Worcester Telegram Gazette - U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas Looks for Change on Nov. 8

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By George Barnes

Like many people, U.S. Rep Nicola "Niki" Tsongas, D-Lowell, has been following the contentious election campaign and wondering what is next for the country.

Meeting Tuesday morning with the Telegram & Gazette Editorial Board, Mrs. Tsongas said whether the election will result in better cooperation between Democrats and Republicans in Congress will depend on the election, not just at the presidential level, but also the impact further down the ballot.

"A lot depends on the outcome of the House of Representatives race," she said.

Current polls show Hillary Clinton with a comfortable lead in the presidential race, and indications are that Democrats could win control of the Senate. A change in control of the House of Representatives is less likely.

Mrs. Tsongas said positive bipartisan changes could occur either if the Democrats take back control of the House or reduce the margin somewhat between the Republican majority and the Democrat minority. She said it also depends on who is elected to the House on the Republican side because there has been a split over many issues between traditional Republicans and Republicans who came into office during the Tea Party Movement. She said at present, because of Republican disagreements, much legislation never makes it to the House floor for a vote.

As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Mrs. Tsongas said she has seen the positive side when legislators work cooperatively. She said the Democrats and Republicans on the committee work well together to produce a bill each year that can win approval in the House and Senate.

"That is a model for how Congress should function," she said.

Mrs. Tsongas also serves on the Natural Resources Committee where because of issues over federal ownership of land, especially in the west, legislation is difficult to achieve. She said legislation from the committee is often sent to the House floor without Democrat support and the bills die in the Senate because of lack of bipartisan support.

"We simply don't have the opportunity to vote on legislation the American people want to see," she said.

Mrs. Tsongas said if the margin between Democrats and Republicans in the House narrows, it would be incentive for Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan to seek out Democrat support on some issues. She said among the issues that have stalled are gun safety legislation and immigration reform.

"They need to take it seriously and to move this country forward. They need to craft legislation that is more centrist, that requires Democrat votes and makes its way through the House, makes its way through the Senate and then is signed into law by our president," she said. "The hope is we will get to a place where that is the norm, rather than something that happens only after we have been driven to the edge and have to act."

Mrs. Tsongas represents the 3rd Congressional District, made up of all, or parts of 37 cities and towns. The district includes 13 communities in Central Massachusetts. She was elected to Congress in 2007 following the resignation of U.S. Rep. Martin Meehan, D-Lowell. Originally she represented the 5th Congressional District but has represented the 3rd District since redistricting took effect in 2012. She is opposed in the Nov. 8 election by Republican Ann Wofford.

Among the issues she worked on with the Armed Services Committee are the development of lightweight and female specific body armor and legislation to improve the prevention, reporting and prosecution of sexual assaults in the military. She said she has also worked with the military on contracting with American footwear companies, including New Balance, to design and supply troops with American-made training shoes.

Mrs. Tsongas said training shoes are the only part of military clothing not included under the 1941 Berry Amendment which requires the military to equip troops with American-made gear. She said the Department of Defense was moving toward requiring only American-made shoes, but pulled back. She said legislation was then filed to compel the Department of Defense to issue American-made shoes. Among the companies that could benefit from the change include Boston-based New Balance, which has manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts and Maine and Michigan-based Wolverine World-Wide, which owns Saucony.

The change in the law, supported by both Democrats and Republicans, has been approved by the House of Representatives, but a different version has been approved in the Senate. Mrs. Tsongas said a conference committee will need to work out a final bill both houses of Congress can agree on.

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