commonwealth joined in honoring Congressman Kennedy for his strong commitment to vocational schools and workforce development.
WHEN YOU walk into the unassuming Chelsea headquarters of Roca, you see the hallmarks of a thriving, urban non-profit. Teenagers draped on couches in the lobby. Posters proudly touting participants’ achievements lining the walls. Doors leading to a modest gym, job training classes, and crowded offices.
But there is a word you hear repeatedly around Roca that sets it apart: data. Dedicated to reducing recidivism in high-risk youth and helping disengaged young people break the cycle of violence and poverty, Roca is compulsively data-driven and outcomes-oriented.