THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021 Page 19 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen A note from Bob Katzen, Publisher of Beacon Hill Roll Call: Join me this Sunday night and every Sunday night between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. for my talk show “The Bob Katzen Baby Boomer and Gen X Show.” Jump in my time capsule and come back to the simpler days of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. There are many ways you can listen to the show from anywhere in the world: If you have a smart speaker, simply say, “Play WMEX on Audacy.com” Download the free Audacy app on your phone or tablet Listen online at HYPERLINK “http://www.wmexboston.com” www.wmexboston. com Or tune into 1510 AM if you have an AM radio. Visit us at www.bobkatzenshow.com THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of May 17-21. $400 MILLION FOR NEW SOLDIERS’ HOME IN HOLYOKE (H 3770) House 160-0, Senate 400, approved and sent to Gov. Charlie Baker a bill authorizing $400 million to fund the construction of a new Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke. The push to construct the new home follows the deaths of 77 veteran residents last year as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak at the current facility. A House-Senate conference committee hammered out this compromise version after the House and Senate approved different versions of the measure. The bill also provides $200 million to increase geographic equity and accessibility of long-term care services for Bay State veterans with a focus on areas that are not primarily served by the soldiers’ homes in Chelsea or Holyoke. The Baker administration and House and Senate leaders have urged speedy passage of the proposal in order to meet deadlines to apply for as much as $260 million in funding from the federal government, which would leave state taxpayers with a $140 million bill. “Rebuilding the soldiers’ home in Holyoke and increasing access to services for our veterans is necessary and long overdue, especially after tragically losing many residents of the soldiers’ home to a COVID-19 outbreak last year,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington) who served as the lead Senate negotiator of the conference committee. “This funding will ensure that the commonwealth’s veterans are met with the services that they deserve and that address their unique and changing needs.” “Our veterans throughout the commonwealth deserve the very best in care and treatment as they age,” said Sen. Paul Feeney (D-Foxborough), another member of the conference committee. The bill that we enacted today will ensure that their needs are met for generations to come in a safe, comfortable and welcoming soldiers’ home. Additionally, it is critical that this vital taxpayer-funded facility be built efficiently by a local, well-trained, safe and diverse workforce that provides a career pipeline for skilled craftspeople in Western Massachusetts. The bipartisan and collaborative bond authorization bill we sent to the governor is reflective of our values and consistent with our focus on providing equitable and topnotch care to every veteran in the commonwealth.” “As the senator for the city of Holyoke and the Soldiers’ Home, I know what this new home means to so many in our community,” said Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield), Senate chair of the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. “This has truly been a long and emotional process that started well before this legislation was first filed. From the very start, families and veterans gave me a very clear message: ‘Get this done.’ We could not let them down and I am proud to say that we have not let them down … The funding authorized in this bill will ensure that the future residents of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home and veterans across our commonwealth receive the care with honor and dignity that they have earned in service to our nation. Today’s BHRC | SEE PAGE 20
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