Kudos to The Recorder for their recent excellent coverage of our inaccessible congressman, Rep. Richard Neal.
I must take issue with some points from the gentleman from Springfield. Neal claims he has been supportive of rural issues but this is not the case. In 2014, he voted against the omnibus Farm Bill, which reauthorized a host of critical rural development programs for four years. They included grants and loans for rural broadband, rural housing, community facilities and water and sewer projects for small towns. The bill also boosts agricultural research and Cooperative Extension Service programs at UMass Amherst and farm credit and conservation programs.
More recently, Neal was not one of the 102 House members who signed a June 10 letter to Labor Secretary Perez asking that the Department of Labor speed up the processing of applications to the H-2A agricultural labor program. Farmers and growers here in western Massachusetts depend on this program to harvest their crops each year. Rep. Jim McGovern of Worcester did sign the letter. When I was on the district staff of Congressman Olver, I worked on many H-2A cases for area fruit growers to expedite the red tape in getting them pickers.
Amazingly, during the 2015 August congressional recess, Neal had no public events across the district, and he holds no constituent office hours or tele-town halls. Several letters I’ve written to his office asking about his positions on trade policy have gone unanswered.
Neal may not have time for showing up in Hampshire and Franklin counties, but he has plenty of time for fundraising. Whether it’s at posh resorts on Cape Cod, luxury boxes at Fenway Park or chic restaurants in Washington, Neal makes time to shake the money tree for his campaign committee and leadership PAC.
During the 2013-14 election cycle, Neal raised $1,809,130 (with 80 percent from PACs) which was the most of the nine-member Massachusetts delegation in total receipts and percentage from political action committees. In 2011, 76 percent of Neal’s campaign cash was from PACs, and he raises almost no money from within his district.
Matt L. Barron
Chesterfield