Where my Republicans at?

No, legislative Republicans largely do not have a few minutes to chat about their takes on President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.” 

It seems the now-law isn’t going to be one that many outside of the state Republican Party itself weigh in on, at least not yet and not at length.

“I think the reality is, it probably depends on where you’re personally situated. And I know that sounds like a very political answer,” House Minority Leader Brad Jones told the News Service this week. 

Jones is still working his way through the various crevices of the bill, he said, but harbors some initial concerns about what the magnitude of SNAP and Medicaid cuts could be, and how soon everyone may see those impacts — two areas about which Democrats have been sounding the alarm for months.

“Depending where you’re situated, tax-wise, you know, maybe it’s a big upside, at least initially,” Jones said. “But from what I read, most of the beneficial tax things — overtime and tips — are sunsetted. So you may get a false sense of, ‘Oh, wow. This is wonderful.’ Whereas some of the things that you think are more downside may be more permanent.”

Where does Jones’s Senate counterpart, Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, stand? Well, as he put it, “There’s not a lot to say right now.” 

Other calls and emails MASSterList made to several GOP lawmakers this week were met with crickets. Are Republicans, as Jones suggested, just trying to make sense of what their party pushed through Congress? Are they simply taking a post-BBB vacation, like the governor?

Or are legislative Republicans remaining tight-lipped because they have concerns with the new federal megalaw that don’t align with the overall view of their party? 

Asked if there were any potential negative impacts for Massachusetts in Trump’s bill, a MassGOP official couldn’t find one. 

“I can’t think of anything that is a negative. The administration focused on getting it passed and not marketing it,” Republican National Committeewoman Janet Fogarty told MASSterList about Trump’s bill.

Fogarty pointed to the extension of Trump’s first-term tax cuts, the $2,200 child tax credit and the increase in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border security as major wins for Bay Staters.

“There, again, has been misinformation. The cuts are not actual cuts,” Fogarty said when asked about those aforementioned Medicaid concerns. “To sit there and say that people are going to die — that’s very irresponsible.”

Want to talk about how the “Big, Beautiful Bill” will impact your life? Touch base with me:Ella.Adams@MASSterList.com.

PASSING THE TORCH: Ella here, introducing longtime Boston reporter Gin Dumcius as your new MASSterList editor, beginning next week. Never fear — I won’t be going far! Wanna chat policy? Have a tip? I still want to know all about it. Touch base as I transition over to a reporting role with the State House News Service: ella.adams@statehousenews.com.

STATE BUSINESS

VETERAN-OWNED BIZ SPENDING GOAL… MISSED? State agencies only spent $47 million with veteran-owned businesses in 2024, far below the state’s goal of $231 million, or 3% of state agency discretionary budgets. Since 2015, Massachusetts has fallen short of that goal every year. — GBH

EASTHAMPTON MAYOR TO DCR: Mayor Nicole LaChapelle will resign early from her post in Easthampton to join the Healey administration as commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. LaChapelle had already announced last she wouldn’t seek another term as mayor. The DCR post will go from one mayor to the next — before LaChapelle, it was held by former Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo. — Western Mass Politics & Insight

NO INVESTIGATION INTO HOUSATONIC WATER WORKS CO.: The decision from the state Department of Public Utilities was a response to a request for a probe by officials in Great Barrington, Stockbridge and West Stockbridge. A main complaint of town officials was that the privately-owned provider of water hasn’t moved as quickly as expected to improve filtration systems. State officials said delays could be reasonable and that they want the company to move expeditiously to provide water with less discoloration. — Berkshire Eagle

D.C. DISTRESS

PREPPING FOR MEDICAID LOSSES: Over the next decade under President Trump‘s megalaw, 300,000 people are at risk of losing their health coverage and the state could lose around $3.5 billion in funding, according to two top Massachusetts health officials.— Boston Globe

ANOTHER LEGAL SWING AT HARVARD: The Department of Homeland Security subpoenaed the school seeking documents related to misconduct or criminal activity committed by foreign students. The university previously refused to hand over the information without the formal legal demand. The administration also notified Harvard’s accreditor Wednesday that there is “strong evidence” Harvard’s accreditation should be removed, as it is violating federal civil rights law. — MassLive

MASS SHOOTINGS AS ACTS OF TERRORISM: U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Salem, co-sponsored a bill with Texas Congresswoman Veronica Escobar that would make mass shootings an act of terrorism. “From a legal standpoint, we don’t currently prosecute mass shootings as the terrorist attacks that they are.” Moulton said. — Eagle Tribune

CONFLICT AND AMBITION

TRASH COLLECTION STRIKE STANDS STRONG: Trash collection workers in 14 towns in Massachusetts have been on strike against Republic Services for almost 10 full days. The workers have set up picket lines in Orange County, Calif. and also started separate strikes in Washington state, Georgia, Illinois and Northern California. — Boston Globe

TAUNTON CASINO ‘WELCOME CENTER’ COULD GROW TO 250 SLOT MACHINES FROM 50: The increase is outlined in a draft agreement between the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the city. The agreement has not been finalized. The “Welcome Center” is on land owned by the tribe and could at some point be affiliated with a nearby larger casino. The tribe has extended to 2026 its target for securing financing to build a casino. — Cape Cod Times

15-YEAR PENSION FIGHT? Former Plymouth Finance director Michael Daley says he earned the pension, which would have been about $10,000 a year when he retired in 2006, according to court records. The Plymouth Retirement Board argues he made too much money as a consultant post-retirement to collect the pension. The two sides have brought the fight to various courts and administrative bodies and have yet to reach a lasting resolution. — Plymouth Independent

MASSPORT CEO HAS BIG AMBITIONS FOR LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Rich Davey, who has been on the job nearly a year, said he wants to see Logan become one of top mega-airports in the U.S. Industry analysts say that will require, among other things, improving the passenger experience. Another step, Davey said, will be to make Logan a busier international hub, which could involve more flights to parts of South America and Asia. — Boston Business Journal

GUILTY OF EXTORTION: Charges against former Brockton police officer Michael Darrah, 47, of Taunton, were filed after investigators concluded he took almost $30,000 in bribes from veterans and their relatives in exchange for promising to expedite the processing of benefits claims and ensuring those claims were approved. He pleaded guilty to three counts of bribery and one count each of extortion, gratuity received by a public official and witness tampering. — Brockton Enterprise

Eric Convey contributed to this edition.

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