Legislators were back in great number on the Beacon Hill this week.
On Tuesday, Speaker Bob DeLeo, hosted a luncheon for the Veterans Service Agents from every one of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. Representatives and Senators were also invited.
Senator Mike Knapik and I were pleased to join with local veterans agents from West Springfield, Northampton, Holyoke, and especially Westfield. Bob Callahan and Joe Mitchell, who work at Westfield City Hall helping our Westfield veterans, joined their colleagues from western Mass. and took a bus from the VA down to the State House.
Every speaker during the program that preceded the luncheon emphasized how proud the Commonwealth was of its veterans and how supportive the state was in providing resources and taxpayer subsidized state benefits to the men and women who served.
Over and over again we heard how Massachusetts is one of the best states in the country for providing state benefits to our veterans. That is a distinction I am proud of. I applaud the Speaker, Senate President, and my fellow lawmakers for our commitment to care for the members of our military.
This is the start of a new two-year session. Our bill filing deadline is next Friday so I was reviewing bills I have filed in the past and considering whether to re-file them or change them up or just to let them go. I was also thinking of filing a few new pieces of legislation, as well as co-sponsoring bills filed by my caucus or my colleagues.
I am planning a new location for my next in-district public office hours. I will let you know as soon as I have nailed down the time and location.
The newest installment of my cable show “From the State House to Your House” features Westfield Barnes Regional Airport manager Brian Barnes as my guest. We taped the show on the ramp at Barnes and talk about the airport and its value as a resource to the city and the region. Find out more about Brian Barnes and Barnes Airport this month by watching the show.
It runs on Channel 15 on Sundays at 4:30 p.m, Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m, Thursdays at 10:30 p.m, and Fridays at 2:30 p.m. I hope you will take a few moments and tune in. Your feedback is always welcome. I would also like to hear suggestions about who you want to see as a guest on future shows.
Recently, I received an email from a staff member to our new United States Senator Elizabeth Warren inviting me to come to a meeting with the Senator and members of the western Mass. legislative delegation at the old Federal Building, 1550 Main Street, in downtown Springfield. Besides the roundtable discussion with legislators she was also going to hold a press conference announcing her plan to open her district office there, just as Senator John Kerry and Senator Scott Brown had done.
I thought about the invitation for a few minutes before replying. As many of you know, I am a friend of Scott Brown’s. He and I served in the House together. I supported his candidacy for the Senate. But, I ultimately decided that I should go because Senator Warren had invited the entire western Mass. delegation, Democrats and Republicans, and as Westfield’s State Representative I will be working with her to promote Westfield’s interests in government, both in Boston and in Washington.
Of course, as luck would have it, I was the only Republican able to attend the meeting.
I sat around the table in a room full of my friends from the other side of the aisle. Senator Warren began by thanking everybody for all their help during the campaign. She said how much she appreciated all their hard work on her behalf and how grateful she was that their campaign organizations had helped her during the race. Then she opened it up for comments.
I waited until several others had their turn, then I spoke up. “Senator Warren,” I said. “My name is Don Humason and I am the Republican State Representative from the City of Westfield. On behalf of my colleagues in western Massachusetts and my constituents in Westfield I would like to congratulate you. And while I appreciate your words of appreciation, I was probably not as helpful as you would have liked. I voted for the other guy.”
This cracked up my fellow legislators who began laughing. I continued, “I don’t want to be like the skunk at the picnic, but I appreciate you holding this meeting for all your co-workers in state government. I look forward to working with you in the best interests of all the people of my district and of Massachusetts, Democrats and Republicans.”
I went on to mention the men and women at the 104th Fighter Wing of the MA Air National Guard and the 439th Airlift Wing and how important their missions were to our country, as well as the economic impact to the area. I asked her to support them when she got to the capitol. I also offered to work with her office to help if she wanted to set up meetings at Barnes and Westover. Finally, I offered my district office if she was looking for a place to stop off when she was visiting Westfield.
The Senator was gracious and seemed to listen to what I had to say. I was pleased and think it was a very good meeting.
When we went downstairs, a crowd of her supporters and local reporters and media were set up in the lobby for her press conference. Somehow, I ended up positioned right behind her in the back row with a few other tall state representatives.
When she began her speech she said, “I would like to thank all of you in this room for all your support and all of my colleagues in government behind me, except one.” Then she smiled and gestured at me. I smiled and waved back. Again, my fellow lawmakers, all Democrats, cracked up.
Later, on the television news and in a local newspaper, you could see the shot of me standing prominently behind Senator Warren, smiling. My friends, Democrats and Republicans alike, gave me a lot of good-natured ribbing. Some asked if I was changing parties or “going over to the dark side.” One colleague thanked me for endorsing Senator Warren. And somebody else asked me if Scott Brown had seen the picture yet.
But I am glad I went. It is still my job to represent this city in the House of Representatives and I will work with anybody I have to to get the job done. Now Senator Warren knows who I am. Indeed, I doubt she will ever forget me.
Have a great week. Go Patriots!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of the Westfield News.
Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Maura Cassin may be reached at their Westfield District Office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, (413) 568-1366.
Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803.
Email address: [email protected]
Website: www.DonHumason.org
