U.S. Sens. Markey, Warren to Address Cost of Living at HCC Town Hall Forum

HOLYOKE — U.S. Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren will hold a town hall meeting Saturday, Aug. 15 at Holyoke Community College (HCC) focused on the rising cost of living and what elected officials must do to bring costs down.

The event begins at 10:15 a.m. and will run until about noon in Leslie Phillips Theater on the second floor of the Fine & Performing Arts Building on the main HCC campus, 303 Homestead Ave. Doors open at 9:15 a.m.

With both Massachusetts senators on stage together, Western Mass. residents will have the opportunity to drive the conversation, asking questions directly about the costs squeezing household budgets. The event is being organized by Markey’s office.

“Working families are being hit from every direction at once. Housing remains out of reach for too many families, energy and grocery bills are straining household budgets, and hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents face sharply higher health insurance premiums. If you want to understand why Congress has failed to bring costs down, follow the money,” said Markey, who is running for reelection to the U.S. Senate.

“The utilities raising your rates and the private equity firms buying up housing have armies of lobbyists protecting their profits. At the same time, corporate interests have rigged our economy to protect their profits while working families pay the price,” he added. “It is time to stop writing the rules for the people who trade stocks and start writing them for the people who punch clocks. People, not dollars — that is how we build a government that answers to Holyoke and working families across Massachusetts.”

Markey’s Heating and Cooling Relief Act aims to double federal home energy assistance, while his Lowering American Energy Costs Act aims to restrict natural gas exports that can push domestic energy prices higher. Markey voted to advance Warren’s 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which was passed into law, including provisions aimed at curbing large private-equity purchases of single-family homes and converting vacant commercial properties into housing. Markey’s Freedom to Move Act supports fare-free public transportation, and he continues to champion Medicare for All and his State-Based Universal Health Care Act.