If you know me you know that I like to write and I like to express my views. But I’ve written perhaps only two or three “letters to the editor” over the years. One was to clarify the fact that contrary to the sign in their window – it wasn’t the Lowell Historical Society causing a furniture store located on Central Street over the canal to move!

About a month ago I felt so strongly about the many mis-characterizations and falsehoods being written in the media, bandied-about on the “shows” and rumored in the political sphere about my Congressman John Tierney, that I wrote a letter to the editor of the Lowell Sun. It was received, acknowledged and, I supposed, put in the queue for printing. It has yet to appear. As we get closer to the September 9th Primary, the slams are coming hard and fast in John Tierney’s direction. Since I know him to be an honest, hard-working, dedicated public servant pledged and actively engaged for his constituents, his district communities and the issues that affect them, I’m using my role as a regular writer on this site to spread the “real word” on Congressman John Tierney. Here is my letter:

To the Editor:

There’s a sense among voters today that Congress is not doing its job and is out of touch with voters. While that may be the case with others – in our 6th Congressional District, Congressman John Tierney is in fact in touch, engaged and very accessible to his constituents. He carries our issues and concerns – those of women, children and families, veterans, local communities, higher education and more to his colleagues, to the House committees and to the floor of the House of Representatives, and yes to the President.

At a recent event in Lowell Leader Nancy Pelosi and a dozen of her Democratic colleagues traveled “by bus” to tout the issues and the Democratic agenda of fair pay, paid sick leave and child care – an agenda that will help women and families succeed. It was Congressman John Tierney who stood with them, who was praised by them as an important partner and supporter of this agenda for the needs of women and families and the programs that would help them succeed.

John Tierney was a strong supporter of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which was the first bill President Obama signed into law, and which restored basic protections against pay discrimination. John has consistently championed the Paycheck Fairness Act to ensure women start receiving the same legal remedies and protections against pay discrimination currently provided to protect against pay discrimination based on race and ethnicity. One of the reasons why John continues to aggressively fight to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 is that women comprise nearly two-thirds of minimum-wage workers in the country. Currently, a single mother with two children, working full time, year-round, at a minimum wage job, lives below the poverty level. He gets it.!

John Tierney is a voice for these issues. He is a longtime and respected advocate and activist in Congress for these vital issues.

While the Congress is in gridlock – mired in political game-playing of historic proportion, Congressman John Tierney continues his hard work on behalf of the women, men, children and families of his district including those in Tewksbury, Billerica and Wilmington. John Tierney is on-call, in the trenches and hard at work to get the business of his constituents in the 6th District done – despite roadblocks, naysayers and extremists who prefer dis-function to performance and progress.

John Tierney has my support and my vote. I hope that you will join me. It’s best for the 6th Congressional District.

Marie Sweeney / 51 Fiske Street / Tewksbury, MA 01876 / July 25, 2014

Above ~ Tewksbury Memorial High School students engaged in conversation with their Congressman – John Tierney (M. Sweeney photo)

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Below ~June, 2013 ~ in the Head Start classroom located at Billerica High School, Congressman John Tierney (MA-6) captures the kids attention as reads to them. (M. Sweeney photo)