{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"PA\" and year = 2019 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/doyle-welcomes-new-robocall-law", "Doyle Welcomes New Robocall Law", "2019-12-31", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pittsburgh, PA  December 31, 2019  U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (PA-18) welcomed the enactment of bipartisan legislation to cut down on spam robocalls (S. 151, the TRACED Act).\nIt's nice to end 2019 on a positive note, and the enactment of bipartisan legislation to make millions of Americans' lives a little bit better certainly fits that description, Congressman Doyle said.\nNearly every American has experienced the annoyance of repeated interruptions by unwanted robocalls, and many have been victimized by robocalls from scammers who spoofed their phones' Caller ID systems. If there was one thing that people in this politically polarized country agreed about, it was that something ought to be done to stop unwanted robocalls and phone scams that trick our Caller IDs  and I'm pleased to say we did it.\nAs Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, I worked for much of this year with my colleagues in the House and Senate as well as outside stakeholders to find a realistic solution to this problem and move it through Congress, so I'm very pleased to see it signed into law, Congressman Doyle added. Once the FCC implements this new law, Americans should get fewer annoying robocalls  and they will know whether the phone number shown on their Caller ID is really the phone number of the person calling.\nS. 151, the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, now:\n Requires carriers to offer call-authentication technology to consumers and small businessesin rural and urban Americaat no additional charge;\n\tAllows phone carriers to opt consumers into robocall blocking services with no additional charge;\n\tGives the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the ability to step up enforcement actions against unlawful robocalls with a longer statute of limitations and increased fines in certain cases;\n\tPushes the Department of Justice to bring more criminal prosecutions against criminal robocallers;\n\tRequires the FCC to work to stop one-ring scams;\n\tHelps the FCC and responsible carriers trace back and cut off suspect phone companies that are responsible for sending vast numbers of unlawful robocalls; and\n\tProtects patients, doctors, and hospitals from unlawful robocalls.\n The TRACED Act includes many provisions of H.R. 3375, the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, which Congressman Doyle, the Chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, introduced with Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bob Latta (R-OH).\nClickHEREfor the text of the new law.\nClickHEREfor a section-by-section summary.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lamb.house.gov/media/press-releases/lamb-issues-2019-year-end-progress-report", "LAMB ISSUES 2019 YEAR END PROGRESS REPORT", "2019-12-31", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Conor Lamb", "L000588", "lamb.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, DC)  Today, Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) issued a report highlighting the work of his office in 2019 for the constituents of Pennsylvania's 17th Congressional District.\nIn 2019, Lamb worked in a bipartisan manner to deliver results on local priorities, introducing 10 bills and co-leading nine bipartisan bills  six of which passed the House of Representatives. In addition to the legislative work in Washington, Lamb's office has successfully returned more than $1.297 million owed to constituents in 2019, putting money back in the pockets of families in western Pennsylvania.\nWhile we have made progress this year, there is much more to be done, said Lamb. In 2020, I remain committed to working with anyone in Washington to get things done for the 17th district.\nClick here to view the full report of Lamb's work for PA-17 in 2019.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/in-2019-casey-produces-results-for-pa-constituents", "In 2019, Casey Produces Results for PA Constituents", "2019-12-31", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/boyle-statement-regarding-congressman-john-lewis", "Boyle Statement Regarding Congressman John Lewis", "2019-12-29", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Brendan F. Boyle", "B001296", "boyle.house.gov", "boyle", "https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) released the following statement after Congressman John Lewis announced he is battling pancreatic cancer:\n\n\"Terribly sad news from my most esteemed colleague Rep John Lewis. But if there is ever a person who knows how to fight the good fight and win, it is John Lewis. My prayers are with you, my friend.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-announces-over-1-million-in-hhs-funds-to-rural-health", "Rep. Cartwright Announces Over $1 Million in HHS Funds to Rural Health Corporation of Northeastern PA", "2019-12-27", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wilkes-Barre, PA  Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $1,034,770 to the Rural Health Corporation of Northeastern Pennsylvania (RHC), which is headquartered in Wilkes-Barre. The funds will be used to maintain RHC's current scope of health care services in its seven locations throughout the region.\nRHC provides comprehensive primary and preventive medical and dental services to residents of all ages and income levels within their service area. They accept many insurance options, including most commercial insurances, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare and Medical Assistance.\nNo one should have to avoid going to the doctor because they can't afford the visit, said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. The Rural Health Corporation works to ensure people of all income levels have access to care, which is vital to fostering healthier and happier communities here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I applaud their work and celebrate the continued funding of their much-needed services. I will continue advocating in Congress to support community health centers and improve health care equity in the Eighth District.\nThe U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is a federal government agency that works to enhance and protect the health and well being of all Americans. They fulfill that mission by providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health and social services.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-announces-3-million-in-hhs-funds-for-the-wright-center", "Rep. Cartwright Announces $3 Million in  HHS Funds for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Scranton, PA  Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded two grants worth a combined total of $3,188,368 to The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.\nThe Wright Center provides medical residency training for primary care physicians in Northeastern Pennsylvania and across the country in part through the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. The THCGME program addresses physician workforce shortages, maldistribution and related escalating health care disparities in the U.S., particularly in rural and underserved areas, by providing funds for residency training in community-based primary care settings.\nI'm committed to making quality, affordable health care services more accessible here in the Eighth District, said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. Programs like this are key to ensuring our region has a strong pipeline of well-trained medical professionals so families can get the care they need. I applaud The Wright Center for being recognized for the critical primary care and workforce development resources it provides to Northeastern Pennsylvania residents.\nSince its inception, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education has been committed to creating a sustainable workforce of primary care physicians trained in community-based settings, as they are twice as likely to remain upon graduation in these places where they are most needed. Our daily efforts as the nation's largest THC-GME Safety-Net Consortium are focused on improving both education and patient care delivery by enhancing care access and health outcomes. We are grateful and proud to accept these grants and remain a steadfast steward of HRSA-funded resources that help us better care for the vulnerable populations we serve. We thank Rep. Matt Cartwright for his continued support of legislation that shores up federal funds that allows our proven, mission-driven model to thrive, said Linda Thomas-Hemak, MD, President, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/cartwright-expands-on-plan-to-fund-stormwater-infrastructure-improvements", "Cartwright Expands on Plan to Fund Stormwater Infrastructure Improvements", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Monday, Congressional leaders voted to approve two federal spending packages for the 2020 fiscal year. One of them includes $24 million to be spent on grants and programs to control polluted stormwater runoff in the Chesapeake Bay watershed region.\nI will do everything I can to reduce the local burden, said U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, who fought for the funds.\nCartwright, D-8, Moosic, wants to establish a grant program that would help ease the burden of municipalities and residents paying for stormwater infrastructure projects.\nCurrently, municipalities have either funded improvement projects through their own budget or through fees implemented by the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority and the Dallas Area Municipal Authority.\nCartwright's plan would have municipalities apply to receive grant money through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for their individual infrastructure improvement projects, with the amounts varying based on the plan.\nHe said his office would be working closely with the municipalities during the application process while a government watchdog agency would be assuring compliance.\nAlthough the money comes out of the Treasury, which is funded by taxpayer money, taxes will not increase to accommodate the new amount because appropriations bills like these are made so local municipalities don't have to rely on the residents.\nAlthough Cartwright said his plan would decrease what local municipalities and residents are currently paying in stormwater fees, it would not completely erase the fees.\nIn a statement, the Wyoming Valley Sewer Authority said it appreciated all initiatives at reducing the costs of stormwater management and will work with all parties involved in doing so. However, the WVSA said it has no information at the time of publication on specific funding allocations.\nWVSA has applied for grant funding and continues to pursue additional opportunities for project cost saving, the statement said.\nState grants the WVSA has received thus far include $100,000 for pump station upgrades in Wilkes-Barre City (supporting stormwater and sanitary services) and $70,000 for GIS mapping of stormwater infrastructure. The WVSA has also received a Growing Green grant of $120,000 for planned stormwater management park in Plains Twp.\nPending stormwater, water supply, and sanitary sewer grants include the Swoyersville MS4 Creek Street Basin Retrofit project (applying for $200,000) and the MS4 Wyndtree Oak Stormwater Basin Retrofit ($400,000).\nPending small water and sewer grants include the Pittston City MS4 Demonstration Pervious Pavers and Rain Garden Project ($260,000) and the MS4 Mill Creek Stormwater Basin Retrofit ($422,000).\nOver time, it will help reduce the burden on the local taxpayers, Cartwright said. Every dollar I get from the federal government to do those projects and run down those (sediment) levels is a dollar our local homeowners don't have to pay.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/luzerne-county-head-start-gets-funding-grant", "Luzerne County Head Start Gets Funding Grant", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Luzerne County Head Start received a $4.69 million federal funding grant this week, according to U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-8, Moosic.\nThe grant, through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will provide 50% of the funding for the agency's annual operations, according to Lindsey Fredericks, a Head Start community advocate.\nThe agency provides assistance to hundreds of children from birth to age 3 as part of its Early Head Start program, as well as hundreds of children of preschool age, from 3 to 5, in the Head Start program, Fredericks said.\nHead Start is a federally funded program created in 1965. It provides early childhood education and services to low-income children and families. Eligibility is based mostly on income.\nThe grant will allow the agency to provide high-quality, comprehensive, early childhood education for children in Luzerne and Wyoming counties, according to a news release issued by Cartwright's office.\nLuzerne County Head Start operates more than a dozen centers in Luzerne and Wyoming counties.\nMore information is available on the agency's website: lcheadstart.org.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cartwright-bills-to-make-us-communities-more-resilient-against-extreme", "Cartwright Bills to Make U.S. Communities More Resilient Against Extreme Weather Risks Included in Federal Funding Legislation", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Language from legislation sponsored by U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) to help communities prepare for natural disasters and extreme weather incidents was included in the fiscal year 2020 funding legislation, which is expected to be signed into law by President Trump today.\nHurricanes, floods and other extreme weather events are growing more intense every year. Yet, many communities are still not equipped to withstand them, said Rep. Cartwright. This funding legislation takes an important step toward addressing this issue, but a permanent, long-term solution is needed. We must pass my PREPARE Act and Built to Last Act into law so Americans will have the tools to protect their homes and businesses, and so local authorities can put in place comprehensive recovery plans when disaster strikes.\nThe appropriations legislation includes language from Rep. Cartwright's PREPARE Act (H.R. 4347), which authorizes an interagency council whose purpose is to provide recommendations on the best means of planning and preparing for extreme weather incidents. It also provides state and local stakeholders with the best information available and best practices to help them formulate emergency preparation plans tailored to their local needs.\nAlso included in the funding bills are measures from the Built to Last Act, which Rep. Cartwright has championed in previous Congresses and will soon reintroduce this session. This language instructs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to coordinate an effort to make a consistent, authoritative set of forward-looking climate data available to standards-developing organizations (SDOs), which will help bolster America's infrastructure and systems against the risks of extreme weather and natural disasters.\nThese funding packages  H.R. 1865, a domestic priorities and international assistance appropriations minibus, and H.R. 1158, a national security appropriations minibus  fully fund the federal government through September 30, 2020. Given that they will expire at that date, Rep. Cartwright will continue working to pass the PREPARE Act and Built to Last Act this session to ensure they are permanently codified.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-priorities-included-in-fy2020-spending-bills-signed-into", "Rep. Cartwright Priorities Included in FY2020 Funding Bills", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  The legislation that will fully fund the federal government through September 30, 2020, includes priorities fought for by U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) that will improve the lives of Northeastern Pennsylvanians and boost the regional economy. Rep. Cartwright voted Tuesday to pass the funding packages in the full House of Representatives. The U.S. Senate passed the bills Thursday, and President Trump is expected to sign them today.\nThese funding bills make strong investments in Northeastern Pennsylvania that will save taxpayers money and help grow our economy, said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the Appropriations Committee. I'm proud that we were able to secure doubled funding to reduce stormwater fees for Eighth District residents as well as new resources to spur job creation in our area. These are important wins that will benefit communities and families across our region.\nThis funding legislation also makes investments in infrastructure that will create jobs, supports health care programs that will save lives, and provides new resources that honor our commitment to supporting veterans, Rep. Cartwright continued. In doing so, we are keeping our promise to deliver progress for all Americans.\nVictories in this legislation for Northeastern Pennsylvanians include:\n $24 million to fund local grants for stormwater infrastructure improvements in Northeastern Pennsylvania  a two-fold increase over last year's funding  which will help reduce stormwater fees paid by residents on their sewer bills and clean up our region's waterways.\n\t\t\n\t$175 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), which works with Appalachian states to promote self-sustaining economic development, create new opportunities and improve quality of life.\n\t\t\n\t$30 million for the Economic Development Administration (EDA)'s Assistance to Coal Communities program, which works to help communities affected by the decline of the coal industry.\n\t\t\n\t$115 million for the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, which helps eliminate dangerous conditions and clean up pollution caused by past coal mining.\n In addition, this funding legislation provides:\n More than $61 billion to strengthen America's infrastructure, which will create jobs and improve safety.\n\t\t\n\t$95 billion to strengthen public health, expand access to health care and carry out lifesaving research.\n\t\t\n\t$80 billion to support veterans with VA medical care, including funding to provide homelessness assistance and suicide prevention and outreach.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-announces-46-million-grant-to-invest-in-children-and", "Rep. Cartwright Announces $4.6 Million Grant to Invest in Children and Communities in  Luzerne County", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Luzerne County, PA Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced a $4,687,441 federal grant awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to Luzerne County Head Start to provide high-quality, comprehensive, early childhood education for children in Luzerne and Wyoming Counties.\nEarly education programs set the foundation for a child's future academic and economic success, said Rep. Cartwright. With these new resources, Head Start can provide even more young children with the tools and skills they need to unlock their full potential. This is a critical investment in today's students and Northeastern Pennsylvania's future.\nHead Start was created in 1965 to address the educational and developmental needs of low-income, preschool children. Head Start's comprehensive service system provides social, nutritional and educational services and has given thousands upon thousands of children the skills they need to be and do their best in school and throughout their lives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-sen-markey-introduce-bill-to-bring-clean-energy-advanced", "Rep. Cartwright, Sen. Markey Introduce Bill to Bring Clean Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Solutions to Market", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) and U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) introduced theConsortia-Led Energy and Advanced Manufacturing Networks Act in both the U.S. House and Senate to spur the development and deployment of clean energy and advanced manufacturing technologies in the United States.\nThis legislation would create a program in the Department of Commerce providing up to $100 million in grants toward founding at least six new consortia that could include research universities, private companies, national laboratories, venture capitalists and state and non-profit entities with expertise in technology commercialization. Together, they will help bring the latest clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing processes to market.\nThis proposal would also help drive investments and job creation in Northeastern Pennsylvania by accelerating efforts in the region to commercialize these technologies. This bill would allow organizations such as Ben Franklin Technology Partners, which works to promote tech-driven economic development in Northeastern Pennsylvania and across the state, to support early-stage technology firms, help manufacturers improve their operations, coordinate with new partners and foster new business growth.\nWe need to make sure the groundbreaking ideas being developed in our national labs and research institutions are put to work in the marketplace, said Rep. Cartwright. Bringing scientists and engineers together with the private sector will enable companies to leverage the latest technologies to make their operations cleaner and more efficient, and help venture capitalists make new investments that lead to new jobs in Northeastern Pennsylvania and across the country. I'm proud to work with Senator Markey on this legislation to ensure our economy remains on the leading edge of innovation.\nStrong connections between education, research, and innovation are key to Massachusetts's economic growth and maintaining our global technological edge,said Sen. Markey.This legislation will help launch clean energy technology out of the lab and into thefactory. It will foster anetwork of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs focused on clean energy innovation, and encourage sharing of skilled staff and facilities. I thank Congressman Cartwright for his partnership and look forward to working with my colleagues to pass legislation that will help ensure American ideas are American-made.\nThe Ben Franklin Technology Partners are thrilled to see the leadership from Representative Cartwright and Senator Markey on this important legislation, said Ryan Glenn, Director of Statewide Initiatives for the Ben Franklin Technology Partners. Solutions like the Consortia-Led Energy and Advanced Manufacturing Networks Act are incredibly important to bring together researchers, entrepreneurs and funders. It will help drive the creation of technology-based start-ups and improve innovation in established manufacturers, generating highly paid, sustainable jobs now and in the future.\nCo-sponsors of this legislation in the U.S. House are: Rep. Ral Grijalva (AZ-03), Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-41) and Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-statement-on-house-passage-of-new-north-american-trade", "Rep. Cartwright Statement on House Passage of New North American Trade Pact", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) today issued the following statement after voting to pass the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the U.S. House of Representatives:\nThis is an important win for Northeastern Pennsylvania's manufacturing workers and farmers, said Rep. Cartwright. Today we passed a modern trade deal with fair, enforceable labor standards that empowers hardworking Americans and puts their interests first. It also opens Canadian markets for dairy farmers in our area, helping them reach new customers and grow their businesses.\nWhile this agreement cannot right the wrongs of the original NAFTA overnight, it is my hope that the USMCA will serve as a blueprint in future trade negotiations with other countries so the same mistakes are not made again. I am pleased that we are advancing a deal that expands market access and sets fairer terms of trade throughout North America.\nOver the past year, House Democrats and the Trump administration engaged in negotiations to improve upon the initial deal that the White House presented to Congress in November 2018. As a result, the USMCA passed by the House today includes strong labor enforcement mechanisms and measures to preserve Congress' ability to improve access to affordable medicines.\nMore information on the USMCA can be foundhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/doyle-votes-replace-nafta", "Doyle Votes to Replace NAFTA", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  December 19, 2019  U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (PA-18) released the following statement today after the House voted to implement the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement as a replacement for NAFTA.\nI voted in favor of H.R. 5430, legislation to implement the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, because I believe that the revised trade agreement we had before us today was a clear improvement over NAFTA.\nDemocrats and Labor were able to substantially improve the USMCA agreement that President Trump originally submitted. The addition of critically important enforcement provisions, which are much stronger than in the original version of the USMCA, are one of the reasons I decided to vote in favor of the USMCA. \nThe USMCA is still far from perfect, however. It won't stop outsourcing, for example, and some of the key environmental protections we fought for weren't included in the final agreement. \nSo while this agreement was an important first step, there remains much more to be done to fix our nation's trade policies. I look forward to continue fighting for trade agreements that benefit American workers.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/senate-approves-bill-stop-spam-robocalls", "Senate Approves Bill to Stop Spam Robocalls", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  December 19, 2019  U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (D-PA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, announced that the Senate approved bipartisan legislation to stop unwanted robocalls today by unanimous consent.\nStopping bad robocalls has been a top priority for us this year, Congressman Doyle said. I'm glad that we passed this strong bipartisan, bicameral legislation to protect consumers from the annoying, potentially dangerous robocalls they are getting every day. This bill gives people the tools they need to block unwanted robocalls  and its passage is a huge victory for the American consumer.\nS. 151, the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, would:\n Require carriers to offer call-authentication technology to consumers and small businessesin rural and urban Americaat no additional charge;\n\tAllow phone carriers to opt consumers into robocall blocking services with no additional charge;\n\tGive the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the ability to step up enforcement actions against unlawful robocalls with a longer statute of limitations and increased fines in certain cases;\n\tPush the Department of Justice to bring more criminal prosecutions against criminal robocallers;\n\tRequire the FCC to work to stop one-ring scams;\n\tHelp the FCC and responsible carriers trace back and cut off suspect phone companies that are responsible for sending vast numbers of unlawful robocalls; and\n\tProtect patients, doctors and hospitals from unlawful robocalls.\n The TRACED Act also included provisions of H.R. 3375, the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, which Congressman Doyle, the Chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, introduced with Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bob Latta (R-OH).\nClickHEREfor bill text.\nClickHEREfor a section-by-section summary.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1374", "Bipartisan, Bicameral Effort To Help The Military Recruit And Retain Tech Talent Heads To The Presidents Desk", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Chrissy Houlahan", "H001085", "houlahan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Representatives Houlahan and Mark Meadows (R-NC) and Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Rob Portman (R-OH) laud the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2020 that included their Armed Forces Digital Advantage Act. The bipartisan, bicameral legislation would modernize the Department of Defense (DoD) workforce by adding a recruitment focus and establishing military career tracks for individuals with digital expertise and software development skills. The conferenced NDAA incorporated key provisions taken from the Armed Forces Digital Advantage Act. It recognizes the importance of individuals with aptitude and experience in digital expertise and software development to the armed services and requires the Secretary of Defense to devise an implementation plan to recruit and develop digital engineering specialists. The bill also requires the Defense Secretary to create a digital engineering capability for the development and deployment of acquisition programs and software support. The bill also requires a demonstration of digital engineering capabilities and policy guidance to promote the use of said capabilities. Recruiting and retaining technical talent at the Department of Defense is a crucial national security priority as we prepare for the threats of tomorrow, said Houlahan. As an engineer who worked on anti-ballistic missile defense in the Air Force, I know just how acute our need for people with technical expertise is. That's why I'm proud to have passed this bipartisan and bicameral legislation that will help build a more robust tech talent force at DOD. I look forward to the President signing this bill. Senior defense leaders and cybersecurity experts have repeatedly emphasized the need for a military workforce with a digital engineering skillset, said Heinrich, co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Artificial Intelligence Caucus and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Whether it is Artificial Intelligence, 5G telecommunications services, or cloud computing - developing digital technologies are presenting new opportunities, but additional challenges for the Department of Defense. The inclusion of these provisions means that we are one step closer to preparing America's defense arsenal with a capable, trained cyber workforce. Computer science and digital engineering competency have become increasingly important for the success of the American warfighter, said Portman, co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Artificial Intelligence Caucus. This bipartisan legislation ensures we prioritize servicemembers with digital skills and expertise and put them in roles where they can best put those unique skills to work.\r\n\r\nHoulahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1378", "Representative Houlahan Passes USMCA", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Chrissy Houlahan", "H001085", "houlahan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan voted to pass the bipartisan United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA). This historic trade deal passed the House 385-41.\r\nI am proud to have reached a compromise on this crucial trade deal that will help our community's farmers and manufactures, said Houlahan. This USMCA is a product of bipartisan negotiation and working with the Administration to structure a deal that benefits our workers, protects our planet, and strengthens our economy.\r\nThis holiday season will be a bit brighter for America's dairy farmers as today's vote brings us one step closer to finalizing USMCA and securing a more certain future for the dairy industry, said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. Pennsylvania's dairy industry appreciates the work that Representative Houlahan has invested to ensure USMCA will provide expanded market opportunities and a more level playing field for dairy exports. Now we are counting on the Senate to act quickly and finalize USMCA in order to deliver its improvements to North American trade.\r\nThe PA Chamber supports international trade, open investment, regulatory cooperation and fair trade agreements that enhance the competitiveness of Pennsylvania companies by removing barriers against U.S. exports and providing greater access to imports, said Alex Halper, Director, Government Affairs at PA Chamber of Business and Industry. We thank Rep. Houlahan for her work on passing the USMCA, which will help advance these important priorities and facilitate continued strong trade relations between the U.S. and our neighbors to the north and south. Forty-six out of 50 states in the country count Canada or Mexico as their first or second largest foreign purchasers. For Pennsylvania, Canada is our largest foreign market, accounting for 26 percent of the Commonwealth's total goods exports worth $10.8 billion in 2018. Mexico ranked second at $4.2 billion. According to the Business Roundtable, 477,900 Pennsylvania jobs are supported by trade with Canada and Mexico.\r\nMembers of United Steelworkers thank Rep. Houlahan for her work on passing the USMCA, said Thomas M. Conway, United Steelworkers International President. The revised deal is better than the original USMCA and certainly better than NAFTA. It should be adopted. The leaders of all three countries must diligently enforce the provisions, however, and we intend to hold them accountable to ensure that workers, the environment, and consumers are protected.\r\nThe USMCA will:\r\n \r\n    Increase Canadian market access for our dairy farmers and producers\r\n    Protect Pennsylvanian ingenuity through increased intellectual property protections\r\n    Support robust digital trade and fortify U.S. leadership on protecting a free and open internet\r\n \r\n\r\nThrough our negotiations, the Democrats have secured key provisions, including:\r\n \r\n    Increased labor protections for workers in Mexico\r\n    $600 million for environmental clean-up and protection, especially along the U.S.-Mexico border\r\n    Stronger enforcement mechanisms so that each country can effectively hold the others accountable\r\n \r\n\r\nHoulahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wild.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-wild-votes-pass-usmca-through-house", "Rep. Wild Votes to Pass USMCA through House", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Susan Wild", "W000826", "wild.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) voted in favor of passing the revised United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA) through the House of Representatives. Wild was a leader throughout the renegotiation process, helping to secure transformational changes from the original draft of the trade agreement to prioritize American workers.\n\nFor the past 6 months, I have worked to secure a North American trade agreement that puts our workers, our businesses, and our families first, Wild said. When I led 27 of my colleagues in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer, I made renegotiation of provisions that would have locked in high drug costs and harmed our workers my priority and demanded these issues be taken seriously. Now, the American people have won. This deal can't be added to the pile of bills collecting dust on the Senate Majority Leader's desk  it deserves to be taken up and passed swiftly by the Senate.\n\nIn June, Wild, a member of the New Democrat Coalition and the House Committee on Education and Laborled 27 freshman House Democrats in a letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizerin which the lawmakers called for negotiations to be re-opened so changes could be made to strengthen labor standards and environmental terms and protect consumers from excessive increases in drug prices. Throughout the negotiation process, Wild met with United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, with Mexican Ambassador Barcena, and Counsel General to Prime Minister Trudeau, Phyllis Yaffe, as well as dozens of labor and business leaders.\n\nAfter months of active negotiations between Wild and these key leaders, the monopoly provisions for big pharmaceutical companies were removed from the USMCA and a new provision was added to allow cheaper generics to come to market and encourage competition to drive down drug costs. Additionally, provisions were added to the agreement to reduce the incentive of companies outsourcing American jobs to Mexico. With these improvements secured by Wild, the ALF-CIO and United Steelworkers have endorsed the USMCA.\n\nSpecifically, Wild helped secure improvements to the USMCA which:\n\n Lowers Prescription Drug Costs by removing a provision with big giveaways to pharmaceutical companies and changing the rules to promote fair competition and patients' access to affordable medicines.\n\tProtects American Workers by strengthening labor standards to make them enforceable by creating new mechanisms to monitor labor rule compliance in Mexico. These provisions establish a new enforcement mechanism that will lead to penalties on imports produced at a facility where workers' right to organize has been thwarted.\n\tEnforces Labor Standards by fixing loopholes that allowed countries to avoid being held accountable and introducing new rules to make enforcement more effective and fair.\n\tProtects the Environment by reinstating high-standard rules that had been watered down by the administration's original trade agreement proposal and creating new mechanisms to monitor environmental rule compliance in Mexico.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-statement-on-fifth-circuit-court-decision-on-the-affordable-care-act", "Casey Statement on Fifth Circuit Court Decision on the Affordable Care Act", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is releasing the following statement following the decision from the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in the case of Texas v. Azar:\r\nThe Fifth Circuit Court's decision' today could still lead to millions of Americans losing their health care once this case is finally decided. This continued uncertainty is only possible because the Trump Administration and Republican members of Congress aided and abetted this obscene lawsuit. This is health care sabotage at its finest. By supporting this lawsuit, the President is betraying middle class families and breaking his own promise to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions. The President and his GOP allies should immediately end their support, get serious and work with Democrats to build upon the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The bottom line is this: the GOP, led by President Trump and reinforced by Republicans in Congress, wants to take health care away from tens of millions of people. They are using the courts, Congress and regulatory sabotage with no plan whatsoever to replace or improve your health care.\r\nThe Fifth Circuit Court has punted on the big question of severability, and the GOP's hopes to destroy the ACA live another day. The case will now go back to the district court, and we will hear much more legal analysis in coming daysbut don't get distracted. The GOP still wants to rip your health care away.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/boyle-statement-impeachment-vote", "Boyle Statement on Impeachment Vote", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Brendan F. Boyle", "B001296", "boyle.house.gov", "boyle", "https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) gave the following statement today into the official House record to explain his votes in favor of both articles of impeachment\u2014abuse of power and obstruction of Congress\u2014against President Donald J. Trump:\n\n\"This is the fourth impeachment proceeding against a president of the United States, and the most serious.\n\nThe president committed numerous crimes. He conditioned two official acts, hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid and an Oval Office meeting, on getting help for his campaign in return. When his bribery scheme was publicly exposed, he did everything possible to obstruct the investigation.\n\nCongress voted to grant hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to our ally Ukraine because it is both morally right and in our national interest to stand with them in their fight to preserve their independence against Russian aggression. I was one of the members of Congress who advocated and voted for this military aid. It was never intended to become a bargaining chip for the President to use to get foreign help for his re-election campaign.\n\nThe factual evidence is clear and convincing. It was reinforced by the testimonies of every single fact witness, all of whom are career, nonpartisan public servants or Trump appointees.\n\nSo, the matter before us, ultimately, is not a question of fact, for the evidence is undisputed. Nor is it a question of law, as the Constitution is clear. The heart of the matter is this: will members of this House have the courage to choose fidelity to the Constitution over loyalty to political party?\n\nThe Constitution has endured for more than two centuries, not just because of the brilliance of our founders, but because of the commitment of generations of Americans to uphold it. For the sake of our Constitution, and the sake of our country, for Americans today and tomorrow, I urge all members to have the courage to vote yes.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-announces-97k-grant-to-provide-job-training-enhance", "Rep. Cartwright Announces $97k Grant to Provide Job Training, Enhance Employment for Area Companies", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ashley, PA  Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced a $97,546 federal grant awarded through the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to the Earth Conservancy to support one 18-month cycle of its Environmental Workforce Training (EWT) Program.\nThe EWT program will help at least 20 unemployed, underemployed or dislocated residents obtain new or enhanced employment. Local companies will also benefit from having new hires trained through this program who are ready for work on day one.\nIn addition to ARC funds, other federal sources will provide $15,525, state sources will provide $31,183 and local sources will provide $50,838, bringing the total project funding to $195,092. The ARC funding will provide an important supplement to local and state funding to allow the project to move forward.\nEveryone deserves the dignity of a good-paying job, said Rep. Cartwright. It's encouraging to see all levels of government working together in Northeastern Pennsylvania to prepare people for new jobs that enable them to earn a living and support their families. I'm pleased that ARC continues to help create economic opportunity in our region.\nThe NEPA Alliance thanks Congressman Cartwright for his leadership in economic development in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Congressman's support in Congress is crucial for ARC to have funds for projects like this one in NEPA, said Jeffrey K. Box, President & CEO of the NEPA Alliance.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/2019/12/rep-dean-offers-remarks-during-house-debate-impeachment", "Rep. Dean Offers Remarks During House Debate on Impeachment", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", "dean", "https://dean.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) offered remarks on the House floor during the debate on articles of impeachment. Her remarks were as follows:\n\n\"Madame Speaker,\n\nWords matter.\n\nWe\u2019ve heard many words over the course of these last weeks.\n\nStill, what strikes me are the words that are missing from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle \u2014 a gaping hole in the conversation, the words they cannot or will not mouth, defending a President\u2019s conduct. Conduct that threatens our constitutional order.\n\nAnd so Madame Speaker, I ask,\n\n\u2014 When is it ever right for a President to coerce a foreign power to interfere in our elections?\n\n\u2014 When is it ever right for a President to intimidate a foreign leader into announcing false investigations against a political rival?\n\n\u2014 When is it ever right for that President to withhold congressionally appropriated aid to that country \u2014 at the expense of its national security and our own?\n\n\u2014 And when is it ever right for a President to block a co-equal branch of government from investigating this scheme to cheat an election?\n\nThe answer, of course, is Never.\n\nBut that word does not come \u201ctrippingly from the tongue\u201d of those who are making the choice to stand behind a man whose behavior is not worthy of their tortured words.\n\n* ?* *\n\nBy our vote today, we are speaking to future Presidents \u2014 and most importantly, to future generations.\n\nWe are declaring that:\n\nwe will not tolerate foreign interference in our presidential elections \u2013 Americans alone will determine the outcome; and\n\nwe will not permit a President to order the complete defiance of a co-equal branch of government.\n\nRegardless of the outcome of this impeachment, the President\u2019s tenure will end \u2014 and this body and our grandchildren will be left with what we did here today.\n\nOurs is a generational duty, and about the love of country \u2014 and lifting our Constitution to its gravest protections, and highest aspirations.\n\nOur Democracy is a matter of conscience, and by voting to safeguard our Constitution, mine is clear.\"\n\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/2019/12/rep-dean-votes-impeach-president-donald-j-trump", "Rep. Dean Votes to Impeach President Donald J. Trump", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", "dean", "https://dean.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) voted for both articles of impeachment against President Trump. The articles (H. Res. 755) address the President\u2019s coercion of a foreign power into interfering in American elections \u2013 and his subsequent defiance of Congress\u2019s Constitutionally-mandated oversight. The first article passed the House by a margin of 230-197; the second passed by a margin of 229-198.\n\n\u201cToday is not about punishment or dislike. It is about love of country \u2013 about protecting our system of government where no one is above the law,\u201d Rep. Dean said. \u201cWe have a generational duty to uphold our Constitution and our democracy. Because regardless of the outcome of this impeachment, the President\u2019s tenure will end \u2014 and this body and our grandchildren will be left with what we did here today.\u201d\n\nRep. Dean\u2019s full remarks during the House debate can be found here.\n\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-dean-offers-remarks-during-house-debate-impeachment", "Rep. Dean Offers Remarks During House Debate on Impeachment", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) offered remarks on the House floor during the debate on articles of impeachment. Her remarks were as follows:\n\"Madame Speaker,\nWords matter.\nWe've heard many words over the course of these last weeks.\nStill,what strikes me are the words that are missing from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle a gaping hole in the conversation,the words they cannot or will notmouth,defending a President'sconduct. Conduct that threatensour constitutional order.\nAnd so Madame Speaker, I ask,\nWhen is it ever right for a President tocoerce a foreign power tointerferein our elections?\nWhen is it ever rightfor a Presidenttointimidate a foreign leader into announcingfalse investigations against a political rival?\nWhen is it ever rightfor that President to withhold congressionally appropriated aid to thatcountry  at the expense of its national security and our own?\nAndwhenis it ever rightfor a President toblock a co-equal branch of government from investigating this schemeto cheat an election?\nThe answer, of course,isNever.\nBut that worddoesnot cometrippingly from the tongueof those who are making thechoice to stand behind a man whose behavior is not worthy of theirtortured words.\n* * *\nBy our vote today, we are speaking to future Presidents  and most importantly, tofuture generations. \nWe are declaring that:\n we will not tolerate foreign interference in our presidential elections  Americans alone will determine the outcome; and\n\twe will not permit a President to order the complete defiance of a co-equal branch of government.\n Regardless of the outcome of this impeachment, the President's tenure will end  and this body and our grandchildren will be left with what we did here today.\nOurs is a generational duty,and about the love of country  and lifting our Constitution to its gravestprotections,andhighest aspirations.\nOur Democracy is a matter of conscience,and by votingto safeguard our Constitution, mine is clear.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-dean-votes-impeach-president-donald-j-trump", "Rep. Dean Votes to Impeach President Donald J. Trump", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) voted for both articles of impeachment against President Trump. The articles (H. Res. 755) address the President's coercion of a foreign power into interfering in American elections  and his subsequent defiance of Congress's Constitutionally-mandated oversight. The first article passed the House by a margin of 230-197; the second passed by a margin of 229-198.\nToday is not about punishment or dislike. It is about love of country  about protecting our system of government where no one is above the law, Rep. Dean said. We have a generational duty to uphold our Constitution and our democracy. Because regardless of the outcome of this impeachment, the President's tenure will end  and this body and our grandchildren will be left with what we did here today.\nRep. Dean's full remarks during the House debate can be found here.\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-doyle-votes-impeach-president-trump", "Congressman Doyle Votes to Impeach President Trump", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  December 18, 2019  U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (PA-18) released the following statement today after the House voted to impeach President Trump.\nToday, I voted to impeach President Trump because he abused the power of his office by illegally soliciting election assistance from a foreign government and refused to comply with Congressional subpoenas.\nThe evidence is clear, the law is clear, and our Constitution is clear. \nIn the interests of national security, our democracy, and the rule of law, I strongly support impeachment, and I believe that if Senators weigh the overwhelming and uncontested evidence as unbiased jurors, they will vote to convict and remove President Trump from office. \n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://evans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/evans-impeachment-necessary-because-no-one-above-law", "Evans: Impeachment Necessary Because \u2018No One Is Above the Law\u2019", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Dwight Evans", "E000296", "evans.house.gov", "evans", "https://evans.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "PHILADELPHIA (Dec. 18, 2019) \u2013 Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3rd) said he is voting \"Yes\" today on both articles of impeachment against President Trump:\n\n\"Impeachment is a solemn and historic task. With the outrageous, ongoing conduct of President Trump, impeachment is necessary for upholding our oath of office and the Constitution. Benjamin Franklin said after the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia that we have \u2018a republic, if you can keep it.' House Democrats intend to keep it.\n\n\"This impeachment process, holding the president accountable, is only possible because the House majority changed, but the root cause of it all is the president's own unconstitutional, reckless behavior. He withheld $391 million in congressionally approved, tax-funded military aid from a free country, Ukraine, that is trying to defend itself from a dictatorship, Russia, and he did this for political gain. His action appears to have cost Ukrainian lives. He obstructed investigation and oversight by Congress, which is a co-equal, independent branch of government under the Constitution. He appears to have no shame or regret about any of this behavior, which means he is likely to repeat it unless he is held accountable.\n\n\"No one is above the law in America \u2013 that is the principle the House is voting to uphold. Now the nation will be watching the Senate to see if senators will uphold their oath to do impartial justice.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://wild.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-wild-statement-voting-articles-impeachment", "Rep. Wild Statement on Voting for Articles of Impeachment", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Susan Wild", "W000826", "wild.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) released the following statement after casting her vote in favor of the articles of impeachment brought against the President of the United States:\n\nToday, I took a vote I never wanted to take  a vote to impeach the President of the United States. My votes were grounded in fact and law, in accordance with the Constitution and my conscience.\n\nI voted to impeach the President of the United States for abusing the power of his office in leveraging foreign aid to a vital ally in exchange for foreign interference in our elections. I then cast a second vote to impeach the President for his obstruction of Congress because the separation of powers is vital to the system of checks and balances at the heart of our democracy.\n\nThe future of our Republic is at stake: Failure to condemn the solicitation of foreign influence in our elections would have set a dangerous precedent. Failure to condemn the blanket obstruction of a coequal branch of government would have set an equally dangerous precedent.\n\nMy votes were based in law and our Constitution  they were, unfortunately, made necessary by the President's conduct.\n\nNow that we have taken this vote, we must continue the work that the American people elected us to do. I look forward to advancing that work alongside my colleagues  Republicans and Democrats alike  so that we can improve the everyday lives of the people of my community.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-statement-on-fifth-circuit-court-decision-on-the-affordable-care-act", "Casey Statement on Fifth Circuit Court Decision on the Affordable Care Act", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/boyle-leads-successful-effort-increase-funding-northern-ireland-peace", "Boyle Leads Successful Effort to Increase Funding for Northern Ireland Peace Programs", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Brendan F. Boyle", "B001296", "boyle.house.gov", "boyle", "https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, the U.S. House of Representatives increased funding for peace programs in the north of Ireland to $2 million as part of a Fiscal Year 2020 government spending package, expected to be signed by the President on Friday. This substantial increase is a result of an amendment offered by Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) in June to the Fiscal Year 2020 State, Foreign Operations Appropriations.\n\n\"I am happy this funding was included in the House spending package released this week,\" said Congressman Boyle. \"I have long advocated for increased funding for the International Fund for Ireland. As the United Kingdom prepares to leave the European Union, the on-the-ground work of the IFI is critically important. Brexit will have significant consequences for the island of Ireland. I am glad that my colleagues have recognized this threat and committed to increase U.S. support for peace throughout the island. For decades, the United States has consistently reaffirmed its commitment to help create a strong and peaceful society on the island of Ireland, and our continued involvement is important for maintaining that peace.\"\n\nThe Senate is expected to pass H.R. 1865, which includes FY2020 State, Foreign Operations Appropriations, later this week and then it is expected to be signed into law by President Trump by Friday, December 20, 2019. On June 19, 2019, the House of Representatives passed H.R.2407, which included an amendment offered by Congressman Boyle to increase funding for the International Fund for Ireland. Since that time, the House and Senate leadership negotiated this Fiscal Year 2020 government spending package, which maintained Congressman Boyle's amendment.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/bill-addresses-pay-disparity-at-tobyhanna-army-depot", "Bill Addresses Pay Disparity at Tobyhanna Army Depot", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hourly employees at Tobyhanna Army Depot would earn more under a bill introduced by Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, and Sen. Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat, in the U.S. House and Senate.\nPay for hourly employees is based on 1950s military installation placements, while salaried workers are paid based on metropolitan markets  in this case, the New York City region, whose boundaries are based on commuting patterns. Hourly employees are considered part of the lower-earning Scranton wage area.\nThe hourly skilled trade workers perform very complex work, manufacturing and repairing electronic weapons systems, said Jacqueline Simon, policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees union.\nThey do a lot, they have a lot of responsibility, yet might make $20 per hour for labor that isn't comparable to much private sector work, Simon said.\nNed George, who was then the vice president of AFGE Local 1647, echoed that in a statement at a January 2016 meeting of the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee: Every day, we paint assets and material that keep us right here in this office safe. I put down infrared coatings on Humvees.\nThe disparity affects workplace culture, he continued, saying that a lot of our workers, they almost feel like they're fighting against each other, and it's because of the pay inequity that's going on at that point.\nAnd it creates a retention issue, as hourly workers either try to get white-collar salaried jobs at Tobyhanna or leave entirely, George said.\nAt that meeting, the committee voted to move Monroe County to the New York City wage area, but the change didn't get the necessary approval from the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.\nAt a June 2019 FPRAC meeting, George explained how New York and New Jersey affect the cost of living near Tobyhanna.\nAnd it creates a retention issue, as hourly workers either try to get white-collar salaried jobs at Tobyhanna or leave entirely, George said.\nAt that meeting, the committee voted to move Monroe County to the New York City wage area, but the change didn't get the necessary approval from the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.\nAt a June 2019 FPRAC meeting, George explained how New York and New Jersey affect the cost of living near Tobyhanna.\nAnd it creates a retention issue, as hourly workers either try to get white-collar salaried jobs at Tobyhanna or leave entirely, George said.\nAt that meeting, the committee voted to move Monroe County to the New York City wage area, but the change didn't get the necessary approval from the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.\nAt a June 2019 FPRAC meeting, George explained how New York and New Jersey affect the cost of living near Tobyhanna.\nAnd it creates a retention issue, as hourly workers either try to get white-collar salaried jobs at Tobyhanna or leave entirely, George said.\nAt that meeting, the committee voted to move Monroe County to the New York City wage area, but the change didn't get the necessary approval from the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.\nAt a June 2019 FPRAC meeting, George explained how New York and New Jersey affect the cost of living near Tobyhanna.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/2019/12/rep-dean-votes-pass-bipartisan-budget-agreements", "Rep. Dean Votes to Pass Bipartisan Budget Agreements", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", "dean", "https://dean.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) voted in favor of legislation to fund the federal government in Fiscal Year 2020. The first agreement - H.R. 1865 \u2013 passed by a vote of 297 - 120. The second agreement \u2013 H.R. 1158 \u2013 passed by a vote of 280 - 138.\n\n\u201cThough not perfect, today\u2019s budget agreements make strong investments in our country\u2019s future \u2013 giving working families a better chance at a better life and protecting our nation,\u201d said Rep. Dean. \u201cI am especially pleased that, for the first time in 20 years, Congress will invest $25 million for gun violence research at the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health, and that my office was able to lead the effort in securing $10 million for the nationwide CDC health study on the impacts of PFAS exposure.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am disappointed, however, that not all Department of Homeland Security accountability provisions were included in the final agreement and will continue to fight for humane treatment of migrants and oversight of this administration.\u201d\n\nThe two budget agreements also include provisions that address many of Rep. Dean\u2019s top priorities:\n\nIncreased funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to combat gun violence, for which Rep. Dean led a letter.\n\nIncreased funding for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) to assist people with disabilities\u2014an effort led by Rep. Dean during the appropriation amendment process.\n\nProtecting and securing our election systems with $425 million for election security grants to states.\n\nFully funding the 2020 Census, with $7.6 billion to ensure a thorough and accurate count.\n\nStrengthening America\u2019s infrastructure by providing more than $61 billion for infrastructure investments through dedicated trust funds, which will create jobs and improve safety.\n\nFunding the Land and Water Conservation Fund at its highest level in 15 years.\n\nStrengthening public health, expanding access to health care, and carrying out lifesaving research, with $95 billion in funding.\n\nCombating the opioid crisis with $1.5 billion in funding for State Opioid Response Grants.\n\nHonoring our responsibilities to veterans, providing $80 billion for VA medical care, including funding to provide homelessness assistance, suicide prevention and outreach, and gender-specific care.\n\n\u201cNow that the House has passed this budget, I urge the Senate to pass it and the President to sign it into law. The American people are counting on us,\u201d said Rep. Dean.\n\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-dean-votes-pass-bipartisan-budget-agreements", "Rep. Dean Votes to Pass Bipartisan Budget Agreements", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) voted in favor of legislation to fund the federal government in Fiscal Year 2020. The first agreement - H.R. 1865  passed by a vote of 297 - 120. The second agreement  H.R. 1158  passed by a vote of 280 - 138.\nThough not perfect, today's budget agreements make strong investments in our country's future  giving working families a better chance at a better life and protecting our nation, said Rep. Dean. I am especially pleased that, for the first time in 20 years, Congress will invest $25 million for gun violence research at the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health, and that my office was able to lead the effort in securing $10 million for the nationwide CDC health study on the impacts of PFAS exposure.\nI am disappointed, however, that not all Department of Homeland Security accountability provisions were included in the final agreement andwill continue to fight for humane treatment of migrants and oversight of this administration.\nThe two budget agreements also include provisions that address many of Rep. Dean's top priorities:\n Increased funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to combat gun violence,for which Rep. Dean led a letter.\n\tIncreased funding for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) to assist people with disabilitiesan effort led by Rep. Dean during the appropriation amendment process.\n\tProtecting and securing our election systems with $425 million for election security grants to states.\n\tFully funding the 2020 Census, with $7.6 billion to ensure a thorough and accurate count.\n\tStrengthening America's infrastructure by providing more than $61 billion for infrastructure investments through dedicated trust funds, which will create jobs and improve safety.\n\tFunding the Land and Water Conservation Fund at its highest level in 15 years.\n\tStrengthening public health, expanding access to health care, and carrying out lifesaving research, with $95 billion in funding.\n\tHonoring our responsibilities to veterans, providing $80 billion for VA medical care, including funding to provide homelessness assistance, suicide prevention and outreach, and gender-specific care.\n Now that the House has passed this budget, I urge the Senate to pass it and the President to sign it into law. The American people are counting on us, said Rep. Dean.\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/doyle-pallone-highlight-2019-accomplishments-communications-and-technology", "Doyle & Pallone Highlight 2019 Accomplishments of Communications and Technology Subcommittee", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  With the first year of the 116th Congress coming to a close, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) highlighted the Subcommittee's work to restore net neutrality, combat the robocall epidemic, secure America's telecommunications supply chain, fix faulty broadband maps, and more. The Subcommittee held 12 hearings, three markups, and passed 11 bills this year.\nThis year, we've worked to put consumers first and strengthen our economy by passing legislation through the House to restore a free and open internet and combat scam and spam robocalls, Pallone and Doyle said. We also passed bipartisan bills to connect the unconnected by improving our nation's broadband maps, secure our telecommunications networks by rooting out suspect equipment, and update our media laws so consumers know exactly what video services they're paying for. It was a productive year in the Subcommittee, but our work is far from over, and we look forward to another successful year in 2020.\nRestoring a free and open internet to spark innovation and protect small businesses:\n Passed through the Subcommittee and Full Committee H.R. 1644, the Save the Internet Act, which was thenpassed by the Houseon April 10by a vote of 232-190. The legislation reverses the disastrous repeal by Trump's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in late 2017 of critical net neutrality protections. It enacts the three legacy net neutrality principles  no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization  and empowers the FCC to prohibit unjust, unreasonable and discriminatory practices by internet service providers.\n Working to stop the onslaught of annoying robocalls:\n Passed through the Subcommittee and Full Committee H.R. 3375, the bipartisan Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, which was thenpassed by the Houseon July 24 by a vote of 429-3. Earlier this month, the House passed S. 151, the Pallone-Thune TRACED Act, which was a bipartisan, bicameral agreement, by a vote of 417-3. The bill ensures every call Americans get will be verified, that consumers can block calls they don't want, and more. It awaits a vote in the Senate and then will head to the President's desk for his signature.\n Reauthorizing media laws to protect consumers:\n Passed through the Subcommittee and Full Committee H.R. 5035, the bipartisan Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019. The bill permanently reauthorizes the good faith provisions of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization (STELAR) Act and requires cable and satellite TV companies to disclose how much they will charge for their video services, including any extra fees. The legislation passed the House by voice vote last week and was included in the fiscal year 2020 appropriations package that passed the House today.\n \nSecuring America's wireless future:\n Passed through the Subcommittee and Full Committee six bills to ensure our nation's continued dominance in wireless communication, including H.R. 4998, the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, abillto secure our telecommunications supply chain. The bills ensure that the government will work more efficiently to promote wireless innovation and better serve all Americans, as well as guarantee our networks are secure from foreign adversaries that may wish to do us harm. H.R. 4998 passed the House by voice vote yesterday.\n Improving America's broadband maps to improve telecommunications services:\n Passed through the Subcommittee and Full Committee two bipartisan bills to ensure the reliability of our nation's broadband maps. Accurately mapping the availability of broadband internet service is essential to promote the deployment of high-speed service to Americans living in unserved and underserved areas. The House passed both bills by voice vote yesterday.\n Proposed sweeping investments in broadband internet and Next Generation 9-1-1:\n Put forth a comprehensive infrastructure package that expands access to broadband internet through the introduction of the LIFT America Act. The Full Committee held a legislative hearing on the bill, which seeks to expand access for communities nationwide and bring broadband to 98 percent of the country by investing $40 billion for the deployment of secure and resilient high-speed broadband internet service. The LIFT America Act also provides another $5 billion in federal funding for low-interest financing of broadband infrastructure deployment. The bill would also make 9-1-1 service more accessible, effective, and resilient, and enable Americans to send text messages, images, or videos to 9-1-1 in times of emergency by investing $12 billion in grants for the implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 services.\n Exercising much-needed oversight of the Federal Communications Commission:\n Held two oversight hearings of the FCC in May and in December. We pressed the FCC Commissioners about critical issues affecting consumers, some of which Committee members had previously raised in letters to the Commission, such as the allocation of spectrum, diversity in media ownership, wireless network resiliency, the Lifeline program, the unauthorized disclosure of consumers' real-time location data, the T-Mobile-Sprint merger, and more.\n Exploring whether consumers are adequately protected online:\n Over the last few years, bad actors, both foreign and domestic, have increasingly abused the Internet to peddle extremism, disinformation, and hatred that divides our nation. On October 16, a joint subcommittee hearing explored whether online companies are appropriately using the tools they have  including protections Congress granted in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act  to foster a healthier internet.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://evans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/evans-budget-deal-has-wins-philly-would-avoid-shutdown", "Evans: Budget Deal Has Wins for Philly, Would Avoid Shutdown", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Dwight Evans", "E000296", "evans.house.gov", "evans", "https://evans.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Image\n\nDecember 17, 2019\n\nIncludes First Federal Funding for Gun Violence Research in Over 20 Years\n\nPHILADELPHIA (Dec. 17, 2019) \u2013 Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3rd) said the bipartisan budget deal the House passed today would make real progress in several areas and avoid a new government shutdown if President Trump signs it into law.\n\nEvans said, \"For the first time in over 20 years, Democrats have secured federal funding for gun violence research - $25 million to help us direct efforts and funding to fight gun violence in more effective ways. This budget deal is not perfect but it also makes progress on clean energy, environmental protection and lowering the cost of prescription drugs, among many other areas. The new Democratic majority in the House is continuing to investigate AND legislate.\"\n\n\"Specific wins for Philadelphia include $225 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, which the Trump-Pence Administration proposed eliminating; increases or level funding for several housing and homeless assistance programs instead of the more than $1 billion in proposed Trump cuts to those programs; $5 million for high-performance polymers research at Drexel University for the Defense Department; and protecting funding for community health centers, the Minority Business Development Administration and historically black colleges and universities, HBCUs, such as Cheyney and Lincoln.\"\n\nEvans said additional wins and specifics for Philadelphia in the deal include:\n\nHOME Investment Partnership Program, $1.35 billion\n\nCommunity Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI), $262 million\n\nHomeless Assistance Grants, $2.8 billion, including:\n\n$80 million for homeless youth\n\n$50 million for survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking\n\nPublic Housing Capital Fund, $2.9 billion - Trump proposed eliminating it\n\nPublic Housing Operating Fund, $4.5 billion\n\nChoice Neighborhoods Initiative, $175 million\n\nTenant-based Rental Assistance, $23.9 billion, including:\n\n$40 million for Supportive Housing for Homeless Veterans (HUD-VASH)\n\nProject-based Rental Assistance, $12.6 billion\n\nLow Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), $3.7 billion\n\nMinority Business Development Administration, $42 million\n\nEvans said other highlights of the deal include:\n\nFor the good health of families:\n\nPermanently repealing health care taxes including the so-called \"Cadillac Tax\";\n\nBlocking Trump's options for sabotaging the Affordable Care Act, by preventing him from ending auto re-enrollment and \"silver loading\" that helps some patients and insurers;\n\nSecuring record funding for life-saving medical research at the NIH;\n\nEnsuring strong support for initiatives to lower the price of prescription drugs by increasing competition for generics. The House also recently passed a bill (H.R. 3) that would lower the cost of prescription drugs for most Americans by giving Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies and making those lower drug prices available to Americans with private insurance, not just Medicare beneficiaries.\n\nContinuing the historic $1.5 billion for state grants to combat the opioid epidemic;\n\nExtending and increased Medicaid funding to Americans in Puerto Rico and U.S. territories for two years.\n\nFor Americans' economic and financial security:\n\nGiving federal civilian employees a 3.1 percent pay raise;\n\nReauthorizing the jobs-creating Export-Import Bank;\n\nInvesting billions in smart job training initiatives;\n\nExtending key tax provisions through 2020: encouraging investments in clean energy priorities like wind and energy efficiency, providing relief for families recovering from recent disasters, supporting investments in low-income communities, and protecting families facing high medical costs or the loss of a home to foreclosure.\n\nFor our national security & safety at home:\n\nSecuring $25 million for gun violence research at the CDC and NIH, the first federal funding for this type of research in more than 20 years;\n\nSecuring $425 million for election security grants to protect our elections from foreign attack, which Republicans refused to fund last year.\n\nFor our children:\n\nStrengthening the Families First Prevention Services Act;\n\nAchieving record funding levels for Head Start, Child Care and Development Block Grants, and Title I schools.\n\nFor our values:\n\nSecuring billions to fund a fair, accurate 2020 Census to ensure all Americans are counted and have a voice, which is important for Philadelphia and other communities at higher risk of an undercount that would cut federal funding and their political power;\n\nSecuring strong funding for environmental protection \u2013 including the highest funding level for the Land and Water Conservation Fund in 15 years.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1373", "Rep. Houlahan Lauds Passage Of Government Funding Bills That Include Key Pennsylvania Priorities", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Chrissy Houlahan", "H001085", "houlahan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Rep. ChrissyHoulahanvoted to pass two bipartisan legislative packages that together comprise all 12 fiscal year 2020 funding bills. These billsbothpassed the House.  We were successful today in working across party lines to fund the government and elevate key issues that affect our community, commonwealth, and country, saidHoulahan. These bills, among other things, fund research on our country's gun violence epidemic, invest heavily in infrastructure, increase accessibility to affordable health care, combat climate change, and support our military and veterans. I am proud of our efforts to increase funding for programs that promote literacy, increase infrastructure funding for Pennsylvania, protect our planet, ensure women veterans get the care they need, and invest in women and girls around the world\". This sweeping legislation includes funding to\r\nPromote safety and security:\r\no $12.5millionto fund research into gun violence and prevention, for the first time in decades.\r\no $3.28 billion in grants to State and Local Law Enforcement, an increase of $245.5 million above last year. This includes increased funding for programs like Byrne JAG and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program,addressingsexual assault kit and other DNA evidence backlogs; grant programs to address the opioid crisis;fundingfor Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs; and grants to improve the NICS firearms background check system.\r\no $2 billion forthe DHSCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agencyand$156 million foremergency response and cyber security at the Department of Energy.Rep.Houlahansigned a bipartisan letter advocating for additional funding to protect our nation's critical infrastructure from cyber threats.\r\no $425 million in new grants to improve the security and integrity ofFederal elections. As a member of the bipartisan Task Force Sentry, Rep.Houlahanis a strong advocate for securing our election infrastructure.\r\nImproveaccess to affordable, quality healthcare:\r\no More than $5.8 billion to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which conducts critical research to combat the spread of infectious diseases.Rep.Houlahanled a letteradvocating for full funding forNIAID, and it received a more than $1 billion increase over the President's Budget.\r\no $195 million for the Cancer Moonshot research initiative.\r\no Substantial funding for mental health and suicide prevention programs.\r\no Repeals the 40% excise tax on high-cost employer-sponsored healthcare plans, also known as the Cadillac Tax. Rep.Houlahanwas a cosponsor of the Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act.\r\no Repeals the tax on medical devices, which will promote innovative research and development into new medical devices that can improve quality of life for millions of Americans.\r\nKeep our economy growing and develop the workforce for the future:\r\no $217millionto help states improve literacy among students. Rep.Houlahansponsored an amendment advocating for increased funding to this program because she believes literacy is the foundation on which educational and professional success is built.\r\no $333 million for the Economic Development Administration (EDA),an increase of $29 million above FY 2019.This includes $2 million is provided for a new pilot project for STEM Apprenticeships to help align the skills of workers and the needs of employers, which Rep.Houlahanchampioned.The President had proposed completely eliminating EDA.\r\no More than $72 million increase in funding for highways and transit improvements in Pennsylvania and a $9.7 million increase for Community Development Block Grants\r\no $640 million for the expansionofrural broadband access. Rep.Houlahansigned a bipartisan letter calling for more funding for this program, which is important for our rural economy.\r\no $300 million for Community Development Financial Institutions to provide credit, capital, jobs, and revitalizing neighborhoods.Community nonprofits have received\r\no $796 million for theCommunity Services Block Grant, which enables local communities to address poverty and economic insecurity in innovative ways.\r\nDeliver on our promises to our warfighters and Veterans:\r\no $585 million for gender-specific healthcare at the VA.Rep.Houlahanled a bipartisan letter advocating for increased funding to this program.\r\no $221 million for suicide prevention outreach at the VA. Rep.Houlahanis the Democratic lead on the bipartisan IMPROVE Act, whichbolsters the VA's suicide prevention programming.\r\no $360 million for peer-reviewed medical research at the Department of Defense, including:\r\n     - $15 million for autism research;\r\n     - $150 million for breast cancer research;\r\n     - $6 million for pancreatic cancer research;\r\n     - $7.5 million for rare cancer research; and\r\n     - $165 million for traumatic brain injury research\r\no Full funding of programs important to the defense industrial base in Pennsylvania, including the Chinook helicopter, Virginia and Columbia class submarines, and ground vehicles.\r\nCombat climate change and protect our environment:\r\no $85millionto support continued environmental restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. Pennsylvania's 6thdistrict is part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.\r\no $9.7 million for implementation of the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program. Rep.Houlahanjoined bipartisan members from theregion in advocating for full funding of this program.\r\no $2.79 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy research funding.\r\no $396 million for the Vehicle Technologies Office, with $40 million for the Clean Cities program, which fosters the development and adoption of clean vehicles.\r\no $139.5 million for the Global Environmental Facility, which supports international efforts to advance low-emissions development strategies and work with major economies on emissions reduction and land use.\r\no Full funding of the Wild and Scenic Rivers program, which supports conservation in our community's White Clay Creek.\r\nEmpower women and girls abroad:\r\no $32 million for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Rep.Houlahanhas introduced separate legislation that would authorize annual funding for UNFPA.\r\no $575 million for international family planning and reproductive health programs.\r\no $851 million for international maternal and child health programs.\r\no $50 million for international programs to increase leadership opportunities for women in countries where women and girls suffer discrimination.\r\no $18 million for Global Women's Issues at the State Department.\r\no $8.6 million for the Women in Science Girls STEAM Camp, which empowers adolescent girls to pursue further education in the science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) fields.\r\n\r\nHoulahanis an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.  \r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lamb.house.gov/media/press-releases/lamb-introduces-bipartisan-grid-modernization-research-and-development-act-2019", "LAMB INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN GRID MODERNIZATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2019", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Conor Lamb", "L000588", "lamb.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, DC)  Representatives Conor Lamb (PA-17) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-3) recently introduced H.R. 5428, the Grid Modernization Research and Development Act of 2019. This bill would refine and expand vital research programs at the Department of Energy focused on modernizing and improving our nation's electric grid.\nThe electric grid powers the lives of all Americanswe need to invest in the research to ensure our constituents, companies, and defense installations have electricity when they need it most, said Lamb. This commonsense legislation supports the research programs to adopt new technologies, improve the environment and create family-sustaining jobs in the energy economy.\nWhen a sizeable earthquake or other disaster impacts Southwest Washington, it's essential our families and seniors can depend on working electricity to help keep them safe, said Herrera Beutler. I'm pleased to join this bipartisan solution with Congressman Lamb to improve the reliability of our electric grid in the event of natural disasters and cyberthreats, and to improve emergency response time.\nThe Grid Modernization Research and Development Act of 2019 includes a broad array of research and development programs aimed at increasing the security of the grid while ensuring these programs reflect the evolving energy sector. It accomplishes this by extending the Smart Grid Regional Demonstration initiative and authorizing a research, development, and demonstration program focused on:\n enhancing grid resilience and emergency response;\n\tdesigning and developing advanced controls, operations, monitoring, and visualization tools for the grid; and\n\tdeveloping hybrid energy systems.\n This research will ensure a wide array of generation resources can continue providing reliable electricity to the country and better integrate buildings and electric vehicles into existing grid infrastructure. H.R. 5428 also ensures the Department works with national labs, industry leaders, grid operators, utilities, regulators and others to ensure this research can be quickly utilized at all levels of the energy industry.\nClick here to learn more about H.R. 5428.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-colleagues-secure-coal-miners-health-care-and-pensions-in-must-pass-end-of-year-bill", "Casey, Colleagues Secure Coal Miners\u2019 Health Care and Pensions in Must-Pass End of Year Bill", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Following extensive efforts to fulfill our Nation's promise to our retired coal miners who have kept the lights on for generations, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and a number of his colleagues announced an agreement on several key provisions in end-of-year spending legislation to shore up retired coal miners' pensions and health care.\r\nCoal miners powered this country for decades and I am proud to say that after years of fighting, we have reached an agreement to keep our promises to the men and women who helped build our Nation, said Senator Casey. I'd like to thank Senator Joe Manchin and Speaker Nancy Pelosi for their unrelenting efforts to ensure that miners continue to receive their pensions and health care. I am proud to say that I have stood with miners throughout this fight and will keep on fighting to pass the bipartisan, House-passed, Butch Lewis Act to ensure that pensions for our Teamsters, Bakery and Confectionery workers and all other Pennsylvanians remain secure.\r\nIncluded in the agreement for the end-of-year funding package is the bipartisan American Miners Act of 2019, of which Senator Casey is an original cosponsor. This legislation would include provisions to shore up the 1974 Pension Plan, which is headed for insolvency due to coal company bankruptcies and the 2008 financial crisis. It would also ensure that miners, whose healthcare is at risk due to 2018 and 2019 coal company bankruptcies, will not lose their health benefits.\r\nSenator Casey has been a consistent fighter for miners' benefits, pushing for protections to miners' pensions and health care to ensure a permanent pensions and health care fix for retired coal miners and their families. In July of this year, Senator Casey hosted a roundtable discussion with miners and their families affected by Black Lung disease. During the discussion, Senator Casey introduced the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act (S. 2205) that would ensure that miners can access essential health and disability benefits.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-prevails-in-fight-to-increase-federal-funding-for", "Rep. Cartwright Prevails in Fight to Increase Federal Funding for Stormwater Infrastructure Improvements, Saving Money for Local Communities", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  House and Senate leaders today reached an agreement on two fiscal year 2020 federal spending packages, one of which includes funding secured by Rep. Cartwright to offset the costs of improving stormwater infrastructure in Northeastern Pennsylvania.\nThis increased funding doubles the money available for sediment removal grants and programs to control polluted stormwater runoff in the Chesapeake Bay watershed region, which includes parts of Pennsylvania's Eighth Congressional District. It will help cities and municipalities in Northeastern Pennsylvania meet a federal mandate to restore the Chesapeake Bay while requiring fewer local funds. This will help reduce stormwater fees paid by residents on their sewer bills.\nAs a member of the Appropriations Committee, Rep. Cartwright fought successfully for these funds to be included in the fiscal year 2020 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies budget bill, which passed the House in June. He then worked to guarantee that the funds remained in the final spending deal as his House colleagues negotiated with the U.S. Senate.\nNortheastern Pennsylvanians work hard to make a living and provide for their families. The Federal Government needs to help pay for major projects like this, said Rep. Cartwright. These new resources will help bring down stormwater fees over time and reduce the burden on working people. I was proud to fight hard for this funding so that Eighth District residents can keep more of their hard-earned savings.\nSpecifically, Rep. Cartwright doubled the total money available for grants that can go to communities in Northeastern Pennsylvania, from $12 million in fiscal year 2019 to $24 million for fiscal year 2020.\nThis federal money will help clean up our region's waterways so our kids have safe, clean water to drink. Local governments can use these grants to address pollution problems or aging and faulty sewer and stormwater systems. In the past, cities such as Wilkes-Barre have used these grants to improve stormwater management and reduce pollution released into the Susquehanna River.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/doyle-supports-legislation-fix-broadband-mapping", "Doyle Supports Legislation to Fix Broadband Mapping", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  December 16, 2019 U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (PA-18), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives approved two bills to improve broadband mapping.\nI'm pleased to see these bills move through the House today. Congressman Doyle said. These bills are crucial to promoting the deployment of broadband to unserved and underserved areas. Accurate maps of who does and doesn't have access to broadband are a critical first step in closing the digital divide. We can't hope to solve this problem if we don't know the scope of it - and where to put our resources. \n\"The FCC has been working with all of the stakeholders to fix our broadband maps, and today's bills would help to further those efforts. \n\"I commend my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for their bipartisan work on these bills which would go far to help urban and rural Americans alike.\nH.R. 4229, the Broadband Data Improvement Act, would update the FCC's mapping process, establish a public challenge process, and require federal agencies to use the newly created broadband maps to determine the extent and availability of broadband in the United States.\nH.R. 4227, theMapping Accuracy Promotes Services (MAPS) Act, would make it unlawful for a person to submit inaccurate broadband coverage data to the FCC.\nFor section by section information about H.R. 4229, click here.\nFor section by section information about H.R. 4227, clickhere.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-colleagues-secure-coal-miners-health-care-and-pensions-in-must-pass-end-of-year-bill", "Casey, Colleagues Secure Coal Miners Health Care and Pensions in Must-Pass End of Year Bill", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cartwright-announces-70000-eda-grant-to-the-economic-development-council", "Cartwright Announces $70,000 EDA Grant to the Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Scranton, PA  Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced that the Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania received a $70,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, distributed via the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for economic development district planning.\nThis EDA investment supports the development and implementation of a comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS) for the region served by the Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania, which includes Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne counties. The CEDS process is designed to bring together the public and private sectors in the creation of an economic development roadmap to diversify and strengthen the regional economy.\nPrograms like this are key to attracting new capital investment and creating more well-paying jobs in Northeastern Pennsylvania, said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the Appropriations Committee. This funding will help ensure our region is well-positioned for economic success now and in the future. I thank the NEPA Alliance for their continued commitment to growing our economy.\nThe NEPA Alliance thanks Congressman Cartwright for his leadership in economic development in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Congressman's support is crucial for EDA to have funds for NEPA to continue our economic development planning for our seven-county region, said Jeffrey K. Box, President & CEO of the NEPA Alliance.\nAs the only federal government agency focused exclusively on economic development, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) plays a critical role in facilitating regional economic development efforts in communities across the nation. The EDA investment policy is designed to establish a foundation for sustainable job growth and the building of durable regional economies throughout the United States. This foundation builds upon two key economic drivers: innovation and regional collaboration. The EDA encourages its partners around the country to develop initiatives that advance new ideas and creative approaches to address rapidly evolving economic conditions.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/2019/12/rep-dean-votes-articles-impeachment", "Rep. Dean Votes for Articles of Impeachment", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", "dean", "https://dean.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) voted for H.Res. 755, Articles of Impeachment Against President Donald J. Trump. The two articles were introduced by the House Judiciary Committee, of which Rep. Dean is a member.\n\n\u201cThe facts are uncontested,\u201d said Rep. Dean. \u201cPresident Trump withheld essential military aid to Ukraine \u2013 a democratic ally under siege from Russia \u2013 in exchange for help with his 2020 re-election. Then, when he was caught, President Trump refused to cooperate with Congress\u2019s Constitutionally-manded oversight, effectively declaring himself above the law.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s articles of impeachment address the President\u2019s misconduct \u2013 both his abuse of power and his subsequent obstruction of Congress,\u201d Rep. Dean continued. \u201cToday is not about punishment or hate. It is about love. Love of country. It\u2019s about protecting this country and our precious Constitution for all the Americans yet to come. No one wishes to be where we are today \u2013 but this is where we are called to be,\u201d Rep. Dean stressed.\n\n\u201cOur democracy is rooted in the principle that no one is above the law, and today, we are called upon to defend that principle. We depend on our Constitution \u2013 and it depends on us,\u201d Rep. Dean concluded.\n\nRep. Dean\u2019s full opening remarks can be found here.\n\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/2019/12/reps-dean-schneider-lead-letter-restoring-good-governance-and-accountability", "Reps. Dean, Schneider Lead Letter on Restoring Good Governance and Accountability in Department of Homeland Security FY20 Appropriations Bill", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", "dean", "https://dean.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 On Monday, Reps. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) and Brad Schneider (IL-10) sent a letter to House and Appropriations Committee leaders urging them to include good governance and accountability mechanisms in upcoming Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations legislation.\n\n\u201cOur Constitution is clear: Congress \u2013 and only Congress \u2013 has the power of the purse,\u201d said Rep. Dean. \u201cYet for the past several years, DHS has defied Congressional appropriations decisions \u2013 detaining thousands more people than Congress has authorized, overspending on detention and enforcement, and then raiding other parts of the DHS budget to make up the difference.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis defiance of Congressional intent is part of the administration\u2019s pattern of lawlessness \u2013 including \u2018reprogramming\u2019 funds appropriated to other agencies to pay for the President\u2019s border wall,\u201d added Rep. Dean.\n\n\u201cThe Trump Administration continues to ignore the will of Congress by attempting to divert funds appropriated to other agencies toward the President\u2019s wasteful and ineffective border wall,\u201d said Rep. Schneider. \u201cWe\u2019ve also seen far too many horrifying stories of inhumane treatment of individuals in the custody of CBP and ICE. The upcoming Homeland Security Appropriations bill is an opportunity to rein in the President\u2019s lawlessness and hold him accountable. I am proud to join my colleague Madeleine Dean in advocating for language that will reinforce the Congressional power of the purse and ensure the humane treatment of individuals within our nation\u2019s detention facilities.\u201d\n\nThe letter, which was also signed by 24 other Members of Congress, encouraged appropriators to \u201cprioritize the following good governance and accountability mechanisms in any final negotiated bill:\n\nExplicit language revoking DHS\u2019s transfer and reprogramming authority for the detention and enforcement accounts;\n\nProhibit funds appropriated outside of DHS \u2013 including Department of Defense funding \u2013 from being used for border wall construction;\n\nShould there be another CR [Continuing Resolution], rejection of any anomaly that would increase the budget for additional ICE or Customs and Border Control (CBP) agents, detention, or the border wall; and increased oversight of ICE\u2019s spending in the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) account, including the agency\u2019s use of exceptions to the automatic apportionment of funds; and\n\nStrong humanitarian guardrails to ensure that individuals are treated humanely and with dignity in CBP and ICE custody.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Reps. Dean and Schneider, the letter was signed by Reps. Jim Cooper (TN-05), Josh Harder (CA-10), Scott Peters (CA-52), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY-03), Darren Soto (FL-09), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Salud O. Carbajal (CA-24), Cedric L. Richmond (LA-02), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Sean Casten (IL-06), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), Juan Vargas (CA-51), Adam Smith (WA-09), Bill Foster (IL-11), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Eliot L. Engel (NY-16), Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02), David J. Trone (MD-06), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), and Kim Schrier (WA-08).\n\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-dean-votes-articles-impeachment", "Rep. Dean Votes for Articles of Impeachment", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) voted for H.Res. 755, Articles of Impeachment Against President Donald J. Trump. The two articles were introduced by the House Judiciary Committee, of which Rep. Dean is a member.\nThe facts are uncontested, said Rep. Dean. President Trump withheld essential military aid to Ukraine  a democratic ally under siege from Russia  in exchange for help with his 2020 re-election. Then, when he was caught, President Trump refused to cooperate with Congress's Constitutionally-manded oversight, effectively declaring himself above the law.\nToday's articles of impeachment address the President's misconduct  both his abuse of power and his subsequent obstruction of Congress, Rep. Dean continued. Today is not about punishment or hate. It is about love. Love of country. It's about protecting this country and our precious Constitution for all the Americans yet to come. No one wishes to be where we are today  but this is where we are called to be, Rep. Dean stressed.\nOur democracy is rooted in the principle that no one is above the law, and today, we are called upon to defend that principle. We depend on our Constitution  and it depends on us, Rep. Dean concluded.\nRep. Dean's full opening remarks can be foundhere.\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-dean-schneider-lead-letter-restoring-good-governance-and-accountability", "Reps. Dean, Schneider Lead Letter on Restoring Good Governance and Accountability in Department of Homeland Security FY20 Appropriations Bill", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  On Monday, Reps. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) and Brad Schneider (IL-10) sent a letter to House and Appropriations Committee leaders urging them to include good governance and accountability mechanisms in upcoming Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations legislation.\nOur Constitution is clear: Congress  and only Congress  has the power of the purse, said Rep. Dean. Yet for the past several years, DHS has defied Congressional appropriations decisions  detaining thousands more people than Congress has authorized, overspending on detention and enforcement, and then raiding other parts of the DHS budget to make up the difference.\nThis defiance of Congressional intent is part of the administration's pattern of lawlessness  including reprogramming' funds appropriated to other agencies to pay for the President's border wall, added Rep. Dean.\nThe Trump Administration continues to ignore the will of Congress by attempting to divert funds appropriated to other agencies toward the President's wasteful and ineffective border wall, said Rep. Schneider. We've also seen far too many horrifying stories of inhumane treatment of individuals in the custody of CBP and ICE. The upcoming Homeland Security Appropriations bill is an opportunity to rein in the President's lawlessness and hold him accountable. I am proud to join my colleague Madeleine Dean in advocating for language that will reinforce the Congressional power of the purse and ensure the humane treatment of individuals within our nation's detention facilities.\nThe letter, which was also signed by 24 other Members of Congress, encouraged appropriators to prioritize the following good governance and accountability mechanisms in any final negotiated bill:\n Explicit language revoking DHS's transfer and reprogramming authority for the detention and enforcement accounts;\n\tProhibit funds appropriated outside of DHS  including Department of Defense funding  from being used for border wall construction;\n\tShould there be another CR [Continuing Resolution], rejection of any anomaly that would increase the budget for additional ICE or Customs and Border Control (CBP) agents, detention, or the border wall; and increased oversight of ICE's spending in the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) account, including the agency's use of exceptions to the automatic apportionment of funds; and\n\tStrong humanitarian guardrails to ensure that individuals are treated humanely and with dignity in CBP and ICE custody.\n In addition to Reps. Dean and Schneider, the letter was signed by Reps. Jim Cooper (TN-05), Josh Harder (CA-10), Scott Peters (CA-52), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY-03), Darren Soto (FL-09), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Salud O. Carbajal (CA-24), Cedric L. Richmond (LA-02), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Sean Casten (IL-06), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), Juan Vargas (CA-51), Adam Smith (WA-09), Bill Foster (IL-11), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Eliot L. Engel (NY-16), Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02), David J. Trone (MD-06), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), and Kim Schrier (WA-08).\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://evans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/evans-house-passes-drug-bill-lower-costs-most-americans-price-insulin", "Evans: House Passes Drug Bill to Lower Costs for Most Americans Price of Insulin Up 197% in 10 Years; HR 3 Would Help", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Dwight Evans", "E000296", "evans.house.gov", "evans", "https://evans.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "PHILADELPHIA (Dec. 12, 2019) \u2013 Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3rd) voted today for landmark legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs for most Americans. The bill includes two other health-care bills Evans authored or co-sponsored.\n\n\"Philadelphians and people across the country pay too much for insulin and other life-saving prescription medications. The price of insulin has gone up 197 percent over the past 10 years! House Democrats passed the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act to do something about that. President Trump hasn't kept his promise to let Medicare negotiate drug prices, but House Democrats are taking action,\" Evans said.\n\nFor the most-used insulin medications, Pennsylvanians currently spend up to $20,000 per year. The bill the House passed today (H.R. 3) could lower the average total cost of the insulin NovoLOG Flexpen by 76 percent, from about $19,800 to $4,800 per year. Under the bill, some commonly used forms of insulin would cost as little as $400 per year.\n\nOverall, the bill would level the playing field for American patients and taxpayers by:\n\nGiving Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies, and creating powerful new tools to force drug companies to the table to agree to real price reductions, while ensuring seniors never lose access to the prescriptions they need.\n\nMaking the lower drug prices negotiated by Medicare available to Americans with private insurance, not just Medicare beneficiaries.\n\nStopping drug companies from ripping off Americans while charging other countries less for the same drugs, limiting the maximum price for any negotiated drug to be in line with the average price in countries like ours, where drug companies charge less for the same drugs \u2013 and admit they still make a profit.\n\nCreating a new, $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, and reversing years of unfair price hikes above inflation across thousands of drugs in Medicare.\n\nReinvesting the hundreds of billions of dollars in savings in the most transformational improvement to Medicare since its creation \u2013 delivering vision, dental and hearing benefits \u2013 and turbocharging the search for new cures.\n\nEvans said the bill also includes legislation he sponsored with Reps. Andy Kim (D-New Jersey) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Delaware). That legislation would allow 3.5 million more seniors to qualify for the Medicare Savings Programs, which could save them each hundreds of dollars per year.\n\nThe bill also includes Evans' legislation to improve the Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program, which supports education and training to low-income health professionals to help them move into health-care occupations that pay well and are expected to either experience labor shortages or be in high demand.\n\nEvans' bill would require HPOG grantees' case management plans to offer a career coaching service as part of the plans, with an option also to provide high-quality mentoring and peer support as needed to ensure success in this health care training program.\n\n\"The bottom line is House Democrats are continuing to investigate AND legislate. This landmark bill joins hundreds of other bills we have passed this year, including the Raise the Wage Act, which would provide the first national minimum-wage increase in 10 years; and gun background-check bills that would save lives. The Senate needs to listen to the people and act on these bills!\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://wild.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-wild-announces-holiday-cards-heroes-program", "Rep. Wild Announces Holiday Cards for Heroes Program", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Susan Wild", "W000826", "wild.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today,U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07)launched the first annual Holiday Cards for Heroes program for the 2019 holiday season.\n\nConstituents of Pennsylvania's Seventh District are invited to drop off holiday cards for military servicemembers at Wild's offices in Allentown and Easton, starting today through Friday, December 20, 2019. Holiday cards placed in envelopes should not be sealed closed.\n\nHandwritten cards of appreciation can make all the difference for our men and women separated from their families and friends this holiday season,Wild said.I am thrilled to help spread the sincere words of thanks and holiday cheer on behalf of the folks in the Greater Lehigh Valley to all those who bravely choose to serve our country.\n\nWild's offices are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.  5:00 p.m. and locations are provided below.\n\nLehigh CountyNorthampton County\n840 Hamilton St 400 Northampton St.\nSuite 303 Suite 503\nAllentown,PA18101 Easton,PA18042\nPhone: 484-781-6000 Phone: 610-333-1170\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-votes-to-pass-the-lower-drug-costs-now-act", "Rep. Cartwright Votes to Pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) voted to pass H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, in the House, landmark legislation to strengthen the health and financial security of America's seniors and families struggling under the weight of skyrocketing prescription drug prices.\nCurrently, U.S. drug prices are nearly four times higher on average than other developed nations. And for certain prescription drugs, Americans pay as much as 67 times more than consumers in other nations (learn more).\nThe Lower Drug Costs Now Act would give Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies to secure lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries and Americans with private insurance.\nThe cost of prescription drugs has spiraled out of control, and it's forcing many Americans to make difficult choices between paying for their medicine or other basic needs, said Rep. Cartwright. This landmark legislation will help reduce the financial strain that big drug companies' price-gouging practices have inflicted upon millions of Pennsylvania families. The Lower Drug Costs Now Act is a momentous step towards making health care more affordable in our state.\nIn Pennsylvania, there are 2.1 million people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and 7.4 million people enrolled in private health insurance  all of whom stand to benefit from the passage of the Lower Drug Costs Now Act.\nThe Lower Drug Costs Now Act would:\n \nGive Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies to bring down prices and create powerful new tools to bring drug companies to the table to agree to real price reductions.\n\tMake the lower drug prices negotiated by Medicare available to Americans with private insurance, in addition to Medicare beneficiaries.\n \n \nCreate a new $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for people on Medicare.\n\tSave taxpayers approximately $500 billion over the next ten years and reinvest those savings into:\n\t\t\nExpanding Medicare benefits to cover things like dental, vision and hearing,\n\t\t\tCombatting the opioid epidemic, and\n\t\t\tResearching new cures and treatments.\n\t\t\n \nMore information on H.R. 3 can be accessed here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/2019/12/rep-dean-offers-remarks-impeachment-markup", "Rep. Dean Offers Remarks at Impeachment Markup", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", "dean", "https://dean.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "At yesterday's Judiciary Committee markup of impeachment articles against President Trump, Rep. Dean offered the following statement:\n\n\"As members of Congress, we are entrusted with a generational duty \u2013 a duty to ensure that we leave our grandchildren with a Constitution as strong \u2014 or even stronger \u2014 than our predecessors gave us.\n\nI want to tell you about a conversation that took place the week of July 25th. But not the one you\u2019re thinking of.\n\nThis was a quiet moment between a leader and me \u2013 just a Freshman \u2013 on the floor of the House. I sought out Elijah Cummings, and sat down next to him. He looked up into the Gallery and said, \u201cMadeleine, 300 years from now, your ancestors will remember you were here.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are here only a short while; make sure what you do here matters!\u201d\n\n* * *\n\nAs First Corinthians tells us, \u201cFor now we see through a glass, darkly.\u201d\n\nMonths later, I am beginning to see \u201cface to face\u201d \u2014 what our recently departed Chairman Cummings meant: What we do here today will matter for generations.\n\nHe saw a broader horizon.\n\n* * *\n\nNow this immense Constitutional responsibility vested in us by our founding fathers requires us to decide whether President Donald J. Trump has purposefully and perilously abused the power entrusted to him By the People.\n\nThe evidence shows the President\u2019s wrongdoings are as clear as they are dangerous.\n\nHe has abused his power as President for personal gain \u2014 including his corrupt scheme to win re-election,\n\nHe has betrayed our nation and his oath by asking foreign governments to interfere in our elections,\n\nWhen he was caught, he obstructed Congress, blocking our Constitutional investigation at every turn \u2014 telling executive branch agencies and witnesses to defy subpoenas,\n\nAnd even in the midst of this investigation, he called on a third foreign power to interfere in the coming election.\n\nThe President\u2019s ongoing pattern of conduct threatens our most precious rights as Americans. The right to choose our own leaders and hold them accountable.\n\nIn George Washington\u2019s farewell address he warned against \"the insidious wiles of foreign influence ... the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.\"\n\nWe cannot allow this President to reach his hands \u2013 and the hands of foreign leaders \u2013 into our ballot boxes. Because for us to maintain our faith in this country \u2013 the democratic process is as important as the result.\n\n* * *\n\nSome have suggested that our actions \u2013 this historic call for impeachment \u2013 are based in dislike, or even hatred, of a single man.\n\nThey are not.\n\nToday is not about punishment or hate. It is about love. Love of country. It\u2019s about protecting this country \u2013 and our precious Constitution \u2013 for all the Americans yet to come.\n\nNo one wishes to be where we are today \u2014 but this is where we are called to be.\n\nToday is about the Congressional oath I swore \u2014 we all swore \u2014 to \u201cwell and faithfully discharge the duties of this office.\u201d\n\n* * *\n\nMy favorite uncle Walter was a Catholic priest. Years after his death, I swore my oath of office on Walter\u2019s Bible. My first grandchild, Aubrey, age 7, held it from below, as I placed my hand and bore \u201ctrue faith and allegiance\u201d to the Constitution.\n\nWalter\u2019s daily prayer washed over me: \u201cMay God grant success to the work of our hands.\u201d\n\nI remember the gravity of that moment \u2014 of accepting the mantle from those who came before us \u2014 and striving to protect the promise of the Constitution for the generations who have yet to inherit it.\n\nIt is in our hands now.\n\nMany people have walked these hallowed halls. Few of us remember their names. Some day, we too will be gone and forgotten. Yet what we do here will not. It will matter for decades and centuries to come. It will matter to my children and grandchildren \u2014 and to yours.\n\nIt will matter to a democracy battle-tested and hard-won \u2013 and yet only as strong as those willing to stand up and defend it. To defend the aspirations and constitutional promise of our country.\n\nThese are the moments that define us \u2013 that determine whether the United States of America will become less free, or more perfect.\n\nThat grand horizon is in our hands now. May God grant us success. Our forefathers demand it \u2014 and our granddaughters deserve it.\n\nIt is for these reasons that I support these articles of impeachment.\n\nAnd with that I yield, Mr. Chairman.\"\n\n* * *", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-dean-offers-remarks-impeachment-markup", "Rep. Dean Offers Remarks at Impeachment Markup", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "At yesterday's Judiciary Committee markup of impeachment articles against President Trump, Rep. Dean offered the following statement:\n\n\"As members of Congress, we are entrusted with a generational duty  a duty to ensure that we leave our grandchildren with a Constitution as strong  or even stronger  than our predecessors gave us.\nI want to tell you about a conversation that took place the week of July 25th. But not the one you're thinking of.\nThis was a quiet moment between a leader and me  just a Freshman  on the floor of the House. I sought out Elijah Cummings, and sat down next to him. He looked up into the Gallery and said, Madeleine, 300 years from now, your ancestors will remember you were here.\nWe are here only a short while; make sure what you do here matters!\n* * *\nAs First Corinthians tells us, For now we see through a glass, darkly.\nMonths later, I am beginning to see face to face  what our recently departed Chairman Cummings meant: What we do here today will matter for generations.\nHe saw a broader horizon.\n* * *\nNow this immense Constitutional responsibility vested in us by our founding fathers requires us to decide whether President Donald J. Trump has purposefully and perilously abused the power entrusted to him By the People.\nThe evidence shows the President's wrongdoings are as clear as they are dangerous.\n He has abused his power as President for personal gain  including his corrupt scheme to win re-election,\n\tHe has betrayed our nation and his oath by asking foreign governments to interfere in our elections,\n\tWhen he was caught, he obstructed Congress, blocking our Constitutional investigation at every turn  telling executive branch agencies and witnesses to defy subpoenas,\n\tAnd even in the midst of this investigation, he called on a third foreign power to interfere in the coming election.\n The President's ongoing pattern of conductthreatens our most precious rights as Americans. The right to choose our own leaders and hold them accountable.\nIn George Washington's farewell address he warnedagainst \"the insidious wiles of foreign influence ... the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.\"\nWe cannot allow this President to reach his hands  and the hands of foreign leaders  into our ballot boxes. Because for us to maintain our faith in this country  the democratic process is as important as the result.\n* * *\nSome have suggested that our actions  this historic call for impeachment  are based in dislike, or even hatred, of a single man.\nThey are not.\nToday is not about punishment or hate. It is about love. Love of country. It's about protecting this country and our precious Constitution  for all the Americans yet to come.\nNo one wishes to be where we are today  but this is where we are called to be.\nToday is about the Congressional oath I swore  we all swore  to well and faithfully discharge the duties of this office.\n* * *\nMy favorite uncle Walter was a Catholic priest. Years after his death, I swore my oath of office on Walter's Bible. My first grandchild, Aubrey, age 7, held it from below, as I placed my hand and bore true faith and allegiance to the Constitution.\nWalter's daily prayer washed over me: May God grant success to the work of our hands.\n\nI remember the gravity of that moment  of accepting the mantle from those who came before us  and striving to protect the promise of the Constitution for the generations who have yet to inherit it.\n\nIt is in our hands now.\n\nMany people have walked these hallowed halls. Few of us remember their names. Some day, we too will be gone and forgotten. Yet what we do here will not. It will matter for decades and centuries to come. It will matter to my children and grandchildren  and to yours.\n\nIt will matter to a democracy battle-tested and hard-won  and yet only as strong as those willing to stand up and defend it. To defend the aspirations and constitutional promise of our country.\nThese are the moments that define us  that determine whether the United States of America will become less free, or more perfect.\n\nThat grand horizon is in our hands now. May God grant us success. Our forefathers demand it  and our granddaughters deserve it.\n\nIt is for these reasons that I support these articles of impeachment.\n\nAnd with that I yield, Mr. Chairman.\"\n* * *", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/doyle-votes-lower-prescription-drug-prices", "Doyle Votes to Lower Prescription Drug Prices", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  December 12, 2019 U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (PA-18), announced that he voted in favor of a bill to lower Americans' prescription drug prices, which was approved by the House today on a vote of 230 to 192.\nI've been working to lower prescription drug prices for many years, so I'm very happy that we've finally been able to move this bill through the House, Congressman Doyle said this afternoon. This vote is a big win for consumers.\nSo many Americans say they have difficulty affording their prescription medicines, Congressman Doyle observed.In fact, nearly a third of all adults report not taking their medicines as prescribed at some point in the past year because they couldn't afford to. That ought to be unacceptable to everyone. Americans often pay three, four, or even 10x more than people living in other developed countries  simply because our government does not negotiate for better prices.\nI believe Americans ought to be paying less for their prescription drugs - especially since we are already contributing tax dollars to medical research that makes new drugs possible - and that American shouldn't have to pay more for their medicines than the rest of the world, Congressman Doyle added. That's why I've been working with other House Democrats on legislation to lower prescription drug prices, and why I voted for H.R. 3 today.\nH.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act would:\n \nGive Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies for lower drug prices;\n\tMake those lower drug prices available to Americanswith private insurance, not just Medicare beneficiaries;\n\tProhibit drug companies from charging Americans significantly more than they charge other countries for the same drugs;\n\tCreate a new, $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare Part D enrollees;\n\tProhibit drug companies from increasing prices beyond inflation every year;\n\tUse the savings from negotiating lower drug prices:\n\tfor more research to find new breakthrough treatments and cures;\n\tto expand Medicare coverage to include vision, hearing, and dental benefits; and\n\tto combat the opioid epidemic and provide funding to states most heavily impacted by the crisis.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1369", "Representative Houlahan Takes Resolute, Bipartisan Action To Lower Prescription Drug Prices", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Chrissy Houlahan", "H001085", "houlahan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan voted to pass H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which aims to lower the cost of prescriptions drugs. The high costs of prescription drugs is the issue that Rep. Houlahan hears most consistently about from constituents. This bipartisan bill passed the House 230-192. I promised my community that I would fight to lower the high cost of prescription drugs, said Houlahan. Last weekend, a man shared with me a heartbreaking story. He was standing in line at the drugstore when he realized a woman ahead of him did not have enough money to pay for her prescription. She had the exact amount of cash and change in her hand for the amount that it had cost the last time. But the price had gone up, so she was short about $10. The gentleman offered to pay the additional $10, for which this woman was terrifically grateful. She offered to repay him, but she said it would take her a couple of months to be able to do so. The gentleman sharing this story asked the correct question: Who cares for her?' The answer is We do. Congress does.' Today, I honored my promise to my community by passing the Lower Drug Costs Now Act  a bill that focuses exactly on this issue  making prescription drugs more affordable for every Pennsylvanian, for every American. I took today's vote for that woman, for the man who helped her, and for every Pennsylvanian struggling with the rising cost of prescription drugs. This bill will:\r\n \r\n    Ensure seniors can get a fair price for the prescriptions they need by granting the Secretary of HHS the ability to directly negotiate drug prices for Medicare, capping Part D out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 and restructuring catastrophic coverage, and creating penalties for price hikes that outpace inflation. \r\n    Create requirements and incentives to expand these protections and lower prices to the entire market, including private insurance, group health insurance, the VA, and more, to give health and financial security to all Americans.\r\n    Reinvest billions in innovation and the search for new cures and treatments at the National Institutes for Health (NIH) and through other means.\r\n    Reinvest in Medicare by providing vision, dental, and hearing coverage.\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\nHoulahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lamb.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-bipartisan-bill-lower-prescription-drug-prices", "HOUSE PASSES BIPARTISAN BILL TO LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Conor Lamb", "L000588", "lamb.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, DC)  Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019.\nLowering the cost of prescription drugs is one of the most important things Congress can do to help people in western Pennsylvania, said Lamb. No one should have to choose between taking lifesaving medicine and paying for food. Yet we know that seniors and families are faced with that decision every day because of the high cost of prescriptions. H.R. 3 will dramatically reduce drug costs, while also adding important vision, dental and hearing benefits to Medicare.\nIn Pennsylvania, there are 2.1 million people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and 7.4 million people enrolled in private health insuranceall of whom stand to benefit from the passage of H.R. 3. The legislation aims to lower prescription drug prices and improve Medicare for seniors and families across the country, including the creation of a $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare Part D.\nH.R. 3 also gives Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies and make the lower prices negotiated by Medicare available to Americans with private insurance. It will also reinvest savings to expand Medicare's benefits to include dental, vision and hearing; assist innovation in the search for new cures and treatments by investing an additional $10 billion in NIH research; and help combat the opioid crisis.\nClick here to learn more information about H.R. 3.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lamb.house.gov/media/press-releases/lamb-statement-articles-impeachment", "LAMB STATEMENT ON ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Conor Lamb", "L000588", "lamb.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, DC)  Today, Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) released the following statement regarding Articles of Impeachment:\nAfter reviewing all of the evidence and witness testimony in this investigation, I believe that President Trump abused his power and obstructed Congress, and I will vote for both articles of impeachment.\n\"The facts are clear  the President withheld weapons from the Ukrainians, even though Congress agreed that the weapons were needed to fight the Russians. Instead of using his office to oppose Russian aggression, the President used it to oppose his political opponent. This served his personal interests, but not our national security interests. The President has admitted these facts and refuses to acknowledge that he did anything wrong.\nI did not come to Congress to impeach the President. But I took an oath to protect our country and defend the Constitution. What the President did was wrong. It made our country less safe. That is why I will vote for impeachment.\nImpeachment is not stopping us from getting good, bipartisan work done. We reached an agreement with the administration on an important trade deal that will protect American workers. Today we will vote on a bill to cut drug prices and add vision, dental and hearing benefits to Medicare. I will keep working with both parties in the House to get things done for people in our District.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wild.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-wild-holds-betsy-devos-accountable-defrauded-student-borrower-relief", "Rep. Wild Holds Betsy DeVos Accountable on Defrauded Student Borrower Relief", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Susan Wild", "W000826", "wild.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "VIDEO: Rep. Wild Questions Secretary DeVos\n\nWASHINGTON Today,U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07)pressed Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in the House Education and Labor Committee on her administration's refusal to process debt relief claims from 240,000 student borrowers who were defrauded by predatory colleges. In defiance of federal court rulings, the Department of Education has refused to provide full loan relief to a single borrower under the Borrower Defense rule, causing a massive backlog in claims from defrauded borrowers seeking relief.\n\nThese students have been cheated twice: First by predatory, for-profits colleges who defrauded them, and now by Secretary DeVos, who refuses to provide them debt relief,Wild said.Our students deserve answers. Defrauded borrowers suffer severe financial consequences and Secretary DeVos has continually refused to answer basic questions about the Department's failure to give these students the relief they are legally entitled to. This is gross negligence to say the least.\n\nDue to her defiance of a Court order from last year, Secretary DeVos was found in civil contempt of Court in October 2019 for continuing to collect on the loans of defrauded students.\n\nEarlier this week, Secretary DeVos released a new partial relief formula for Borrower Defense, which fails to deliver debt relief to borrowers or provides just a fraction of the full relief they deserve. It would also deny the claims of many students who are entitled to relief.\n\nA total of 6,616 claims from defrauded Pennsylvanian students are still pending with the Department of Education.The Borrower Defense rule ensured that students would not be held responsible for paying back the loans they took out to attend schools that participated in fraudulent activities.Under this rule, Secretary DeVos has the authority to provide full and immediate debt relief to student borrowers who were defrauded by predatory colleges. Instead, she delayed and denied these students the relief they desperately need. Since June 2018, the Department has refused to provide full loan relief to a single borrower under the Borrower Defense rule. This is causing a massive backlog in claims from defrauded borrowers seeking relief.\n\nDid you not state at the beginning of your testimony that students are your number one priority? Because listening today, I have a hard time believing a defrauded borrower would think you are in their corner,Wild said while challenging Devos at the conclusion of her questioning.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wild.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-wild-votes-lower-cost-prescription-drugs-0", "Rep. Wild Votes to Lower the Cost of Prescription Drugs", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Susan Wild", "W000826", "wild.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "VIDEO: Rep. Wild's full remarks.\n\nWASHINGTON Today, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) voted to pass H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a bold, transformative piece of legislation that will finally stand up to big pharma and prevent hardworking Americans from paying more for their life saving medications than individuals buying those same drugs in other countries. H.R. 3 passed the House with a bipartisan majority.\n\nThe days of putting profits over people must come to an end. Reducing the costs of prescription drugs was a top priority of mine when I got to Washington and it remains a top priority of mine now, Wild said. I'm done watching families in the Greater Lehigh Valley decide whether to pay for life-saving medication or to pay their mortgage or put food on the table. No one should have to live in fear of the cost of their health care. Our system has failed the American people, and today we committed to putting their health and well-being first. I am proud to support this long-needed, life-saving legislation.\n\nLast month,Wild called attention to the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugsin the Greater Lehigh Valley in a House Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee hearing. In August,Wild endorsed the Pennsylvania Health Access Network's principles for lowering the costs of prescription drugsin the Greater Lehigh Valley, shortly aftera press conference held by Wild and Protect Our Care, where she heard from constituents and community health care advocates and released a report on the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs in the Greater Lehigh Valley. In May, Wild led a bipartisan amendment to stop the rising cost of premiums and,with the support of 78 Republicans, passed the House as a part H.R. 986, theStrengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act.\n\nH.R. 3 makes major reforms to increase transparency, reduce drug prices, and limit out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries, participants in employer sponsored plans, and individuals enrolled in commercial health insurance.\n\nH.R. 3 will reduce drug costs for millions of Americans in the Greater Lehigh Valley and across Pennsylvania:\n\n Diabetes: Pennsylvanian patients could save $15,000 off the average total cost of the insulin NovoLOG Flexpen per year;\n\tBreast Cancer: Pennsylvanian patients could save $45,100 off the average total cost of the breast cancer medication Ibrance per year;\n\tLeukemia: Pennsylvanian patients could save $66,300 off the average total cost of the leukemia medication Tasigna per year;\n\tProstate Cancer: Pennsylvanian patients could save $72,100 off the average total cost of the prostate cancer medication Zytiga per year;\n\tArthritis: Pennsylvanian patients could save $30,000 off their total costs on most arthritis drugs per year;\n\tAsthma: Pennsylvanian patients could save $1,130 off their total costs on most Asthma drugs per year;\n\tHIV/AIDS: Pennsylvanian patients could save $9,000 off their total costs on most HIV/AIDS drugs per year;\n\tMultiple Sclerosis: Pennsylvanian patients could save $27,000 off their total costs on most MS drugs per year.\n \nThis legislation levels the playing field for American patients and taxpayers. The Lower Drug Costs Now Act: \n\n Stops drug companies from ripping off Americans while charging other countries less for the exact same drugs.H.R. 3 will limit the maximum price manufacturers can charge for a negotiated drug to be in line with the average price in countries like the United States.\n\tReverses and prevents unjustified price hikes by implementing an inflation rebate for Part B and D drugs.H.R. 3 will require drug manufacturers to provide a rebate to the American people for price increases for Part B and D drugs that exceed inflation, including increases that have occurred since 2016.\n\tCaps out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors.H.R. 3 will establish a $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Part D plans.\n\tReinvests savings in health care for the American people.The savings achieved by H.R. 3 will be used to improve Medicare and will be reinvested in innovation and the search for new cures through NIH research.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-and-isaksons-landmark-over-the-counter-drug-reform-passes-senate", "Casey and Isakson\u2019s Landmark Over-the-Counter Drug Reform Passes Senate", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Yesterday, the Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act (S.2740), introduced by U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA), passed the full Senate. The Senators introduced this landmark legislation to overhaul the way over-the-counter medications are regulated and brought to market. The legislation seeks to streamline and modernize the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) regulatory system, ensuring effective oversight and speeding up the current years-long approval process for new over-the-counter medications.\r\nI am pleased that my Senate colleagues have passed the Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act, which will make long overdue updates to the regulation of over-the-counter drugs, said Casey. By modernizing regulation of over-the-counter drugs, we will provide confidence to American consumers that non-prescription medications have appropriate oversight from the FDA, and that the FDA has the authority to take swift action to protect public health should a safety problem occur.\r\nThe Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act will help ensure that Americans have effective, accessible health products in their medicine cabinets and on supermarket shelves. In addition, the legislation will ensure innovations can be made well into the future and that we are promoting competition to bring down costs for consumers, said Isakson. I thank my Senate colleagues for their overwhelming support in passing this legislation to modernize and overhaul our woefully outdated over-the-counter drug approval process, and I urge our colleagues in the House to quickly follow suit in passing this measure.\r\nThe current system used by the FDA to regulate these medications, called the over-the-counter (OTC) monograph system, was implemented in 1972. While modern medicine is constantly improving and adapting as research offers new information, the regulatory system for OTCs is outdated, putting consumer health at risk and hindering innovation that could benefit all Americans. The pharmaceutical industry would help cover much of the costs of the updated regulatory system through user fees to support medication review, new information technology (IT) infrastructure and new full-time employees for the FDA.\r\nSpecifically, the Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act would:\r\n \r\nChange the cumbersome monograph rulemaking process to an administrative order process (the same legal authority used for other medical product approvals).\r\n \r\n \r\nAllow the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to take rapid action to protect public health in the event of safety issues.\r\n \r\n \r\nEstablish processes for manufacturers to request administrative orders, or for the secretary to initiate administrative orders at the recommendation of the FDA or in response to citizens' petitions.\r\n \r\n \r\nEstablish a process by which drug developers can request meetings with the FDA, similar to existing processes for prescription drug development.\r\n \r\n \r\nCreate a new incentive to bring innovative over-the-counter products to consumers by providing an 18-month period of product exclusivity to reward innovation.\r\n \r\n \r\nRequire an annual update to Congress on the FDA's evaluation of the cold and cough monograph with respect to children under the age of six.\r\n \r\n \r\nAuthorize the FDA to collect user fees so that the agency has the necessary resources to evaluate and monitor the over-the-counter market.\r\n \r\nThe full text of the legislation can be found here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-continues-push-to-end-pay-disparities-for-tobyhanna-and-letterkenny-employees", "Casey Continues Push to End Pay Disparities for Tobyhanna and Letterkenny Employees", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. - Today,U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA)and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) reintroduced legislation that would help put an end to the persistent wage disparities at Tobyhanna Army Depot and Letterkenny Army Depot. Currently, salaried employees at both facilities, served by the General Schedule (GS), are included in higher paying locality pay areas than their hourly employee counterparts, who are served by the Federal Wage System (FWS). TheLocality Pay Equity Actwould help put an end to these disparities by requiring the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to treat all employees working at the same locations equally.\r\nAll employees, regardless of pay schedule, should be treated equally, said Senator Casey. It's long past time that we address this ongoing issue at Tobyhanna and Letterkenny. Workers at these army depots are serving our Nation and deserve fair treatment from the federal government. This legislation would put an end to these pay disparities and create a more equitable compensation system.\r\nThere's no reason we should be using two different sets of pay boundaries, especially when it results in such an unfair wage gap, said Rep. Cartwright. Senator Casey and I agree that it's time to fix this outdated system. This is a simple solution that ensures all Tobyhanna employees are paid fairly for their work, regardless of whether they are paid a salary or by the hour.\r\nThe Locality Pay Equity Act would:\r\n \r\nProhibit the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from including more than one local wage area within a pay locality;\r\n \r\n \r\nRemain targeted in scope, exempting the Rest of the United States locality from the requirement; and\r\n \r\n \r\nEnsure that no employee's pay will be lowered as a result of the change.\r\n \r\nWithin the federal workforce, hourly and salaried workers are paid using different pay-setting systems. Hourly workers fall under the FWS while salaried workers fall under the GS pay system. Both systems allow for workers' pay to be adjusted based on their location to account for differences in regional economic conditions. However, despite the fact that salaried and hourly workers at federal facilities like Tobyhanna and Letterkenny live and work in the same areas, current law does not require that the boundaries used to set locality pay be the same for hourly and salaried workers. As a result, salaried workers on the GS system are included in more generous locality pay and receive greater relative compensation than hourly workers on the FWS system. These disparities dampen employee morale, create tensions within the workforce and can undermine the federal government's ability to recruit for important positions.\r\nRead more about the Locality Pay Equity Act here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-joins-bipartisan-group-of-senators-on-letter-to-un-convention-in-support-of-global-efforts-to-combat-climate-change", "Casey Joins Bipartisan Group of Senators on Letter to UN Convention in Support of Global Efforts to Combat Climate Change", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  On Monday, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined a bipartisan group of senators in a letter to Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in support of its global efforts to thwart climate change. The 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) is underway in Madrid to convene a meeting on the historic Paris Climate Agreement. As the meeting took place,Casey joined a group of Senatorsin calling on President Trump to once again reconsider his decision to withdraw the United States from the historic accord.\r\nThe Senators wrote, Failing to address the worsening crisis of climate change will wreak damages on all Americans for centuries into the future. Now more than ever, the American people are demanding action on climate change from our federal government and our international partners.\r\nIn their letter, the Senators urged the UNFCCC and all international participants in the convention to explore all solutions and paths forward to combat the effects of climate change. In closing, the Senators reiterated that though the administration is not prioritizing this existential crisis, there is bipartisan support in Congress to take action. The Senators concluded, In a moment where the commitment of the United States to address climate change seems threadbare, we, the undersigned, assure you that we are working diligently to respond to this global threat and we support your efforts in Madrid.\r\nThe letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tom Udall (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV).\r\nThe letter can be read here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-sen-casey-introduce-bill-to-close-pay-gap-at-tobyhanna", "Rep. Cartwright, Sen. Casey Introduce Bill to Close Pay Gap at Tobyhanna Army Depot", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) and U.S. Senator Bob Casey (PA) introduced theLocality Pay Equity Act in both the U.S. House and Senate.\nUnder the current system, the locality boundaries for salaried workers are based on metropolitan markets, while the boundaries for hourly workers are still based on 1950s era military installation placements. This has led to a significant pay gap at the Tobyhanna Army Depot.\nHourly employees at Tobyhanna are included in the Scranton wage area, which is part of a locality pay area called Rest of U.S. (RUS). Salaried employees at Tobyhanna, however, have been placed in the New York City region. As a result, salaried employees earn 25 percent more than their wage-earning counterparts.\nThe Locality Pay Equity Act would close this gap by applying the pay boundaries for salaried employees to hourly workers. This would only raise the wages of hourly employees; it would not affect the salaried employees in any way.\nThere's no reason we should be using two different sets of pay boundaries, especially when it results in such an unfair wage gap, said Rep. Cartwright. Senator Casey and I agree that it's time to fix this outdated system. This is a simple solution that ensures all Tobyhanna employees are paid fairly for their work, regardless of whether they are paid a salary or by the hour.\nAll employees, regardless of pay schedule, should be treated equally, said Senator Casey. It's long past time that we address this ongoing issue at Tobyhanna and Letterkenny. Workers at these army depots are serving our Nation and deserve fair treatment from the federal government. This legislation would put an end to these pay disparities and create a more equitable compensation system.\nThis legislation is endorsed by the American Federation of Government Employees.\nRepublican Rep. Tom Cole (OK-04) is also a co-sponsor of this bill in the U.S. House.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/2019/12/rep-dean-s-bills-fix-student-loans-advance-house", "Rep. Dean\u2019s Bills to Fix Student Loans Advance in House", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", "dean", "https://dean.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) discussed the progress of two of her bills to make the student loan system fairer and more equitable.\n\nPrivate Loan Disability Discharge Act (H.R. 4545)\n\nToday, the House Financial Services Committee \u2013 on which Rep. Dean sits \u2013 voted to approve her Private Loan Disability Discharge Act by a vote of 32-25. Under current law, private lenders are not required to discharge student loans for borrowers or their cosigners if the borrower becomes totally and permanently disabled \u2013 unlike federal student loans which require this discharge. The Private Loan Disability Discharge Act would require private student lenders to discharge the loan balance for both the borrower and co-signer if the borrower becomes totally and permanently disabled.\n\n\u201cA constituent brought this issue to our attention,\u201d said Rep. Dean. \u201cHer daughter had become totally disabled, and she was left with the remaining balance of her private student loans as the cosigner. The lending company said it was their policy to forgive the debt for the borrower, but not for the cosigner on the original agreement. That felt wrong \u2013 so we wrote H.R. 4545 to fix the issue. Currently there is no industry standard backed by statute to ensure student loan borrowers are protected in the case of these terrible circumstances. Today, I\u2019m pleased to see the bill advance out of the House Financial Services Committee, and I will continue working toward a vote on the House floor.\u201d\n\nH.R. 4545 is endorsed by the National Disability Rights Network, The National Council on Independent Living, the U.S. International Council on Disabilities, the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), Americans for Financial Reform, the Center for Responsible Lending, and The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS).\n\nEnsuring Fair Legal Recourse for Private Student Loan Borrowers Act (H.R. 4544)\n\nLanguage from Rep. Dean\u2019s Ensuring Fair Legal Recourse for Private Student Loan Borrowers Act was also included in legislation passed out of the House Financial Services Committee. The Student Borrower Protections Act, sponsored by Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12), was approved by a vote of 32-26; it sets minimum standards on student loan services and student loan transactions. The language included from Rep. Dean\u2019s legislation ensures that private lenders cannot force borrowers to waive their legal rights by signing loan agreements, either by agreeing in advance to arbitration, or by agreeing not to participate in a joint or class action lawsuit.\n\n\u201cStudents shouldn\u2019t have to sign away basic legal protections in order to borrow money and claim their education,\u201d said Rep. Dean.\n\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-dean-s-bills-fix-student-loans-advance-house", "Rep. Deans Bills to Fix Student Loans Advance in House", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) discussed the progress of two of her bills to make the student loan system fairer and more equitable.\nPrivate Loan Disability Discharge Act (H.R. 4545)\nToday, the House Financial Services Committee  on which Rep. Dean sits  voted to approve her Private Loan Disability Discharge Act by a vote of 32-25. Under current law, private lenders are not required to discharge student loans for borrowers or their cosigners if the borrower becomes totally and permanently disabled  unlike federal student loans which require this discharge. The Private Loan Disability Discharge Act would require private student lenders to discharge the loan balance for both the borrower and co-signer if the borrower becomes totally and permanently disabled.\nA constituent brought this issue to our attention, said Rep. Dean. Her daughter had become totally disabled, and she was left with the remaining balance of her private student loans as the cosigner. The lending company said it was their policy to forgive the debt for the borrower, but not for the cosigner on the original agreement. That felt wrong  so we wrote H.R. 4545 to fix the issue. Currently there is no industry standard backed by statute to ensure student loan borrowers are protected in the case of these terrible circumstances. Today, I'm pleased to see the bill advance out of the House Financial Services Committee, and I will continue working toward a vote on the House floor.\nH.R. 4545 is endorsed by the National Disability Rights Network, The National Council on Independent Living, the U.S. International Council on Disabilities, the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), Americans for Financial Reform, the Center for Responsible Lending, and The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS).\nEnsuring Fair Legal Recourse for Private Student Loan Borrowers Act (H.R. 4544)\nLanguage fromRep. Dean's Ensuring Fair Legal Recourse for Private Student Loan Borrowers Actwas also included in legislation passed out of the House Financial Services Committee. The Student Borrower Protections Act, sponsored by Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12), was approved by a vote of 32-26; it sets minimum standards on student loan services and student loan transactions. The language included from Rep. Dean's legislation ensures that private lenders cannot force borrowers to waive their legal rights by signing loan agreements, either by agreeing in advance to arbitration, or by agreeing not to participate in a joint or class action lawsuit.\nStudents shouldn't have to sign away basic legal protections in order to borrow money and claim their education, said Rep. Dean.\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/doyle-calls-lower-prescription-drug-prices", "Doyle Calls for Lower Prescription Drug Prices", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  December 11, 2019 U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (PA-18) gave the following remarks today on the House Floor in favor of a bill to lower Americans' prescription drug prices. The bill, H.R. 3, is scheduled for a vote in the House tomorrow.\nMadam Speaker, millions of Americans are suffering from skyrocketing prescription drug prices. They have to choose between medicine and food - or rent - or utility bills. People are actually dying because they've been forced to skip or reduce doses.\nPrices aren't soaring because of the cost of developing prescription drugs. Some of these drugs are decades old. No, prices are soaring because drug makers are jacking up prices wherever and whenever they can to maximize their profits. They can do that because the U.S. is the only country in the world that subsidizes research on new drugs and then refuses to negotiate with drug makers for lower prices. This is insane. Americans shouldn't be dying because drug companies want bigger profits. \nI'm supporting HR 3 because it will allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, cap annual price increases, and set out-of-pocket maximums for seniors. It's way past time Congress allowed Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of HR 3 to lower drug costs now.\nClick here to watch the speech.\nH.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act would:\n \nGive Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies for lower drug prices;\n\tMake those lower drug prices available to Americanswith private insurance, not just Medicare beneficiaries;\n\tProhibit drug companies from charging Americans significantly more than they charge other countries for the same drugs;\n\tCreate a new, $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare Part D enrollees;\n\tProhibit drug companies from increasing prices beyond inflation every year;\n\tUse the savings from negotiating lower drug prices:\n \n \nfor more research to find new breakthrough treatments and cures;\n\tto expand Medicare coverage to include vision, hearing, and dental benefits; and\n \n \nto combat the opioid epidemic and provide funding to states most heavily impacted by the crisis.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1364", "Representative Houlahan Issues Statement On Passage Of The Farm Workforce Modernization Act", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Chrissy Houlahan", "H001085", "houlahan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) voted to pass H.R. 5038, The Farm Workforce Modernization Act. This legislation would stabilize the agricultural sector so our farmers' labor needs are met. Representative Houlahan issue the following statement upon passage:\r\n\r\nThe passage of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act is a step in the right direction for employment-based visa reform that serves the needs of Pennsylvania's 6th district. Although I have heard from members of my community that this bill isn't perfect, I voted for this bipartisan, compromise legislation because it improves upon the status quo: an agricultural sector struggling with a labor crisis and farmworkers and families without adequate protections, many of whom are undocumented without a pathway to legal status. Simply put, the system we have now works for no one. Earlier this year, after hearing from employers and farm worker advocacy groups in my community, I wrote to the drafters of this bill to ask that any legislation put forward include specific attention to the issue of year-round agriculture. Dairy producers and mushroom growers are the main engines of the agricultural sector in my community, and their business isn't seasonal. I have heard from our mushroom farmers about how they are unable to maximize productivity without access to adequate labor. Dairy farmers have also told me that with more and consistent farmworkers, welfare on farms will improve through reduced animal stress. The current system does not consider the specific needs of employers and workers in year-round agricultural work. This bill responds to my advocacy  the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 includes up to 20,000 visas  growing to 60,000 in the third year - specifically for year-round agriculture. The bill also includes important provisions to support farm workers and their families. In PA-06, many families that originally came on a temporary basis to perform agricultural work have put down roots and become important members of our community. This bipartisan bill includes a pathway to a green card for farm workers and their families who are still on visas or are undocumented. My letter also called for legislation to ensure that employers are acting in good faith while utilizing the H-2A visa program. I am pleased that the Farm Workforce Modernization Act includes wage protections, improves the availability of farm worker housing, and establishes better oversight over foreign labor recruiters who have taken advantage of farm workers. While this bill is supported by a wide range of stakeholders, I respect the views of members of my community who view this legislation as imperfect, and I look forward to working with all stakeholders as it moves forward to the Senate.\r\n\r\n  \r\nHoulahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1365", "Representative Houlahan Celebrates Passage Of Landmark Legislation To Support Our Servicewomen And Women Veterans", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Chrissy Houlahan", "H001085", "houlahan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan announced the passage of her Servicewomen's Health Transition Training Act, which will soon go to the President's desk for signature. Representative Houlahan introduced this bipartisan legislation with Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Gil Cisneros (D-CA). The bill requires the Defense Department to encourage servicewomen who are separating from the Armed Forces to participate in the Women's Health Transition Training pilot program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This pilot program is specifically geared towards helping women transitioning from the military learn about health care at the VA, employment opportunities, and other services available to help with their successful transition to civilian life. In 2019, we set a record for the highest number of women veterans serving in Congress, said Houlahan. Together, on a bipartisan basis, we are standing up for our brave servicewomen. This legislation continues our commitment to the fastest growing cohort in our veteran community  women. When I separated from the Air Force, I had little to no knowledge about the services offered by the VA. We owe these women the support they need as they transition from their active duty to veteran status. This bill, through its promotion of the VA's Women's Health Transition Assistance pilot program, does exactly that. In the military, we promised to leave no one behind. I will forever continue to honor that promise. Many servicewomen face unique issues related to their transition to civilian life that go unaddressed, said Rep. Cisneros. I'm glad the NDAA includes our legislation to help ensure transitioning servicewomen are aware of the health services available to them, including eligibility for gender-specific services and mental health programs. We need to make it easier for our servicemembers to receive the care they need and deserve, and I'll continue to work with Representatives Houlahan and Stefanik to ensure our government is committed to serving those who have served us. Protect Our Defenders stands by Representative Houlahan's very important piece of legislation that will go towards helping women leaving the service get the health information they will need in order to maximize the benefits that they are entitled to, and live healthy and productive lives post-service, said Adelaide Kahn, Director of Programs and Policy, Protect Our Defenders. Time and again we work with women veterans who do not know about some of the programs and services at VA, and are daunted at the thought of trying to learn that information on their own. We believe that the Health Transition Training pilot program will set women veterans up for success going forward, and will ensure that those entitled to benefits and programs will have access to them. Servicewomen now can learn about the superb, comprehensive women's healthcare available to them at VA as they are leaving active duty, said Lory Manning, Captain, USN, (ret.), Director Government Operations, Service Women's Action Network. They've earned that care and thanks to the Servicewomen's Health Transition Training Act they can access it as they transition to civilian life. The Servicewomen's Action Network salutes Congresswoman Houlahan and her colleagues for their leadership in making this needed training a reality. IAVA has long been a staunch advocate for women veterans, having launched our She Who Borne the Battle campaign in 2017, said Jeremy Butler, CEO, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Data shows that women veterans, on average, do not seek support from the Veteran Health Administration until 2.7 years after leaving the service, or until mental or physical health issues have manifested. The Women's Health Transition Training program is a proven and effective way to provide servicewomen with a deeper understanding of the women's health services within the VA health care system so that they may receive the care that they have earned. IAVA commends Congresswoman Houlahan for her leadership in pushing this valuable legislation over the finish line. The Women Veterans Community applauds the outstanding work of Representative Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania for introducing this bipartisan House Resolution Bill piloting the Women's Health Transition Training Pilot Program, said Deborah Harmon-Pugh, National Campaign Chair, Women Veterans ROCK! & Chair of The Women Veterans 2020 Delegation. The early success of this women's health pilot program has already established itself as a great resource and another important benefit for today's transitioning military servicewomen.\r\nFull text of the bill can be found here.\r\nThe pilot program is presented by a woman veteran currently receiving health care at the VA. Of the 670 women who have participated, 99 percent would recommend the course to others and 80 percent have agreed to post-course follow-up. Post-course survey data indicate a 126 percent improvement in awareness among participants of women's health services at the VHA. Further, there was an increase of 30 percent in intent to enroll in the VA, an increase of 39 percent in likeliness to use VA health care services, and an increase of 17 percent in intent to use VA suicide prevention services, if needed. As of October 2019, participant enrollment rate in Veterans Affairs was 114 percent higher than the national average enrollment rate for women Veterans from the previous year. Participants are also enrolling in VA faster, at a median of 10 days after separation from the military  this is a 67 percent decrease in median enrollment time compared to the previous year.\r\n\r\n  \r\nHoulahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-and-isaksons-landmark-over-the-counter-drug-reform-passes-senate", "Casey and Isaksons Landmark Over-the-Counter Drug Reform Passes Senate", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-continues-push-to-end-pay-disparities-for-tobyhanna-and-letterkenny-employees", "Casey Continues Push to End Pay Disparities for Tobyhanna and Letterkenny Employees", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-joins-bipartisan-group-of-senators-on-letter-to-un-convention-in-support-of-global-efforts-to-combat-climate-change", "Casey Joins Bipartisan Group of Senators on Letter to UN Convention in Support of Global Efforts to Combat Climate Change", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-statement-on-new-usmca-deal", "Rep. Cartwright Statement on New USMCA Deal", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) today issued a statement following the announcement that House Democrats and the Trump administration reached a deal to secure improvements to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).\nNobody knows the importance of having a better trade agreement than we do in Northeastern Pennsylvania, said Rep. Cartwright. The USMCA we have today is a significant improvement upon the agreement submitted to Congress last year, and a major upgrade from the original NAFTA. New enforcement mechanisms to hold our trading partners to their labor reform promises will help ensure America's manufacturing workers are not on the losing side of trade. I'm pleased that my colleagues have been able to work constructively with the Trump administration to reach a stronger agreement for American workers.\nOver the past several months, House Democrats engaged in extensive negotiations with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to improve the USMCA. In addition to stronger labor enforcement mechanisms, House Democrats also secured better environmental protections and measures to preserve Congress' ability to improve access to affordable medicines.\nMore information on the USMCA improvements can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/doyle-television-viewer-protection-act-approved-house", "Doyle Television Viewer Protection Act  Approved by House", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  December 10, 2019  U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (PA-18), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, announced that the U.S. House of Representatives has approved H.R. 5035, the Television Viewer Protection Act, his bipartisan legislation to ensure cable and satellite TV customers have access to programming from all major broadcast networks.\n\nI'm very pleased that the House approved this important consumer protection bill today with bipartisan support, Congressman Doyle said after the bill's passage. It took a lot of negotiation with the different stakeholder groups over a number of weeks to hammer out all the provisions in this legislation, but it was worth it. The Television Viewer Protection Act will benefit millions of Americans who subscribe to cable or satellite TV service. This bill is a big win for consumers.\n\nFederal law sets many rules for television broadcast signals, such as licensing and broadcaster ownership rules. It also sets the rules under which cable and satellite TV companies can retransmit broadcast television signals to their customers. This is a highly valued service for households that don't receive one or more network-affiliated television signals because of restrictive geography or their remote location. Some of these laws were last reauthorized in 2014 in the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization Act (STELAR Act,P.L. 113-200) and are set to expire on December 31, 2019.\n\nH.R. 5035 would:\n \napply important consumer rights and transparency requirements to consumers' cable and satellite bills,\n\tmake important provisions related to good faith in retransmission consent negotiations permanent, and\n\tgive small rural cable providers the ability to negotiate as a group to purchase broadcast programming from the largest broadcast ownership groups, but provide important protections for broadcasters if a buying group does not act in good faith.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1359", "Representative Houlahan, Chairman Smith, Chairwoman Maloney, And Labor Leaders Hold Press Conference To Announce Paid Parental Leave Legislation", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Chrissy Houlahan", "H001085", "houlahan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan will join a press conference with House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA), Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), and labor leaders to discuss their paid parental leave provision in the final conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020.\r\nWHO:     Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA)  \r\n           Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.)  \r\n           Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)  \r\n           Lee Saunders, President, AFSCME  \r\n           Everett Kelley, National Secretary-Treasurer, AFGE  \r\n           John Hatton, Director of Legislative and Political Affairs, NARFE  \r\n           Randy Erwin, National President, NFFE  \r\n           Anthony Reardon, National President, NTEU  \r\n           Amaya Smith, Vice President for Marketing and Communications, National Partnership for Women & Families\r\nWHAT:    Press conference to discuss the FY20 NDAA and Paid Parental Leave\r\nWHEN:    Tuesday, December 10, 2019  \r\n           3:00pm ET\r\nWHERE:  Rayburn House Office Building  \r\n           Room 2212\r\n\r\nHoulahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1362", "Representative Houlahan Welcomes USMCA Progress", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Chrissy Houlahan", "H001085", "houlahan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan issued the following statement on the path forward for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA): Trade is crucial to the growth of Pennsylvania's economy and the success of our small businesses, said Houlahan. I applaud the efforts of House leadership and the Democratic Working Group to reach a deal on a U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that is beneficial to U.S. companies and workers alike. I am also grateful for Ambassador Lighthizer and his team, as well as our Mexican and Canadian partners, for their continued willingness to negotiate to get this deal right, especially on the critical issue of ensuring the effectiveness of the USMCA's enforcement mechanisms. Canada and Mexico are Pennsylvania's largest export markets, and I have heard from stakeholders from all corners of our community about the benefits this agreement would bring to our farmers, manufacturers, and other industries. As an entrepreneur, I believe strong trade agreements can create opportunities for economic growth while protecting our workers and the environment. I look forward to seeing the details of the agreement and holding a vote on the House floor.\r\n\r\n  \r\nHoulahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wild.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-wild-statement-articles-impeachment", "Rep. Wild Statement on Articles of Impeachment", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Susan Wild", "W000826", "wild.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON Today,U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07)released the following statement in response to the introduction of two articles of impeachment against President Trump:\nIt is with sincere sorrow that I will be voting in support of the articles of impeachment introduced this morning against President Donald Trump.\nI did not come to Congress to impeach the President.I ran for office to bring down health care and prescription drug costs, raise wages, fix our trade agreements, rebuild our infrastructure, combat the opioid epidemic, and expand opportunity for my children and yours.\nBut my most important responsibility is touphold my oath of office to defend and protect the Constitution. And after thoroughly reviewing the testimony and evidence presented over the past several weeks, from career professionals and Trump Administration appointees alike, it is beyond clear to me that President Trump, through his interactions with Ukrainean ally under attack by Russiaabused the powers of his office to put his own political interests above the interests of the American people.\nTo make matters worse, President Trump then deliberately obstructed Congress's constitutional oversight responsibilitiesan egregious violation of our system of checks and balances and a betrayal of the vision set forth by our founding fathers of a government composed of three coequal branches.\nMake no mistake: this is by no means an easy decision. Throughout this process I was patient and deliberative, speaking out only when the President left me no choice but to do so. The House of Representatives must now conclude this process swiftly, and it is my hope that the Senate will conduct an impartial and expeditious trialputting their dedication to our Constitution above partisan loyalties.\nI have heard from many constituents across the 7th district on this issue. It is important to me that they know that I carefully considered their perspectives, although I am aware that some among them will inevitably disagree with the decision I have come to. Moving forward, I will continue to work with my Republican and Democratic colleagues to tackle the priorities of the Greater Lehigh Valley. While today is a solemn one in the history of our country, we must work together to ensure a brighter tomorrow. I am honored to play a part in that effort, and I will keep working to unify all Americans so that we can build a better life for our children and for generations to come.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wild.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-wild-statement-usmca-agreement", "Rep. Wild Statement on USMCA Agreement", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Susan Wild", "W000826", "wild.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON Today,U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07)released the following statement after Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal announced a deal with United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement:\nWhen I decided to run for this office, I promised to work across the aisle and represent all my constituents. I heard your calls for bipartisanship, which is why I worked so hard to secure a new North American Trade Agreement that protects our workers, our businesses, and our planet. A new deal requires good faith negotiations, and I am proud that we could put aside our political differences and come to an agreement.\nBack in June 2019, I led my freshmen colleagues in urging President Trump and USTR Lighthizer to revise provisions of the deal that would create another monopoly for Big Pharma in the global market and keep drug prices high.I also expressed reservations about a lack of enforcement mechanisms that could lead to the exploitation of American workers.\nFor the last six months, I have worked to get to yes on USMCA. I have been in constant contact with various stakeholders and I recognize the importance of opening up global markets to businesses in our district. Today, I am proud to say that the USMCA will do just that and that the parties have agreed to take out the provisionsthat would have locked in high drug costs and harmed our workers.This dealwith contributions from Republicans and Democrats alikeis something we can be truly proud of.\nI commend our labor and business leaders, our farmers and rural leaders, USTR Lighthizer, Congressional leadership and members of Congress from both parties for working together to get a fair deal for the American people, and I look forward to voting to ratify the USMCA.\nIn June, Wild, a member of the New Democrat Coalition and the House Committee on Education and Laborled 27 freshman House Democrats in a letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizerin which the lawmakers called for negotiations to be re-opened so changes could be made to strengthen labor standards and environmental terms and protect consumers from excessive increases in drug prices.\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/following-widespread-reports-of-inaccuracies-in-medicares-plan-finder-tool-casey-and-democratic-colleagues-urge-cms-to-publicize-special-enrollment-period", "Following Widespread Reports of Inaccuracies in Medicare\u2019s Plan Finder Tool, Casey and Democratic Colleagues Urge CMS to Publicize Special Enrollment Period", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Ranking Member of the Special Committee on Aging, was joined by Senators Jon Tester (D-MT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tom Carper (D-DE) and 11 other Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The letter urges CMS to publicize the existence of a Special Enrollment Period for beneficiaries who enrolled in health care plans after using inaccurate information from Medicare's newly redesigned Plan Finder tool.\r\nPeople with Medicare rely on Medicare Plan Finder to choose the best coverage for their health and financial needs and they should be able to trust that the information provided is accurate and complete. Incorrect or incomplete information on coverage and costs can prove burdensome for people with Medicare and their families. Unfortunately, people with Medicare may not realize they received erroneous information from Medicare Plan Finder until they visit their pharmacy well into 2020, the senators wrote in their letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma.\r\nWithout knowledge of the Special Enrollment Period, seniors and people with disabilities may experience unnecessarily high prescription drug costs or skip needed treatments, the senators also noted. To benefit from the Special Enrollment Period, older adults, people with disabilities and their caregivers must be made aware that there is reprieve from errors caused by the faulty tool.\r\nMedicare beneficiaries who believe they enrolled in a plan based on inaccurate information from the Medicare Plan Finder tool should contact 1-800-MEDICARE.\r\nOther senators that signed on to the letter include: Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Angus King (I-ME) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).\r\nThe text of the letter is available here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/2019/12/rep-madeleine-dean-addresses-national-defense-authorization-act-pfas-provisions", "Rep. Madeleine Dean Addresses National Defense Authorization Act PFAS Provisions", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", "dean", "https://dean.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) expressed frustration at news that Senate Republicans are blocking the inclusion of PFAS provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\n\n\u201cEarlier this year, the House passed the NDAA,\u201d said Rep. Dean. \u201cThanks to the work of dozens of legislators committed to tackling our PFAS water contamination challenge, the NDAA included measures to phase out PFAS, clean up these chemicals, and establish a clear, nationwide drinking water standard.\u201d\n\n\u201cTogether, these bills represented crucial steps forward in addressing a public health challenge that affects tens of millions of Americans. Now, Senate Republicans are refusing to discuss these measures,\u201d Dean continued.\n\n\u201cThe American people deserve better. They deserve a government that addresses public health risks with genuine urgency. Along with my colleagues on the PFAS Task Force, I will continue working to ensure that we live up to this responsibility,\u201d Dean concluded.\n\nBackground: PFAS chemicals are linked to a range of health consequences, including kidney, testicular, and thyroid cancer, altered liver function, and impaired immune system performance. The chemicals have long been used in a range of consumer products, and the military continues to use aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) in firefighting training exercises.\n\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-madeleine-dean-addresses-national-defense-authorization-act-pfas-provisions", "Rep. Madeleine Dean Addresses National Defense Authorization Act PFAS Provisions", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Madeleine Dean", "D000631", "dean.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) expressed frustration at news that Senate Republicans are blocking the inclusion of PFAS provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\nEarlier this year, the House passed the NDAA, said Rep. Dean. Thanks to the work of dozens of legislators committed to tackling our PFAS water contamination challenge, the NDAA included measures to phase out PFAS, clean up these chemicals, and establish a clear, nationwide drinking water standard.\nTogether, these bills represented crucial steps forward in addressing a public health challenge that affects tens of millions of Americans. Now, Senate Republicans are refusing to discuss these measures, Dean continued.\nThe American people deserve better. They deserve a government that addresses public health risks with genuine urgency. Along with my colleagues on the PFAS Task Force, I will continue working to ensure that we live up to this responsibility, Dean concluded.\nBackground: PFAS chemicals are linked to a range of health consequences, including kidney, testicular, and thyroid cancer, altered liver function, and impaired immune system performance. The chemicals have long been used in a range of consumer products, and the military continues to use aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) in firefighting training exercises.\nRep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1358", "Representative Houlahan Advances Major Voting Rights Bill", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Chrissy Houlahan", "H001085", "houlahan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan voted to pass H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act. This legislation restores the full strength of the Voting Rights Act after a 2013 Supreme Court decision effectively nullified the Act, inviting countless episodes of voter suppression across the country. The bill passed the House 228-187. Our democracy doesn't work unless the right to vote for every eligible American is protected, said Houlahan. The Constitution is clear  Congress is ultimately responsible for protecting that sacred right to have our voices, all our voices, heard at the ballot box. I am proud of our vote today; it sends a signal to every voter in PA and beyond that we are committed to a country in which everyone has a say. This bill will:\r\n \r\n    Establish practice-based preclearance, which would focus administrative or judicial review narrowly on suspect practices that are most likely to be tainted by discriminatory intent or to have discriminatory effects, as demonstrated by a broad historical record. Under the bill, this process of reviewing changes in voting is limited to a set of specific practices, including such things as:\r\n    Allow a federal court to order states or jurisdictions to be covered for results-based violations, where the effect of a particular voting measure is racial discrimination in voting and denying citizens their right to vote.\r\n    Increase transparency by requiring reasonable public notice for voting changes.\r\n    Allow the U.S. Attorney General the authority to request the presence of federal observers anywhere in the country where there is a serious threat of racial discrimination in voting.\r\n    \r\n \r\nHoulahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wild.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-wild-votes-protect-access-ballot-and-pass-voting-rights-advancement-act", "Rep. Wild Votes to Protect Access to the Ballot and Pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Susan Wild", "W000826", "wild.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) voted to pass H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, critical legislation to restore the full strength of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). The legislation follows the Supreme Court Shelby v. Holder decision, which eliminated the VRA's ability to combat voter suppression and discrimination. Since this decision, at least 23 states have enacted voter suppression laws, including voter purges, strict ID requirements, poll closures, and curtailing of early voting hours.\n\nThe right of all people to fully participate in their democracy is the cornerstone of this great American experiment, Wild said. Nearly 55 years after the Voting Rights Act expanded and strengthened the sacred right to vote, access to the ballot box is under unprecedented attack. I'm so proud to support this necessary legislation to ensure every American has the power to choose their government and hold it accountable.\n\nThis historic bill to better ensure that every eligible American voter has full access to the ballot box has the support of a wide range of nonpartisan organizations, including the American Association of University Women, League of Women Voters of the United States, National Education Association, NAACP, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and Native American Rights Fund.\n\nThe Voting Rights Advancement Act reestablishes full protections for voters in states with a recent history of discrimination. The bill provides a new coverage formula that determines which jurisdictions are subject to preclearance, based on current conditions in response to the Supreme Court decision\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/following-widespread-reports-of-inaccuracies-in-medicares-plan-finder-tool-casey-and-democratic-colleagues-urge-cms-to-publicize-special-enrollment-period", "Following Widespread Reports of Inaccuracies in Medicares Plan Finder Tool, Casey and Democratic Colleagues Urge CMS to Publicize Special Enrollment Period", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-boyle-ndaa-pfas-provisions-removal-senate", "Statement by Congressman Boyle on NDAA PFAS Provisions Removal by Senate Republicans", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Brendan F. Boyle", "B001296", "boyle.house.gov", "boyle", "https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) released the following statement following Senate Republicans elimination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) provisions within the National Defense Authorization Act:\n\n\"Once again, Senate Republicans have let the American public down by catering to special interests rather than the health and safety of the those they took an oath to represent,\" said Congressman Boyle. \"The House did its job and passed meaningful PFAS protections in our version of the NDAA to protect our constituents and the environment. Now that Senate Republicans refused to negotiate in good faith, manufacturers of these dangerous chemicals are let off the hook, and people will continue to suffer as a result.\"\n\n\"Moving forward, Democrats in the House must continue to push our package of legislation that has critical PFAS protections, including my Protect Drinking Water from PFAS Act. Failure to act will continue to inflict dangerous consequences on communities struggling to deal with this crisis across the nation.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cartwright-statement-on-upcoming-vote-to-lower-drug-costs-for", "Rep. Cartwright Statement on Upcoming Vote to Lower Drug Costs for Americans", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) issued the following statement on the upcoming House of Representatives floor vote on the Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019 (H.R. 3), which is expected to be held next week.\nIt's unfair that lifesaving prescription medicines cost nearly four times as much in America, said Rep. Cartwright. This inequity has put too many American families into debt or robbed them of their life savings. We are, therefore, taking decisive action to enable Medicare to negotiate with big pharmaceutical companies, which will help lower drug prices for our nation's older adults and individuals with disabilities, as well as all Americans with private insurance. This is a common-sense solution to one of our biggest health care crises.\nBackground on the Lower Drug Costs Now Act\nIn just the first six months of 2019, prescription drug companies increased the list prices of more than 3,400 drugs. Among those drugs, price hikes averaged nearly five times the rate of inflation. These soaring prices are crushing Americans at the pharmacy counter, driving up health insurance premiums, and creating unaffordable costs for taxpayers who finance Medicare and Medicaid.\nThe Lower Drug Costs Now Act would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate lower prices for up to 250 of the most expensive and commonly used drugs. It would also cap Medicare beneficiaries' out-of-pocket drug spending at $2,000.\nIn Pennsylvania, there are 2.1 million people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and 7.4 million people enrolled in private health insurance  all of whom stand to benefit from the passage of the Lower Drug Costs Now Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/chairman-doyle-criticizes-fcc-failings", "Chairman Doyle Criticizes FCC Failings", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC -- U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (D-PA-18) criticized Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ChairmanAjit Paiin his opening statement at today's FCC oversight hearing in the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.\nCongressman Doyle, the Chairman of the Subcommittee, criticized Chairman Pai for moving slowly on investigating the sale of real-time location data andrural broadband, but welcomed Chairman Pai's support for repealing the T-band auction and conducting a public auction of C-band spectrum to promote the deployment of 5G technology and provide funding for the deployment of rural broadband, Next Generation 911, and closing the digital divide.\nChairman Doyle's complete opening statement follows below:\nGood morning, and welcome to the Subcommittee on Communication and Technology's hearing on Accountability and Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission. I'm glad to welcome our witnesses back before the Subcommittee.\nI know it's been 7 months since we had you before us and that you've all missed the warm, welcoming atmosphere of our hearing room  but despite that passage of time, many issues that were of concern to us then still remain unresolved today.\nFor example, I asked about the investigation into phone carriers selling the real time location of nearly every American. Mr. Chairman, you told me that even after more than a year had passed you still couldn't tell us whether this practice had stopped. You couldn't say whether impacted individuals had been notified, and you couldn't tell us whether Members of Congress and law enforcement had their locations sold or tracked. In June of this year you told Senator Blumenthal that you were wrapping up this investigation and would have recommendations shortly. That was 6 months ago, and we still don't have them!\nChairman Pallone and I wrote to the Chairman in November asking for an update, and we got a response yesterday saying that he now expects an answer from the Enforcement Bureau by the end of January! And the Chairman says he will share those results with us as soon as practicable. It would be interesting to learn when that will be, Mr. Chairman.\nLooking at your announcement yesterday about your new new plan with Mobility Fund 2, it seems that you have finally realized that the data you collected is garbage and that you need to go back and do this all over again. Everyone has been telling you that for years. Instead of acting decisively, folks in rural America will have to wait even longer to get broadband as you finally collect the data you need.\nAt our last hearing, 7 months ago - and the hearing 9 months before that - members brought up these same concerns, and here we are with you just yesterday announcing you are kicking off another lengthy rulemaking process to try again to fix this process. Stamping your new plan 5G doesn't change the fact that communities where these funds are desperately needed have been waiting years - and will have to wait even longer because of a bungled process. And to add insult to injury, you aren't even taking action against the carriers that submitted the faulty or fraudulent data in the first place. What's the incentive in the future to provide accurate data if they know they're going to get a pass? Where's the justice for the people and communities who have suffered because of this?\nChairman Pai, you're charged with protecting and serving the American people, not the telecom industry!\nShifting gears, and on a more holiday-spirited note, I'm pleased about Chairman Pai's recent comments regarding the T-Band. This spectrum is used by first responders around the country, and as reports have shown, the value of selling this band will not even come close to covering their relocation costs. In Allegheny County alone, where I live, it could cost upwards of 250 million dollars for public safety to relocate to other spectrum. I think that once and for all we need to repeal this mandate. It makes no sense to me or many on this Committee to go forward with it.\nFinally, regarding the C-Band, I am pleased that you have finally come around to see the benefits of a public auction. For all the discussion about the need for speed in this debate, you unfortunately have been moving at a glacial pace.\nQuestions of the Commission's legal authority remain, and threats lawsuits on those grounds still hang heavily over the Commission. I, along with Subcommittee Vice Chair Matsui, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Gianforte, have introduced the C-Band Act, and similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate. I believe Congress must move to pass legislation authorizing an auction in this band and resolve the Commission's Authority, to ensure a fair and transparent auction, and capture auction revenue so that it may be used to pay for the deployment of rural broadband, Next Generation 911, and closing the digital divide. We all know that if we want to address these challenges, the federal government needs to provide the funding for it. The C-Band auction represents our last best chance to do that in the foreseeable future, and I stand ready to work with my colleagues on the Committee and in the Senate to address this issue promptly and swiftly.\nWe need real solutions to address these problem, real protections for the American people, and accountability from our federal regulators and the industries that they oversee. \nI want to thank all of the witnesses for being here today, and I look forward to your testimony.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-approves-bill-stop-robocalls", "House Approves Bill to Stop Robocalls", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (D-PA) announced that the House of Representatives approved bipartisan legislation to stop unwanted robocalls today by a vote of 417-3.\nAmericans are plagued by nonstop robocalls  and today, we took a significant step forward to bringing that to an end, Congresssman Doyle observed. This legislation is the bipartisan, bicameral result of negotiations with industry and public interest stakeholders. It's a strong bill, and I believe it will help to seriously reduce the onslaught of spam robocalls Americans face. It's a great accomplishment for the 116th Congress  and a huge victory for consumers across the country.\nS. 151, the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, would:\n \nRequire carriers to offer call-authentication technology to consumers and small businessesin rural and urban Americaat no additional charge;\n\tAllow phone carriers to opt consumers into robocall blocking services with no additional charge;\n\tGive the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the ability to step up enforcement actions against unlawful robocalls with a longer statute of limitations and increased fines in certain cases;\n\tPush the Department of Justice to bring more criminal prosecutions against criminal robocallers;\n\tRequire the FCC to work to stop one-ring scams;\n\tHelp the FCC and responsible carriers traceback and cutoff suspect phone companies that are responsible for sending vast numbers of unlawful robocalls; and\n\tProtect patients, doctors and hospitals from unlawful robocalls.\n \nThe TRACED Act also included provisions of H.R. 3375, the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, which Congressman Doyle, the Chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, introduced with Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bob Latta (R-OH). These provisions would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt critical consumer protections, require all carriers to allow the blocking of calls in a reasonable manner without an extra charge, implement a new technology to make sure that caller-ID information is appropriately authenticated with no additional line item charge for consumers on their bill, and more.\nClick HERE for bill text.\nClick HERE for a section-by-section summary.\nClick HERE for video of the speech Congressman Doyle delivered on the House Floor today in support of this bill.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1353", "Representative Houlahan Chairs Committee Hearing Celebrating Small Business Leadership On Corporate Social Responsibility", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Chrissy Houlahan", "H001085", "houlahan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan chaired a House Small Business Committee hearing focused on how small businesses incorporate social and environmental responsibility into their business model and the role of the federal government in empowering and supporting them. Small businesses have been critical leaders in the practice of corporate social responsibility, said Houlahan. Now more than ever, it is crucial for companies to invest in workers, the environment and community, to build sustainable business practices, and to promote diversity and inclusion. I was honored to serve as the Small Business Committee Chair today as we work on a bipartisan basis to elevate the power and promise of corporate social responsibility. Hearing from local small business owners from our community and beyond today was an important first step towards building an economy that is more fully invested in acting responsibly for all. As corporations become increasingly drawn to social responsibility, we cannot forget that on Main Streets across America, small businesses are deeply embedded in enriching their communities and the planet, said Chairwoman Nydia M. Velzquez (D-NY). I thank Representative Houlahan for her leadership on this issue and for conducting today's hearing where entrepreneurs were given a platform to share how the federal government can better assist small businesses in providing for their employees, safeguarding the environment, and building a more just future. Sean McElwee, who testified before the Committee today, is an inspirational leader in the business community and a perfect example of how the inclusion of the disability community in the workforce can have a great societal impact, said Ranking Member Pete Stauber (R-MN). I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to implement legislation that helps people like Sean pursue their dreams. Small businesses have the opportunity to demonstrate that regardless of size, they have the power to be a force for good through social and environmental responsibility, said Jaime Arroyo, Managing Partner at Work Wisdom, LLC. in Lancaster, PA who testified before the Committee. Businesses can and should create inclusive and equitable workplaces as well as promote sustainable practices. Full video of the hearing can be found here. Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/sen-casey-rep-titus-lead-bicameral-delegation-in-a-resolution-in-support-of-international-day-of-persons-with-disabilities", "Sen. Casey, Rep. Titus Lead Bicameral Delegation in a Resolution in Support of International Day of Persons with Disabilities", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. - As individuals with disabilities continue to face unique struggles around the world, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Dina Titus (D-NV-1) led a bicameral delegation in the introduction of a resolution recognizing International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on December 3. The legislation highlights the unique struggles faced by individuals with disabilities and reiterates Congressional support for efforts to promote inclusivity and accessibility for people with disabilities around the world.\r\nPersons with disabilities are often excluded from the labor market, political participation and meaningful involvement in public life and are more likely to experience poverty, discrimination, social stigmatization, and lack of access to vital and inclusive resources the inclusion of people with disabilities is a fundamental part of democracy, and essential to the full realization of human rights, the Members of Congress noted in the resolution.\r\nThe resolution affirms the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) stated goals surrounding disability-inclusive development, which include:\r\n \r\nImproving the quality and accessibility of education for students with disabilities.\r\nIncreasing participation of people with disabilities in political processes.\r\nStrengthening organizations run by and for people with disabilities to advocate on their own behalf.\r\nSupporting the economic independence of women with disabilities.\r\nIntegrating youth and adults with disabilities into the competitive workforce.\r\nEnsuring community health care providers and disaster response experts include people with disabilities in their programs.\r\n \r\nThe United Nations General Assembly established December 3 as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 1992 (Resolution 47/3). Observing IDPD will promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. IDPD also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.\r\nSenators supporting the resolution include: Chris Coons (D-DE), Doug Jones (D-AL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Dick Durbin (D-IL). Other Representatives supporting the resolution include David Cicilline (D-RI-1), Jim Costa (D-CA-16), Don Young (R-AK), Susan Wild (D-PA-7), Deb Haaland (D-NM-1), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-15) and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).\r\nThis resolution has been endorsed by Humanity & Inclusion, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems and Disability Rights International.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/doyle-announces-2019-congressional-app-challenge", "Doyle Announces 2019 Congressional App Challenge Winners", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pittsburgh, PA  December 3, 2019  U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (D-PA) released the following statement announcing the winners of the 2019 Congressional App Challenge in Pennsylvania's 18th District.\nCongratulations toour winners,JakobMcCloskey, ZoeyClasen, RebeccaDobosh, and Raven Gorman from Elizabeth-Forward High School. These students designed an app, School Donation System, which helps schools to redistribute and collect gently used supplies to meet their needs. This is an advanced program and a well-implemented idea!\nI would also like to recognize three groups from Plum High School  Zachary McPherson, Rudra Thakkar, and Mark Van Orden who designed an app entitled War of Ascension; LilyKlucinec, JosephPanichella, JustinPiel, and MarkZarroliwho designed an app entitled Definitely Not Gambling; andAlexandria Moreland who designed an app entitled Dragons and Knights.\nThis is the third year our congressional district has participated in the Congressional App Challenge  and each year, the entries are very impressive. As the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications & Technology, I see every day how much our lives rely on the dedication and skill of the next generation of innovators. These studentshave great potential and I'm pleased to recognize their hard work.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/sen-casey-rep-titus-lead-bicameral-delegation-in-a-resolution-in-support-of-international-day-of-persons-with-disabilities", "Sen. Casey, Rep. Titus Lead Bicameral Delegation in a Resolution in Support of International Day of Persons with Disabilities", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressional-hearing-on-cartwright-bill-to-clean-up-abandoned-coal", "Congressional Hearing on Cartwright Bill to Clean Up Abandoned Coal Mines Puts Spotlight on PA", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  On November 14, the House Committee on Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a hearing on Representative Matt Cartwright's (PA-08) Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act Amendments of 2019 (H.R. 4248). This legislation would reauthorize the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Trust Fund and enable states to continue restoring polluted and dangerous mining sites and spur economic development in depressed former coal communities.\nGiven that millions of Pennsylvanians live less than a mile from a dangerous abandoned mine, Rep. Cartwright invited two Pennsylvania residents who work on this issue to Washington, D.C., to testify at the hearing.\nOne of the witnesses was Robert Hughes, Executive Director of the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR) and an Eighth District resident. Hughes explained that water pollution and other hazards posed by abandoned mines in the eastern part of the state harm nearby families and businesses as well as the surrounding environment. He also explained how cleaning up these hazardous sites improves health and safety while creating new jobs and business opportunities.\nMr. John Stefanko, Deputy Secretary of the Office of Active and Abandoned Mine Operations in the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, also testified. Stefanko highlighted that extending funding for the AML Trust Fund is critical to Pennsylvania's ongoing clean-up efforts and, as a representative of the National Association of Abandoned Mine Programs, noted that all 34 States are unified in support of this legislation.\nA video of the hearing can be viewed here.\nA law passed by Congress in 1977 established the AML Trust Fund. Since that time, the program has eliminated over 46,000 open mine portals, and restored water supplies to countless residents of coalfield communities, all while creating jobs and economic opportunities. However, with its expiration fast approaching, estimates show it will cost at least $10 billion to reclaim the remaining high priority abandoned mines across the country. Rep. Cartwright's legislation addresses this issue by reauthorizing the AML Trust Fund and extending fee collection authority at current levels for 15 years.\nNortheastern Pennsylvania residents live with the harmful impact of abandoned mines every day, Rep. Cartwright said. These hazardous sites pose risks to our health, our safety, our environment, and our economy. By making sure the urgent work of cleaning up these sites can continue for years to come, this bipartisan, common-sense proposal will create jobs, protect the environment, and save lives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lamb.house.gov/media/press-releases/lamb-meets-deployed-us-troops-over-thanksgiving", "LAMB MEETS WITH DEPLOYED U.S. TROOPS OVER THANKSGIVING", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Conor Lamb", "L000588", "lamb.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, DC)  Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) traveled overseas with a Congressional delegation to meet with military leadership and deployed members of the U.S. Armed Forces during the Thanksgiving holiday.\nHosted by the U.S. Army, the delegation included members of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee on which Lamb serves as vice chair. Members visited military bases in Germany, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, and were briefed by military leaders on matters of national security. They also met with service men and women to discuss a broad array of issues, including the delivery of health care to military personnel and veterans, as well as access to military transition training and benefits.\n\"Spending the Thanksgiving holiday with the men and women who serve our country abroad is a reminder of the sacrifices many make to serve our country,\" said Lamb. \"These servicemembers give up time with their family and friends to protect us, so it is critical that Congress continues to work in a bipartisan manner to ensure they get the care, support and opportunities they've earned not only on active duty, but also when they return home.\nClick here to view pictures from Congressman Lamb's Thanksgiving with U.S. troops.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-bennet-urge-administration-to-stop-obstructing-efforts-to-deliver-benefits-to-veterans-exposed-to-agent-orange", "Casey, Bennet Urge Administration to Stop Obstructing Efforts to Deliver Benefits to Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange", "2019-11-27", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) sent a letter to Trump Administration officials urging them to stop obstructing access to health benefits and disability compensation for approximately 83,000 veterans, some from Pennsylvania and Colorado.\r\nFollowing a federally-mandated National Academies of Medicine (NAM) study on the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange, Office of Management and Budget Director (OMB) Mick Mulvaney declined to include illnesses determined by the NAM study to be linked to exposure to Agent Orange and other chemicals used during the Vietnam War as presumptive conditions.\r\nBy refusing to include these illnesses on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) list of Agent Orange presumptive benefits, OMB is acting in direct opposition to the NAM's analysis of peer-reviewed reports that suggest otherwise, wrote Casey and Bennet in their letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie and OMB Director Mulvaney. We encourage you to acknowledge the scientific based evidence and the recommendation of the previous VA Secretary David Shulkin, and designate these conditions to the presumptive list for Agent Orange exposure.\r\nThe senators also expressed concern over the delay in implementation of new legislation to expand Agent Orange benefits to Navy Vietnam veterans, demanding the administration prioritize and process their claims as soon as possible.\r\nThese veterans and their families have waited long enough for access to the benefits for which they are eligible and desperately need, wrote the senators. Our nation must live up to the promises it has made to the men and women who have sacrificed much by serving in uniform.\r\nThe text of the letter is available here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-senate-democrats-urge-hud-to-reject-proposed-changes-to-the-fair-housing-acts-disparate-impact-standard", "Casey, Senate Democrats Urge HUD to Reject Proposed Changes to the Fair Housing Act\u2019s Disparate Impact Standard", "2019-11-27", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), along with forty-five senators, sent a letter to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson, urging him to reject changes proposed in the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) August 19, 2019 Proposed Rulemaking: HUD's Implementation of the Fair Housing Act's Disparate Impact Standard (the Proposed Rule).\r\nWe are deeply troubled by the direction this Administration is heading in relation to Fair Lending and Fair Housing protections, the senators wrote. Housing is the foundation of opportunity for individuals, families, neighborhoods, and society. Preventing housing discrimination  including subtle, hidden discrimination  is central to the mission Congress charged HUD to carry out. We urge you to uphold this mission, reject the changes in the Proposed Rule, and preserve the existing rule.\r\nThe Proposed Rule would effectively eliminate use of the disparate impact standard for fair housing enforcement, a key tool for rooting out and eliminating hidden discrimination. The Proposed Rule simultaneously raises the bar for victims of discrimination to bring complaints under the Fair Housing Act, while carving out new avenues for financial institutions, governments and other housing market participants to continue discriminatory practices. With this Proposed Rule, the Administration is putting a heavy thumb on the scale for those engaged in discriminatory practices rather than defending the rights of people seeking fair and equal access to housing.\r\nRead the letter here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-bennet-urge-administration-to-stop-obstructing-efforts-to-deliver-benefits-to-veterans-exposed-to-agent-orange", "Casey, Bennet Urge Administration to Stop Obstructing Efforts to Deliver Benefits to Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange", "2019-11-27", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-senate-democrats-urge-hud-to-reject-proposed-changes-to-the-fair-housing-acts-disparate-impact-standard", "Casey, Senate Democrats Urge HUD to Reject Proposed Changes to the Fair Housing Acts Disparate Impact Standard", "2019-11-27", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-statement-regarding-administrations-proposed-rule-on-methane-emissions", "Casey Statement Regarding Administration\u2019s Proposed Rule on Methane Emissions", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) submitted a public comment responding to the EPA'sproposal to weaken methane pollution controls:\r\nUnder the Trump Administration, the EPA has continued to abandon its mission to protect human health and the environment. In its own regulatory analysis of the proposed methane emissions rule, the EPA acknowledged that it is likely to adversely affect health' and to degrade air quality.' This latest attack on commonsense methane controls is yet another example of this Administration prioritizing special interests at the expense of the health and safety of our communities and families. Several oil and gas companies have also spoken out in support of retaining the existing standards, recognizing the importance of retaining these critical protections. I strongly urge EPA Administrator Wheeler to reevaluate this proposed rollback and to withdraw the rule immediately.\r\nRead the full letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/let-s-lower-prescription-drug-prices-for-seniors", "Lets Lower Prescription Drug Prices for Seniors", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Matt Cartwright", "C001090", "cartwright.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Between 2012 and 2016, the price of insulin nearly doubled in the United States.\nUnfortunately, in America's prescription drug market, price hikes like that have become routine. In the first half of 2019 alone, drug companies increased the prices of over 3,400 drugs, with price hikes averaging five times the rate of inflation.\nHere in Northeastern Pennsylvania, we are all too familiar with the widening gap between the need for prescription medicines and their unaffordability. According to a 2018 survey conducted by Altarum's Healthcare Value Hub, 17 percent of adults in Pennsylvania's Northeast/North Central region did not fill a prescription because it was too expensive, and 10 percent cut their pills in half or skipped doses. The situation is even worse for older adults on fixed incomesdrug prices are hurting older Pennsylvanians so much that last year the Pennsylvania state government had to expand access to its prescription assistance program.\nDrug companies say this is simply the cost of bringing new treatments to market. But one of the largest drivers of escalating brand-name drug prices is year-over-year price increases to existing drugs. We're paying more for the same old thing, not for groundbreaking innovation. Look at insulin, for exampleFrederick Banting and Charles Best discovered it almost 100 years ago.\nThe truth is, it is taxpayers who are footing the bill for drug research. Between 2010 and 2016, every single new FDA-approved drug that came out was developed using taxpayer-funded basic research at the National Institutes of Health. Drug companies use this research to develop treatments, which they then sell back to American consumers at steep markups. So, you pay twice: first through your taxes and then again at the pharmacy counter.\nConsumers in other countries don't pay the same inflated prices we do. Drugs are often sold in the United States for double or even triple the price they sell for in other countries with comparable costs of living. So why are Americans uniquely vulnerable to this outrageous price gouging?\nThe answer is that we are failing to harness the power of negotiationa crucial component of a capitalist economy. For years, foreign governments have used their purchasing power to negotiate lower drug prices for their citizens. Meanwhile, the United States has forbidden Medicare from engaging in similar negotiations, effectively tying our own hands.\nYou read that right. Many people are astonished to learn that current American law forbids Medicare from negotiating drug prices on behalf of Medicare recipients. There is no reason for this restriction. The Veterans Administration has no such restriction.\nThe result has unfolded predictably: left unchecked, for-profit drug companies have made a business of exploiting elderly, ill, and disabled Americans.\nThe result has unfolded predictably: left unchecked, for-profit drug companies have made a business of exploiting elderly, ill, and disabled Americans.\nThat's why I'm a cosponsor of H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act. If passed, this bill would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate lower prices for up to 250 of the most expensive drugs. H.R. 3 would also cap Medicare beneficiaries' out-of-pocket drug spending at $2,000. For one million Medicare beneficiaries, this translates to an average of $1,200 in annual out-of-pocket savings\nIf passed into law, Medicare beneficiaries are not the only ones who would benefit from H.R. 3. In addition, all Americans with private insurance would be able to benefit from reduced drug prices as negotiated by the government. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the Medicare Part D drug price negotiations would alone save $345 billion in federal direct spending for Medicare between 2023 and 2029.\nIt's time for a simple market solution to one of our biggest health care problems. It's time to lower drug costsnow.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-statement-regarding-administrations-proposed-rule-on-methane-emissions", "Casey Statement Regarding Administrations Proposed Rule on Methane Emissions", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-secures-2-million-federal-grant-to-improve-septa-buses-and-bus-facilities", "Casey Secures $2 Million Federal Grant to Improve SEPTA Buses and Bus Facilities", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Today U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that he successfully worked to secure a $2 million grant for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)'s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program. SEPTA will use this funding to advance the next phase of its Direct Bus service in the City of Philadelphia, building on the success of the first phase launched in October 2017.\r\nThis new phase of Direct Bus will provide enhanced bus service between Frankford Transportation Center and Wissahickon Transportation Center, along Roosevelt Boulevard and Hunting Park and Ridge Avenues. In addition to improving regional mobility and access for the thousands of SEPTA customers that travel these routes, this next phase of Boulevard Direct bus service will also advance the ongoing efforts of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and SEPTA to improve safety on Roosevelt Boulevard.\r\nI am pleased that SEPTA received this grant to make necessary improvements and further develop Direct Bus service,\" said Senator Casey. The funding will allow SEPTA to construct new bus stations and connect high capacity transit centers, which will reduce travel times and increase service reliability. I was proud to advocate on behalf of SEPTA in their efforts to secure this grant and will continue to make transportation and economic development in Pennsylvania top priorities.\r\nThe Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program makes federal resources available to states and direct recipients to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities including technological changes or innovations to modify low or no emission vehicles or facilities. Casey wrote a letter of support to the DOT's Federal Transit Administration to emphasize the need to expand and improve bus service in Philadelphia.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-secures-2-million-federal-grant-to-improve-septa-buses-and-bus-facilities", "Casey Secures $2 Million Federal Grant to Improve SEPTA Buses and Bus Facilities", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 928, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "PA", "p2": "2019"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=PA&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 928, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=PA&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=PA&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 928, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=PA&year=2019&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=PA&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "PA", "label": "PA", "count": 928, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=PA&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "2019", "label": "2019", "count": 928, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=PA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2019-11-22,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecasey~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnews~2Freleases~2Fcasey-secures-2-million-federal-grant-to-improve-septa-buses-and-bus-facilities", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=PA&year=2019&_next=2019-11-22%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecasey~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnews~2Freleases~2Fcasey-secures-2-million-federal-grant-to-improve-septa-buses-and-bus-facilities&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 333.18308973684907, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}