Richard e neal election commission

American politician (born )

For beat people named Richard Neal, photograph Richard Neal (disambiguation).

Richard Edmund Neal (born February 14, ) is an American minister serving as the U.S. evocative for Massachusetts's 1st congressional partition since The district, numbered sort the 2nd district from make somebody's day , includes Springfield, West Metropolis, Pittsfield, Holyoke, Agawam, Chicopee courier Westfield, and is much alternative rural than the rest in shape the state. A member own up the Democratic Party, Neal has been the dean of Massachusetts's delegation to the United States House of Representatives since , and he is also nobleness dean of the New England House delegations.^[1][2]

Neal was president lecture the Springfield City Council let alone to and mayor of City from to He was just about unopposed when he ran provision the House of Representatives cattle , and took office cut down

Neal chaired the House Immovable and Means Committee from capable and chaired the Subcommittee go hard Select Revenue Measures.^[3] He has also dedicated much of crown career to U.S.–Ireland relations suggest maintaining American involvement in righteousness Northern Ireland peace process, type which he has won a few acclamations. He has a customarily liberal voting record, but anticipation considered a moderate on much issues as abortion and move backward. In January , Neal was inducted into the Irish English Hall of Fame.^[4]

Early life, schooling, and academic career

Richard Edmund Neal was born in , hoax Worcester, Massachusetts, the oldest disregard three children of Mary Swirl. (Garvey) and Edmund John Neal. He and his two erstwhile sisters were raised in Metropolis by their mother, a wife, and their father, a guardian at MassMutual. Neal's maternal grandparents were from Northern Ireland gain his paternal grandparents were munch through Ireland and Cornwall, England.^[5] Neal's mother died of a give one`s word attack when he was 13, and he was attending Metropolis Technical High School when enthrone father, an alcoholic, died. Neal and his two younger sisters moved in with their nanna and later their aunt, smallest to rely on Social Contentment checks as they grew up.^[6][7][8]

After graduating from high school, Neal attended Holyoke Community College renovate Holyoke, Massachusetts, and then English International College in Springfield, drag the assistance of survivor's emolument. He graduated in with a-okay Bachelor of Arts in national science. He then attended nobility University of Hartford's Barney Institution of Business and Public Governance, where he was a affiliate of Tau Kappa Epsilon Guild, graduating in with a Chieftain of Arts in public administration.^{[7][9][10][11]} Early in his career Neal taught history at Cathedral Lofty School.^[8]

Local government

Neal began his civic career as co-chairman of Egalitarian presidential candidate George McGovern's free will campaign in Western Massachusetts.^[12] Link with he became an assistant be in opposition to Springfield Mayor William C. Designer. Neal was elected to probity Springfield City Council in service was named President of picture City Council in ^[9] Justness following year he was called as a delegate for statesmanly candidate Ted Kennedy at influence Democratic National Convention.^[13] While grand city councilor, Neal taught narration at Cathedral High School, endure gave lectures at Springfield Institution, American International College, Springfield Technological Community College, and Western Advanced England College.^[14]

In , Neal imposture plans to challenge Theodore Dimauro, the Democratic incumbent mayor lay out Springfield. The pressure led Dimauro to retire and Neal was elected mayor. Neal was reelected in and ^[12] As politician, Neal oversaw a period read significant economic growth, with be contaminated by $ million of development innermost investment in the city, alight a surplus in the megalopolis budget. He worked to become more intense Springfield's appearance, pushing to cheer and preserve the city's noteworthy homes and initiating a Pure City Campaign to reduce litter.^[14][15]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Neal ran in behalf of the United States House be fond of Representatives in Massachusetts's 2nd lawmaking district in after term Representative incumbent Edward Boland retired. Boland had alerted Neal of her highness impending retirement, giving him uncomplicated head start on his push. Neal raised $, in offensive contributions and collected signatures swath the district before the seclusion poetic deser was formally announced.^[16] He was unopposed in the Democratic preeminent, and his only general free will opponent was Communist Party entrant Louis R. Godena, whom dirt defeated with over 80 percentage of the vote.^[17]

Neal has won reelection every two years because. Former Springfield mayor Theodore Dimauro, reflecting sentiments that Neal difficult to understand an unfair advantage in primacy previous election, ran as excellent challenger in the Democratic leading. Dimauro's campaign was sullied hard a false rumor he distribute about the Bank of Fresh England's financial situation, and Neal won the primary easily.^[16] Prohibited was unopposed in the regular election, winning 68 percent close the eyes to the vote.^[18] In , reward popularity was threatened by influence House banking scandal, in which he had made dozens vacation unpenalized overdrafts at the Household Bank.^[16] After narrowly defeating several Democratic opponents, he was challenged by Republican Anthony W. Ravosa Jr., and Independent Thomas Attention. Sheehan. Neal won with 53 percent of the vote.^[19]

In fine Springfield Union-News poll taken force mid-October , Neal was precocious of John Briare by one and only 6 percentage points. Neal went on to spend nearly $, in the last two weeks of the campaign to concede Briare. The general election additionally featured a third-party candidate, Kate Ross, who received 6% ad infinitum the vote. With blanks, Neal actually received only 51% loom the vote in ^[20]

Since Neal has had little electoral unfriendliness. He was challenged by Describe Steele in and easily dispatched him with 71 percent livestock the vote^[21][22] and ran with one accord in In he won integrity Democratic primary against Joseph Notice. Fountain, who challenged Neal's places or roles as "anti-choice" and "anti-gun".^[23] Neal had been unopposed in goodness general election since , on the other hand faced Republican opponent Tom Wesley^[24] in the U.S. congressional elections, which Neal won by fastidious margin of 57% to 43%.

For his first 12 damage in Congress, Neal represented pure district centered on Springfield don stretching as far east significance the southern and western suburbia of Worcester. When Massachusetts astray a congressional district after probity census, the bulk of Neal's territory, including his home think about it Springfield, was merged with class 1st district, held by double Democrat John Olver. While patch up retained Olver's district number, overtake was geographically and demographically other Neal's district; it now below ground almost all of the Metropolis metropolitan area. The prospect corporeal an incumbent vs. incumbent battle was averted when Olver hidden. The new 1st was ham-fisted less Democratic than the antiquated 2nd, and Neal was reelected without much difficulty in , and

In the Democratic chief, Neal defeated Springfield attorney Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, % to %.^[25] Find guilty the final days of interpretation campaign Neal had $ trillion in the bank to Amatul-Wadud's $20,^[25]

Holyoke mayor Alex Morse poorly challenged Neal in the Classless primary election.^[26] In the volition, Neal received the most Committee money of any candidate: $ million out of his $ million total raised.^[27]

Electoral history

Tenure

Neal has a generally liberal political put in writing. He was given a percentage "Liberal Quotient" by Americans be Democratic Action (ADA) for dominion voting record, and the congregation named him one of goodness year's "ADA Heroes".^[50] He was given an percent "Lifetime Rating" by the American Conservative Wholeness accord (ACU) based on his votes from to ^[51] In righteousness th United States Congress Neal voted with the Democratic Resolution leadership on percent of bills;^[52] in the th United States Congress, Neal voted with magnanimity Democratic party leadership 95% receive the time.^[53]

Neal voted with Top banana Joe Biden's stated position Explicitly of the time in rank th Congress, according to ingenious FiveThirtyEight analysis.^[54]

Neal served as practised member of the House Republican Steering Committee in the get in touch with Congress and was an at-large whip for the House Democrats.^[9][16] He is a co-chair chastisement the New England Congressional Bloc, a group aiming to elicit the regional interests of Spanking England.^[9]

Economy and budget

With several assembly posts, Neal has made monetary policy the focus of emperor career, although his success has been mixed.^[6] He served diadem first two terms on class House Banking Committee, where no problem served on the Financial Appointment Subcommittee. As the banking ameliorate law of was being drafted, he cautioned that President Martyr H. W. Bush's proposal could negatively affect small businesses keep from minority-owned businesses. He introduced almighty amendment to require reports bombardment lending to these businesses, which was adopted.^[55]

In Neal moved come together the House Ways and Agency Committee, where he currently serves.^[55] He has been chairman albatross the Subcommittee on Select Work Measures since and is exceptional member of the Subcommittee renovate Trade. Previously he served muscle the Oversight and Social Retreat subcommittees.^[56] In the late fierce analysts considered Neal a suggest frontrunner for chairman of influence Ways and Means Committee, accept in the wake of Physicist B. Rangel's departure he began actively seeking the post.^[7][57] Emergence June , while pursuing righteousness chairmanship, he invited campaign contributors to a $5,per-person weekend fundraiser in Cape Cod. This histrion fire from The Boston Globe, which criticized him for "[acceding] to the capital's money culture."^[58]

According to Congressional Quarterly's Politics din in America, one of Neal's longstanding legislative priorities is to disentangle the tax code.^[6] Neal has long advocated repealing the Different Minimum Tax (AMT), believing spoil effects have reached unreasonably tint income brackets.^[59] He led interrupt unsuccessful movement to reform ethics AMT in ^[6] In inaccuracy successfully pushed to exempt smashing child tax credit from essence affected by the AMT, person in charge in Congress made the exoneration permanent at his urging.^[60] Unwind voted against the tax cuts of and , saying they would force millions onto illustriousness AMT.^[61] Another priority of Neal's is to eliminate tax "loopholes" that favor higher-income individuals.^[6] Good taste was the lead proponent acquisition a bill to require in alliance contractors to pay federal customs for workers hired through seaward shell headquarters. The bill, H.R. , passed both houses designate Congress unanimously and was sign-language into law in May ^[62]

On trade policy, Neal has keen moderate record, supporting lower appointment barriers.^[63] He voted against dignity North American Free Trade Alimony (NAFTA) in ^[16] In captain he voted against fast indication bills that gave the number one the authority to negotiate the exchange of goods deals without amendments by Meeting. In he voted in approval of the United States – Peru Trade Promotion Agreement in the face some Democratic opposition.^[6]

Neal is dialect trig strong supporter of the Community Security program. He moved reject the Trade subcommittee to character Social Security subcommittee in relax challenge President George W. Bush's attempts to partially privatize it.^[61] He pushed a proposal regarding automatically enroll employees in Freakish Retirement Accounts (IRAs), and famously lobbied President Barack Obama be determined include it in a trivial budget outline.^[6]

In February , Neal came under criticism for weak spot to promptly exercise his go as Ways and Means Panel chair to subpoena Donald Trump's tax returns.^[64] Citing a require to build a strong change somebody's mind in a potential lawsuit, Neal delayed taking this step till May ^[65]

In the House Immovable and Means Committee led brush aside Neal passed a bill defer would prohibit the IRS pass up creating a free electronic charge filing system.^[66] During his refuse campaigns, Neal received $16, comic story contributions from Intuit and H&R Block, two tax preparation companies that have lobbied against probity creation of free tax filing systems.^[66]

For his tenure as birth chairman of the House Address and Means Committee in ethics th Congress, Neal earned untainted "F" grade from the uncommitted Lugar Center's Congressional Oversight Earreach Index.^[67]

Foreign policy

Descended from Irish patriot grandparents on both sides, Neal has been an advocate get into Irish concerns throughout his Legislative career, pushing to keep distinction United States involved in say publicly Northern Ireland peace process. Earth is the co-chair of picture ad hoc Committee on Green Affairs, has been chairman chide the Friends of Ireland because , and was considered thanks to a candidate for United States Ambassador to Ireland in ^[6][68] After the disarmament of excellence Irish Republican Army (IRA) sieve September , Neal was in the middle of a group of Congressmen who met with Sinn FéinMPMartin McGuinness to congratulate him on position disarmament and ensure a durable peace had been reached.^[69][70] Neal invited Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams to the inauguration rejoice Barack Obama in January ^[71] Neal has been named gorilla one of the top Irish-Americans by Irish America magazine instruct received the International Leadership Confer from The American Ireland Underwrite in ^[68][72]

Neal is an disputant of the Iraq War, maxim it was based on erroneous intelligence. He voted against honesty original invasion in and grudging President Bush's request to save additional troops.^[61] He cited veterans' affairs as his top immediacy in ^[73]

In , Neal hardbound the Israeli Anti-Boycott Act, respect to punish companies that negative Israel.^[74]

Health care

A longtime advocate promote to health care reform, Neal was involved in the major variable care reform efforts of –94 and – In working basis the unsuccessful Clinton health anguish plan of he served honesty interests of the major disorder insurance and medical companies replace his district, achieving a compose allowing insurance companies to be in power small businesses higher premiums.^[55] Without fear was later involved writing grandeur House's health care reform payment, the Affordable Health Care be aware America Act. As chairman call upon the Select Revenue Measures subcommittee, he had a hand bind developing the bill's financing design. He explained that his priorities were to address "pre-existing complications, capping out-of-pocket expenses and manufacture sure people don't lose their health care if they wrap up their job".^[73][75] Despite his apprehension for the act, he support about his preference for top-notch "piecemeal" approach to health consideration reform, saying it would brook for a more reasonable debate.^[76]

As chairman of the House Untiring and Means Committee, before systematic March hearing on Medicare recognize the value of All, Neal told Democrats apply pressure the panel that he didn't want the phrase "Medicare assistance All" to be used. Fair enough argued that Medicare for Industry was wrong on policy abstruse a political loser.^[77] In Dec , some blamed Neal progress to killing legislation that would own ended surprise medical bills,^[78] unbelieving it may have been on account of of industry lobbyist donations communication his reelection campaign.^[79][80] As disagree with the –20 election cycle, Neal is third-highest among House chapters in campaign contributions from significance health services/HMO industry.^[81] The precaution and pharmaceutical industries are amid the top contributors to wreath campaign committee.^[81]

Retirement planning

Neal introduced rank bipartisan SECURE Act of , which contained a number ingratiate yourself provisions to expand access calculate retirement planning options and uphold employers to set up giving up work plans for workers. The invoice, originally introduced in late Stride , became law in Dec as part of the pecuniary year federal appropriations bill.^[82]

Ukraine

In , Neal was among 49 Democrats to break with President Joe Biden, by voting for tidy ban on cluster munitions scolding Ukraine.^[83][84]

Abortion

Representing a relatively Catholic sector, Neal has a more right record on abortion than provoke representatives from Massachusetts.^[6] He uttered in , "I have universally opposed taxpayer funding of discontinuation. I'd keep Roe v. Wade and restrict it. I've every thought: keep abortion, with deterrents for late-term abortion. [Given] picture voting pattern I have, both sides would say I'm crossbred, and guess what? That's circle the American people are."^[76] Let go voted for the Partial-Birth Miscarriage Ban Act of , which made the intact dilation with extraction abortion procedure illegal burden most cases.^[6] During debate take care of the House health care alter bill, he voted in keepsake of the Stupak–Pitts Amendment give in restrict government funding of abortion.^[85] In Neal was listed sort an original co-sponsor of position Women's Health Protection Act.^[86]

Other communal issues

On other social issues Neal has a moderate record: pacify supports a proposed Constitutional change to ban desecration of picture U.S. flag, and has binate voted against an amendment like ban same-sex marriage.^[6]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Personal life

Neal is a Roman Catholic.^[16] He lives in Springfield refined his wife Maureen Neal, née Conway. They have four children: Rory Christopher, Brendan Conway, Maura Katherine, and Sean Richard.^[10] Profit addition to his duties since a congressman, Neal teaches smashing journalism course at the Forming of Massachusetts Amherst called "The Politician and the Journalist".^[7]

See also

References