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Date: 11/30/2022
SPRINGFIELD – Congressman Richard Neal, chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, intends to continue seeking ways to work with Republicans in the new session of the House that will be controlled by that party.
“My approach is the same as it has always been, where we can find accommodation and find agreement on behalf of the American people, I intend to do it. But I also understand the historic position for the opposition that is to oppose. We at the Ways & Means Committee have written seismic legislation. I was able to get Republicans to vote for USMCA (United States Mexico-Canada Agreement), 194 of them voted for the largest trade agreement in the history of the world, which I authored and 195 Democrats voted for it,” he noted.
Despite his history of building consensus, Neal explained that if Republicans intend to extend the tax cut legislation passed in 2017, he and other Democrats will resist. He is in favor of an extended credit and as a compromise on that issue to support to expand the research and development credit. He added the Republican tax cuts “overwhelmingly went to the top and it did not promote economic growth they said that we would have.”
Neal made his remarks at a press conference at the federal court building on Nov. 18. He did predict a “pretty ambitious lame duck” schedule, though, for House Democrats in the next few weeks. “I hope we can clear the table of a number of contentious issues that becomes less contentious once the election is over,” Neal added.
People are trying predict what will come in a lame duck cycle, Neal said, and he explained with a smile that he has been telling reporters to watch the movie “Waking Ned Devine” and “you won’t write about anything being dead.”
In his own race, Neal handily defeated his Republican opponent, West Springfield businessman Dean Martilli.
He praised House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who announced as she would not seek the minority leadership position in the new House, and said her decision “brings to close an era of American politics that in many ways has been unparalleled.”
Speaking of Pelosi‘s decision, Neal said, as one of her confidants, he had “a pretty good idea that this was coming.
“I think her finest moment was at approximately 3:40 a.m. on Jan. 7 when she marched the House of Representatives back in to regular order. The institution has been under assault for the better part of a day, windows were broken, seating was fractured, doors were ripped off and we calmly voted to certify the results of a presidential election.”
Pelosi’s action brought back a sense of normal to the House, he added.
With many election-deniers defeated in the Nov. 8 election across the nation, Neal said he believes the American public and Congress can get back to discussing issues.
After Pelosi’s recent speech, Neal said he hugged her and told her, “We’ve had a great run, Madame Speaker.”
He is supporting Rep. Akeem Jeffrey’s effort to run as minority leader.
Neal said the East-West Rail project would be a priority for him for the next two years. “The money is there, it’s a fait accompli,” he said. Gov. Charlie Baker has pledged to sign the necessary legislation to move the project forward and incoming governor Maura Healey has told Neal she will follow through.
“Now it’s just matter to put the plan in place,” he said. Neal has asked Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to speak with the Massachusetts delegation about the project.