| | | |  | BY STEPHANIE MURRAY | Presented by PhRMA | GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF! TRAHAN Q&A: SENATE 'HEARTLESS' IN RELIEF NEGOTIATIONS — Rep. Lori Trahan is slamming Senate Republicans for agreeing to the "bare minimum" on a coronavirus relief bill in a new interview, but says the deal Washington lawmakers have hashed out is better than nothing. I spoke with Trahan about pandemic relief, what's in store for her second term and how Massachusetts can curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Westford Democrat was appointed to the House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday, news that was announced after this interview. (This interview was edited for length and clarity). Your first term in Congress started with a government shutdown, and included twists and turns like President Donald Trump's impeachment and a global pandemic. What did you take away from that, and what is in store for your second term?
We were in the middle of a government shutdown right after I took my oath of office in January. The first vote that we took, and then continued to take week after week, was reopening the government. It's been nonstop since then. One of the things that's remained a top priority of mine is passing legislation that will put an end to the opioid epidemic and remove the stigma surrounding addiction. I plan to push this administration hard on these proposals and I'm glad that we have someone like Xavier Becerra who will be leading the way as Secretary of Health and Human Services, and who I believe I'll be able to partner with on these issues. Infrastructure is another huge priority. The most anticipated piece of legislation is the Covid-19 relief bill. Does the emerging deal, which includes $600 direct payments, go far enough? Should it have included a $160 billion package for state and local aid?
The problem has been, and it continues to be, that we don't have partners in the Senate willing to budge from their stances. And we have a president who is, frankly, more focused on trying to figure out how to steal an election that he lost by 7 million votes than getting help to those who need it. We've been forced to choose between doing the bare minimum, which is what this package is shaping up to be, or doing nothing at all. It's shameful that we got to this moment. It's heartless that the Senate refused to accept anything more than $600 each. While it's good that this package includes funding for hospitals and vaccine distribution, it's heartless that the Senate rejected a dime being spent on state and local aid to keep our first responders and our public health professionals paid and on the job. I'm glad to hear that President-elect Joe Biden will do what he can on day one by executive order to provide more assistance, and that he has a plan to work with us and the Senate to craft another relief package, because one will certainly be necessary. So you don't think Democrats should hold out for a better deal?
We cannot leave for the holidays without passing relief. This is so long overdue. What's become so clear is that we have to put checks in people's mailboxes again. It's not the amount that we originally wanted but we have to get them something. We have to extend unemployment. We need to get more PPP to our smallest of small businesses. No, it's not exactly the bill that I want, but we can't leave Washington until we get something passed. Let's turn to your district. Lowell is home to one of the state's coronavirus field hospitals, and Covid-19 cases are going up statewide. Do you think that Massachusetts waited too long to roll back its economic reopening? Should there be more closures?
It's not a surprise given the patchwork of state protocols that we're seeing this surge across the country. In Massachusetts, we've relied on folks doing the hard work and protecting our health care workers and our loved ones by wearing masks and staying socially distant. But it is these informal gatherings, folks who don't wear their masks or don't follow those protocols, where we really see these surges. I think the message is we have to be vigilant. Until those vaccinations are delivered at scale we have to keep doing the hard work that we're doing. It's really tough during this holiday season. We're not going to see my parents. My kids aren't going to see their cousins and their aunts and uncles. But it's what we have to do to get through this and make sure that we're on track in 2021 to contain this virus, get past this public health crisis and get on with a strong economic recovery. How can Democrats protect their majority in the House in 2022? Democrats lost seats in November. What's the right message heading into the midterms?
This is an unbelievable opportunity for Democrats to show how we lead. There were so many bills that we passed in the 116th Congress, and they didn't see the light of day in Mitch McConnell's Senate. But we know that they're embraced by the American people. I'll just use one example: The minimum wage and raising it to $15. It was passed in the state of Florida. It was one of the bills that we passed in the House last year. We really need to just show the American people that the agenda that we worked on in the 116th Congress, and so many of the bills that we passed, they have broad public support. I do think that this is our opportunity, with this administration, to find common ground. We know that common ground exists, whether it's on infrastructure, climate change, reducing the cost of life-saving medication. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. TODAY — Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and filmmaker Frederick Wiseman discuss the film "City Hall" at a virtual event hosted by GBH President Jon Abbott. | |
| | A message from PhRMA: Governor Charlie Baker has a proposal that may affect which medicines patients can access. Learn more. | | | | |
| | NEW EPISODES OF THE GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS PODCAST: Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded over the past year amid a global pandemic. This podcast helps us identify and understand the impediments to smart policymaking. Subscribe for Season Two, available now. | | | | | |  | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
| – “Massachusetts reports 4,985 new COVID cases, 44 deaths on Thursday,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “State health officials confirmed another 4,985 COVID cases on Thursday, bringing the active statewide infection count to 76,215. That’s based on 92,627 new molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health. Officials also announced another 44 COVID-related fatalities, for a total now of 11,305 deaths since the start of the pandemic.” – “53% of Mass. communities now high-risk for COVID-19,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “More than half of the state’s 351 cities and towns are now considered high risk for COVID-19, as the situation continues to deteriorate across Massachusetts. The state’s weekly report indicates 187 communities, up from 158 last week, are high-risk.” – “State reports 1,009 new coronavirus cases in Massachusetts schools, highest case count ever,” by Alexi Cohan, Boston Herald: “A total of 1,009 staff and students in Massachusetts schools have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week, breaking last week’s all time high case count of 923, according to data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.” | | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| – “Ronald Mariano appears to have votes to succeed DeLeo as speaker of House, supporters say,” by Matt Stout and Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: “Ronald Mariano, a Quincy Democrat who has served for years as House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo’s top deputy, appears to have consolidated enough support to succeed DeLeo, should he end his record 12-year reign over the House in the coming weeks, according to legislative leaders and Mariano supporters.” – “‘I am fortunate that my symptoms have been mild’; Massachusetts Sen. Walter Timilty says after testing positive for COVID-19,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts Sen. Walter Timilty urged people to wear masks, limit their contact with others and practice proper hygiene after testing positive for COVID-19. When asked by MassLive about Timilty, the senator’s chief of staff, Hannah J. Buntich, referred a reporter to a recently published Facebook post in which the Milton Democrat disclosed he tested positive.” – “DA Rollins Raises Questions About State Drug Lab Chemist Who Worked With Dookhan In Boston,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “Another Massachusetts prosecutor is raising questions about the scope of the state's investigation into the drug lab scandal involving disgraced chemist Annie Dookhan. This week, Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins became the state's second district attorney to challenge whether the investigation six years ago by the Office of the Inspector General dug far enough into what occurred at the Hinton drug lab in Boston.” – “Different cities, different rules: A regional rollback that’s all over the map,” by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: “You can sit at a bar and have lunch in Quincy, but not in Dorchester. You can catch a movie at a theater in Watertown, but screens are dark next door in Newton. And if you want to hit the gym, try Medford or Cambridge over Somerville and Arlington, where they won’t let you work up a sweat indoors.” – “Civilian-led police board will have far reaching powers,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Police officers accused of wrongdoing could be brought before a board mostly composed of civilians with the power to suspend them and take away their credentials. The nine-member panel, a key provision of a proposal to overhaul policing in Massachusetts, would include six civilians and three members of law enforcement.” – “Child abuse reports in Massachusetts plummet during pandemic,” by Marie Szaniszlo, Boston Herald: “Reports of child abuse and neglect in Massachusetts have plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic by more than 25% — a troubling indication, children’s advocates fear, that cases are being missed. From the start of the pandemic in March to October — the most recent month for which statistics are available — the number of reports fell by 16,393 from the 64,188 logged over the same period last year, according to the state Department of Children and Families.” | | FROM THE HUB |
| – “Mass General Brigham vaccine signup site crashes amid demand from health workers,” The Associated Press: “Health care workers at the largest hospital system in Massachusetts were temporarily barred from signing up for the new COVID-19 vaccine after the online appointment system crashed amid a surge in demand on Wednesday night, system officials said.” – “Boston City Council Passes 'Historic' Police Reforms, Says Councilor Andrea Campbell,” by Hannah Uebele, GBH News: “The Boston City Council passed three measures on Wednesday to reform the city's law enforcement. City Councilor Andrea Campbell told Boston Public Radio on Thursday that the new police reform legislation is ‘historic.’” – “Is this the beginning of the end for space savers?” by Billy Baker, Boston Globe: “Who’s ready to argue about space savers? Apparently Matt O’Malley is, and unfortunately he has dragged me into it. On Wednesday night, as the first flakes of the nor’easter were about to fall, the outgoing city councilor from West Roxbury became the first city elected official in decades to publicly call for an end to the practice of claiming public parking spots for private use.” – “Boston’s health chief says COVID-19 numbers ‘definitely concerning’ and could get worse,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Boston’s head of health and human services, Marty Martinez, said Thursday that the city’s coronavirus trends are “definitely concerning” and could worsen in coming weeks. ‘There’s no question that hospitals are seeing increased activity,’ said Martinez in an interview.” – “Mayor Marty Walsh says TD Garden might have fans back by February or March,” by Kevin Paul Dupont, Boston Globe: “Impressed by what he characterized as ‘some really great protocols’ implemented at TD Garden, Boston mayor Marty Walsh said Wednesday morning during a radio interview that the TD Garden is ‘trying to shoot for February or March’ to welcome fans back inside the Causeway Street arena.” – “‘Words matter’: Boston councilors pass ordinance to include non-binary gender identification option on city forms,” by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: A non-binary option could soon be required on all Boston city forms, certificates, and documents that ask for an individual’s gender identification under a new ordinance passed by the City Council Wednesday.” – “Biogen Agrees To Pay $22M To Settle Kickback Allegations,” by The Associated Press: “The Biogen pharmaceutical company on Thursday agreed to pay $22 million to resolve allegations that it illegally paid insurance co-payments for thousands of patients in order to collect Medicare revenue, federal prosecutors said. The company was accused of channeling money through two nonprofit foundations to cover co-payments for patients who were using Biogen drugs used to treat multiple sclerosis.” – “Inside the fight to document the horrors at America's oldest women's prison,” by Shelby Grebbin and Isha Marathe, DigBoston: “The stories of the women of MCI-Framingham—whether they were told through written and signed affidavits, timed prison calls, or impassioned conversations in kitchens and cafes—reveal a culture of neglect and abuse at America’s oldest women’s correctional institution.” | |
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| | | | | DAY IN COURT |
| – “Multi-state suit says tech giant violated anti-monopoly laws,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “A week after she signed onto a multi-state lawsuit against Facebook, Attorney General Maura Healey now has Google in her sights. On Thursday, Healey announced that she had signed on to a lawsuit filed by a bipartisan group of 38 attorneys general against the country’s dominant search engine.” – “Ruling permits citizen recordings of police,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “While Beacon Hill legislators haven’t moved yet to address Gov. Charlie Baker’s amendments to policing reform legislation, other efforts to improve law enforcement accountability are moving forward locally and in the courts this week. Earlier this week, the First Circuit Court of Appeals said people can’t be prosecuted under the state’s 1968 wiretapping statute for secretly recording police in a ruling that upheld part of a lower court order that countermanded a statewide ban on such recordings.” – “Lawyers for Boston Marathon bomber ask Supreme Court to deny government request to review appellate ruling tossing death penalty,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “Lawyers for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on Thursday asked the US Supreme Court to deny a request from prosecutors to review a July appeals court ruling that vacated his death sentence in the high-profile case.” | | WARREN REPORT |
| – “Trump diversity training ban challenged by Elizabeth Warren; Democrats call executive order a 'political stunt,'” by Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY: “Democrats called on the federal government to back off President Donald Trump's executive order restricting federal agencies and government contractors from offering diversity training programs. Bob Menendez, D-N.J.; Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; and 18 other senators sent a letter Thursday opposing the implementation of the executive order.” | | MARKEYCHUSETTS |
| – “Ed Markey says state and local coronavirus aid may not come until Joe Biden takes office,” by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: “U.S. Sen. Edward Markey says it would be a “billion-dollar mistake” for federal lawmakers to forgo state and municipal aid in the next coronavirus relief package as local governments continue to feel the strain of dual health and economic crises. But he appeared resigned Thursday that the much-needed help may not come until President-elect Joe Biden takes office.” – “Sen. Markey hails Biden's pick to lead climate fight,” by Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle: “U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey is applauding President-elect Joe Biden's choice to lead the new administration's efforts to counter global warming. Markey issued a statement Thursday calling Gina McCarthy, a former Environmental Protection Agency administrator, ‘a tenacious climate warrior.’” | | THE PRESSLEY PARTY |
| – “Ayanna Pressley calls reduced stimulus checks ‘an insult’” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Congressional leaders have reportedly agreed on a second round of stimulus checks, as a new COVID-19 relief package begins to take shape ahead of the holidays. But at $600 a person, Rep. Ayanna Pressley says the proposed payments are ‘hardly sufficient.’” | | CABINET WATCH |
| – “First Native American nominated for interior secretary brings hope to Mashpee tribe,” by Jessica Hill, Cape Cod Times: “The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe could have a powerful new ally in its fight to keep its land-in-trust status. President-elect Joe Biden will nominate U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland to be Secretary of the Interior. If confirmed, she will be the first Native American to serve in that position.” | | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN |
| – “EPA issues final permit for GE’s $576 million cleanup of PCBs in the Berkshires,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a revised final permit Thursday for the Rest of River plan to clean up PCBs from the Housatonic River left behind by General Electric’s operations in the Berkshires. The plan, first announced in February 2020 by U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and others, was met with resistance from some Berkshire County residents and from environmental groups.” – “Massachusetts loses its claim to being the most energy-efficient state,” by David Abel, Boston Globe: “For nine years in a row, Massachusetts ranked as the most energy-efficient state in the country, according to a closely watched annual report. But not this year. The state dropped to No. 2, behind California, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a nonprofit based in Washington D.C.” | | ABOVE THE FOLD |
| — Herald: “WINTER WAVE," "FEAR FOR KIDS,” — Globe: “Hard lines on virus rules, but easily crossed," "Moderna vaccine nearing approval.” | | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| – “Worcester Public Schools currently has 1,942 homeless students, officials believe number may be underreported,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: “The Worcester Public Schools is preparing to offer extra support to families during the coronavirus pandemic, as the district has nearly 2,000 students who are currently homeless and expects to see more evictions .” TRANSITIONS – Lynn Page Flaherty joins Friends of the Public Garden as the nonprofit’s first-ever vice president of advancement & external affairs. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Dion Irish, commissioner of Boston Inspectional Services; and Emily Williams, deputy digital director for Jaime Harrison’s Senate campaign. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND – to former congressional candidate Tahirah Amatul-Wadud and Abby Charpentier. And to Sunday birthday-ers state Senate President Emerita Harriette Chandler, Maureen McInerney, director of development for the Women's Public Leadership Network; writer Megan Johnson and Meaghan Callahan. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. | |
| | A message from PhRMA: Government price setting means politicians can arbitrarily decide that some patients and diseases are worth more than others. Through his proposal, Charlie Baker could put government in the way of personal health decisions that should be made by patients and their doctors. Tell Governor Baker: Stop endangering access to innovative treatments and vaccines. Find out more here. | | |
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| | BIG SCOOPS IN TRANSITION PLAYBOOK: In the runup to Inauguration Day, president-elect Joe Biden's staffing decisions are sending clear-cut signals about his priorities. What do these signals foretell? Transition Playbook is the definitive guide to one of the most consequential transfers of power in American history. Written for political insiders, this scoop-filled newsletter is breaking big news and analyzing the appointments, people and emerging power centers of the new administration. Track the transition and the first 100 days of the incoming administration. Subscribe today. | | | | | | |
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