As the federal government continues to cut funding and resources to programs and projects in Massachusetts — despite our state contributing more to federal revenues than we receive back in benefits — the Commonwealth continues to step up and invest in programs to protect vulnerable Massachusetts residents and support our local economy.
Supporing Food Security and Local Agriculture
While the federal government is cutting nutrition programs, Massachusetts remains committed to food security and supporting local agriculture. In addition to a historic $50.5 million commitment to emergency food assistance in the FY26 budget — which supports food pantries like The Open Door — last month, the Legislature approved a spending bill that includes $7.5 million for the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), which allows SNAP recipients to receive money back on their EBT cards when they purchase healthy food at participating farm vendors. This additional HIP funding will allow the program to return to a tiered benefit structure with higher monthly caps, starting on September 1st. One in six Massachusetts residents receive SNAP benefits and the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute estimates that 175,000 individuals could lose some or all of their benefits due to cuts passed by Congress.
Preparing for Disaster Relief and Resilience
With FEMA funding to states being denied, cut, or recinded — including $4.5 million for the Central Street culvert and bridge replacement in Manchester-by-the-Sea and $320,000 for Thatcher Road corridor resiliency design in Rockport — the Commonwealth is taking action to ensure that the residents of Massachusetts have a place to turn in the aftermath of natural disasters. Recognizing the impact that natural disasters have on the lives and property of Massachusetts residents, the Legislature created a new Disaster Relief and Resiliency Fund in the FY25 budget to better enable Massachusetts to respond quickly to natural disasters and mitigate their impact. So far, the Legislature has allocated $28 million to the fund to help provide disaster relief and enhance infrastructure resilience in the absence of federal aid.
Lowering Prescription Costs and Saving Lives
As the federal government reverses course on controlling the cost of essential prescription drugs for seniors and the most vulnerable, Massachusetts residents now have access to life-saving medications with no or limited out-of-pocket costs, thanks to comprehensive reforms passed by the Legislature late last year. For prescription drugs used to treat diabetes, asthma, and certain heart conditions, the legislation requires health insurers to eliminate cost-sharing requirements for one generic drug and to cap co-payments on one brand-name drug at $25 per 30-day supply. Approximately nine percent of Massachusetts residents live with diabetes, 6.2 percent of adults over 35 live with heart disease, and more than 10 percent of residents live with asthma. These reforms mean wider access to critical medications and more money remaining in the pockets of Massachusetts residents
With these actions by the Legislature, Massachusetts residents are better protected from the impacts of regressive federal cuts and policy decisions. Unfortunately, the Commonwealth does not have funding to fill every federal gap, especially as billions of dollars of Medicaid cuts passed by Congress loom on the horizon. As Vice Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, I continue to work with Chair Aaron Michlewitz and my colleagues in the House to examine where we can most effectively allocate our resources to protect the residents of Cape Ann and the Commonwealth