West Massachusetts News

Rep. Richard Neal, a longstanding member of the U.S. Congress representing Massachusetts' 1st district, has recently expressed his concerns on various issues through social media posts. Neal, who has been serving since 1989 after succeeding Edward Boland, addressed topics ranging from cuts to federal programs to international relations and employment reductions within the Veterans Affairs department.

On March 5, 2025, Rep. Neal reflected on his family's immigrant history and criticized proposed cuts to essential programs: "My Irish grandparents came to the U.S. to pursue the American Dream and create a better life for their families. Cutting programs like Medicaid and SNAP that benefit low-income families, firing federal employees without cause, taking a sledgehammer to our democratic institutions..."

Later that day, he commented on foreign policy matters by stating: "Turning our backs on our allies who share our democratic values and stand up to autocracy is not leadership. This flies in the face of our nation's longstanding history of defending democracy and weakens our authority and credibility on the world stage."

On March 6, 2025, Neal highlighted workforce reductions at Veterans Affairs facilities: "This is the sign hanging on the door of the Springfield Vet Center after the VA cut thousands of employees in February. Now, the administration is cutting an additional 80,000 workers and threatening to terminate contracts with critical entities like the National Center for..."