Memorandum RE: Jake Auchincloss’ Second Year in Congress
Memorandum RE: Jake Auchincloss’ Second Year in Congress
To: Interested Parties
From: Matt Corridoni
Date: December 22, 2022
This year, Congress made historic investments in our future and Congressman Jake Auchincloss was once again front and center in helping to secure key wins for working families. Congressman Auchincloss proved he has an ability to work left, right, and center to deliver results for his district and to advance common-sense priorities in Congress. The second year of his first term saw the biggest, boldest climate action and clean energy investment in history; successes in lowering healthcare costs; strong support for Ukraine on the front lines of the free world; and funding for science and technology advancements that will boost the U.S. and Massachusetts’ economies. Congressman Auchincloss continued to apply his unique perspective as a millennial, dad, veteran, former business manager, and former city councilor to make an impact even during some of the most turbulent times in Washington.
Legislative Victories and Representing Values
-
Succeeded in hard-fought negotiation to remove language from the FY23 NDAA conference agreement to protect offshore wind development in Massachusetts and down the Eastern Seaboard. This came after Rep. Auchincloss led a letter with 30 House members urging the Senate to excise a provision included in the House-passed NDAA that would constrain available ships and mariners to construct and maintain offshore wind turbines.
-
Following Rep. Auchincloss’ bipartisan letter urging the Department of Treasury to swiftly set a G-7-endorsed price cap on Russian oil purchases and coordinated insurance sanctions, Secretary Yellen announced the United States would implement the cap to curtail Russia’s primary source of revenue for its illegal war in Ukraine.
-
Congressman Auchincloss secured the highest amount of funding for district earmarks in MA-04 compared to all other Massachusetts Congressional districts in FY23 spending bills approved by the House Appropriations Committee.
-
Passed HR 4590, the Promoting New and Diverse Depository Institutions Act, through the House of Representatives to ensure access to diverse and affordable financial services that can help individuals save money and help small businesses raise capital.
-
Authored language passed in the CHIPS and Science Act to expand innovation in synthetic biology by directing the U.S. government to support research and development of tools and methodologies to measure the molecular components of the cell and engineered systems.
-
Through a directive in the FY23 spending bill, assured that President Biden would issue an annual proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe two minutes of silence on Veterans Day, beginning in 2022.
-
Included language in the FY23 spending bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee to require the Department of Education to engage in safe firearm storage efforts.
-
Secured additional funding for the WHO’s global COVID-19 vaccination efforts in House-passed FY23 spending bill.
Delivering Results at Home
Outreach
-
Met with municipal leaders (Mayors, Select Board Members, Town Managers) in all 34 cities and towns to discuss how federal programs can support local infrastructure priorities
-
Invited and met with hundreds of constituents in person from all 34 municipalities at “Coffee with the Congressman” community events hosted at 18 different coffee shops and restaurants across the district
-
Visited over 75 small businesses and nonprofit organizations in person across the district
-
Hosted 10 in-person or virtual town halls to share legislative updates and hear what’s on constituents’ minds. This included 5 telephone town halls and a special virtual town hall focused on financial literacy and tackling inflation
-
Hosted two large district-wide public summits on Affordable Housing and Climate Change
-
Convened 10 multi-stakeholder roundtables to hear from the leaders on the issues most important to constituents including students’ mental health, veterans services, councils on aging, transportation, offshore wind, and food insecurity
-
Visited 20 schools and after-school programs to speak with students, teachers, and parents about ways Congress can support them
-
Engaged 100+ students across the district via the Congressional App Challenge, Congressional Art Competition, and Military Academy nomination process
Casework
-
Over $2.2 million of tax refunds returned
-
1,670 casework inquiries completed
-
Casework completed for constituents in every city and town in the district
-
Over 50 casework outreach visits to Councils on Aging, Veteran Service Offices, and mobile office hours at Government Center in Fall River
-
Over 130 emergency passports secured
-
Assisted over 160 constituents with obtaining Social Security benefits
-
Assisted over 250 constituents with navigating the US immigration system
Effectively Communicating and Making a Name for Himself in the Next Generation of Democratic Leaders
-
Congressman Auchincloss continued his aggressive “go everywhere” media strategy and this year has been hailed as an “an up and coming member”...“thoughtful and nuanced [and someone to] keep [on] your 'people to watch' list.’”... and someone “who has quickly become a leader in the House of Representatives, securing key committee appointments early in his legislative career…[he has a ] future as a leader on the national stage.”
-
During his second year in office he has made over 115 local and national television appearances and penned national and local opeds appearing in Commonwealth Magazine, FOX, The Washington Post, Strong Towns, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, and The Boston Globe
-
Congressman Auchincloss is committed to meeting audiences where they are, be it on social media, on public access television, or hyper-local blogs. This includes being a strong independent voice who can go places other Democrats can’t - including pushing back on bad-faith attacks from the right on FOX and from the left on MSNBC
-
Congressman Auchincloss has also proven he can work left, right, and center. Be it collaborating with AOC on EPA legislation; working with Liz Cheney on sound foreign policy in Ukraine; or partnering with Blue Dog Stephanie Murphy to present a forward looking vision for Democrats on trade policy
-
An effective surrogate for the Biden Administration, Congressman Auchincloss was at President Biden’s side for a major offshore wind announcement in the Fourth District; the celebration of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and launch of the Cancer Moonshot Initiative in Boston, and he hosted Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona at Milford High School to highlight how ARPA funding has helped successfully return students to classrooms
As Republicans prepare to take the gavel, Congressman Auchincloss will continue to find ways to deliver for the Fourth District and will work with the GOP on good-faith proposals to lower costs and achieve clean energy independence. He will also continue to be an effective voice in the Democratic Party prepared to push back on any political theater the new GOP leadership has planned.