url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-colleagues-applaud-senate-passage-of-bill-honoring-d-day-hero-henry-parham/,"Fetterman, Colleagues Applaud Senate Passage of Bill Honoring D-Day Hero Henry Parham",2024-12-23,2024,2024-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Senator John Fetterman celebrated the Senate’s unanimous passage of a bipartisan bill to name the new Department of Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, as the Henry Parham VA Clinic. The legislation, introduced in the Senate by Senators Fetterman and Bob Casey, now awaits President Biden’s signature. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) also supported this legislation.

The bill, co-led in the House by Congresswoman Summer Lee (D-PA) and Congressman Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), honors the extraordinary legacy of Private First Class Henry Parham, a Black World War II veteran and member of the historic 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion. Mr. Parham’s service on D-Day and decades of volunteer work for fellow veterans exemplify his lifelong commitment to his country and community.

“Honoring our veterans is about action—not just words. Henry Parham’s courage on D-Day and his years of service to veterans in Pittsburgh make him a true American hero,” said Senator Fetterman (D-PA). “Naming this clinic after Henry is a small but meaningful way to ensure his legacy lives on and reminds us of the sacrifices made by so many who were denied equality at home while fighting for freedom abroad.”

“Henry Parham’s story reminds us that history is shaped by the courage of individuals who fought for freedom, even when denied it at home,” said Congresswoman Lee (D-PA). “To see this bill pass unanimously through both the House and Senate is a testament to the unifying power of his legacy. It’s also a reflection of what we can achieve when we work across the aisle for justice and recognition.”

“When he stormed the beaches of Normandy as part of the only all-Black combat unit to land on D-Day, Henry Parham believed he was simply doing what he was ‘supposed to do as an American.’ When Henry came home, he continued serving his fellow veterans and his Nation, giving his time and energy at the VA in Pittsburgh,” said Senator Casey (D-PA). “To call Henry a hero only begins to describe his selflessness and commitment to serving others, and renaming the VA clinic in Monroeville in his honor is one small way to ensure his actions are never forgotten.”

“Henry Parham is an American hero—fighting the Nazis on the beaches of Normandy as a member of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion,” said Congressman Reschenthaler (R-PA). “The longtime Pennsylvanian’s courage and strength in the face of adversity should live on as a shining example for future generations. I am proud to introduce legislation renaming the VA clinic in Monroeville after Henry Parham in honor of his service and commitment to America.”

Private First Class Henry Parham served in the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, the only all-Black combat unit to land on D-Day. Under heavy enemy fire, Mr. Parham and his unit secured barrage balloons on Omaha Beach, protecting Allied forces and supply routes from low-flying German aircraft. For two months, his battalion’s efforts helped safeguard the success of the Allied invasion.

After the war, Mr. Parham continued his service by volunteering at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center and his local American Legion post for decades. He was recognized as a chevalier of the French Legion of Honor in 2013 for his heroism during World War II.

Henry Parham passed away on July 4, 2021, at the age of 99. Naming the Monroeville VA clinic in his honor ensures his story of bravery, resilience, and dedication will inspire generations to come.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/landmark-bipartisan-bicameral-infrastructure-package-delivers-50-million-for-pennsylvania/,"Landmark Bipartisan, Bicameral Infrastructure Package Delivers $50 Million for Pennsylvania",2024-12-20,2024,2024-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) celebrated the Senate’s passage of key legislation, including the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), the reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration (EDA), and provisions for regional commissions. The package, which passed 97-1, includes major wins for Pennsylvania’s communities with new programs and funding that will create jobs, address environmental challenges, and invest in critical infrastructure.

“I’m proud to see the Senate come together in a nearly unanimous vote to deliver these transformative investments to communities across Pennsylvania and the country. This legislation addresses critical needs in Pennsylvania—revitalizing our communities, safeguarding our environment, and spurring economic growth,” said Senator Fetterman. “This is how we show working people that the government can deliver real results that build stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities. The people of Pennsylvania and our nation are counting on us to deliver these critical investments and I’m proud to bring it home.”

This legislation reflects a major step forward in supporting Pennsylvania’s working families, rebuilding critical infrastructure, and fostering regional economic development. WRDA and the EDA reauthorization are designed to tackle long-standing challenges including flooding, pollution from legacy industries, and economic stagnation in transitioning communities. Together, these investments will position Pennsylvania for growth while protecting and improving the quality of life for its residents.

Key Wins for Pennsylvania in WRDA:

New Acid-Mine Drainage Program: dedicates $50 million to clean up legacy pollution from mining in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio to benefit both the environment and public health

Johnstown River Walls Project: enables the repair and enhancement of the Johnstown river walls to mitigate flood risks

South Wetlands Park: authorizes the development of a wetlands park in South Philadelphia, enhancing environmental conservation and providing recreational opportunities for residents in an underserved area

Expedited Completion of the Williamsport Levee: accelerates the completion of critical flood control measures to protect residents and businesses from flooding

Increased Water Infrastructure Authorization: provides new funding for Pennsylvania and authorizes funding for specific projects upgrade water infrastructure, helping communities make necessary improvements without imposing rate increases on residents, including:

$25 million authorized funding for a new statewide environmental infrastructure program across the commonwealth

$38.6 million for water and wastewater infrastructure across the commonwealth

$7 million for water and wastewater infrastructure in Berks County and Chester County, $2 million for Franklin Township, $50 million for the boroughs of Telford, Franconia, and Lower Safford, and $5 million for Pen Argyl

$50 million increase in funding for water and wastewater infrastructure for Northeast Pennsylvania

$1.4 million increase in funding for Philadelphia and a change in the authorization to allow the Army Corps to assist with needed water supply infrastructure and prevent rate increases

$7.6 million increase in funding for Phoenixville

Allegheny River Lockage Levels of Services: affirms the importance of the Allegheny River and establishes that the current lockage levels of service on the river should be preserved as the Army Corps performs a study on a navigation and ecosystem restoration

Key Wins for Pennsylvania in EDA Reauthorization:

New Mid-Atlantic Regional Commission: drives investment and economic growth in Pennsylvania and neighboring states, covering Pennsylvania counties that had not previously been included in a regional commission

Economic Adjustment Assistance Program: includes new provisions to support and support and invest in Pennsylvania’s steel communities

Assistance to Coal Communities Program: offers targeted assistance to communities transitioning from coal-based economies

The reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration (EDA) marks a historic milestone, as it is the first time Congress has reauthorized the agency in 20 years. The bipartisan legislation will modernize the EDA and other regional commissions whose mission is to foster economic growth in communities across the country. Since 1965, the EDA has led impactful programs to strengthen public works and infrastructure, job creation and workforce development, disaster recovery, and industry advancement.

From January 2021 through November 2024, the EDA directed nearly $6 billion in investments across 3,393 projects, creating or saving over 554,700 jobs and generating $67.7 billion in private investment. These investments include hundreds of construction projects, creating thousands of good-paying jobs while supporting resilient economic growth across Pennsylvania and the nation.

The package also includes provisions to reform the General Services Administration (GSA) to improve federal property management and operational efficiency. These provisions are designed to address critical needs in Pennsylvania, including environmental remediation, infrastructure improvements, and economic development, aligning with the objectives outlined in the press release.

With the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 now passed by both Chambers of Congress, Senator Fetterman called for the president’s swift action to sign these transformative programs into law.

The full text of the bill is available here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-booker-kim-urge-transparent-inclusive-search-for-next-philadelphia-fed-president/,"Fetterman, Booker, Kim Urge Transparent, Inclusive Search for Next Philadelphia Fed President",2024-12-19,2024,2024-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), joined by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ), sent a letter to Anthony Ibargüen, Chair of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank Board of Directors and Presidential Search Committee, urging a fair, transparent, and inclusive process in selecting the next President & CEO of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank.

The letter outlined critical questions for the search committee, focusing on steps to engage community stakeholders, ensure demographic diversity among candidates, and avoid conflicts of interest. The lawmakers emphasized the need for a transparent and fair process that builds confidence in the Philadelphia Fed, a necessary step after the controversy surrounding the last presidential search in 2015.

The lawmakers emphasized the significance of the Philadelphia Fed, which supervises banks and affects the economic security of over 13 million residents in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The lawmakers called for a search process that prioritizes the interests of working families.

The letter reads in part: “The Philadelphia Fed supervises banks that hold the hard-earned savings of millions of working families and provide loans for small businesses, farmers, and manufacturers throughout the region,” and

“We urge the Philadelphia Fed to engage in a transparent, public process leading to a new President & CEO who will represent the diversity and strength of the Third Federal Reserve District. The selection committee has enormous responsibility in selecting a new President & CEO who will truly represent the economic interests of everyone in the Third District.”

The senators requested a response to these questions by January 24, 2025.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-on-national-defense-authorization-act-vote/,Fetterman on National Defense Authorization Act Vote,2024-12-18,2024,2024-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a bipartisan manner. While this must-pass bill largely supports our national defense, Speaker Mike Johnson included a provision targeting the health care for transgender children of our servicemembers. Senator Fetterman joined Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and 23 Senate colleagues on an amendment that would have stripped this provision out of the NDAA.

Senator Fetterman released the following statement:

“I’m unapologetically supportive of our national defense and the trans community.

“I strongly reject the Speaker’s performative show vote.

“My AYE vote on the NDAA strongly affirms my commitment to our national security.

“My vote does not, in any way, diminish my voice or mean I’m turning my back on the trans community.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-casey-celebrate-confirmation-of-keli-neary-to-u-s-district-court-in-pennsylvania/,"Fetterman, Casey Celebrate Confirmation of Keli Neary to U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania",2024-12-11,2024,2024-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Pennsylvania U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) proudly celebrated the Senate’s confirmation of Keli Neary to serve as a judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Neary, who will serve in Harrisburg, is the thirteenth Pennsylvanian to be nominated to the bench by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate, eleven of whom are women.

“Keli Neary’s confirmation is a win for Pennsylvania and for the cause of equal justice under the law,” said Senator Fetterman. “Her career speaks volumes about her character, work ethic, and dedication to the people of this Commonwealth. From defending the rights of all Pennsylvanians while working in the Attorney General’s Office to advancing public safety during her years of service with the State Police, she has shown she’s ready to step up and serve with integrity on the federal bench. I have no doubt she’ll make us proud.”

“From the Pennsylvania State Police to the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General, Judge Neary has served our Commonwealth with distinction,” said Senator Casey. “Her commitment to protecting the rule of law and keeping Pennsylvania communities safe makes her well-qualified to take on this new role. I was pleased to vote to confirm Judge Neary and I look forward to seeing her continue to serve the people of the Middle District.”

A native of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Neary has dedicated her career to serving the people of the Commonwealth. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in 2003 and her law degree from Widener Commonwealth School of Law in 2006. To fund her education, Neary worked part-time as a dietary aide and kitchen supervisor at the Laurel View Village Assisted Living Facility.

For more than a decade, Neary held key leadership roles in the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, most recently as Chief of the Civil Law Division, where she defended the constitutionality of Pennsylvania laws and represented state agencies and officials in federal and state courts. Her bipartisan service under multiple administrations underscores her steadfast dedication to justice and the people of Pennsylvania.

Neary’s confirmation marks another step toward ensuring a federal judiciary that reflects the diversity, resilience, and values of the American people. Her extensive experience and deep understanding of the law will serve the Middle District of Pennsylvania with distinction.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/sens-fetterman-casey-rep-lee-praise-303-5-million-doe-loan-to-eos-energy-enterprises-boosting-battery-manufacturing-and-union-jobs-in-pennsylvania/,"Sens. Fetterman, Casey, Rep. Lee Praise $303.5 Million DOE Loan to Eos Energy Enterprises, Boosting Battery Manufacturing and Union Jobs in Pennsylvania",2024-12-09,2024,2024-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. — This week, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), and Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) celebrated the Biden-Harris Administration’s announcement of a $303.5 million loan guarantee to Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. The funding will support the construction of two manufacturing facilities in Turtle Creek and Duquesne, Pennsylvania, producing next-generation zinc-bromine batteries. The project is set to create up to 1,000 high-quality union jobs, including those represented by the United Steelworkers.

“Pennsylvania steel built America and now Pennsylvania batteries will help power it,” said Senator Fetterman. “Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, we’re creating good-paying, union jobs for the people of Allegheny County and investing in innovative battery technology that’ll keep our grid strong and reliable. I’m proud to see the federal government, local leaders, and Eos working together to deliver real results for Pennsylvanians.”

“Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, we are making game-changing investments in energy technology manufacturing to ensure that Pennsylvania can continue to power our Nation,” said Senator Casey. “I fought for this investment because it will create union jobs and help Mon Valley workers lead the way on clean energy storage production. This project is not only an investment in the technology of tomorrow, but in Pennsylvania workers.”

“Western Pennsylvania has always been a powerhouse of innovation and resilience, and this investment is another example of how we can build a future that works for everyone,” said Congresswoman Summer Lee. “This $303.5 million loan guarantee not only brings cutting-edge battery manufacturing to Turtle Creek and Duquesne, it brings real, good-paying union jobs to our communities, opportunities for our young folks, and hope for families who’ve been left behind for far too long. By investing in clean energy and prioritizing underserved areas like ours, we’re proving that we can take care of our planet while also taking care of our people.”

The project will transform the former Westinghouse Electric Corporation campus in Turtle Creek, an underserved community identified under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, into a hub of clean energy manufacturing. By collaborating with local high schools, trade programs, and community organizations, Eos is ensuring these investments directly benefit the workforce and families in the region.

The funding, part of the Department of Energy’s Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program, will support production lines for Eos Z3™ batteries, a long-duration, grid-scale energy storage system designed for renewable energy integration. These batteries are safer, non-flammable, and more cost-efficient than traditional lithium-ion options, using domestically sourced materials to avoid supply chain volatility.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-casey-celebrate-catherine-henrys-confirmation-to-federal-bench/,"Fetterman, Casey Celebrate Catherine Henry’s Confirmation to Federal Bench",2024-12-03,2024,2024-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) celebrate the Senate’s confirmation of Catherine Henry to serve as a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Henry, who will serve in the Lehigh Valley, is the eleventh Pennsylvanian to be nominated to the bench by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate, of which nine have been women.

“Cathy Henry has spent nearly 30 years fighting for justice and making sure every Pennsylvanian has the legal representation guaranteed by our Constitution. That’s why I was proud to advocate for her nomination and to join my colleagues today in confirming her to the federal bench,” said Senator Fetterman. “Cathy will be the kind of judge who truly understands the challenges everyday Pennsylvanians face because she’s spent her career working on their behalf. She’s going to make Pennsylvania proud, and I couldn’t be more excited to see her serve on the federal bench.”

“For almost 30 years, Catherine Henry has served the people of Eastern Pennsylvania as a public defender, fighting to ensure equal justice under the law,” said Senator Casey. “Her decades of experience and commitment to protecting civil rights make her exceptionally qualified to take on this new role as a U.S. District Judge. I was pleased to vote to confirm Judge Henry and I look forward to seeing her continue to serve the people of the Lehigh Valley and the Eastern District.”

Henry has dedicated her legal career to public defense, representing some of the most vulnerable individuals in Pennsylvania. Since 2002, she has served in the Federal Community Defender’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where she currently works as Senior Litigator. Previously, she spent six years as an Assistant Defender with the Defender Association of Philadelphia.

A graduate of Drew University and the University of the District of Columbia School of Law, Henry brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her new role. Her confirmation underscores the Biden Administration’s commitment to appointing judges who bring diverse experiences and a dedication to equal justice under the law.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-applauds-biden-harris-administrations-move-to-fix-pay-disparity-for-federal-workers/,Fetterman Applauds Biden-Harris Administration’s Move to Fix Pay Disparity for Federal Workers,2024-10-11,2024,2024-10,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Braddock, PA – Today, after more than a year of advocacy from Sen. Fetterman and several of his colleagues, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published a proposed rule that aims to correct a decades-old problem that has shortchanged hourly federal employees. The rule will finally ensure that Federal Wage System (FWS) and General Schedule (GS) employees working in the same facilities are paid according to the same locality pay scales. More than 2,100 federal employees in Pennsylvania, and nearly 14,500 across the country, are set to receive an average raise of 12% once the rule is finalized—putting more than $23.1 million into the pockets of hardworking Pennsylvanians in the first year alone.

“For years, hourly employees at some federal facilities across the country have been compensated according to different pay scales—and, in effect, paid less—than their salaried colleagues, despite the fact that they work in the very same buildings,” Senator Fetterman wrote in comments responding to the proposed rule. “This pay disparity between FWS and GS employees is inequitable and unfair, and it has shortchanged thousands of union workers across Pennsylvania for too long.”

For decades, hourly workers at federal facilities have been paid according to different locality pay scales than their salaried colleagues, despite working side-by-side in the same buildings. This pay disparity has taken a toll on federal workers who have spent years being undervalued by an outdated and arbitrary system. Facilities like Letterkenny Army Depot, Tobyhanna Army Depot, Defense Logistics Agency New Cumberland, Gettysburg National Military Park, and United States Penitentiary Canaan have faced serious challenges as a result, losing skilled workers to other facilities as well as better-paying private sector jobs, while also struggling to fill vacant positions.

While this has been a problem for decades, Senator Fetterman identified a path forward and, together with colleagues, affected unions, and workers across the commonwealth, relentlessly pushed the federal government to act. Today, these efforts are paying off. This proposed rule would recognize that all federal workers deserve equal dignity, no matter how they’re paid.

Timeline of Senator Fetterman’s Involvement:

September 18, 2023: Senator Fetterman sent a letter to the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC) urging them to address the disparity between FWS and GS pay.

December 21, 2023: FPRAC voted 9-1 to recommend combining FWS and GS locality pay areas, a critical first step toward resolving the issue.

February 29, 2024: Senator Fetterman sent a follow-up letter to OPM Director Kiran Ahuja, calling for immediate implementation of FPRAC’s recommendation.

April 2024: OPM Director approved FPRAC’s recommendation, clearing the way for the Biden-Harris Administration to act.

October 11, 2024: The Biden-Harris Administration publishes the proposed rule to fix the pay disparity, following Fetterman’s sustained pressure on OPM and the White House. Senator Fetterman submits a public comment in strong support of the proposed rule.

This action by the Biden-Harris Administration is the closest the federal government has ever come to addressing this inequity. The proposed rule is now open to a 60-day comment period for public feedback and Senator Fetterman encourages all stakeholders to make their voices heard.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:55:29Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-casey-house-colleagues-announces-over-43-million-in-federal-funding-to-protect-pennsylvania-families-from-lead-hazards/,"Fetterman, Casey, House Colleagues, Announces Over $43 Million in Federal Funding to Protect Pennsylvania Families from Lead Hazards",2024-10-08,2024,2024-10,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Bob Casey (D-PA), and House colleagues announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded over $43 million to several Pennsylvania communities as part of the FY2024 Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction (LHR) Grant Program. This funding will help reduce lead-based paint hazards and improve the health and safety of homes across the Commonwealth, benefiting families in Allegheny County, Allentown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Delaware County, Montgomery County, and Erie.

“This is a huge win for Pennsylvania families. No child should grow up in a home that makes them sick,” said Senator Fetterman. “These grants will help get rid of dangerous lead paint in some of our oldest housing stock and give families the safe, healthy homes they deserve. These grants will support broader efforts to address disrepair and blight across the Commonwealth, including Pennsylvania’s Whole-Home Repairs program. Fixing up our homes means healthier families, safer communities, and more affordable housing—things we desperately need.”

“No child should be forced to grow up in a home contaminated with dangerous lead paint,” said Senator Casey. “This funding will help identify and remove hazardous lead paint from homes so that Pennsylvanians have the peace of mind that their housing is not putting their families at risk. I will always fight to keep Pennsylvanian families healthy and safe.”

The Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction program is critical to addressing health risks posed by lead paint in older homes, especially for children under the age of six. These awards will not only address lead-based paint hazards in homes but also enhance affordable housing options, revitalize communities, and improve public health outcomes throughout Pennsylvania.

FY2024 Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Grant Awards for Pennsylvania:

Allegheny County: $7,750,000

City of Allentown: $5,700,000

City of Harrisburg: $7,750,000

City of Lancaster: $7,750,000

City of Philadelphia: $7,000,000

County of Delaware: $1,000,000

County of Montgomery: $1,800,000

Redevelopment Authority of the City of Erie: $4,712,858

“Any exposure to any level of lead puts all of us, especially our kids, at risk,” said Congressman Deluzio (D-PA-17). “We need to make sure that everyone can live and grow up in homes that are clean, safe, and lead-free. I’m so glad to see the federal government is delivering $7.75 million in funding to help protect Allegheny County communities from dangerous lead paint hazard.”

“Every child deserves to grow up in a home where they feel safe and healthy,” said Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-PA-7). “This funding is incredible news for Allentown, where it will help improve aging homes, lower housing costs, and bolster public health. I’ll continue working across the aisle to find commonsense solutions to address housing quality, affordability, and availability, as well as ensure children in historically underserved communities can grow up free from external health risks.”

“Every family deserves to live in a safe home free of hazardous lead paints,” said Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA-16). “This funding will greatly help families, especially children, in the City of Erie. It is vital that we continue to provide resources like these so Pennsylvanians can live in quality, affordable homes.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:55:29Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/sens-fetterman-cramer-introduce-bill-to-expand-burial-benefits-for-veterans-and-their-families/,"Sens. Fetterman, Cramer Introduce Bill to Expand Burial Benefits for Veterans and Their Families",2024-10-02,2024,2024-10,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) introduced the Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act, a bipartisan bill to permanently expand the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) burial benefits. This legislation will allow the VA to provide memorial headstones or markers for veterans, their spouses, and dependent children, regardless of when they passed away, ensuring that military families are properly honored together.

“Our veterans and their families have sacrificed so much and they deserve to be honored together without arbitrary barriers in the way,” said Senator Fetterman. “Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy’s story of loss and frustration is just one example of the families impacted by this policy. By fixing this injustice, we’re ensuring that families like theirs can be laid to rest together and memorialized with dignity.”

“The spouses and families of our men and women in uniform serve and sacrifice alongside their loved ones, and Congress should ensure they can stay together in their final resting place. An arbitrary, outdated restriction prohibits the VA from providing a memorial headstone or marker for military spouses and dependents if they passed away before 1998. Our bipartisan legislation removes this hurdle, giving families much-needed closure,” said Senator Cramer.

The bill is named in honor of Dennis “Denny” Krisfalusy, a U.S. Air Force veteran from Washington County, Pennsylvania, who served during the Vietnam War. In 1985, Dennis and his wife, Lois Krisfalusy, tragically died during an earthquake in Mexico City, with neither of their remains recovered. Though Dennis received a memorial headstone at the Cemetery of the Alleghenies in Pennsylvania, Lois was ineligible to have her name added under current VA regulations due to an arbitrary date restriction.

The Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act removes these restrictions, allowing spouses like Lois to be memorialized alongside their veteran loved ones. Under current law, only spouses who died after November 11, 1998, and before October 1, 2025, are eligible for VA burial markers. This bill eliminates that limitation and permanently extends the benefit to all qualifying military families.

“On behalf of the Krisfalusy family, I would like to thank the bipartisan leadership of Senators Fetterman and Cramer, as well as Reps. Reschenthaler, Deluzio, Joyce (PA), Meuser, Kelly (PA), G.T. Thompson, and Brownley for their support to amend an issue that has impacted many military families.” said Pat Maxon, sister of Dennis Krisfalusy. “The Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act, named after my beloved brother and his beautiful wife, will ensure that all military families will be memorialized with their name on a military headstone regardless of when they passed away. We were saddened to learn that Lois’s name would not appear on Denny’s stone, as they were united in both marriage and death. Should this bill pass, their marker would forever memorialize their undying love for each other. As their bodies lie in an unmarked grave in Mexico City, the headstone in the Cemetery of Alleghenies will forever be a reminder to our children, and our grandchildren of their uncle’s service to our country, and the wife that stood by him. Denny will always be our hero. We are forever grateful to all that served, and to the people that made this bill happen.”

The House version of the Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act was introduced by Representatives Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Dan Meuser (R-PA), G.T. Thompson (R-PA) and is also supported by Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA).

This bill is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:55:29Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-on-iran-missile-attack-on-israel/,Fetterman on Iran Missile Attack on Israel,2024-10-01,2024,2024-10,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Braddock, PA — Today, Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel. Senator Fetterman released the following statement in response:

“Any move Iran makes against Israel, my voice and vote follows Israel to ensure they have whatever resources they need—whether that’s military, financial, or intelligence—to prevail over terror.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:55:29Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-urges-ftc-doj-to-investigate-plant-closing-in-charleroi-pa/,"Fetterman Urges FTC & DOJ to Investigate Plant Closing in Charleroi, PA",2024-09-27,2024,2024-09,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) penned a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan and the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, Jonathan Kanter, urging the agencies to investigate the chain of events that led to Anchor Hocking’s decision to close their Charleroi glass manufacturing plant. Senator Fetterman also demanded the agencies hold Anchor Hocking and its private equity partners accountable if wrongdoing occurred.

The letter reads in part: “Anchor Hocking and the private equity firms responsible for this decision aren’t just putting more than 300 Pennsylvanians out of a job, they’re also taking a swing at Charleroi’s identity. I want to be absolutely certain that the federal government has pursued all possible avenues for recourse, so I urge you to investigate the events and transactions that preceded this announcement, including Instant Brands’s bankruptcy proceedings in 2023 and the apparent acquisition of Instant Brands’s housewares division by Anchor Hocking and Center Lane in March 2024.”

In early September, glass manufacturer Anchor Hocking announced that it would close its plant in Charleroi, PA by the end of the year. The decision will close a factory that’s operated in Charleroi for 132 years and put more than 300 union workers out of a job. The facility was taken over by Anchor Hocking, which is owned by a private equity firm, in March 2024. In the letter Senator Fetterman highlights the troubling practice of private equity swooping in and quickly relocating in hopes of making more money elsewhere, which hurts both the community and the workers who have powered these plants for generations.

“The story of corporations coming into Western Pennsylvania’s communities and stripping them for parts is all too common,” Senator Fetterman wrote in the letter. “For 14 years, I was mayor of a town that saw 90% of its people leave after the steel industry abandoned the very workers who built our country. Now, we’re seeing private equity firms do the same thing in Charleroi: buy up a productive factory, strip it for parts, fire the workers, and let corporate executives collect fat bonuses. It’s despicable.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:46:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-britt-introduce-bill-to-require-mental-health-warning-labels-on-social-media-platforms/,"Fetterman, Britt Introduce Bill to Require Mental Health Warning Labels on Social Media Platforms",2024-09-25,2024,2024-09,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"“As a Senator, but more importantly, as a dad to three young kids, I feel a duty to address how dangerous unchecked social media can be for our mental health.”

Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Katie Britt (R-AL) introduced the Stop the Scroll Act, to create a mental health warning label requirement for social media platforms. This bipartisan legislation would ensure all users, especially children and teens, are aware of the potential mental health risks associated with social media use and have access to mental health resources. Senators Fetterman and Britt joined Brett Baier on Fox News to discuss the new legislation.

“As a Senator, but more importantly, as a dad to three young kids, I feel a duty to address how dangerous unchecked social media can be for our mental health. The evidence is right in front of us—addiction, anxiety, depression, and suicide are on the rise, and it’s directly tied to these platforms. Senator Britt and I are introducing the Stop the Scroll Act to make sure our laws catch up with the reality we are living in. This bill will help kids and parents alike take control of their social media use, not the other way around,” said Senator Fetterman.

“Every child deserves the chance to live their own personal American Dream, but our nation’s youth mental health crisis is getting in the way for far too many,” said Senator Britt. “With the Stop the Scroll Act, Senator Fetterman and I are following through on the Surgeon General’s call to create a warning label for social media platforms, but we’re going further by requiring the warning label to also point users to mental health resources. Equipped with the knowledge of the dangers and empowered with the resources to address it, this simple solution will help parents and kids thrive.”

Earlier this month, the attorneys general of 42 states and U.S. territories urged Congress to pass legislation proposed by Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, requiring official warnings on social media platforms.

The Stop the Scroll Act directly addresses this call to action by mandating that the Surgeon General design, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforce, a warning label system for social media platforms. The warning label, which would appear as a pop-up box upon opening a platform, would caution users about the potential mental health risks associated with social media use and include links to mental health resources. Users must acknowledge these warnings before proceeding to use the platform.

Background on Senator Fetterman’s Social Media Safety Efforts:

Senator Fetterman has previously shared how social media was as an “accelerant” for his depression following his Senate victory in 2022, an experience that has made him a leading voice in the push for online safety reform. He has since advocated for greater awareness of the mental health risks posed by social media. Fetterman played a critical role in advancing the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act, which was passed in July of this year. The legislation improves online privacy rights for minors and protects children from harmful online content such as bullying, violence, and exposure to dangerous material. Senator Fetterman’s efforts helped ensure that the bill couldn’t be weaponized to target vulnerable communities, like LGBTQ+ youth, by overzealous state actors.

Additionally, Fetterman co-sponsored the Eyes on the Board Act, which requires schools that receive federal broadband funding to block access to social media apps on school devices and networks. The legislation is designed to minimize distractions and help students focus on learning during school hours. He also supported the Kids Off Social Media Act,which sets a minimum age of 13 for social media use and bans the use of addictive algorithms targeting users under 17. Both bills address the growing mental health crisis among young people, particularly by tackling the harmful effects of algorithm-driven content that can fuel addiction, anxiety, and depression.

The full text of the bill can be viewed here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:46:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-cornyn-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-improve-mental-health-care-access-for-selected-reservists/,"Fetterman, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Mental Health Care Access for Selected Reservists",2024-09-25,2024,2024-09,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Affordable Mental Health Care for Selected Reserve Act, a bipartisan effort to remove cost-sharing barriers that prevent Selected Reserve (SELRES) personnel from accessing mental health care under TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS).

“As a nation that relies so heavily on the courage and dedication of our Reserve and National Guard servicemembers, it’s unacceptable that so many face obstacles in accessing essential mental health care,” said Senator Fetterman. “This bill is about removing unnecessary barriers and ensuring that those who serve our country can get the support they need without worrying about the cost. Mental health care is health care—it should be non-negotiable.”

“Far too many Reserve and National Guard service members avoid seeking mental health care due to rising premiums and out-of-pocket medical costs not covered under TRICARE Reserve Select,” said Senator Cornyn. “This bill aims to ease those financial burdens by eliminating cost-sharing requirements, encouraging our service members to seek the accessible, affordable coverage they deserve.”

Despite the growing demands placed upon SELRES personnel, at least 130,000 Reserve and National Guard servicemembers lack consistent health insurance. While TRICARE Reserve Select offers subsidized health care plans, many eligible servicemembers decline coverage due to expensive monthly premiums and cost-shares for medical visits.

The need for accessible mental health care is evident:

Increased Utilization: TRICARE Reserve Select users have utilized more direct care mental health visits each year for the past three years.

Alarming Suicide Rates: The average suicide rate for veterans is 150% higher than that of the general population. Among women veterans, it’s 250% higher.

LGBTQ+ Veterans at Risk: LGBTQ+ veterans attempt suicide at a rate15 times higher than veterans overall.

The Affordable Mental Health Care for Selected Reserve Act is a cost-effective solution to this problem. The Fiscal Year 2025 Department of Defense budget allocates over $60 billion for military health system funding. Implementing zero cost-share mental health care under TRS would cost less than 0.02% of the health system budget for FY25. Additionally, providing accessible, affordable health care enhances retention, readiness, and recruitment within our military forces.

The Affordable Mental Health Care for Selected Reserve Act has been endorsed by several key military organizations, including the National Guard Association of the United States, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), Reserve Organization of America (ROA), Modern Military Association of America, and Blue Star Families.

“We owe it to our men and women in uniform to uphold our nation’s promise, to care for veterans, servicemembers and their families,” said Major General Mark Schindler of Pennsylvania’s Adjutant General and head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “Through their service, National Guard members and Reservists should have access to affordable behavioral health programs. This legislation will make a difference for thousands of Pennsylvania men and women who serve our country and commonwealth.”

“As the nation increasingly calls on the National Guard and Reserves, we must ensure their needs, including mental health, are met,” said retired Major General Francis M. McGinn, President of the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS). “The Affordable Mental Health Care for Selected Reserve Act does that by removing cost-sharing burdens for services covered under TRICARE Reserve Select. We commend Senator Fetterman for this legislation. It will help ensure that all who have volunteered to defend our nation are ready when called and whole when they return home.”

“Ensuring SELRES personnel have access to mental health care is a key factor for the readiness and retention of our Reserve forces. Service Women’s Action Network applauds the investment in taking care of our troops, especially in light of the disproportionately high suicide rates among veteran women,” said Elisa Cardnell, President and CEO of Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN).

“Access to mental and behavioral healthcare is essential for the readiness of our nation’s reserve force,” said Matthew Schwartzman, Legislation and Military Policy Director at the Reserve Organization of America (ROA). “Regrettably, recent initiatives designed to support our service members and their families have overlooked the distinct needs of those in the Reserve and National Guard. The Affordable Mental Health Care for Selected Reserve Act takes a crucial step in addressing this gap by eliminating cost-sharing for mental healthcare for TRICARE Reserve Select enrollees. We extend our gratitude to Senator Fetterman for championing this legislation and urge Congress to promptly enact it into law.”

“The Affordable Mental Health Care for Selected Reserve Act is a crucial step toward ensuring equitable access to mental health services for Selected Reserve personnel. By eliminating cost-sharing burdens for services covered under TRICARE Reserve Select, this legislation addresses a significant barrier that has disproportionately impacted LGBTQ+ individuals, who are at higher risk for mental health challenges due to discrimination, stigma, and minority stress. Studies consistently demonstrate the urgent needs for such measures as LGBTQ+ service members and veterans are significantly less likely to seek necessary mental health services due to financial constraints,” said Rachel Branaman, Executive Director of the Modern Military Association of America.

“The definition of service for our organization belongs to the Soldiers, Airmen, and the families. We exist to be their advocate. Ensuring that our Citizen Soldiers and Airmen have the best benefits, equipment, and training only works when we take care of the warrior first. Providing for better access to mental health care and ensuring that members of the National Guard are able to stay strong mentally and emotionally is one of the most important steps to ensuring that the National Guard remains the most capable defender of freedom,” said Jeff Frisby, Executive Director of The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS). “Sen. Fetterman’s work on the Affordable Mental Health Care for Selected Reserve Act is a true example of taking care of the force. This bill will ensure that when our reserve component members need access to health care, they are able to get it. The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States is thankful for the efforts of this bill to make sure the reserve component knows their personal well-being is important and they are being taken care of.”

“Our reservists deserve access to mental health care without financial barriers. The Affordable Mental Health Care for Selected Reserve Act is a critical step in ensuring that those who serve our nation can get the support they need, without hesitation,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:46:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-presses-federal-reserve-for-more-transparency-on-fednow/,Fetterman Presses Federal Reserve for More Transparency on FedNow,2024-09-24,2024,2024-09,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) issued an oversight letter to Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, pressing the Federal Reserve for greater transparency and detailed responses regarding the performance of FedNow, the central bank’s new instant payment platform, and the fees consumers have to pay for sending payments over FedNow.

The letter follows the Federal Reserve’s reluctance to provide complete and detailed answers to Senator Fetterman’s Questions for the Record (QFRs) submitted following a Senate Banking Committee hearing earlier this year.

The letter reads in part: “The Federal Reserve has done an extraordinary job navigating the American economy and financial system through a variety of difficult circumstances in recent years. The Fed and its actions are critical to ensuring a sound financial system that works for every family and every business. Affordable, safe instant payments are an important part of that critical work.”

In the letter, Senator Fetterman emphasized the need for more information and greater clarity around FedNow, which has been operational for over a year. He expressed concerns about the Federal Reserve’s lack of transparency in providing key data, including the number of financial institutions using FedNow, transaction volumes, and whether the Fed is tracking how much banks are charging consumers to use the service.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:46:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/senator-fetterman-chairs-hearing-to-expand-access-to-free-school-meals/,Senator Fetterman Chairs Hearing to Expand Access to Free School Meals,2024-09-19,2024,2024-09,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"“Honestly, this shouldn’t even be a conversation. It’d be like asking kids to pay for the school bus every morning”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, held a hearing titled “Keeping Kids Learning in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.” The hearing focused on legislative solutions to eliminate student meal debt; reduce the stigma associated with free school meals; and expand access to free, nutritious meals for all students. Four of the five witnesses were Pennsylvanians. In his opening remarks, Senator Fetterman pointed out how absurd it is that a hearing on providing free meals to students is even necessary.

“It should be simple. School lunch should always be free – and definitely free from judgement,” said Senator Fetterman. “Honestly this shouldn’t even be a conversation. It’d be like asking kids to pay for the school bus every morning.”

Senator Fetterman also highlighted the problem of school lunch debt, saying that “‘school lunch debt’ is a phrase so absurd it shouldn’t even exist.”

Under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, the USDA subsidizes meals for low-income students, but gaps remain. The national public school meal debt stands at $262 million annually, with nearly $80 million owed in Pennsylvania alone. This debt accumulates when children who cannot afford to pay for their meals receive them with the expectation that they will pay later.

The witnesses included Crystal FitzSimons, Interim President, Food Research & Action Center; Russell Redding, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Harrisburg, Pa.; Nichole Taylor, Director of Food and Nutrition, Chichester School District, Upper Chichester, Pa.; Kay Swartz Rentzel, Executive Director, Southeastern Food Processors Association, National Peach Council, and U.S. Sweet Potato Council, Dillsburg, Pa.; Dr. Meg Bruening, Professor and Department Head, Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.

Senator Fetterman emphasized the need to eliminate stigma so all children can access nutritious food without shame or financial burden. Ms. Nichole Taylor testified that some students avoid the cafeteria or pull out of the meal subsidy program, choosing to go hungry rather than face the embarrassment of receiving a free meal.

Ms. Crystal FitzSimons highlighted the benefits of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which helps schools in high-need areas to offer free meals to all students. She explained that as more schools adopt CEP, they are seeing increasing benefits, including higher student participation in school mealtime, less administrative burden, the elimination of unpaid meal debts, reduced stigma, and a better overall school atmosphere.

Secretary Russell Redding discussed Pennsylvania’s initiative to provide universal free breakfasts, noting increased participation rates.

Food security is one of Senator Fetterman’s top legislative priorities. In June, he was one of only four Democrats to vote against the debt limit bill, explicitly because it imposed restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. He has remained firm that he will block the Farm Bill if it does not include strong protections for SNAP. Supporting the debt limit bill could have weakened his leverage in negotiations over the Farm Bill, which is why he voted against it.

Senator Fetterman has introduced the School Lunch Debt Cancellation Act,which would direct the USDA to pay all debts owed to schools for lunch or breakfast programs. This bill aims to eliminate the stigma and financial strain associated with student meal debt. He has also joined Senator Casey (D-PA) to introduce the School Hunger Elimination Act and the Nutrition Red Tape Reduction Act, aiming to expand access to free and reduced-price meals for millions of students.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:46:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-introduces-the-tenants-right-to-organize-act/,Fetterman Introduces the Tenants’ Right to Organize Act,2024-09-18,2024,2024-09,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"“Just as labor unions help workers stand together for fair treatment, the Tenants’ Right to Organize Act will empower renters to come together and make positive changes in their homes and neighborhoods.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced the Tenants’ Right to Organize Act, a crucial bill to empower tenants to organize, participate in, and operate tenant organizations without fear of retaliation or interference. This bill amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to the formation of tenant organizations and provide additional funding to ensure they have a stronger voice in addressing their living conditions and advocating for their rights.

Currently, only some tenants living in federally supported housing have a legally recognized right to organize without fear of retaliation. This unfair distinction leaves Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) recipients and residents of federally-assisted units in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties without the ability to self-organize and address housing concerns. Empowering the millions of HCV and LIHTC tenants in rent-restricted units with the ability to organize promotes stronger, more robust communities and can help improve housing outcomes and reduce eviction filings.

The House companion to this legislation was introduced by Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-3). This bill is co-sponsored by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

“Every American, regardless of their financial situation, should have the right to advocate for better conditions in their home and community,” said Senator Fetterman. “No parent wants to see their child living in an unsafe or unhealthy home. This bill is about giving low-income Section 8 and LIHTC renters the tools they need to speak up and demand better living conditions. Just as labor unions help workers stand together for fair treatment, the Tenants’ Right to Organize Act will empower renters to come together and make positive changes in their homes and neighborhoods. I’m proud to introduce it.”

“With the introduction of the Tenants’ Right to Organize Act in the Senate, we are building powerful momentum for tenants’ rights across the country,” said Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez, the lead sponsor of the legislation in the House of Representatives. “From major cities like Chicago to smaller communities, tenants are realizing the power they have when they come together to fight unfair housing practices, unjust evictions, housing discrimination, and skyrocketing rents. Tenant organizing is not only winning these battles but also reshaping public policy to ensure safe, stable housing for thousands of families. As our housing affordability and access crisis worsens, it is more urgent than ever to guarantee that all tenants have the right to organize. I look forward to working with my colleagues to build tenant power and transform housing for all.”

“People shouldn’t be punished just for speaking up when they are living in unsanitary conditions or struggling to afford their rent and make ends meet,” said Senator Wyden. “Tenants asking for fair treatment in their own homes should have the right to advocate together, just as workers do. This bill will give tenants the protections to stand up for themselves as our country faces a housing crisis.”

“My parents never made much money,” said Senator Sanders. “But we kept a roof over our heads because we lived in a rent-controlled apartment. As we confront this terrible housing crisis, let me be very clear: In the richest country in the history of the world, every American must have a safe, decent, accessible, and affordable home as a fundamental right. As part of that effort, we must guarantee renters have the right to form tenant unions free from retaliation by landlords or managing agents. This legislation is an important step in the right direction.”

“Tenants need the tools in this measure to protect themselves against predatory landlords. Organizing together to combat exploitative practices gives them leverage and strength. They can hold landlords accountable and demand safe, affordable, secure housing— which should be the legal right of every renter. Rising rents and abusive evictions are enabled by housing shortages that need to be addressed as well,” said Senator Blumenthal.

“Everyone deserves a safe, decent place to live. But too often, tenants face eviction or harassment for advocating for better living conditions,” said Senator Smith. “Empowering renters will allow millions of Americans to organize to fight against housing discrimination and skyrocketing rent, and to stand together for fair treatment.”

“Low-income renters using Housing Choice Vouchers or trying to find affordable housing have limited options, so when they’re facing a negligent landlord, they feel backed into a corner – either deal with poor living conditions or risk not being able to secure another affordable place to live. Giving these tenants the right to organize will allow them to hold landlords accountable and demand that issues with rent increases or living conditions be addressed. I’m proud to introduce this legislation that will empower renters and help keep them in safe, stable housing,” said Senator Murphy.

“Landlords shouldn’t be able to shut off heat in the winter or neglect repair requests in retaliation for families trying to organize about living conditions and speak up for themselves. For years, I have called on Congress to level the playing field and empower tenants to take on bad landlords. The Tenants’ Right to Organize Act will provide long overdue protections for Section 8 and LIHTC renters,” said Senator Warren.

Key Elements of the Tenants’ Right to Organize Act:

Expanded Protections for Tenant Organizing: The bill guarantees families receiving tenant-based rental assistance the right to establish and participate in legitimate tenant organizations to address issues related to their living environment, such as the terms and conditions of their tenancy and other housing and community development activities.

Preventing Retaliation and Protecting Tenant Activities: The bill protects tenants from adverse actions, such as eviction or harassment, in response to their participation in legitimate tenant organizations or exercising their rights.

Accountability and Enforcement for Federal Funding Recipients: The bill requires public housing agencies and owners to recognize legitimate tenant organizations and respond meaningfully to their concerns. It also requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of the Treasury to establish enforcement protocols, including complaint filing processes, investigation of abuses, and regular reporting to Congress to ensure compliance.

Funding and Support for Tenant Organizations: The bill provides dedicated funding to support tenant organizing and capacity building, ensuring that tenants have the resources and training needed to advocate for their rights effectively.

This bill has been endorsed by National Housing Law Project (NHLP), Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC), Mobility Works, National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), Tenant Union Representative Network (TURN), Housing Equality Center of Pennsylvania, PA Fair Housing of the Capital Region, PA Fair Housing of Greater Pittsburgh, Liberation in a Generation, Policy Link, Center for Popular Democracy Action (CPD), PA Stands Up, Housing Action Illinois, National Alliance of HUD Tenants (NAHT), and LOFTE Network (including Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants, Tenants Union of Washington State. the George Wiley Center, Greater Newark HUD Tenants Coalition, Arkansas Community Organizations, Greater Syracuse Tenants Network, New York Tenants and Neighbors, AIDS Healthcare Foundation/Housing Is a Human Right (Los Angeles), Metropolitan Tenants Organization (Chicago), United Community Housing Coalition (Detroit), and HOMELine (Minnesota)).

“Everyone deserves a safe, stable, and affordable home. Yet, across the country, landlords can abuse the broken rental market to intimidate, harass, and evict tenants who speak up for their basic rights. That’s why we’re proud to support the Tenants’ Right to Organize Act, which would expand the right to organize for tenants in federal housing programs,” said National Housing Law Project Executive Director Shamus Roller. “Tenants organized to get us here, and we’re grateful to Sen. Fetterman and Rep. Ramirez for fighting for them. This bill is a crucial step toward correcting the power imbalance between tenants and landlords.”

“Strong renter protections – like the right to organize – are critical to addressing the power imbalance between landlords and renters, ensuring racial equity, and ending the housing and homelessness crisis,” said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “For decades, tenants have organized for improved living conditions, safety from unjust evictions, and for fair rent. However, not all renters have the right to organize. I applaud Senator Fetterman for introducing the Tenants Right to Organize Act to ensure all renters in federally assisted homes have the right to make their voices heard through collective action, without fear of retaliation.”

“Tenants receiving rental subsidies should be able to organize to assert their fair housing and other rights and to advocate for safe high-quality housing without the fear of retaliation. The Housing Equality Center of Pennsylvania supports the Tenants’ Right to Organize bill, to ensure that tenants have the right to organize legitimate tenant organizations which will help to advance fair and equal housing opportunities for all Americans,” said Rachel Wentworth, Executive Director of the Housing Equality Center of Pennsylvania

“The right to organize is a long held American value. During this time of rising rents, which has led to a severe deficit of affordable housing across the nation, the most vulnerable among us have been extremely hesitant to demand their right to decent, dignified and secure housing. The Fair Housing Council is in favor of all efforts that allow tenants the opportunity to advocate on their behalf without fear of reprisal for doing so,” said The Fair Housing Council of the Capital Region staff and Board of Directors.

“As an organization that advocates and educates for greater choice and opportunity in the Housing Choice Voucher program, Mobility Works takes heed of the voices of those most affected by HCV policies. The right to organize and speak out is fundamental to self-determination and dignity for all renters, and low-income tenants are disproportionately affected by evictions and harassment. Introduction of the Tenants’ Right to Organize Bill (SIL24612) is a vital step to ensure this right for the nearly 5 million low-income households subsidized by HCV or LIHTC. We commend Senator Fetterman for his leadership and initiative on this issue,” said Valerie Rosenberg, Mobility Works.

“It is critical to extend an enforceable Right to Organize to federally-assisted buildings where five million tenants do not now have this protection. Vulnerable tenants all to often are intimidated or bullied when they assert their rights. We commend Senator Fetterman for taking the leadership in the Senate to provide tenants with these vital protections,” said Michael Kane, Chair, Leaders and Organizers for Tenant Empowerment (LOFTE) Network and Director, Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants.

“This bill gives a voice to tenants, who have otherwise been ignored. It establishes equal and fair representation under the law to protect people’s right to live and prosper in their community. This bill helps strengthen communities by fighting homelessness and allows for the dignity that people deserve,” said Michael Piersol, Berks Stands Up Member

“The balance of power when it comes to housing has been far too lopsided in favor of landlords and those in the top 1%. This bill is a great step to level the playing field to allow tenants to organize for the safe and affordable housing that they deserve without fear of retribution,” said Otis Ubriaco, Lancaster Stands Up Member

“A bill protecting tenant organizing is a powerful tool to ensure fair treatment, improve living conditions, and advocating for broader housing justice. This bill helps to enforce housing as a human right,” said Nicole Moy, Executive Director of the Tenant Union Representative Network (TURN)

Full text of the bill can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:46:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-casey-celebrate-historic-confirmation-of-mary-kay-costello/,"Fetterman, Casey Celebrate Historic Confirmation of Mary Kay Costello",2024-09-17,2024,2024-09,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"This marks President Biden’s twelfth openly LGBTQ+ federal judge, setting a new record for the most LGBTQ+ judges appointed by any president in U.S. history

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) celebrated the historic confirmation of Mary Kay Costello to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Costello, who will serve in Philadelphia, becomes President Biden’s twelfth openly LGBTQ+ federal judge, breaking the record for the most LGBTQ+ judges appointed by any president in U.S. history.

“Today is a proud day for Pennsylvania and for our country. Mary Kay Costello’s historic confirmation is a win for every American who believes our courts are stronger when they reflect the diversity of the people they serve,” said Senator Fetterman. “Mary Kay represents the best of our commonwealth—tough, smart, and unafraid to take on powerful interests. Today, she brings those values to the federal bench. I’m proud to have championed her nomination, and I know she will make Pennsylvania proud throughout her tenure.”

“From her experience in the U.S. Attorney’s office, private practice, and the U.S. Air Force, Mary Kay Costello has devoted her career to rooting out fraud and keeping communities safe,” said Senator Casey. “I am pleased to join my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle in voting for her historic confirmation. She is well-qualified to take on this new role and I look forward to seeing her continue to serve the people of Eastern Pennsylvania.”

Mary Kay Costello has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia for the past 15 years, prosecuting cases involving public corruption, fraud, drug trafficking, and other significant crimes. She served for eight years in the Air Force as a communications-computer systems operator, receiving an honorable discharge in 1994 as a staff sergeant.

Costello resides in Philadelphia with her spouse and two young children and is a graduate of Temple University, where she earned both her undergraduate and law degrees.

With this confirmation, Costello joins the ranks of an increasingly diverse judiciary appointed by President Biden.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:46:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-introduces-bill-to-designate-washingtons-trail-as-a-national-historic-trail/,Fetterman Introduces Bill to Designate Washington’s Trail as a National Historic Trail,2024-09-13,2024,2024-09,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced the “Washington’s Trail—1753 National Historic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2024.” This legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating Washington’s Trail as a national historic trail under the National Trails System Act.

Washington’s Trail traces the historic 500-mile route taken by George Washington and his party from Williamsburg, Virginia to Fort LeBoeuf (now Waterford), Pennsylvania on a diplomatic mission on behalf of Virginia Governor Robert Dinwiddie from October 31, 1753 to January 16, 1754. This journey was pivotal in the events leading up to the French and Indian War (1754-1763).

The House companion of the legislation was introduced by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA-16). This bill is co-sponsored by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA).

“Designating Washington’s Trail as a national historic trail is an opportunity to honor an important chapter in our nation’s—and Pennsylvania’s—history,” said Senator Fetterman. “The trail represents a pivotal moment in America’s past, when a young George Washington embarked on a mission that would shape the future of our nation. Recognizing and preserving this route as a National Historic Trail would not only commemorate the significance of these events but also promote education and tourism.”

“From 1753 to 1754, George Washington traveled from Williamsburg, Virginia to Waterford, Pennsylvania on his first diplomatic mission. His route, now known as the Washington Trail, tells us an important story about the onset of the French and Indian War, and we must preserve this history,” said Senator Kaine. “That’s why I’m joining my colleagues in introducing this bill to take the first step to designate the Washington Trail as a National Historic Trail, which would help preserve the trail, promote economic tourism, and educate future generations.”

“Virginians take great pride in the instrumental role the Commonwealth played in our nation’s earliest years. It is our job to preserve that rich history for future generations to enjoy and explore,” said Senator Warner.

The bill would amend the National Trails System Act to initiate a study on Washington’s Trail—1753, considering its historical significance, potential impact on local economies through increased tourism, and opportunities for public education. If designated, Washington’s Trail would join other historic trails recognized by the National Trails System, promoting the preservation of America’s cultural and historical resources while fostering public appreciation and understanding of the country’s past.

Information about Washington’s Trail 1753 can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:46:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-stands-with-usw-against-shameless-executives/,Fetterman Stands with USW Against Shameless Executives,2024-09-05,2024,2024-09,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"“I’m calling bullshit on the U.S. Steel executives”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Steel executives threatened to move its headquarters from Pittsburgh, putting thousands of union jobs in the region at risk should the proposed sale to Nippon Steel fall through. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) released the following statement in response:

“As I’ve always said, I will follow and stand with the United Steelworkers against the shameless executives looking for a golden parachute.

“I’m calling bullshit on the U.S. Steel executives, just like I did shortly after that first announcement.

“Proud to stand and fight for what is right and fair for USW and the communities that I call my home.”

Senator Fetterman, who lives across the street from U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson plant in Braddock, has been outspoken on this issue since news broke of the proposed sale last December.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:46:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-casey-celebrate-nomination-of-keli-neary-to-us-district-court-in-pennsylvania/,"Fetterman, Casey Celebrate Nomination of Keli Neary to U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania",2024-07-31,2024,2024-07,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Pennsylvania U.S. Senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey proudly announced President Biden’s nomination of Keli Neary to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Neary, a distinguished attorney, will sit in Harrisburg if confirmed.

“Keli Neary’s professional journey is one of resilience and integrity, and her extensive law career has prepared her to level up to the federal bench,” said Senator Fetterman. “Her work in the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, where she led the Civil Law Division, has been marked by a tireless defense of the Constitution and the rights of Pennsylvanians. I am confident she will serve the people of Pennsylvania with distinction.”

“Keli Neary’s extensive experience serving our Commonwealth make her well-qualified to serve the Middle District of Pennsylvania as a district court judge,” said Senator Casey. “From her years of experience at the Pennsylvania State Police to her years in the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General—including her current role as Chief of the Civil Law Division for Pennsylvania’s Office of the Attorney General—Keli has served a vital role in keeping Pennsylvania communities safe and fighting for equal justice for all. I look forward to her swift confirmation by the Senate.”

Keli Neary earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in 2003 and graduated from Widener Commonwealth School of Law in Harrisburg in 2006. To fund her education, she worked part-time as a dietary aide and kitchen supervisor at the Laurel View Village Assisted Living Facility.

Neary’s career began as a law clerk for the Honorable C. Joseph Rehkamp of the 41st Judicial District Court of Common Pleas of Pennsylvania. From 2007 to 2012, she served as Assistant Counsel for the Pennsylvania State Police in Harrisburg.

Neary’s career includes 12 years of service in the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General (OAG), where she has led the Civil Law Division since 2019. This division is responsible for defending the constitutionality of Pennsylvania laws and representing Pennsylvania agencies, officials, and employees in both federal and state courts. Her previous roles within the OAG include Deputy Attorney General (2012 – 2016), Senior Deputy Attorney General (2016 – 2018), and Chief of the Civil Litigation Section (2018 – 2019). Neary has served under both Republican and Democratic administrations, showcasing her nonpartisan commitment to justice.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:32:29Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-passage-of-the-kids-online-safety-and-privacy-act/,Fetterman Statement on Passage of the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act,2024-07-30,2024,2024-07,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, by a vote of 91-3, the United States Senate passed the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act, a legislative package that included both the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children’s and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), two bills that will help protect children online. This is the most significant step Congress has taken to keep children safe on the internet in decades. Senator Fetterman released the following statement in response:

“We all know the positive side of the internet, but social media can take a serious toll on mental health. I’ve experienced this firsthand and I’ve spoken openly about it. We must do more to protect our children’s privacy online and safeguard their mental health – these bills are critical steps to do just that.

“I’m especially proud to have worked to improve this legislation so that far-right attorneys general or federal appointees will not be able to weaponize it to censor both content that supports LGBTQ+ youth and content that provides information on reproductive health care.

“It’s good to see that we’re stepping up to protect our children. I’m proud of the work I’ve done on this legislation and wish I could have been in DC to vote for it, instead of home in Braddock with COVID. I hope the House takes it up and passes it as soon as possible.”

The Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act will create regulations that govern what content tech and social media companies are able to offer to minors online through algorithm recommendations. The bills will require companies to take steps to mitigate harm to children, including bullying, violence, the promotion of suicide, eating disorder content, and more. The legislation will also change how these companies can use young people’s data.

After hearing concerns with the legislation from LGBTQ+ organizations, Senator Fetterman worked with his colleagues to address concerns that KOSA could violate First Amendment rights if weaponized by rightwing state attorneys general. Senator Fetterman cosponsored the revised version of the bill, which ensures that LGBTQ+ social media content cannot be interpreted as harmful by right wing state attorneys general and federal appointees.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:32:29Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-backs-usda-move-to-curb-big-money-interests-in-livestock-and-poultry-market/,Fetterman Backs USDA Move to Curb Big Money Interests in Livestock and Poultry Market,2024-07-22,2024,2024-07,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator John Fetterman sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) endorsing the “Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets” and “Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems” rules proposed under Packers & Stockyards Act (PSA) authority. By clearly identifying what constitutes unlawful competitive injury and unfair practices, these rules aim to safeguard small domestic poultry and livestock producers from the overpowering influence of large corporate interests.

“Our livestock and poultry markets have become so monopolistic that a small handful of corporations control nearly everything—from how your chicken is raised to how much it costs to put it on your dinner table,” said Senator Fetterman. “President Biden’s mission to dismantle big money control over corporate agriculture is embodied in these USDA rules. These changes begin to strip monopoly power from the few and give small producers a fair shot. Any opportunity for small producers to challenge Big Ag is a win for consumer power—adopting these proposed rules opens that door.”

The PSA was enacted in 1921 to promote effective competition and integrity in the livestock, meat, and poultry markets. It was a response to growing concerns about the exploitative practices of the “Big Five” meat packers. The PSA prohibits predatory practices by meatpackers and live poultry dealers to maintain market integrity and ensure fair competition, boosting economic stability for producers and maintaining top-quality domestic livestock.

Over a century later, Big Poultry controls all their own inputs and outputs, manipulating the market to eradicate feasible competition. The industry—the National Chicken Council—opposes any effort to promote a fair market, claiming these rules impose an anti-business regulatory agenda and could increase chicken prices,in an effort to maintain their dominance over the market. The USDA’s proposed rules aim to ensure fairer competition and transparency, requiring poultry companies to document fair comparisons between growers. Additionally, they address the inequities of the “tournament system” used by Big Poultry, which unfairly pits producers against each other. When the poultry companies provide all feed, genetics, vaccines, or other inputs, it’s simply unfair to compare their performance against each other, since those inputs determine the growers’ performance.

In the letter, Senator Fetterman wrote: “I can think of no clearer example of an “unfair” practice in the poultry industry than pitting growers in a regional market against each other. Similarly, I can think of no clearer “deceptive” practice than telling growers they will receive one price, then paying them another. Unfortunately, as the Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems proposed rule clearly lays out, the current tournament system many growers are operating under does just these things. The USDA can and must do more to create a level playing field for these growers, and this rule does just that”

Under President Biden, the USDA is taking decisive steps to revise the PSA terms, combating harmful monopolization by a few livestock and poultry companiesand making chicken farming equitable. The USDA’s effort is part of a broader initiative to create a more equitable agricultural marketplace. Senator Fetterman’s letter pledges his full support for President Biden’s initiative and reaffirms his commitment to promoting a fair, open, and competitive agricultural marketplace.

Senator Fetterman has championed this agenda since he arrived in the Senate. Last year, Senator Fetterman introduced The Poultry Grower Fairness Act, which would modernize and streamline PSA enforcement. Under his bill, USDA would have expanded authority to address anti-competitive behavior in the poultry industry and could award reasonable attorney’s fees to put farmers on a level playing field against corporate legal armies employed by meatpackers.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:32:29Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-colleagues-urge-cfpb-chair-to-include-ebt-users-in-new-data-privacy-rule/,Fetterman & Colleagues Urge CFPB Chair to Include EBT Users in New Data Privacy Rule,2024-07-15,2024,2024-07,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Tina Smith (D-MN) sent a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra urging the agency to include Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards in a soon to be finalized rule that provides critical protections for users of various financial services. When finalized, the rule will implement Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and provide users of financial services like debit and credit cards with strong data privacy protections. In the letter, the senators urged the CFPB to ensure the rule also covers EBT users. These added protections would be critical for SNAP, WIC, and TANF recipients.

In the letter, the senators wrote: “CFPB’s rulemaking seeks to address the fragmented landscape of personal financial data access, but its proposed rule did not provide coverage for EBT accounts. As the primary federal agency tasked with protecting consumers of financial services, the CFPB should work to protect access to financial information, establish standards for data access, and promote the development of standards for secure data exchange for families who receive nutrition and financial assistance. Tens of millions of low-income Americans rely on EBT to receive vital nutrition and financial assistance through federal programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).”

The CFPB is expected to soon finalize the proposed rule to implement Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Act, helps consumers access and share financial data. Once finalized, the rule will establish stronger financial data rights for financial service users.

Senator Fetterman has made modernizing EBT technology a key priority, both in his work to secure a strong Farm Bill and in his oversight of financial agencies. In March, Senators Fetterman and Wyden, along with Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), introduced the Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act of 2024, a bipartisan bill to upgrade the security of electronic benefit cards. The bill would protect families from thieves and hackers who have stolen tens of millions of dollars worth of essential food benefits to date.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:32:29Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-returns-from-trip-to-israel/,Fetterman Returns from Trip to Israel,2024-07-01,2024,2024-07,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"The trip focused on the role of money laundering and illicit finance in the Israel-Hamas War

Washington, D.C. – Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) recently returned from Israel where he met with American and Israeli leadership to discuss the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Senator Fetterman serves on the U.S. Senate Banking Committee and the trip was focused on terror financing and combating illicit finance.

“Illicit finance fans the flames of the Israel-Hamas war,” said Senator Fetterman. “What’s clearer than ever is that we have an opportunity to help Israel win this war in several ways, not just by our military and financial aid, but by strengthening existing regulatory tools. Whether it’s making sure the Treasury Department has the necessary funding and tools or strengthening enforcement of existing sanctions, we have to do more to take on terror financing.”

Among other meetings and events, Senator Fetterman met with:

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew

President Herzog and Ambassador Jack Lew

Prime Minister Netanyahu and Ambassador Jack Lew

Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz

Brief with Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Prohibition Authority at the Ministry of Justice and National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing at the Ministry of Defense

Yair Lapid, Leader of the Opposition

Yair Golan, Chair of the Israeli Labor Party

Benny Gantz, Leader, National Unity Party

In his briefing with Israeli Ministry of Justice’s Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Prohibition Authority and Ministry of Defense’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF), Fetterman discussed already introduced and potential future legislation focused on charities, shell companies, financial layering, exchange houses, virtual currencies, and their role in financing terror.

Senator Fetterman is a cosponsor of the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2023, which was introduced by Senators Warren, Marshall, Manchin, and Graham. The Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2023 would address illicit finance risks posed by crypto by closing loopholes and bringing the digital asset ecosystem into compliance with the anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:24:45Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-casey-deluzio-announce-25-million-for-sharpsburg-infrastructure-project/,"Fetterman, Casey, Deluzio Announce $25 Million for Sharpsburg Infrastructure Project",2024-06-24,2024,2024-06,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) along with Representative Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) today announced a nearly $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to support the Borough of Sharpsburg’s “Reconnecting the Allegheny Riverfront to Economic Opportunity Project.” This significant investment is part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Discretionary Grant Program, which awarded a total of $90 million this year to transportation, transit, and trail projects in Pennsylvania.

This grant will support construction of a multimodal transportation network critical to the future of Allegheny Shores, a 52-acre waterfront brownfield located five miles outside the City of Pittsburgh. The project includes the planning, design, and construction of a bridge over the Conemaugh rail line, roadways connecting the community to the riverfront district, multi-use trails along the river’s shoreline, and improvements to six bus stops along Main Street. With this infrastructure investment, Sharpsburg will be able to use this formerly blighted site for new development along the waterfront (including affordable and workforce housing), connect residents to walking, biking, and transit options, complete gaps in the regional trail network, and bring new jobs to the community.

“This federal funding is a massive win for the people of Sharpsburg,” said Senator Fetterman. “This project will allow the community to turn a blighted former rail yard into an engine for economic revitalization, and the benefits will be felt for generations. Securing this level of funding for a smaller community like Sharpsburg is no small feat – I’m grateful to the Biden Administration, who in our conversations understood the need for these infrastructure investments so that communities like this have a fair shot at a new future. When I ran for this seat, I promised to fight for real results for forgotten communities all across Pennsylvania, just like Sharpsburg – this grant is proof that we’re doing just that.”

“When we passed the infrastructure law, I fought to ensure we were making our communities better places to live for Pennsylvanians,” said Senator Casey. “By reconnecting Sharpsburg to the riverfront and expanding transportation options for residents, we are investing in the long-term economic growth of the borough and its residents. This is a transformational grant for the people of Sharpsburg and I will keep working to deliver funding for Southwestern Pennsylvania.”

“I am so proud that we are delivering this $25 million dollar federal investment in Sharpsburg,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio. “This transformational investment can shape a community for generations to come, spurring growth and getting folks connected to the beautiful Allegheny River. I am thrilled to be a part of this historic moment and will always fight to bring home more investments like this one to Western Pennsylvania.”

“This grant represents a monumental opportunity for our historic river town, with potential impacts that are truly unprecedented,” said Sharpsburg Borough Manager Christine DeRunk. “We deeply appreciate the unwavering support of our federal, state, and county officials, and the leadership and tireless advocacy of Senators Casey and Fetterman, and Congressman Deluzio. We cannot emphasize enough how much these funds will help transform our community andimprove quality of life, catalyze economic development, enhance recreation and promote environmental stewardship.”

Sharpsburg, a small community along the northern bank of the Allegheny River, is home to approximately 3,500 residents. With a rich industrial history, including its role in the early days of the H.J. Heinz Company, Sharpsburg has experienced economic decline in recent decades. The Allegheny Shores brownfield, accounting for nearly 12% of the borough’s area, has remained blighted due to insufficient transportation infrastructure.

The RAISE award will enable Sharpsburg to leverage economic development through an integrated multimodal transportation network, transforming the Allegheny Shores into a vibrant hub for alternative transportation, jobs, affordable housing, and greenways. This redevelopment promises lasting benefits for the Pittsburgh region and positions Sharpsburg for a brighter future.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:24:47Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-casey-applaud-nomination-of-mary-kay-costello-to-federal-bench/,"Fetterman, Casey Applaud Nomination of Mary Kay Costello to Federal Bench",2024-06-12,2024,2024-06,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) celebrated the nomination of Mary Kay Costello to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. If confirmed, Costello will sit in Philadelphia and will be President Biden’s ninth federal judge appointment in Pennsylvania.

“Recommending Mary Kay Costello’s nomination to the White House was an easy decision, and I applaud President Biden for recognizing her exceptional qualifications. Throughout her service in the Air Force and as a prosecutor, Mary Kay has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our nation and to the people of Pennsylvania. With a well-earned reputation for being a fair prosecutor who prioritizes real justice over high conviction rates – it is people like Mary Kay who are exactly what our judicial system needs. I’m proud to see the Pennsylvania courts being enriched with such diverse and dedicated legal professionals, and I eagerly anticipate her confirmation,” said Senator Fetterman.

“Mary Kay Costello’s experience as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, in private practice, and in the U.S. Air Force leaves no doubt in my mind that she will continue to serve the people of Eastern Pennsylvania honorably,” said Senator Casey. “As a military vet and longtime federal prosecutor, she has devoted her career to defending our Nation, fighting corruption, rooting out fraud, and keeping our communities safe. I look forward to voting to swiftly confirm her and to help her make history.”

Mary Kay Costello has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia for the past 15 years, prosecuting cases involving public corruption, fraud, drug trafficking, and other significant crimes. Costello served for eight years in the Air Force as a communications-computer systems operator, receiving an honorable discharge in 1994 as a staff sergeant.

Mary Kay Costello and her spouse have two young children and reside in Philadelphia. She earned both her undergraduate and law degrees from Temple University, where she graduated in the top 5% of her class.

If confirmed, Costello will be the twelfth openly LGBTQ+ judge appointed by President Biden, surpassing any president in history. President Obama confirmed eleven LGBTQ+ judges over his two terms.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:24:47Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-leads-bipartisan-bicameral-letter-urging-usda-to-consider-mushroom-growers-concerns-in-rulemaking/,"Fetterman Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Urging USDA to Consider Mushroom Growers’ Concerns in Rulemaking",2024-06-07,2024,2024-06,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman led a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to consider Pennsylvania producers’ priorities when finalizing the “National Organic Program: Market Development for Mushrooms and Pet Food proposed rule.

Specifically, the letter highlighted the concerns that Pennsylvania’s mushroom growers have about USDA’s decision to create an entirely new standard for organic mushrooms instead of including the organic mushroom standard as part of the existing organic crop standard. Senator Fetterman was joined on the letter by Pennsylvania Representatives Dan Meuser (R-PA) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA). The members expressed the importance of PA mushroom growers’ comments because of the commonwealth’s outsized role in mushroom production.

The letter reads in part: “This rule is well-intentioned, but our offices have heard from constituents with concerns about the rule. It’s imperative that PA mushroom growers’ voices are heard to improve the final rule that AMS issues. We represent all or part of Pennsylvania, which is known in the agricultural community as the ˜Mushroom Capital of the World.’ Southeastern PA represents the vast majority of U.S. mushroom production across all 50 states. Because of this relevance to our Commonwealth, it’s crucial that you review PA mushroom growers’ comments with this importance in mind when updating the final rule.

The full letter to AMS can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:24:47Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/senator-fetterman-rep-blunt-rochester-introduce-bicameral-comprehensive-legislation-to-address-barriers-to-creating-more-affordable-housing/,"Senator Fetterman, Rep. Blunt Rochester Introduce Bicameral Comprehensive Legislation to Address Barriers to Creating More Affordable Housing",2024-06-05,2024,2024-06,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) introduced the Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, respectively. The legislation would empower local and state governments to address regulatory barriers to increasing the housing supply and decreasing costs by establishing new national frameworks and guidance. The bill is endorsed by over 115 supporting industry organizations and advocacy groups.

There is an estimated shortage of nearly four million housing units across the country, and 100,000 units in Pennsylvania alone, a critical undersupply that hurts economic development and perpetuates income inequality. The Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act will help communities tackle the zoning and land use regulations that make it harder or impossible to build housing that would meet demand, from “granny” flats to apartments, and drive down costs for everyone. Establishing guidelines and frameworks for communities to use will address limited local capacity and provide needed strategic support. The bill also creates a grant program for localities to streamline housing development and would help communities address their complex land use rules by providing funds to digitize zoning codes at the zoning-district level.

Historically, zoning practices have been used to divide communities and concentrate poverty in under-resourced areas. By transforming our zoning regulations, more people would have access to affordable and diverse types of housing, high-paying jobs, and healthy and safe communities.

“We are facing a housing crisis in Pennsylvania and across the country. The housing supply simply doesn’t meet the need,” said Senator Fetterman. “We need to change that, but excessive regulatory red tape and overly burdensome and restrictive zoning requirements get in the way. This bill will address this persistent issue by providing capacity and technical assistance to support zoning reform efforts at the state and local level. I’m proud to co-lead it.”

“The affordable housing crisis must be met with action. In Delaware, there is a severe lack of affordable housing units while rent prices and homelessness only continue to rise. It’s why I’ve spent my time in Congress working to bring more resources to the First State to expand available housing units while lowering the cost of housing,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “The Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act builds on my work in Congress. It will ensure that states and localities have the investments and guidance they need to break down barriers in obtaining housing so more families can have a safe place to call home. I thank Senator Fetterman for joining me in introducing this critical legislation and look forward to working with colleagues to get the bill to the House floor for a vote.”

“Supporting legislation that empowers state and local governments with the resources, data, and innovative models they need to reform regulatory barriers is essential to solving the housing crisis,” said Mike Kingsella, CEO of Up for Growth Action. “These proactive measures will tip the scales in hundreds of communities who are eager to create more housing but need help getting started.”

“The nation confronts a growing housing crisis that demands greater housing diversity, affordability, and attainability,” said Angela Brooks, FAICP and President of the American Planning Association. “Planners are working on wide ranging local reforms and approaches to create a new foundation for getting the housing we need. APA is proud to endorse this critical legislation that will be instrumental in providing communities with tools, research, and insights to craft local solutions for accelerating housing supply and providing people with greater housing options and opportunities.”

“I applaud Senator Fetterman and Congresswoman Blunt Rochester for introducing legislation to provide states and localities with the best practices, guidance, and tools needed to reform zoning and land use barriers that restrict housing supply and drive up housing costs for everyone,” said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “While states and local communities are in the best position to increase overall housing supply – especially housing for middle-income families – the Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act would help the federal government provide much-needed support to these state and local efforts.”

“NAA commends Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester for introducing the Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act of 2024,” said Bob Pinnegar, President and CEO of the National Apartment Association. “This bill aims to help communities around the country address their housing needs by providing technical assistance and best practices to streamline land use policies that will catalyze new housing creation. By adopting common data standards and sharing land use information, states and localities can improve decision-making and seek to address their localized housing needs as they deem most appropriate for their own jurisdiction.”

“Local land use regulations and zoning policies make it difficult to build desperately needed new housing,” said Katherine Levine Einstein, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Boston University’s Department of Political Science. “They are key drivers of high housing costs in many communities. The Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act will help state and local governments adopt effective policy solutions that streamline local building processes and remove exclusionary barriers to new housing.”

“The US has a persistent and widespread housing shortage that is hurting families, communities, businesses, and the economy,” said Jenny Schuetz, Ph.D., Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. “State and local governments alone can’t solve these housing challenges. The federal government has an important role to play in monitoring the health of housing markets, developing and testing innovative policy ideas, coordinating research and data collection, and providing support to states and localities.”

“The housing shortage is a national crisis—a crisis that has locked many millions of Americans out of homeownership,” said Nolan Gray, Research Director of California YIMBY. “This crisis is the inevitable result of a thicket of local regulations. The Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act will empower local state and local governments to cut back on red tape and get America building again.”

As a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Fetterman has prioritized addressing the housing crisis through his first year and a half in Congress. He previously introduced the bipartisan Whole-Home Repairs Act, that would scale a successful Pennsylvania program that helps homeowners and apartment owners afford critical home repairs to the national level. He also introduced the Keep Affordable Housing in Forgotten Communities Act, which would encourage plans for long-term housing affordability as part of the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant program, ensuring that revitalizing efforts benefit longtime community members.

The Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act will fundamentally help remove barriers to building, accessing, and developing affordable housing in the United States. Specifically, the legislation would:

Update and reimagine outdated zoning laws by:

Reversing decades of harmful zoning practices that were originally ordained by the federal government in the 1920s.

Supporting research to reimagine state and local zoning frameworks, making it easier to develop and provide diverse housing options in communities across the United States.

Empower local governments to address housing needs in their communities by:

Requiring the Department of Housing Development (HUD) to provide guidance to States and localities who request it on how to update their zoning laws. This will help encourage local entities to eliminate discriminatory practices and reduce barriers to building affordable housing.

Providing investments to assist local governments with the ability to overhaul their zoning codes. These investments will help directly with staff capacity, funding, and expertise to achieve zoning reforms.

Supporting the development of duplexes, triplexes, and other middle income housing options so more low-to-moderate income families have access to a place to call home.

Strengthening the likelihood of funding affordable housing projects thorough the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, expediting and improving the process of approval for these projects.

Make zoning information easier to find by:

Creating a $3.5 million grant program for digitizing zoning codes. This makes zoning codes much easier to understand for those participating in the zoning process.

The Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act is endorsed by the following organizations and advocacy groups:

American Planning Association (APA), Coalition for Home Repair (formerly ReFrame), Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), Council for Affordable and Rural Housing (CARH), Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), Enterprise Community Partners, Grounded Solutions Network, Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), Housing Assistance Council (HAC), Leading Builders of America, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), LOCUS: Responsible Real Estate Developers and Investors, National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA), National Apartment Association (NAA), National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders (NAAHL), National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM), National Community Stabilization Trust (NCST), National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), National Housing Conference (NHC), National Housing Trust (NHT), National Leased Housing Association (NLHA), National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), National NeighborWorks Association (NNA), National Rental Home Council, National Urban League (NUL), Prosperity Now, Smart Growth America, UnidosUS, Up for Growth Action, (CU)rbanism Club (Champaign, IL), 15-Minute Fredericksburg, Abundant Housing Atlanta (Atlanta, Georgia), Abundant Housing Massachusetts (Massachusetts), American Planning Association Arkansas (Arkansas), American Planning Association Delaware (DE), American Planning Association Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania), American Planning Association Washington (Washington), Asheville for All (Asheville, North Carolina), Bay Area Council (San Francisco, California), Bend YIMBY (Bend, Oregon), Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity (Boise, Idaho), California YIMBY (California), CASA of Oregon (Oregon), Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED), Dallas Neighbors for Housing (Dallas, TX), DC YIMBYs (Washington, DC), East Bay YIMBY (Oakland, California), Evolve Tri-Valley (Pleasanton, CA), Fifth Avenue Committee (Brooklyn, New York), Gainesville is for People (Gainesville, FL), Georgia Advancing Communities Together, Inc. (Georgia), Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (Minnesota), Grow the Richmond (San Francisco, California), Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota (Minnesota), Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Michigan (Alpena, Michigan), Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County (Seattle, Washington), Hawai’i YIMBY (Hawaii), HDC MidAtlantic (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), Home Forward (Portland, Oregon), Homes First (Olympia, Washington), Housing Action Coalition, Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) (Washington, DC), Housing Now Nashville (Nashville, TN), How to ADU (California), Huntsville YIMBY (Huntsville, Alabama), Lighthouse MI (Pontiac, Michigan), Live TC (Traverse City, Michigan), Madison is for People (Madison, WI), Maine Affordable Housing Coalition (Maine), Michigan Association of Planners, More Homes Miami (Miami, Florida), Napa-Solano for Everyone (Napa, California), NEOurbanism (Cleveland, OH), Northern Neighbors (San Francisco, California), Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (Northern Virginia), Northwest Pilot Project (Portland, Oregon), Open New York (New York, New York), Orlando YIMBY (Orlando, Florida), Palmetto YIMBY (Palmetto, South Carolina), Pathways to Housing PA, Peninsula for Everyone (Mountain View, California), Progress Noe Valley (San Francisco, CA), Pro-Housing Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), QUIMBY, Real Estate Council of Austin (Austin, Texas), RUPCO, Inc. (Kingston, New York), RVA YIMBY (Richmond, Virginia), San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) (San Francisco, California), San Francisco YIMBY (San Francisco, California), Santa Cruz YIMBY (Santa Cruz, California), Santa Rosa YIMBY (Santa Rosa, California), Seattle YIMBY (Seattle, Washington), Servants, Inc. (Red Lion, Pennsylvania), Sightline Institute (Seattle, Washington), SLOCo YIMBY (Templeton, California), South Bay YIMBY (San Jose, California), Southside Forward (San Francisco, California), Spokane Housing for All (Spokane, Washington), Streets for People (San Francisco, California), Tenderloin Housing Clinic (San Francisco, California), Tucson for Everyone (Tucson, Arizona), Twin Cities YIMBY (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Urban Environmentalists (California), Urban Environmentalists Bay Area (San Francisco, California), Urban Environmentalists Illinois (Chicago, Illinois), Urban Environmentalists Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California), Ventura County YIMBY (Ventura, California), YIMBY Delaware (Wilmington, Delaware), Utah Clean Energy, Housing Alliance Delaware, Delaware League of Local Governments, Delaware State Housing Authority, YWCA Delaware

Text of the bill can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:24:47Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-bryan-hagerich-release/,Fetterman Statement on Bryan Hagerich Release,2024-05-24,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, a Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) judge announced a 52-week suspended sentence for Bryan Hagerich of Somerset County, PA. Hagerich, who had been detained in TCI for approximately three months for inadvertently carrying small amounts of ammunition in his luggage, will be released today and is set to return home to Pennsylvania. Senator Fetterman released the following statement in response:

“This is great news. Bryan is coming home to his family. It was an honor to meet Bryan and the other detained Americans in TCI this week.

“When we met with TCI officials a few days ago, they made clear that they wanted this situation resolved. They recognized that Bryan and the other detained Americans are not gunrunners – they are just people who made a mistake. I’m grateful that the judge recognized that the right thing to do was to send Bryan home. I’m also grateful to the U.S. State Department which has been a critical partner in bringing Bryan home.

“I’m hopeful that TCI expedites the rest of these cases and that the other detained Americans will soon be released and reunited with their families as well.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:12:30Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-casey-hail-catherine-henry-nomination-to-federal-bench/,"Fetterman, Casey Hail Catherine Henry Nomination to Federal Bench",2024-05-23,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Pennsylvania U.S. Senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey celebrate the nomination of Catherine Henry to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. If confirmed, Henry will sit in the Lehigh Valley, marking President Biden’s eighth federal judge appointed in Pennsylvania.

“I was so happy to recommend Cathy to the White House, and President Biden has made an excellent choice in nominating her. This is a major win for Pennsylvania. Cathy has worked tirelessly for more than two decades as a public defender for Philadelphia and for our commonwealth, where she has earned a reputation as an excellent lawyer and true advocate for justice. She will be an excellent federal judge, and I will do all I can to see that she is confirmed as soon as possible,” said Senator Fetterman.

“Catherine Henry has already served the people of Pennsylvania’s Eastern District for more than two decades with honor and distinction as a public defender, and there is no doubt in my mind that she will continue to serve them with a firm dedication to the rule of law as a U.S. District Court Judge. Throughout her career, she has committed herself to the people of Eastern Pennsylvania, and I look forward to her bringing her integrity, experience, and fierce commitment to fairness and equal justice under the law to this critical new role,” said Senator Casey.

Catherine Henry has dedicated her career to public defense, and her nearly 30 years of experience in the courtroom is a testament to her aptitude for the federal bench. Since 2002, Henry has served in the Federal Community Defender’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, first as an assistant federal defender and then as Senior Litigator. Her career began in 1996 as an Assistant Defender with the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Henry earned her undergraduate degree from Drew University in 1991 and graduated from the District of Columbia School of Law in 1995.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:12:30Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-immigration-bill-vote/,Fetterman Statement on Immigration Bill Vote,2024-05-23,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate failed to pass the bipartisan border security bill. Senator Fetterman voted in favor of the legislation.

Senator Fetterman released the follow statement in response to the vote:

“I voted yes on this bill once again because I know we must secure our border, and this bill would help do that.

“But I am tired of this political theater. I have Republican colleagues who will spend all day yelling on the floor about border security but voted against this bill because they’d rather campaign on the issue than actually address it.”

Fetterman has long been clear that he supports comprehensive immigration reform to address the crisis at the border. He has repeatedly called out Republicans for walking away from the February deal and urged them to return to the negotiating table to secure the border.

Senator Fetterman believes we must reject the false choice between strong borders and a system that treats people with dignity. America can and must have both – a system that is strong, secure, and humane. He supports investments to strengthen the borders and prevent the flow of illegal drugs into our country. He also supports commonsense reforms to provide pathways to citizenship, including for frontline workers, small business owners, and young people who have only known this country as their home.

Along with providing pathways to citizenship, Senator Fetterman supports protecting Dreamers from deportation and granting permits that allow them to continue contributing to our society through work, education, and community involvement, just as they have done for decades.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:12:30Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-norfolk-southern-epa-settlement/,"Fetterman Statement on Norfolk Southern, EPA Settlement",2024-05-23,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a $310 million settlement with Norfolk Southern for damages from the February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, OH, that also impacted nearby Pennsylvania communities. Senator Fetterman released the following statement in response:

“This is an important settlement and a welcome development. But it does not mean our work here is done. We will keep working to ensure that the people of Darlington Township get what they deserve from Norfolk Southern because we cannot let impacted Pennsylvanians get left behind. We also must work to ensure that this sort of disaster will never happen again on any rail line. We cannot let the negligence of companies like Norfolk Southern continue to hurt our communities.”

The $310 settlement includes:

Approximately $235 million for past and future cleanup costs, including reimbursing all government expenses;

$25 million for a 20-year community health program;

A $15 million civil penalty, which is the maximum amount under the Clean Water Act;

$30 million for long-term monitoring of ground and surface water and private drinking water sources for 10 years;

Approximately $7 million for environmental remediation projects to address legacy contamination and improve groundwater quality; and

An agreement on additional safety measures, projects, and plans, including the installation of additional devices to detect failures and plans for safe vent and burns after incidents.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:12:30Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/senator-fetterman-leads-second-inquiry-into-snap-eligibility-changes/,Senator Fetterman Leads Second Inquiry into SNAP Eligibility Changes,2024-05-23,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), Chairman of the Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research Subcommittee of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee sent a follow-up letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding access to the key federal nutrition program. This follows a similar, initial request last June, seeking clarity on upcoming changes made to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) that will affect eligibility and how these changes will be communicated. This letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

“We remain concerned about the FRA’s potential impacts on SNAP enrollment in our states. The changes to SNAP made necessary by its passage could spread confusion about eligibility for populations newly affected by work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD),” the senators wrote.

The FRA, which raised the country’s borrowing limit, expands work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (often referred to as “ABAWDs”) aged 18 to 55, increasing the previous cutoff age of 49. It also expanded eligibility to new populations: veterans, homeless individuals, and individuals aged out of foster care. These changes could create confusion about eligibility for newly affected populations. This letter is sent in response to USDA issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement these and other FRA requirements.

The initial letter sent by Senator Fetterman and his colleagues requested detailed information on several fronts. They sought to understand the net change in SNAP enrollment following the implementation of these eligibility changes. Additionally, they inquired about when the USDA would release state-level assessments of these changes. There was also a need for a demographic breakdown of the national SNAP enrollment changes to better understand how different groups are affected. Lastly, the senators requested details on USDA’s communication plan to ensure that all affected populations are properly informed about the changes.

The follow-up letter now seeks updates on these initial inquiries. Specifically, the senators are asking for any new findings on SNAP spending or enrollment since USDA’s last response in August 2023. They also request updates on how the USDA has implemented communication strategies to inform impacted populations about the eligibility changes. Furthermore, the senators are interested in the types of questions the USDA has received from State SNAP Agencies regarding the implementation of these changes, as well as questions from national organizations that represent newly affected populations.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:12:30Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-delivers-major-wins-for-pennsylvania-in-2024-water-resources-development-act/,Fetterman Delivers Major Wins for Pennsylvania in 2024 Water Resources Development Act,2024-05-22,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Bill with authorize funding for Army Corps projects across the commonwealth, including in Philadelphia, Johnstown, Williamsport

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman joined his colleagues in voting to advance the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024 out of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) committee. Once passed and signed into law, WRDA 2024 will authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ critical projects and programs, including multiple in Pennsylvania.

“Living on the Monongahela River, I’ve seen the important work that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does up close,” said Senator Fetterman. “Thanks to this funding and the work of the Army Corps, Philadelphia ratepayers will likely avoid and almost $300 hike in their water bill, communities across the commonwealth will be able to remediate acid mine drainage, Johnstown will be able to rebuild their river walls, and more. These projects will be huge for Pennsylvania – I’m proud to have fought for and secured this funding.”

Thanks to Senator Fetterman’s advocacy on the EPW committee, WRDA 24 will authorize funding for the following Pennsylvania projects:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:12:30Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-returns-from-codel-to-turks-and-caicos-to-urge-release-of-detained-americans/,Fetterman Returns from CODEL to Turks and Caicos to Urge Release of Detained Americans,2024-05-21,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman returned from a bipartisan, bicameral congressional delegation (CODEL) to Turks and Caicos (TCI) to meet with TCI officials about five American citizens who are currently being detained for carrying small amounts of ammunition in their luggage when traveling to TCI. One of the detained Americans, Bryan Hagerich, is from Somerset County, PA. Senator Fetterman was joined by Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), and Representatives Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Michael Cloud (R-TX), and Bob Good (R-VA).

Senator Fetterman released the following statement on the CODEL:

“We made the trip to Turks and Caicos to meet with officials and facilitate the return of five American citizens being held because they inadvertently had ammunition in their luggage – including one Pennsylvanian, Bryan Hagerich.

“We had the opportunity to meet each of the detained Americans, who were in good spirits but want to go home. These people did not set out to break the law. They are people who made a mistake and now face substantial time in prison because of it. As we articulated to TCI officials, I urge the court to be lenient when addressing this case.

“I would like to thank the TCI officials who met with us. I left these meetings optimistic that we can get this resolved and look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and TCI officials to bring these American citizens home to their families.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:12:30Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-van-hollen-introduce-legislation-to-bolster-public-transit-service-across-the-country/,"Fetterman, Van Hollen Introduce Legislation to Bolster Public Transit Service Across the Country",2024-05-14,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Bill creates permanent funding program to supplement transit agencies’ operating expenses

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) announced their introduction of legislation to boost federal funding for transit agencies to improve service, safety, and reliability for riders. The Moving Transit Forward Act creates a new federal funding program under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration to provide transit agencies with additional resources to supplement their existing operating budgets and help cover the costs of adding new routes, increasing service frequency, preventing cuts to current services, and improving safety for customers and workers, among other investments to improve rider experiences.

“Public transit is the heartbeat of our communities. Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians rely on it to get to school, work, the doctor – you name it. But across the commonwealth, some of our transit agencies are being left behind, and Pennsylvania families are paying the price. The Moving Transit Forward Act will make it so transit agencies can get the federal dollars they need to strengthen service by adding new routes, increasing service, and improving safety on board. Simply put, this bill will help make sure Pennsylvanians can get where they need to go – and get them there on time. I’m proud to lead it with Senator Van Hollen,” said Senator Fetterman.

“Public transit is critical for the millions of Americans who rely on it to get to work, school, the grocery store, and more. That means there’s a lot riding on these systems to run at their best. This bill will help ensure transit agencies and the workers who power them have the resources they need to provide reliable and consistent service so those who use them day in and day out get where they need to go safely and on time,” said Senator Van Hollen.

According to a 2019 PennDOT survey, 338,000 Pennsylvanians rely on public transit to get to work, ranking third highest in public transit commuter states across the country. In communities where transit service levels have remained strong, ridership is rebounding faster from the pandemic – but many transit providers are facing a “downward spiral” of service cuts and ridership declines because they cannot make the needed investments in their operations. Existing federal funding sources for large state and local transit agencies are not fully available for operational purposes; they are generally eligible only for capital expenses such as construction and state-of-good-repair maintenance in larger metropolitan areas. By creating a new fund for service expenses and safety and security improvements, the Moving Transit Forward Act will ensure agencies can enhance the consistency and reliability of service for transit customers, even in the event of budget shortfalls resulting from declines in fare revenue.

However, this legislation does not permit state and local governments to substitute their existing funding with the provided federal resources. The recipient of the new federal funding must maintain the same level of non-federal funding as the most recent fiscal year to ensure that service is expanded, or previously cut services are restored.

Text of the Moving Transit Forward Act can be viewed here.

The Moving Transit Forward Act is endorsed by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the Transportation Trades Department-AFL-CIO, Transportation Workers Union (TWU), the National Campaign for Transit Justice, Transit for All PA, and Transit Forward Philadelphia.

“With the transit systems across the country strapped for cash and federal COVID relief funding running out, cuts to bus and subway service have unfortunately become commonplace, especially in low-income communities where people rely on public transit. Through the transformational bill, the Moving Transit Forward Act of 2024, introduced by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), our transit systems could see a substantial increase in operations funding. The importance of operations funding cannot be overstated, it’s the lifeblood of our transit systems. We can have the latest technology and equipment, but if we don’t invest in our service, workforce, and day-to-day operations, including maintenance, then we’re left with empty and unsafe transit systems,” said John Costa, International President of the Amalgamated Transit Union, the largest transit union in North America.

“As the nation’s largest transportation labor federation, representing hundreds of thousands of transit workers, we have long supported strong federal funding for public transportation programs. Yet the current structure of these federal programs, which primarily support capital expenses and not operating expenses, cannot sustain our long-term public transit needs. With this in mind, we applaud efforts like the Moving Transit Forward Act to allow federal transit funds to support the operating needs of public transportation systems across the country,” said Greg Regan, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO.

“We are grateful to Senator Fetterman for fighting for public transportation and the millions of Pennsylvanians who rely on it. The Moving Transit Forward Act would create a new federal formula to support transit operations without compromising existing transit capital programs that SEPTA relies on to fund critical infrastructure state of good repair and vehicle replacement priorities. SEPTA is facing unprecedented funding challenges. As we work with transit agencies across Pennsylvania to urge passage of Governor Shapiro’s statewide transit funding proposal to preserve service and maintain affordable fares, future federal transit investment would ensure sustainability of transit operations further into the future,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie Richards.

“Nearly every transit system in the country is facing substantial service cuts at the same they there is massive demand for more frequent, better public transportation options. This bill builds on the bipartisan infrastructure law, which increased capital spending for public transit by 45 percent without touching transit operating budgets. Hardworking Transport Workers Union members are getting new equipment with federal dollars, but they can’t be paid with that money. Unless Congress makes a change, agencies are going to have lots of shiny new buses without anyone to operate or maintain them,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen.

“Public transit in a vital lifeline that serves and supports millions of people across Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and our nation. Regardless of whether you’re a single parent picking your kids up at childcare, a senior going to a doctor’s appointment, or a businessperson who simply wants to avoid sitting in traffic or paying for parking, increased funding to support public transit is a win across the board. PRT applauds Sen. Fetterman and our supporters at every level of government for keeping public transit at the forefront of this important conversation,” said Pittsburgh Regional Transit CEO Katharine Kelleman.

“Transit is essential. It is a driver of economic growth and sustainability. It helps communities thrive. Yet across the country we are seeing transit options being cut back and less and less service. This bill will go a long way to helping to solve this problem. An annual federal investment in transit operations would transform public transit in America. This bill is an investment in our economy. It will connect people with jobs, schools, and health care. Investments in our transportation systems will advance economic fairness, racial equity, and climate action. We urge Congress to act on this legislation without delay. Communities in red states and blue states, cities and rural communities, cannot afford inaction,” said LeeAnn Hall, director of the National Campaign for Transit Justice.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:12:30Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/news-fetterman-smith-introduce-bill-to-establish-senate-commission-on-mental-health/,Fetterman & Smith Introduce Bill to Establish Senate Commission on Mental Health,2024-05-10,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the United States Senate Commission on Mental Health Act of 2024. The bill would establish a U.S. Senate Commission on Mental Health tasked with providing Congress and the president independent, expert policy recommendations to improve access to and affordability of mental health care services.

“Before I sought help for my depression, I was the biggest cynic – but it truly worked,” said Senator Fetterman. “Mental health challenges impact people all across Pennsylvania and the country – from our reddest counties to our bluest, from our biggest cities to our smallest towns. I’m committed to ensuring that everyone suffering from mental health challenges has access to the same resources and treatment that I did. This bill will help make that the reality. I’m proud to lead it with Senator Smith.”

“Mental health is just as important as physical health,” said Senator Smith. “More than 1 in 5 Americans struggle with their mental health, and new research and treatment is needed. The Senate Mental Health Commission Bill is a critical step towards improving the state of mental health research and treatment in our nation, and I am proud to join my colleague Senator Fetterman to lead this charge.”

Senators Fetterman and Smith have both been outspoken about their own struggles with mental health. They are also both members of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus.

Senator Fetterman’s decision to openly seek treatment for depression within his first few months in office transformed the national conversation surrounding mental health on Capitol Hill. Given his closeness to this issue, Senator Fetterman is dedicated to ending the stigma surrounding mental health struggles and continuing to improve ease and access to services and treatment.

As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee, Senator Smith is a leader in the fight to make mental health care more affordable and accessible. As part of the American Rescue Plan, Smith passed bipartisan provisions with Senator Murkowski to provide expanded access to community based mental health care and harm reduction services. She has also introduced a host of bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing mental health services for students, improving integrated care, increasing access to tele-mental health, and investing in the mental health workforce. In 2023, Smith joined with a group of colleagues in the Senate to launch the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus. Smith has also spoken on the Senate floor and regularly shares her story about her personal experience with depression in an effort to destigmatize talking about mental health.

As of 2021, approximately 26 million Americans have experienced at least one major depressive episode. This number includes roughly 5 million young adults between the ages of 12 and 17, a devastating 20% of the U.S. adolescent population according to the NIH.

The Commission’s first year of study would focus on the following topics:

Coverage of mental health care services, including mental health parity requirements, under federal health plans. Enrollees often struggle to obtain mental health care services, even when those services are covered. Efficacy of mental health care coverage by federal health plans would be assessed based on the plans’ ability to meet the enrollees’ needs, including an assessment of parity enforcement.

Reimbursement rates for mental health care services with regard to mental health care providers. The impact of reimbursement rates within federal health plans like Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP on affordability, accessibility, and availability for enrollees is significant.

Workforce challenges, including barriers to entering this field and challenges faced by mental health care providers, including factors that contribute to burnout. This includes looking at challenges and barriers for (1) individuals, including students, pursuing mental health professions, (2) students enrolled in mental health care training programs, (3) professors and staff of those programs, (4) and mental health care providers.

The Commission would submit to Congress, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and, as appropriate, the heads of other relevant federal agencies, an annual report based on studies carried out that year. Each annual report would include (1) an analysis of current barriers to accessing affordable and equitable mental health care services, challenges facing the mental health care workforce, and efforts by local, State, and Tribal entities to improve mental health care services and delivery and (2) policy recommendations for Congress and the president to address issues detailed in the report. This report would also include a comprehensive needs assessment and gap analysis across the continuum of mental health care services.

The United States Senate Commission on Mental Health is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Association of Suicidology, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Children’s Hospital Association, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

“Too many people struggling with their mental health aren’t getting the care they need. We need to do better,” said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). “To address our nation’s mental health crisis, we will need collaboration and leadership from Congress, federal policymakers, and key stakeholders. NAMI thanks the senators for introducing the U.S. Senate Commission on Mental Health Act and is proud to stand with them in endorsing this legislation to continue to work toward solutions that gets every person the help and care they need.”

“While the United States has made great strides over the last decade towards acknowledging and supporting the mental health needs of individuals across the country, suicide remains a grave public health threat which requires a comprehensive and coordinated public health response,” said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). “AFSP applauds the senators for introducing this bill to establish a Senate Commission on Mental Health to explore solutions to ensure mental health parity, improve reimbursement for mental health care and expand the mental health workforce. This bill represents a critical step in the direction of making affordable, effective mental health care accessible to all – saving lives that might be lost to suicide.”

Full text of the bill can be found here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:12:30Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-celebrates-wins-for-pennsylvania-in-farm-bill/,Fetterman Celebrates Wins for Pennsylvania in Farm Bill,2024-05-07,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Farm Bill framework, which was released last week, includes key programs for Pennsylvania families that Fetterman fought for and secured

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman, member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, praised Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) for her leadership in unveiling the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act last week. This comprehensive proposal, consisting of over 100 bipartisan bills, sets a strong course for the 2024 Farm Bill, positioning it for passage before the end of the year.

“The programs outlined in this package will be huge for Pennsylvania, our 50,000 farms, our more than seven million acres of farmland, and the hardworking producers that power our robust agriculture business. Farmers in Pennsylvania use these popular programs to support their families and keep their businesses afloat. As Chair of the Nutrition Subcommittee, I thank Senator Stabenow for holding the line on SNAP and Thrifty Food Plan,” said Senator Fetterman.

Reauthorized roughly every five years, the Farm Bill is a cornerstone of support for farmers, ranchers, and low-income families throughout the country. TheRural Prosperity and Food Security Act addresses the issues critical to these communities, including foreign ownership of farmland, rural community development, and bolstering the farm safety net to provide stability for all farmers.

“This is a serious proposal that reflects bipartisan priorities to keep farmers farming, families fed, and rural communities strong. The foundation of every successful Farm Bill is built on holding together the broad, bipartisan coalition of farmers, rural communities, nutrition and hunger advocates, researchers, conservationists, and the climate community. This is that bill, and I welcome my Republican colleagues to take it seriously and rejoin us at the negotiating table so we can finish our work by the end of the year. Farmers, families, and rural communities cannot wait any longer on the 2024 Farm Bill.” said Chairwoman Stabenow.

As a member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Senator Fetterman has been successful in securing Pennsylvanian farmers’ and families’ needs in the Farm Bill. Notable contributions by Senator Fetterman include:

Protecting SNAP & Thrifty Food Plan

Senator Fetterman has been consistent in his promise to oppose any cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Senate Farm Bill expands SNAP access to Puerto Rico, formerly incarcerated individuals, and college students under 24 years old. It also includes key components of Senator Fetterman’s Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act, to protect SNAP recipients from criminals who aim to steal their benefits.

Expanding Specialty Crop Insurance

Senator Fetterman successfully advocated for the inclusion of measures to streamline access to insurance plans for specialty crop farmers. This includes improvements to the Whole Farm Revenue Protection Program, to streamline and expand crop insurance for small, diversified farmers. It also doubles the eligibility period new farmers have to access subsidies for crop insurance premiums to 10 years. More than 60 percent of mushrooms produced in the United States grown out of one small Pennsylvania town. Senator Fetterman recognizes that Pennsylvania is a specialty crop state and led the Protecting Mushroom Farmers Act to get mushrooms covered by federal crop insurance programs last year.

Rural Broadband Access

Senator Fetterman has been a leader in addressing the digital divide and fostering economic development in underserved communities. At the heart of the rural development strategy are provisions to establish a grant and loan program aimed at providing rural areas with broadband access, prioritizing areas where at least 90% of households lack adequate service.

Urban and Young Farmers

On behalf of urban farmers in cities across the Commonwealth, Senator Fetterman championed the Supporting Urban and Innovative Farming Act to improve USDA’s support for urban farmers. Chairwoman Stabenow included important policies from his bill including: authorizing grants directly to small urban farmers, expanding support for farmers, and increasing funding and capacity. The framework also includes provisions to promote access to land and capital for young and beginning farmers.

Conservation Programs

For his first public statement on the Farm Bill, Senator Fetterman called on Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Boozman to protect the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) climate smart agriculture programs. Voluntary conservation programs are popular and beneficial to farmers, and PA farmers have benefited from the IRA climate smart funding. The framework would also establish the Chesapeake Bay States’ Partnership Initiative to help farmers in PA protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Stopping CCP From Investing in Our Farmland

Senator Fetterman has been a leading voice to stop foreign investment in American farmland. The Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act would strengthen reporting and enforcement requirements against foreign individuals who own or purchase U.S. farmland. It would also stop foreign farmland owners from receiving commodity payments from USDA.

A full summary of the bill is available here.

A section-by-section is available here.

A summary of each title is available below.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:12:30Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/sen-fetterman-introduces-bill-to-make-broadband-internet-program-permanent/,Sen. Fetterman Introduces Bill to Make Broadband Internet Program Permanent,2024-05-01,2024,2024-05,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"The Affordable Connectivity Program, which expired last night, helps 23 million low-income households access high-speed internet

Washington, D.C. – Today, Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Fetterman introduced the Promoting Affordable Connectivity Act which would sustainably fund the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) by removing it from the appropriations process and incorporating it into Universal Service Fund (USF) distribution. The ACP has provided discounts on internet service to more than 23 million households—including over 700,000 in Pennsylvania—that could not otherwise afford it. The program, however, expired last night after Congress failed to appropriate funds for it in the appropriations process.

“Broadband internet is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity, but many families simply cannot afford it,” said Senator Fetterman. “The ACP has been incredibly successful in ensuring that families across Pennsylvania and the country have internet access. It’s simple: when a program works, keep it. The Promoting Affordable Connectivity Act would ensure that this critical lifeline for tens of millions of Americans remains funded without partisan politics getting in the way. I ran for the Senate to fight for forgotten communities and tangibly improve working people’s lives. This bill does just that. I’m proud to introduce it.”

ACP is a federal program that provides eligible households with discounts of up to $30 per month on their internet bills, which often covers the entirety of monthly internet fees. But due to Republican opposition to the program, ACP expired late April 30, throwing millions of Americans off the program.

The Promoting Affordable Connectivity Act sustainably funds ACP by removing it from the annual appropriations process and integrating it into the Universal Service Fund (USF) distribution. To ensure affordability, this bill restructures USF contributions to pay for ACP without raising costs on consumers. Instead, under the bill, broadband and edge service providers would finance the ACP. The bill is written to ensure costs are not passed on to consumers.

Expanding broadband access to American families continues to a top priority for Senator Fetterman and he has been sounding the alarm on the impending expiration of the ACP and pushing for more funding for the program for months. Last year, Senator Fetterman published an op-ed in PennLive pushing Congress to pass a funding extension for the federal Broadband Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The Senator also penned a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel demanding the FCC make improvements to broadband access and address issues with eligible households not receiving their benefits quickly.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:01:11Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-foreign-aid-passage-tiktok-bill/,"Fetterman Statement on Foreign Aid Passage, TikTok Bill",2024-04-24,2024,2024-04,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"“Common sense, decency, and democracy won tonight”

Washington, D.C. – Tonight, the Senate passed the $95B foreign aid package. The bill, which already passed the House, now heads to President Biden’s desk. The package includes $60.8 billion for Ukraine; $26.4 billion for Israel and Gaza, which includes about $4 billion to replenish Israel’s missile defense systems and $9.2 billion for humanitarian assistance in Gaza; and $8 billion for Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific allies. This bill also compels the forced divestiture of TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, from the app within one year, or risk being outlawed in the United States. Senator John Fetterman voted in favor of the bill.

Senator Fetterman released the follow statement in response to the bill’s passage:

“We should have gotten this done months ago. We did our job in the Senate and passed a foreign aid bill in the middle of February. But House Republicans got in our way. Thankfully, common sense, decency, and democracy won, and we are finally able to send this to President Biden’s desk.

“Our allies around the world are not asking for American boots on the ground, they’re asking for the tools to defend themselves from anti-democratic attacks. Standing firmly with our allies and for democracy should never be controversial.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:04:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-applauds-finalized-dol-retirement-security-rule/,Fetterman Applauds Finalized DOL Retirement Security Rule,2024-04-23,2024,2024-04,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Biden administration finalized the Retirement Security Rule, which will protect working people’s retirement savings by holding financial advisors to higher standards. Specifically, the new rule closes loopholes in current law to ensure that advice is given in the best interest of the saver. Last month, Senator Fetterman led a letter to the Department of Labor (DOL) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging them to finalize the proposed rule. Senator Fetterman released the following statement in response to the administration finalizing the rule:

“In every corner of the economy, the Biden administration is fighting for working families. From cracking down on junk fees to making sure working Americans get the most out of their money—even when it pisses off the financial industry and their lobbyists. This new rule is the latest example of that.”

“When someone goes to a financial advisor for guidance on where to put their hard-earned savings, they should be able to trust that their interests are put first. But until now, they couldn’t. Before this new Retirement Security Rule, it was perfectly legal for advisors to give advice that padded their own commissions, even if they knew it would yield worse returns for the saver. That’s just wrong and—thanks to this new rule—it’s now against the law.”

This rule will translate into meaningful savings for working people. Analysis from Morningstar estimates that investors in retirements plans will save more than $55 billion in the first decade of this rule. Moreover, savers who purchase annuities will save over $32.5 billion from the proposal.

The rule is supported by a broad coalition of groups and organizations, including the Certified Financial Planners Board (which represents about one-third of all financial advisors), the AARP, and 36 national labor unions, including AFSCME, SEIU, AFL-CIO, and the Steelworkers.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:04:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-pushes-for-whole-home-repairs-legislation-at-hearing-on-housing-crisis/,Fetterman Pushes for Whole-Home Repairs Legislation at Hearing on Housing Crisis,2024-04-17,2024,2024-04,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Fetterman highlights the program’s value to PA seniors, flexibility of the program, and bipartisan push to get it passed at the national level

WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday, Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman spoke at a Senate Housing, Transportation, and Community Development subcommittee hearing about the importance of passing the Whole-Home Repairs Act, a bill he introduced with Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) that would scale a popular and successful Pennsylvania program to the national level. The Whole-Home Repairs Act would help homeowners and apartment owners with critical home repairs. Senator Lummis also attended the hearing and highlighted the value of the Whole-Home Repairs Act, demonstrating the bipartisan pressure to get the legislation passed.

“We have a housing crisis in Pennsylvania and across the country. We need a crisis-level response,” said Senator Fetterman.

The Whole-Home Repairs Act is a crucial piece of solving the broader housing shortage the country is facing. When families can’t afford repairs, housing units are lost to blight, which further exacerbates the housing crisis. The bill helps address this issue by allowing more families to keep their homes in good condition. The bill will also create a one-stop shop that will help ensure that money allocated through existing programs is efficiently spent.

“We have a housing crisis no matter where you live – in a blue county or a red county. This is a smart and proven way to target that crisis. We’ve got to help people live in dignity and preserve our much-needed housing stock.” said Senator Fetterman.

Senator Fetterman introduced the witness from Pennsylvania, Jesse Ergott, who serves as President and CEO of NeighborWorks Northeastern PA. Senator Fetterman spoke about the important role that Mr. Ergott and NeighborWorks Northeastern PA have played in reducing blight in NEPA and administering the state-level whole-home repairs program in Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.

Senator Fetterman has long been an advocate of this program – both in Pennsylvania and in the U.S. Senate. Led by State Senator Nikil Saval, a bipartisan group of Pennsylvania lawmakers passed the Whole-Home Repairs program in 2022 to create a one-stop shop to help with repairs. Nearly every county that applied for funding had to create a waitlist to deal with the overwhelming demand for the program.

Background on the Whole-Home Repairs Act

Years of deferred maintenance—largely due to high and rising repair and utility costs—have led to homeowners and renters being forced to live with leaky or collapsed roofs, exposed wiring, mold, unsafe heating, lead paint, drafty windows, faulty plumbing, and other health and safety risks. And in both rural and urban communities, existing programs are overly bureaucratic, inefficient, and have failed to fully address the scope of these problems.

In response to these known problems, a bipartisan group of Pennsylvania lawmakers passed the Whole-Home Repairs program in 2022 to create a one-stop shop to help with repairs, weatherization, and adaptions in homes for older residents or individuals with disabilities. The program allows low- and moderate-income homeowners and small landlords to apply for grants and loans to make needed repairs. The program was both successful and popular and has helped thousands of people address urgent repair needs. An incredible 95% of Pennsylvania counties applied for funding, demonstrating the breadth and enormity of the need.

The Whole-Homes Repairs Act creates a national version of this popular state program.

The Whole-Home Repairs Act has been endorsed by the Housing Assistance Council, National NeighborWorks Association, LISC, Habitat for Humanity, Council for Affordable and Rural Housing, National Association of Home Builders, Coalition for Home Repairs, National Association of State Energy Officials, National Association of Towns and Townships, BPC Action, Window and Door Manufacturers Association, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Housing Law Project, People’s Action, Pennsylvania Stands Up, and the Building Performance Association.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:04:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-slams-mayorkas-impeachment-as-bad-performance-art/,Fetterman Slams Mayorkas Impeachment as “Bad Performance Art”,2024-04-17,2024,2024-04,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"“It’s charades like this that make people hate Washington.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate began impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Senator Fetterman released the following statement in response:

“The House GOP can’t seem to grasp that impeachment is a constitutional tool reserved for cases of ‘high crimes and misdemeanors,’ not political vendettas. These efforts by Speaker Johnson and the House GOP to cheapen a solemn process like impeachment for political gain set a bad precedent and divert attention from the real problem: the crisis at our border.

“This stunt is nothing more than bad performance art and a waste of time. House Republicans are doing everything they can to turn the United States Congress into the Jerry Springer Show. It’s charades like this that make people hate Washington.

“Let’s get to work, pass a bill to secure our border, and do our jobs.”

Fetterman has been clear that he supports comprehensive immigration reform to address the crisis at the border. He has repeatedly called out Republicans for walking away from the February deal and urged them to return to the negotiating table to secure the border.

Senator Fetterman believes we must reject the false choice between strong borders and a system that treats people with dignity. America can and must have both – a system that is strong, secure, and humane. He supports investments to strengthen the borders and prevent the flow of illegal drugs into our country. He also supports commonsense reforms to provide pathways to citizenship, including for frontline workers, small business owners, and young people who have only known this country as their home.

Along with providing pathways to citizenship, Senator Fetterman supports protecting Dreamers from deportation and granting permits that allow them to continue contributing to our society through work, education, and community involvement, just as they have done for decades.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T20:47:55Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-cosponsors-bill-to-expand-healthcare-options-for-selected-reserve-and-national-guard/,Fetterman Cosponsors Bill to Expand Healthcare Options for Selected Reserve and National Guard,2024-04-12,2024,2024-04,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – This week, Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman joined bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand affordable healthcare options for members of the Selected Reserve and National Guard. The Servicemember Healthcare Freedom Act allows members of the Selected Reserve and National Guard who are also employed by the federal government to choose between military and civilian healthcare plans.

The legislation is led by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives Jen Kiggans (R-VA) and Andy Kim (D-NJ). In addition to Senator Fetterman (D-PA), U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) have cosponsored the bill.

“Members of the Reserves and National Guard should have access to the benefits they’ve earned,” said Senator Fetterman. “Unfortunately, Guardsmen and Reservists who are also federal employees are inexplicably prohibited from enrolling in TRICARE Reserve Select, an affordable health care option. This is a good, no-nonsense bill that will fix a clear problem and I’m proud to cosponsor it.”

The Servicemember Healthcare Freedom Act is endorsed by the National Guard Association of the United States (NGUAS), the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), and the Reserve Organization of America (ROA).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:04:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-responds-to-u-s-steel-shareholders-approving-sale-to-nippon-steel/,Fetterman Responds to U.S. Steel Shareholders Approving Sale to Nippon Steel,2024-04-12,2024,2024-04,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Steel shareholders voted in favor of the proposed sale to Nippon Steel. Senator Fetterman released the following statement in response:

“As I’ve always said, steel is about security – both our national security and the economic security of workers and steel communities in Pennsylvania and across the country. This conversation should be about the steelworkers who power U.S. Steel.

“I’m encouraged to see Nippon is making commitments to preserving jobs and investing in Pennsylvania. They are coming to the table with these real commitments because the steelworkers and USW are putting their feet to the fire. But it’s still not enough — that’s why I will continue to stand firm behind them to protect Pennsylvania jobs.”

Senator Fetterman, who lives across the street from U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson plant in Braddock, has been outspoken on this issue since news broke of the proposed sale last December.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:04:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-response-on-trump-abortion-statement/,Fetterman Response on Trump Abortion Statement,2024-04-08,2024,2024-04,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, former President Donald Trump said that abortion rights should be left to the states. Trump has previously bragged about installing extreme right-wing justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, said that there should be punishment for women who get abortions if they become outlawed, and recently suggested he’d support a 15-week federal abortion ban.

Senator Fetterman released the following statement in response:

“Donald Trump is the architect of curtailing the reproductive freedom for tens of millions of American women. He needs to own this and be held accountable.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:04:43Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-joins-resolution-commemorating-international-transgender-day-of-visibility/,Fetterman Joins Resolution Commemorating International Transgender Day of Visibility,2024-03-30,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator John Fetterman joined 26 Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution celebrating International Transgender Day of Visibility. This resolution aims to uplift the courage and resilience of the transgender community while shedding light on the persistent challenges they face.

“Today and every day, I’m proud to stand with the transgender community and recognize their resilience, bravery, and invaluable contributions to our society,”said Senator Fetterman. “As violence and discrimination against transgender Americans rises across the country, it’s our duty to stand firm with the transgender community in advocating for equality, dignity, and respect.”

The resolution, led by Senator Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i),Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.).

“International Transgender Day of Visibility is about celebrating the transgender community around the world – their achievements, their courage, and their right to live openly and authentically,” said Senator Schatz. “Truly celebrating them also means raising awareness of the discrimination and violence they continue to face – and reaffirming our commitment to fighting back against any and all attacks. While we’ve made progress over the years – thanks to the bravery of many transgender leaders – the work for full equality, acceptance, and civil rights protections continues.”

The resolution is supported by the National Center for Transgender Equality, the Human Rights Campaign, and the Congressional Equality Caucus. A companion resolution was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:55:42Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-colleagues-send-letter-to-dol-omb-in-support-of-proposed-retirement-security-rule/,"Fetterman, Colleagues Send Letter to DOL & OMB in Support of Proposed Retirement Security Rule",2024-03-26,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman led a letter to the Department of Labor (DOL) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging them to finalize the proposed Retirement Security Rule – often referred to as the Fiduciary Rule. If finalized, the proposed rule would ensure that every retirement saver who seeks the assistance of an investment professional will receive advice that puts their best interests first. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Laphonza Butler (D-CA) also joined the letter.

“The proposed rule will help ensure that savers get the most out of their retirement savings, without limiting access to high-quality advice for low- and middle-income savers,” the senators wrote.

They continued: “Retirement savings deserve strong safeguards given how critical they are to ensuring that everyone can enjoy a dignified retirement. Savers who receive conflicted advice unknowingly take risks that may imperil their retirement funds and may cost them dearly in the long run. We urge swift implementation of the proposed rule.”

The proposed rule is supported by a wide range of prominent organizations and unions, including the AARP, AFSCME, CFP Board, AFL-CIO, Consumer Federation of America, Better Markets AFT, SEIU, IBEW, and AFGE. With the letter, Senator Fetterman and his colleagues on the letter made clear he also stands with the vast majority of Americans who believe financial professionals should operate in the best interest of clients. In fact, a new survey commissioned by CFP Board found that nearly 97% of Americans agree that the financial professional who provides one-time recommendations or other one-time advice about retirement investments should be required to act in their client’s best interest.

“This rule is about getting rid of hidden costs and making sure every working American and every retiree gets investment advice that puts them first,” said Senator Fetterman.“I’m glad to see President Biden fighting junk fees and this rule is an important part of that fight. Let’s get it done.”

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said: “The AFL-CIO, representing 12.5 million hardworking Americans, stands firmly in support of the Department of Labor’s Fiduciary Rule. This rule is not merely a regulatory measure; it’s a necessary protection for workers, retirees and their families across the nation who lose billions of dollars each year from bad financial advice. By ensuring that financial advisers prioritize their clients’ best interests, we safeguard the dreams and aspirations of every person striving for a secure and dignified retirement.”

“People should be able to count on their financial advisors to provide sound advice that protects and grows their retirement assets, free of conflicts of interest,” said AARP Chief Executive Officer Jo Ann Jenkins on the proposed rule. “A strong rule that closes loopholes in current law will help safeguard their hard-earned retirement funds.”

“Americans overwhelmingly expect and want financial advisors to act in their best interest,” said CFP Board, a nonprofit organization that sets and enforces the requirements for “Certified Financial Planner” certification.“The DOL’s proposed Retirement Security Rule provides meaningful consumer protections, and the time has come to issue the final rule. Moderate-income Americans saving for retirement should receive the same access to best interest financial advice as wealthy Americans. If the rule is adopted, these moderate-income Americans, will gain – rather than lose – access to retirement investment advice that is in their best interests. This will have a significant positive effect on retirement security for the American public.”

The proposed rule is supported by a long list of organizations and unions, including: AARP, AFL-CIO, UnidosUS, Consumer Federation of America, Economic Policy Institute, Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund, Public Citizen, Better Markets, the Certified Financial Planner Board, AFSCME, AFT, AFGE, AEA, AFM, ALPA, APWU, ARA, AFA-CWA, ATU, BCTGM, BRS, CWA, IAFF, IAMAW, ATSE, IBEW, IFPTE, MM & P, IUBAC, IUPA, IUPAT, NEA, NFFE-IAM, NTEU, SEIU, SIU, SMART, TWU, UFCW, UMWA, USW, and UNITE HERE!",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:55:42Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/in-government-funding-bill-fetterman-secures-117-million-for-pa-projects-to-strengthen-pennsylvania-infrastructure-housing-health-care-and-more/,"In Government Funding Bill, Fetterman Secures $117 Million for PA Projects to Strengthen Pennsylvania Infrastructure, Housing, Health Care, and More",2024-03-23,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Early this morning, the Senate passed the final part of a 6-bill “minibus” that will avert a government shutdown and fund key projects across Pennsylvania. This bill cleared the Senate by a 74-24 vote and will be sent to the president to be signed into law this afternoon.

“Any day that we get to bring millions of federal dollars back to Pennsylvania communities is a good day.” said Senator Fetterman. “I’m so proud to have advocated for and secured funding to expand affordable housing options for Pennsylvania families, enhance health care services throughout the commonwealth, and support programs that lift workers up into better-paying jobs. This is what it’s all about: delivering direct investments to benefit Pennsylvania families across the commonwealth.”

Senator Fetterman, in partnership with Senator Casey and his House colleagues, successfully secured over $117 million in funding for Congressionally Directed Spending to fund 99 projects spanning 41 counties across Pennsylvania. Of these 99 projects, Fetterman personally secured $30,407,000 in funding for a third of them, spanning 21 counties. Examples of projects supported by Fetterman include:

Building Affordable Housing in Pennsylvania

$2 million for the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) MidAtlantic Affordable Housing Preservation and Rehabilitation Project to develop 123 affordable housing units in Lackawanna County.

$1 million for the Abigail Pankey Apartments to construct a 32-unit affordable housing complex using an innovative Community Land Trust model in Philadelphia. This project also received support from Senator Casey and Representative Dwight Evans.

Upgrading Local Infrastructure

$3,661,000 to Darlington Township for Public Drinking Water Infrastructure in response to community concerns of well water contamination stemming from the Norfolk Southern derailment last February. This project also received support from Senator Casey and Representative Chris Deluzio.

$3.5 million for the Williamsport Levee Flood Control Project to restore and upgrade the levee’s electronics and pump station. This project also received support from Senator Casey and Representative Dan Meuser.

$1 million for the Allegheny Airport Project 91 to provide additional infrastructure to support future growth of the Allegheny County Airport Authority’s additive manufacturing campus.

Supporting First Responders & Public Services

$1 million for renovations to the Clarion County Courthouse to enhance the safety of county employees and the public and make the courthouse more energy efficient.

$1,996,000 for the Spangler Fire Company Energy Independent Fire Station Project to renovate a century old fire house in Cambria County, proving geothermal powered HVAC and solar powered electricity to first responders. This project also received support from Senator Casey and Representative John Joyce.

$514,000 for Wilkinsburg Police Department Equipment Upgrades to replace outdated body cameras being used by the department. This project also received support from Senator Casey and Representative Chris Deluzio.

Expanding Access to Healthcare

$1,516,000 for Liberty Resources Inc., PA, to support services for individuals with disabilities, providing tailored health care services to folks with disabilities in Philadelphia.

$1 million for Berks Community Health Center, PA, to stand up a new community health center in downtown Reading to serve low-income residents with culturally competent health care. This project also received support from Senator Casey.

Helping Working Families & Youth

$1 million for a Childcare Center in Pocono Family YMCA Community Centerto make additions to the Pocono Family YMCA Community Center and expand availability of affordable childcare services in Monroe County.

$1 million for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Regionto expand mentorship and programming to select middle schools in Philadelphia, to reduce likelihood of youth engaging in violent activity and to support victims of violent crime.

Uplifting PA Workers and Expanding Education Access

$1.5 million for United Mine Workers of America Career Centers, Inc. to help recruit, retrain, and place 150 people who used to work in the coal industry into new manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania. This project also received support from Senator Casey.

$2.5 million providing Equipment for String-Level Testing and to Establish the First Fully-Serviced Heavy Haul Battery Testing Center in the United States allowing for battery testing of heavy-duty vehicle batteries – a unique capability for students and researchers at the Penn State Behrend Campus.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:55:42Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-celebrates-huge-wins-for-pa-in-eda-reauthorization/,Fetterman Celebrates Huge Wins for PA in EDA Reauthorization,2024-03-22,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman voted to advance the bill that would reauthorize the Economic Development Administration (EDA) out of the Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee. The bipartisan bill, which would reauthorize the EDA for the first time in nearly 20 years, included key provisions to benefit Pennsylvania—and specifically steel communities—that Senator Fetterman pushed for and secured.

“The Economic Development Administration is long overdue for an update and reauthorization,” said Senator Fetterman. “This EDA reauthorization includes huge wins for communities across the commonwealth — especially former steel and coal communities too often overlooked by leaders in D.C. I was proud to push for changes to make sure we are investing federal dollars into these forgotten communities.”

The EDA Reauthorization that was passed out of the EPW Committee included an authorization of the Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program, which Senator Fetterman has championed. The program is designed to offer financial support to regions that have experienced adverse economic changes. Specifically, the program provides eligible communities grants for planning, infrastructure improvements, site acquisition, construction, and rehab projects. Senator Fetterman advocated for and secured a change to the program so that former steel communities will be designated for particular community assistance, which will allow EDA to prioritize steel communities when considering applications to this program and ensure these communities get these much-needed federal dollars. This bill would also formally authorize the Assistance to Coal Communities program, which means that the EAA program will include a consistent annual set-aside for coal communities.

The EDA Reauthorization bill also creates the Mid-Atlantic Regional Commission, which would ensure that every county in Pennsylvania include every county in Pennsylvania not previously included in the Appalachian Regional Commission to ensure that every Pennsylvania community as the resources of a regional commission. Regional commissions each receive between $20-$200 million dollars in annual appropriations which they then use to create grants that can be responsive to local needs.

This bill to reauthorize the EDA will now go to the whole Senate floor for a vote.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:55:42Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/ernst-fetterman-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-ban-strategic-petroleum-reserve-sales-to-foreign-adversaries/,"Ernst, Fetterman, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Ban Strategic Petroleum Reserve Sales to Foreign Adversaries",2024-03-21,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced the Banning Oil Exports to Foreign Adversaries Act, which would prohibit the export or sale of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to foreign adversaries. Specifically, the bill will ban sales to China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Syria, and Cuba, as well as any entity owned, controlled, or influenced by the Chinese Communist Party. Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) also joined as original cosponsors.

Last July, Senators Fetterman and Ernst led a bipartisan effort to get an amendment similar to this new bill included in the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendment overwhelmingly agreed to by the Senate in an 85-14 vote but was ultimately stripped from the final bill.

“Our Strategic Petroleum Reserve is meant to protect the energy security of America and our allies,” said Senator Fetterman.“Our adversaries should not be able to purchase oil from our SPR — that’s just commonsense. We must prioritize our national security. This is a good bill that has overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers. I’m proud to lead it with Senator Ernst.”

“Energy security is national security, which is why it is essential to safeguard our strategic supply of oil from benefitting our enemies,” said Senator Ernst.“This bipartisan bill will ensure America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve does not fall into the hands of those trying to harm us and ensure CCP-controlled businesses are not making money by stockpiling taxpayer-subsidized oil. We cannot put Americans last when our adversaries are seeking any opportunity to gain a foothold over us.”

“We can’t allow oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve to fuel China’s state sponsored industries. The Chinese Communist Party uses that energy to cheat and undermine Ohio production and Ohio jobs,” said Senator Brown.“Blocking China and other adversaries from accessing our critical energy reserves will protect our national security.”

“We should not aid our adversaries by letting them drain America’s strategic oil reserves. This legislation will restore the integrity of our oil reserves and protect America’s economic and national security,” said Senator Cotton.

A similar bill, which was introduced by Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Representative Don Bacon (R-NE), passed the U.S. House as an amendment to the Lower Energy Costs Act in March 2023.

The SPR, which was established by Congress in 1975, exists to minimize the impacts of oil supply shocks on the United States. Today, as the world’s largest supply of emergency crude oil, it continues to protect and strengthen U.S. national, economic, and energy security. The U.S. Department of Energy manages the SPR and regularly conducts public sales of excess crude oil to the highest bidders through competitive public auction. During both the Biden and Trump Administrations, foreign companies with direct ties to our adversaries have won these auctions, giving anti-democratic regimes access to critical energy reserves.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:55:42Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-joins-colleagues-to-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-strengthen-domestic-bus-manufacturing-market/,Fetterman Joins Colleagues to Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Domestic Bus Manufacturing Market,2024-03-13,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – This week, U.S. Senator John Fetterman joined his colleagues, Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Katie Britt (R-AL), to introduce the bipartisan Bus Rolling Stock Modernization Act. The bill would cut red tape and reform the domestic bus manufacturing industry by providing more flexibility for local transit systems when purchasing buses.

Current U.S. standards impose outdated, 40-year-old payment practices on our bus manufacturers and purchasers, which result in unnecessarily high costs. Many domestic bus manufacturers have gone bankrupt or left the market, despite high demand for new vehicles. The Bus Rolling Stock Modernization Act would help fix this problem. The legislation allows bus manufacturers to apply for advanced payments up to 20%, enabling them to invest in the labor and machinery needed to meet demand of transit agencies and keep production costs down.

“My office has heard from countless transit agencies across Pennsylvania—both the largest ones in our cities to smaller ones that serve our rural communities—about how hard it is to acquire new buses,” said Senator Fetterman. “This bill will help change that by giving agencies more flexibility when purchasing buses. Strong transit agencies are critical to making sure our communities are strong. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill that will mean transit agencies across the commonwealth can better serve Pennsylvanians.”

Senator Fetterman is a staunch supporter of public transit and is committed to ensuring that transit agencies across the commonwealth have the resources they need to provide reliable service. He introduced the Transit Emergency Relief Act in October, which would improve the Federal Transit Administration’s Emergency Response Program so that transit agencies can provide emergency-level responses when disaster strikes. He also sent a letter to Transportation Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging the agency to continue investing in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) amid a looming transit fiscal cliff. A month later, Fetterman was in Upper Darby, PA to announce a $317 million grant for SEPTA from the U.S. Department of Transportation.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:55:42Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/at-hearing-fetterman-speaks-to-pas-housing-crisis-how-his-whole-home-repairs-act-will-help-address-it/,"At Hearing, Fetterman Speaks to PA’s Housing Crisis & How His Whole-Home Repairs Act Will Help Address It",2024-03-12,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"Fetterman illustrated the magnitude of PA’s housing crisis with stats out of Centre, Pike, Indiana, Montour, Lehigh, Franklin, Allegheny, and Dauphin Counties

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman spoke at the Senate Banking Housing and Urban Development Committee hearing about his recently introduced Whole-Home Repairs Act. The bipartisan bill—which Senator Fetterman introduced last week with Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)—would create a national five-year pilot program to expand on a wildly successful and popular Pennsylvania program designed to help homeowners with critical home repairs.

“Addressing the housing crisis is a top priority for me, and I’m glad to be here today to discuss possible solutions,” said Senator Fetterman.“I’m proud to introduce with my colleague, the distinguished senator from Wyoming, the very bipartisan Whole-Home Repairs Act.”

Watch Sen. Fetterman’s Remarks Here

In his remarks during the hearing, Senator Fetterman outlined the housing crisis that Pennsylvania is facing. He spoke to the challenges that communities all across the commonwealth experience:

32% of renters in Centre and Pike Counties are paying more than half their incomes in rent.

Rents for the average one- or two-bedroom apartments are up to as much as$1,000 a month in Indiana County, $1,200 per month in Montour County, and $2,000 a month in the Lehigh Valley.

Franklin County is adding 2,000 jobs but isn’t adding enough units that are affordable

In the Pittsburgh region alone, we are short fifteen thousand units for low-income people.

In Dauphin County, shelters are at maximum capacity.

Senator Fetterman went on to speak to the value of the existing state program in Pennsylvania and how helpful scaling the program to the national level would be in addressing the housing crisis.

He spoke about a man named Mr. Tyler in Hawley, PA, who is 87 and has worked as a farmer, mechanic, bartender, and deputy sheriff. Mr. Tyler’s roof collapsed and left a hole in the ceiling. The resulting water leaks and exposure had caused partial rotting of the wall and ceiling. Wayne County Whole-Home Repair funds, facilitated through Pennsylvania’s state-level program, were used to make exterior repairs to the roof, ceiling, and wall, as well as weatherization improvements that have reduced his heating bill by two-thirds. The remaining interior work will be completed this month.

The federal Whole-Home Repairs Act is a crucial piece of solving the broader housing shortage the country is facing. When families can’t afford repairs, housing units are lost to blight, which further exacerbates the housing crisis. The bill helps address this issue by allowing more families to keep their homes in good condition so they can stay in them. The bill will also create a one-stop shop that will help ensure that money allocated through existing programs is efficiently spent.

In response to these known problems, a bipartisan group of Pennsylvania lawmakers passed the Whole-Home Repairs program in 2022 to create a one-stop shop to help with repairs, weatherization, and adaptions in homes for older residents or individuals with disabilities. The program allows low- and moderate-income homeowners and small landlords to apply for grants and loans to make needed repairs. The program was both successful and popular and has helped thousands of people address urgent repair needs. An incredible 95% of Pennsylvania counties applied for funding, demonstrating the breadth and enormity of the need.

The Whole-Home Repairs Act creates a national version of this popular state program.

The Whole-Home Repairs Act has been endorsed by the Housing Assistance Council, National NeighborWorks Association, LISC, Habitat for Humanity, Council for Affordable and Rural Housing, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Housing Law Project, People’s Action, National Association of Towns and Townships, Window and Door Manufacturers Association, and Pennsylvania Stands Up.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:55:42Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-casey-lee-announce-2-million-for-pittsburghs-penn-avenue-cap-connector-project/,"Fetterman, Casey, Lee Announce $2 Million for Pittsburgh’s Penn Avenue Cap Connector Project",2024-03-12,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey, and Representative Summer Lee announced that Allegheny County will receive $2 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) grant program. The funding will support the Penn Avenue Cap Connector Project.

The Penn Avenue Cap Connector Project aims to connect economically-disadvantaged communities in Pittsburgh to public transit, grocery stores, services, and jobs. Specifically, the project will make the Penn Avenue-Shady Avenue Intersection a major gateway to the East Liberty Transit Station, and connect two neighborhoods—the East Liberty Business District and Bakery Square—across the void of a busway.

“This is a critical investment in communities in Pittsburgh that have been left behind,” said Senator Fetterman. “The Penn Avenue Cap Connector Project will help connect countless Pennsylvanians to economic opportunities, public transit options, and grocery stores that they have been cut off from for too long. I’m proud to be fighting for and delivering these federal dollars to invest into Pennsylvania communities.”

“This funding is a critical step towards righting a wrong that has stifled economic growth in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood and left residents cut off from transit and key economic opportunities,” said Senator Casey (D-PA). “I fought for this funding to put the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to work to reconnect these communities and help build a more livable and prosperous Pittsburgh.”

“I’m proud to announce our second Reconnecting Communities Pilot Grant – this time $2M for the Penn Avenue Cap Connector Project to connect families and small businesses in bakery square with the grocery stores, transit, and jobs in the East Liberty Business district,” said Rep. Summer Lee. “By working with the Biden administration to build on the $1.4 million investment Sen. Casey and I delivered one year ago to reconnect Pittsburgh’s North Side and Chateau neighborhoods, we’re righting the wrongs of economic redlining that has forced Black, brown, working class and poor folks to live in food, hospital, and transportation deserts. I will continue fighting to make sure all of our families can stay in the communities they call home with access to all the resources and infrastructure necessary to thrive.”

Fetterman, Casey, and Lee secured this grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Pilot grant program, created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Reconnecting Communities is the first-ever federal program dedicated to reconnecting communities that were previously cut off from economic opportunities and otherwise burdened by past transportation infrastructure decisions.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T20:32:04Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-praises-passage-of-bill-benefiting-key-projects-veterans-farmers-and-more-in-pennsylvania/,"Fetterman Praises Passage of Bill Benefiting Key Projects, Veterans, Farmers and more in Pennsylvania",2024-03-11,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman released the following statement after the Senate passed a 6-bill “minibus” that will prevent a partial government shutdown and fund key projects across the commonwealth. The bill cleared the Senate by a 75-22 vote today and will be sent to the president’s desk:

“I came to Washington to fight for every community in our commonwealth. I am proud to have worked with my colleagues in the Pennsylvania delegation to fund our government responsibly and secure critical funding for projects across the state.

“This bill will deliver vital investments across Pennsylvania, including for infrastructure, farmers, schools and universities, our servicemembers, local communities, and so much more,” said Senator Fetterman. “I am particularly proud that this bill fully funds SNAP and WIC with no new restrictions. I didn’t come to the Senate to take food from hungry kids and families, and I’ll keep up that fight.”

Senator Fetterman personally secured $21,686,000 in funding for 19 projects in 15 counties across Pennsylvania and worked with Senator Casey and his colleagues in the House to secure nearly $100M for 77 projects across 42 counties.

Specific projects in Pennsylvania that Sen. Fetterman pushed for in Congressionally Directed Spending requests include:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:55:42Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-wyden-cassidy-introduce-bipartisan-bicameral-bill-to-secure-food-benefits-against-hackers-and-thieves/,"Fetterman, Wyden, Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Secure Food Benefits Against Hackers and Thieves",2024-03-08,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Ron Wyden, (D-OR), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) today introduced the Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act to stop criminals from exploiting security flaws in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards used to pay for groceries. Exploiting these flaws allows criminals to steal food benefits from families with low incomes. The legislation would update the cybersecurity regulations for SNAP cards, which haven’t been updated since 2010, to require fraud-resistant chips and move away from outdated, insecure magnetic stripes. This legislation would ensure USDA proactively updates EBT requirements as new technology is available. Congressmen Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced the companion bill in the House.

“SNAP is a critical lifeline for nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians — we must do everything we can to protect it. It’s despicable that thieves are targeting vulnerable hungry families with cyber-crime scams. We can’t let families go hungry because of bad faith actors,” said Senator Fetterman.“As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, I am proud to work across the aisle on this bipartisan, bicameral bill to modernize SNAP and stop criminals from stealing critical food assistance from working families.”

“There’s no excuse for this two-tier system, where families in need are stuck with outdated, easily hackable technology while folks with credit and ATM cards are better protected. Inaction is not good enough for families, not when it can be the difference between a family in need having food for dinner or going hungry,” Senator Wyden said.

“SNAP is supposed to help the person who is food insecure,” said Dr. Cassidy. “It is not supposed to help crooks who steal these benefits. This fights the crooks while preserving the benefits for those most in need.”

Families across the country have had their SNAP funds stolen by fraudsters who are exploiting the lack of security in EBT cards. Abigail M. of Erie, PA, shared her experience with skimming:

“Near the beginning of August 2023, someone stole my SNAP benefits, completely draining my account, leaving me without my usual food money for the rest of the month.”

“So, what do you do when the people on the helpline aren’t able to help and you have no answer on when or if your benefits will be reimbursed?”

Cards like the one Abigail used currently lack the fraud-resistant chips that are built into bank-issued credit and debit cards. As a result, EBT cards are highly vulnerable to a form of fraud known as skimming, where thieves clone the card number from the magnetic stripe on a victim’s card to produce duplicate cards which can then be used to steal victims’ SNAP funds.

The Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act addresses fraud by directing USDA to update its cybersecurity regulations to ensure SNAP benefits cannot be easily stolen by criminals. Specifically, this bill will require:

USDA to issue updated regulations requiring EBT cards to feature anti-fraud technology capable of resisting cloning. These regulations, which also cover mobile payments (such as tap-to-pay with a smartphone), will be updated every five years and must keep pace with private sector and federal agency payment security safeguards.

With USDA funding, states will begin issuing chip-enabled EBT cards within two years of the adoption of the new regulations. Within four years, states will no longer be able to issue new EBT cards containing a magnetic stripe. Within five years, states will have to reissue all existing EBT cards containing a magnetic stripe as chip-only cards.

USDA to operate a grant program providing funds for upgraded chip-capable payment machines to small grocery stores in food deserts, farmers markets, and farm-to-consumer programs.

States to provide families with no-fee replacements of EBT cards in three days or less, if their card is stolen, cloned by fraudsters, or malfunctioning.

States to offer multiple accessible, reliable, and mobile-friendly user interfaces, such as a smartphone app or online web portal, for families to manage their EBT account.

As Chair of the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee’s Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, Senator Fetterman is committed to protecting and expanding SNAP. This is the second piece of legislation he has introduced to combat stolen food benefits, in addition to the Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act he introduced in October, which would allow state SNAP agencies to reimburse SNAP recipients of benefits stolen by skimming. He is fighting for a Farm Bill that works for hungry Americans, which means no cuts to SNAP or other nutrition programs.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:55:42Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-confirmation-of-moshe-marvit-to-the-federal-mine-safety-and-health-review-commission/,Fetterman Statement on Confirmation of Moshe Marvit to the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission,2024-03-06,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman today released the following statement after his constituent Moshe Marvit, of Pittsburgh, was confirmed to the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission:

“Coal miners do some of the toughest work on Earth and have played a critical role in powering not just Pennsylvania’s regional economy, but also our nation’s. Their health and safety should be protected by the very best. That’s why I was proud to support the confirmation of my constituent and fellow yinzer, Moshe Marvit, to the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T20:32:04Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-lummis-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-scale-pennsylvanias-whole-home-repairs-program-to-the-national-level/,"Fetterman, Lummis Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Scale Pennsylvania’s Whole-Home Repairs Program to the National Level",2024-03-05,2024,2024-03,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced the Whole-Home Repairs Act. The bill would create a national five-year pilot program to expand on a wildly successful and popular Pennsylvania program designed to help homeowners with critical home repairs.

The Whole-Home Repairs Act is a crucial piece of solving the broader housing shortage the country is facing. When families can’t afford repairs, we lose housing units to blight, which further exacerbates the housing crisis. The bill helps address this issue by allowing more families to keep their homes in good condition so they can stay in them. The bill will also create a one-stop shop that will help ensure that money allocated through existing programs is efficiently spent.

“Pennsylvania’s Whole-Homes program was an incredible success,” said Sen. Fetterman. “This bill will make it so that more working families can afford repairs for their homes and help ensure money that goes out through existing programs goes further. We are in a housing crisis – and this is one, critical piece of the solution. It’s a perfect example of how government can work in concrete ways to meaningfully improve people’s lives. I’m so proud to introduce a bill to bring this program to the federal level.”

“Many low-income families throughout the Cowboy State struggle when applying for federal home repair grants due to months-long backlogs and unnecessary red tape that make these programs impossible to navigate,” said Sen. Lummis. “I am partnering with Senator Fetterman to cut this red tape and make it easier for low-income homeowners and small landlords to return their properties to safe conditions for Wyoming families.”

Years of deferred maintenance”largely due to high and rising repair and utility costs”have led to homeowners and renters being forced to live with leaky or collapsed roofs, exposed wiring, mold, unsafe heating, lead paint, drafty windows, faulty plumbing, and other health and safety risks. And in both rural and urban communities, existing programs are overly bureaucratic, inefficient, and have failed to fully address the scope of these problems.

In response to these known problems, a bipartisan group of Pennsylvania lawmakers passed the Whole-Home Repairs program in 2022 to create a one-stop shop to help with repairs, weatherization, and adaptions in homes for older residents or individuals with disabilities. The program allows low- and moderate-income homeowners and small landlords to apply for grants and loans to make needed repairs. The program was both successful and popular and has helped thousands of people address urgent repair needs. An incredible 95% of Pennsylvania counties applied for funding, demonstrating the breadth and enormity of the need.

The Whole-Homes Repairs Act creates a national version of this popular state program.

Senator Fetterman has spoken about the success of Pennsylvania’s Whole-Homes Program at Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Development hearings as a way of addressing the housing shortage and disinvestment in forgotten communities across Pennsylvania.

The Whole-Home Repairs Act has been endorsed by the Housing Assistance Council, National NeighborWorks Association, LISC, Habitat for Humanity, Council for Affordable and Rural Housing, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Housing Law Project, People’s Action, National Association of Towns and Townships, Window and Door Manufacturers Association, and Pennsylvania Stands Up.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:55:42Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-brown-introduce-bill-to-improve-snap-food-delivery-for-workers-and-consumers/,"Fetterman, Brown Introduce Bill to Improve SNAP Food Delivery for Workers and Consumers",2024-02-29,2024,2024-02,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators John Fetterman and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today built upon their record of empowering workers through the Farm Bill by introducing the Food and Nutrition Delivery Safety Act. The new legislation would require Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) authorized retailers to pay good wages, ensure SNAP groceries are delivered safely, and protect SNAP users’ online data. It would also establish standards for the safe and secure online use of SNAP ordering and delivery, and the safe and healthful delivery of food ordered through SNAP.

“SNAP is a lifeline for working families across the Commonwealth and the nation. We must ensure the food delivered through SNAP is delivered safely by introducing protections for consumers and workers alike,” said Senator Fetterman. “This bill will require SNAP authorized retailers to guarantee both fair wages and good working conditions for their employees and benefit protections for SNAP recipients.”

“As more Ohioans use online grocery delivery, we must pass this bill to ensure the workers providing this service are protected,” said Senator Brown.

Currently, grocery stores are shifting work away from union workers to lower paid, independent contractors who lack rights and benefits. While the government has few ways to influence the pay and benefits of private sector workers, it can ensure that government grants, tax incentives and contracts go to employers that pay their workers a living wage and support unionization efforts. The USDA determines who is an authorized SNAP retailer and not. While the USDA has recently begun authorizing online and delivery for SNAP purchases, there is nothing that requires the food to be delivered safely or the workers to be paid well in the retailer authorization.

The Food and Nutrition Delivery Safety Act would require the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), in collaboration with FDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, to establish two sets of standards. The first standards are for the safe and secure online use of websites or apps used to purchase food through SNAP to support the user’s digital protection/cybersecurity. The second standards aim to promote fair and safe working conditions—including paying prevailing wages—and to keep food safe and secure during delivery. After such standards are established, FNS would issue regulations on reporting requirements for SNAP retail participants.

Senator Fetterman has fought for the best interest of workers through his position as Chair of the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee’s Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research and in this year’s Farm Bill negotiations. In July, he introduced the Food Secure Strikers Act of 2023, legislation to allow striking workers to qualify for SNAP benefits. This bill is the newest convergence of two major issues Senator Fetterman is championing for working people – SNAP and the dignity of work.

The Food and Nutrition Delivery Safety Act is endorsed by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:48:26Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-joins-colleagues-on-legislation-to-take-on-price-gouging/,Fetterman Joins Colleagues on Legislation to Take on Price Gouging,2024-02-28,2024,2024-02,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman this week joined Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and seven additional Senate colleagues to introduce the Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024. The bill, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), would prohibit corporate price gouging by empowering the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general to prohibit the sellers from charging grossly excessive prices.

“For too long, corporations have gotten away with jacking up prices to line their shareholders’ pockets with the hard-earned dollars of working Americans,” said Senator Fetterman. “This bill will put an end to that. The Biden Administration has done a great job at reducing costs and bringing down inflation—including the cost to fill up your gas tank. But corporate price gouging means that American families are still paying too much for basic needs like groceries. When I ran for this seat, I committed to doing everything I could to take on rampant corporate price gouging that hurts working Pennsylvanians — I’m proud to cosponsor this bill that does just that.”

The legislation will also require public companies to both disclose changes in their pricing and explain the rationale for price changes in their Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings during period of “exceptional market shock.” The bill also includes provisions to protect small and local businesses who raise prices in good faith.

Since the coronavirus pandemic, the Biden Administration has worked to bring down inflation and reduce costs for working families. By the end of last year, inflation was down significantly from its peak and gas was below $3 a gallon in many states. But costs remain high for some basic necessities like groceries – thanks, in part, to big corporations gouging consumers.

The bill was also introduced in the House, led by Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:48:26Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-pens-letter-to-hud-urging-the-agency-to-prioritize-maintaining-access-to-housing-affordability/,Fetterman Pens Letter to HUD Urging the Agency to Prioritize Maintaining Access to Housing Affordability,2024-02-26,2024,2024-02,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC– Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman on Friday penned a letter to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge urging the agency to prioritize maintaining housing affordability even as affordability requirements expire. Due to historical construction trends, a significant number of affordable units are likely to convert to market rate in the coming years. The letter calls on HUD to work with both property owners to minimize the number of affordable units lost, as well as cities and localities to get a clearer picture of how many and what type of affordable units are at risk.

Affordability requirements for properties subsidized through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Project-Based Rental Assistance, and Section 515 USDA programs expire after a set period (often thirty years). Though property owners are not prevented from maintaining affordability, there is a real risk that once these affordability requirements expire, rents will spike, and tenants will be displaced.

“That risk is higher in markets where revitalization has occurred and opportunity is expanding,” wrote Fetterman. “Unable to remain in their current units, renters may not be able to find affordable alternatives in the neighborhood. In some cases, renters who have been in the neighborhood for decades may be displaced, losing their community networks. Yet these are the exact areas where we want people to be able to remain, so they can take advantage of this growth to improve their income or get a new job, send their kids to high-performing schools, and live healthier and happier lives. People may still work in these communities, but will have to drive or take transit longer distances from the housing they can afford.”

This is an especially pressing issue in Pennsylvania. Due to historical construction patterns, a large number of affordable units will see affordability requirement expire in the next five years. In Pennsylvania alone, nearly 8,000 rental units are at risk of conversion to higher rents.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T20:21:00Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/7492-2/,"In Upper Darby, Fetterman Announces $317 Million Federal Investment in SEPTA",2024-02-21,2024,2024-02,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"PHILADELPHIA, PA – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman today joined federal, state, and local officials at the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby to announce a new $317 million dollar Rail Vehicle Replacement Program grant for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). This grant, which is administered by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA), is by far the largest award ever made under this grant program to any local transit authority and is also the largest federal award SEPTA has ever received.

Just last month, Sen. Fetterman led a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg calling for significant federal investment in SEPTA. The $317 million grant will fund the purchase of approximately 200 new rail cars on the Market-Frankford Line.

“This is a big deal,” said Senator Fetterman. “This is a big deal for SEPTA. It’s a big deal for Philadelphia and this region. And it’s a big deal for anyone that uses this kind of rail to get to where they work, where they go to school, or where they’re visiting. It’s an investment in infrastructure that matters and can change lives.”

In his remarks, Senator Fetterman shouted out Senator Bob Casey and President Joe Biden for helping deliver this investment. The funding comes from the DOT’s Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Fetterman was joined at today’s event by Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, Upper Darby Mayor Ed Brown, SEPTA Board Vice Chair Ken Lawrence, FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez, SEPTA CEO & General Manager Leslie Richards, PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, and U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon and Dwight Evans.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:48:26Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-declares-gop-open-borders/,FETTERMAN DECLARES: GOP = OPEN BORDERS,2024-02-06,2024,2024-02,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman today released following statement on Senate Republicans’ intention to block the bipartisan border security supplemental:

“The supreme irony of my career: During the 2022 campaign, the GOP bludgeoned me as a socialist with a hard-on for an open border.

“Now I’m here in the Senate demanding a secure border and they won’t take yes for an answer.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:48:26Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-one-year-anniversary-of-norfolk-southern-train-derailment-in-east-palestine/,Fetterman Statement on One-Year Anniversary of Norfolk Southern Train Derailment in East Palestine,2024-02-03,2024,2024-02,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman today released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio:

“Today marks one year since a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, and threatened the health and livelihoods of the surrounding communities, including some in Pennsylvania.

“Let’s be clear: This derailment wasn’t bad luck. It was the result of Norfolk Southern repeatedly putting their profits over the health and safety of the communities that their trains pass through. Communities like Darlington Township, Pennsylvania and East Palestine, Ohio are too often forgotten and overlooked by leaders in Washington and executives at big companies like Norfolk Southern who only care about making their millions.

“It’s past time we stand up and fight for these communities. And it’s time we hold Norfolk Southern accountable. The Railway Safety Act will do just that – I’m proud to co-lead it. This is a good, important, bipartisan bill. It’s a bill so necessary and commonsense that it has the support of both Democrats and Republicans in both chambers, President Biden, and even former President Trump.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:48:26Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-newsroom-walkouts/,Fetterman Statement on Newsroom Walkouts,2024-02-02,2024,2024-02,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman today released the below statement expressing solidarity with hundreds of journalists who have walked off the job in the last few weeks amid massive layoffs, shutdowns, and bad-faith contract negotiations:

“Yesterday, more than two hundred Tribune Publishing workers at seven newsrooms across the country, including the Lehigh Valley’s own Morning Call, walked off the job in a historic 24-hour strike.

“On Wednesday, the billionaire owners of The Messenger shut down the news site and fired hundreds of workers with zero notice. Most employees learned they lost their jobs through social media or by getting kicked off their work channels, rather than any formal communication from their management. Some workers even showed up to clear out their desks but couldn’t get in because their staff badges were immediately turned off.

“All across the industry—from Condé Nast to the year-long striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers—journalists are rising up to demand better. Journalists play a critical role in our country. A living wage and a fair contract are necessary to maintain a free and fair press, and that’s what we need to maintain a functioning democracy.

“Management needs to stop dragging their feet and give these workers what they deserve. We’ve seen through the historic United Auto Workers deal, the SAG-AFTRA agreement, and so many other labor actions over the last year just how powerful workers can be when they stand together and demand their fair share.

“When workers fight, workers win. And I will always have your back in this fight.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:48:26Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/casey-fetterman-continue-push-to-hold-norfolk-southern-accountable-to-pennsylvanians-after-company-starts-process-of-joining-close-call-reporting-system/,"Casey, Fetterman Continue Push to Hold Norfolk Southern Accountable to Pennsylvanians After Company Starts Process of Joining Close Call Reporting System",2024-01-30,2024,2024-01,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman today continued their push to hold Norfolk Southern accountable after the company announced that it would take steps towards joining the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS), a program that allows employees to anonymously report near-misses or close calls on railroads when they see them and protects employees from retribution when they report these events.

In August, Sens. Casey and Fetterman sent a letter to Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw regarding the company’s continued failure to join the program, after Norfolk Southern previously said they would join shortly after the derailment affecting East Palestine, OH and Darlington Township, PA.

As Norfolk Southern announced that the pilot program they negotiated will only cover approximately 1,000 workers represented by two unions in Georgia, Indiana, and Virginia, the Pennsylvania Senators pushed Norfolk Southern to fully follow through on its commitment and include all Norfolk Southern workers in Pennsylvania as well.

“While the announcement that Norfolk Southern will finally begin to join this critical reporting system at our urging is a good first step, the company now needs to expand the group to include Pennsylvania workers and support the Railway Safety Act to do right by its workers and our Nation’s rail communities. With families in Darlington still hurting from last year’s derailment, we must do more to support communities suffering from the reckless failures of big rail companies and prevent Pennsylvanians from ever having to go through this hell again,” said Sen. Casey.

“Nearly one year after the train derailment in East Palestine, Norfolk Southern finally took our advice and began the process of joining the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System. This is a positive step, but the fact that they haven’t committed to covering all workers in Pennsylvania – one of the two states most deeply affected by the toxic derailment a year ago – is just not enough. We need rail companies to implement these safety measures nationwide, and before a derailment, not after. Now, let’s pass the Railway Safety Act and make sure we hold these companies accountable,” said Sen. Fetterman.

Calling for Norfolk Southern to join C3RS was just one action that Sens. Casey and Fetterman have taken to push for accountability from Norfolk Southern and stand up for local residents affected by the toxic derailment.

Last year, Sen. Fetterman held a roundtable with local farmers in Darlington Township affected by the derailment, while while Sen. Casey visited Darlington Township to push for rail safety bills and hear from local residents.

Previously, Sens. Casey and Fetterman wrote to Shaw about the company’s legal and moral obligation to the residents of East Palestine and Darlington Township, demanding answers on how the company plans to be an active member of response and clean-up operations. They pressed the Environmental Protection Agency on its plan to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for releasing hazardous materials into the air and water. They wrote to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to share rail safety concerns they have heard from constituents, rail experts, and railroad workers as NTSB conducts its investigation into the derailment. And finally, they worked with Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-PA) to urge Norfolk Southern to provide assistance to Pennsylvanians in Darlington Township after repeated reports that Pennsylvania residents were being turned away at the Family Assistance Center in East Palestine.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:40:56Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-warren-lead-senators-in-new-letter-urging-biden-administration-to-swiftly-deschedule-marijuana/,"Fetterman, Warren Lead Senators in New Letter Urging Biden Administration to Swiftly Deschedule Marijuana",2024-01-30,2024,2024-01,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) led nine of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram, urging them to remove marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Descheduling would be a major step in undoing failed War on Drugs policies and bringing sanity to national cannabis policy. The letter comes after an August 2023 recommendation from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) that marijuana be rescheduled from Schedule I to Schedule III, a less restrictive category that would lessen but not eliminate criminal penalties. The senators are calling for a complete descheduling of marijuana, consistent with state law, public sentiment, and the need to eliminate criminal and civil penalties for marijuana use and possession.

“We write to urge the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to swiftly deschedule marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA),” wrote the senators. “(R)escheduling to Schedule III would mark a significant step forward, [but] it would not resolve the worst harms of the current system. Thus, the DEA should deschedule marijuana altogether. Marijuana’s placement in the CSA has had a devastating impact on our communities and is increasingly out of step with state law and public opinion.”

The full letter can be found HERE.

In August 2023, HHS recommended moving marijuana to a less restrictive DEA schedule. This followed an October 2022 directive from President Biden requiring HHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review the current scheduling of the drug. Prior to this review, the last review of marijuana scheduling occurred in 2016, when HHS ultimately recommended keeping marijuana under Schedule I. Now, HHS has recognized credible scientific support for marijuana’s medical uses and has reversed its position. The medical science, as well as developments in state law and international law, support removing marijuana from Schedule I.

The senators were clear about the need to completely deschedule the drug: “These harms could be remedied only through fully descheduling marijuana. The Biden Administration has a window of opportunity to deschedule marijuana that has not existed in decades and should reach the right conclusion — consistent with the clear scientific and public health rationale for removing marijuana from Schedule I, and with the imperative to relieve the burden of current federal marijuana policy on ordinary people and small businesses,” concluded the senators.

The letter is also signed by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Peter Welch (D-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Alex Padilla (D-CA). The senators have requested that the DEA and DOJ provide more information on steps taken to act on HHS’s rescheduling recommendation no later than February 12, 2024.

Senator Fetterman is a longtime proponent of legalizing marijuana and has called for an end to the racist War on Drugs. As Lieutenant Governor, Fetterman pardoned hundreds of people arrested on weed charges and as a Senate candidate, he personally asked President Biden to deschedule cannabis and pardon those arrested on cannabis charges. In the Senate, Fetterman has sponsored pro-legalization legislation, including the SAFE Banking Act.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:40:56Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-joins-dot-secretary-buttigieg-pa-lawmakers-to-announce-federal-grant-in-pittsburgh/,"Fetterman Joins DOT Secretary Buttigieg, PA Lawmakers to Announce Federal Grant in Pittsburgh",2024-01-26,2024,2024-01,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman today joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in Pittsburgh to formally announce a $142.3 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant for the Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor Project. This funding will make major safety improvements to the I-376 (Parkway East) and the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway, including the flood-prone “bathtub” downtown.

“I’m proud to have worked with Senator Casey to get this funding to Pittsburgh,” said Senator Fetterman. “This funding will create jobs and strengthen the local economy, add infrastructure so pedestrians can move safely along the corridor, end flooding of the bathtub, and make transit more reliable across Allegheny County. We need to continue investing in Pennsylvania’s transit infrastructure so that it’s safer, faster, and more accessible for everyone.

Senator Fetterman was joined at the event by fellow Western PA delegation members, Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-PA) and Congresswoman Summer Lee (D-PA), and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. Also in attendance were the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, Pittsburgh Regional Transit, ATU Local, and county and statewide labor leaders.

The Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor Project will improve bus safety and route reliability, add pedestrian infrastructure (including new sidewalk and crosswalks), address re-occurring flooding in the “bathtub” downtown through a new flood wall, and rehabilitate 10 bridges along the busway. Senators Fetterman and Casey wrote letters of support for this project in August and Senator Casey worked to pass Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which funded this landmark grant, in 2021.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:40:56Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-national-security-supplemental/,Fetterman Statement on National Security Supplemental,2024-01-25,2024,2024-01,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman on Thursday released the following statement on negotiations surrounding the National Security Supplemental:

“I’ve been saying for months that we need to get a deal done to address the situation at the border and fully support Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. We can’t let politics get in the way of this critical aid, and we’ve got to keep working on a path forward and get this done.

“I also strongly support including an amendment to the bill that pushes for a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine. But I also believe that to have lasting peace and a two-state solution, Hamas must be fully destroyed. I am working with my colleagues on an amendment to the national security supplemental that would include that precondition.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:40:56Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-senate-aid-negotiations/,Fetterman Statement on Senate Aid Negotiations,2024-01-21,2024,2024-01,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman today released the following statement on the ongoing Senate foreign aid negotiations:

“As the grim second anniversary of the Ukraine invasion approaches, it is long past time for Congress to deliver crucial aid to our allies.

“We also must deliver critical humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

“Passage of this aid would send an unequivocal statement to the world and our adversaries of who and what we stand with and for: Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, defending democracy and peace.

“We also must secure our border. The compromise undoubtedly will test the resolve of both sides of the Senate, but it is reasonable and vital that we forge one.

“My vote would be in the affirmative.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:40:56Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-majority-of-philly-delegation-pen-letter-urging-dot-to-support-septa/,"Fetterman, Majority of Philly Delegation Pen Letter Urging DOT to Support SEPTA",2024-01-17,2024,2024-01,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman, joined by the majority of the Philadelphia area congressional delegation, today sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging the Biden Administration to continue investment in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) amid a looming transit fiscal cliff.

The letter comes one month after the Pennsylvania state budget failed to include an increase in state public transit funding. The change, which SEPTA has pushed for, would have translated to a $295 million increase for public transit operation across PA, including approximately $190 million more for SEPTA. This change would have prevented likely fare increases and severe service cuts, which could lead to as many as 20% fewer rides overall.

Sen. Fetterman was joined on the letter by fellow Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Bob Casey and Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA).

The full letter can be found here.

“We are at a critical juncture for transit in the Philadelphia region. Without strong, sustained federal support, Pennsylvanians risk losing transit access entirely,” wrote the Pennsylvania members. “However, we shouldn’t set the bar so low – Pennsylvanians deserve a world-class transit system that is efficient, fast, safe, and comprehensive. As the Department of Transportation continues its critical work, [we] urge you to prioritize SEPTA and Pennsylvania’s transit systems.”

SEPTA’s service is essential for the entire southeastern Pennsylvania region, providing a transit option for nearly 150 million city and suburban riders in 2022. A high-quality transit system is essential to maintain growth and economic vitality in the region, both downtown and throughout the region. The agency projects $240 million annual operating deficits of starting in July – the end of its federal pandemic aid reserve.

Transit in the Philadelphia region could undergo a death spiral as these cuts lead to decreased ridership, which would in turn lead to additional cuts. These service cuts and fare hikes will hurt the lowest-income riders the most, and the collapse of SEPTA would hurt commuters, families, sports fans, tourists, and the economy at large, as the southeast region generates 42% of statewide economic activity and 38% of state government’s tax base.

“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act represented a commitment to transforming our transit systems – Pennsylvanians deserve to see that investment put to work in their communities,” they concluded.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:40:56Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-ernst-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-combat-mislabeling-of-egg-alternatives/,"Fetterman, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Combat Mislabeling of Egg Alternatives",2024-01-12,2024,2024-01,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman and Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) today introduced the Consistent Egg Labels Act to enforce better market terms for eggs and their alternatives. This bipartisan, bicameral bill would require the FDA to prohibit alternatives from using misleading terms in their branding. Senator Fetterman’s Pennsylvania colleague Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-PA) is the Democratic lead of the bipartisan House companion legislation.

“Pennsylvania’s egg producers work tirelessly to produce an inexpensive, accessible, and healthy source of protein for consumers,” said Senator Fetterman. “Our commonwealth is the fourth largest egg producing state in the country, making eggs a critical part of Pennsylvania’s agricultural and economic strength. The Consistent Egg Labels Act will protect farmers and consumers by prohibiting eggs alternatives from misrepresenting themselves.”

“Our egg producers and farmers work hard to put high-quality, nutritious eggs on consumers’ tables. Labeling plant-based products as “eggs” undermines that hard work – it’s simply un-egg-cceptable,” said Senator Ernst. “I’m committed to maintaining the integrity of real eggs in our grocery stores on behalf of both consumers and farmers.”

“I’m excited to join Senators Fetterman and Ernst to introduce this bill, the Consistent Egg Labels Act of 2024, which will help poultry farmers right here in our community,” said Congresswoman Susan Wild. “Not only will this bill help protect one of the most important industries in Pennsylvania, but it will also provide consumers with clearer information about the food they purchase for their families.”

Many Americans rely on eggs and egg products as an affordable, healthy source of protein. Nutritional research from the Department of Agriculture finds that eggs are the lowest cost source of protein, vitamin A, vitamin B12, iron, and riboflavin. Plant-sourced protein found in egg product alternatives does not contain essential amino acids in levels as concentrated as in eggs. Egg product alternatives are relatively new on the market and have potential to mislead consumers if such products are not properly labeled. Consumers who need to purchase alternatives should be assured of labeling that is truthful and not misleading.

Currently, there are no requirements for egg alternatives to be clearly distinguished from eggs and egg products, despite not having the nutritional value of eggs. This bill would require the FDA to issue guidance for nationwide enforcement of mislabeled egg alternatives within 180 days and require the FDA to report to Congress two years after enactment on actions taken with respect to food that is misbranded. The legislation would also nullify any guidance with respect to eggs or egg products that is not consistent with its standards.

The Consistent Egg Labels Act is cosponsored by Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and endorsed by United Egg Producers and PA Farm Bureau.

“Egg substitutes aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. And with the proliferation of egg alternatives, it is imperative we protect our New York egg producers who work hard to ensure their products meet current FDA standards,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this important legislation that protects the standard of identity for our poultry products and ensures clarity for consumers on the nutritional benefits of their products.”

“Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) is excited to see the Consistent Egg Labeling Act introduced. The Commonwealth ranks fourth in the nation for egg, so it is crucial we protect the products’ identity and nutritional value,” said Chris Hoffman, PA Farm Bureau President. “This bill is not about attacking another product, rather PFB supports it for consumer transparency reasons. It is false advertising for a product to be labeled as “eggs” when it was not derived from poultry. For these reasons, our members are looking forward to Congress taking up this legislation and assuring consumers are accurately informed of the incredible nutritional makeup of real eggs.”

The Consistent Egg Labels Act would:

Amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to define the market name for an egg or egg product to mean “only if the food is the reproductive output of avian poultry species, including an albumen or yolk that is, or was at any point, encased in a calcium-based shell.”

Prevent food to be introduced into interstate commerce using a market name for an egg or egg product if the food does not meet the aforementioned criterion set forth for eggs or egg products.

Require the FDA to issue guidance for nationwide enforcement of mislabeled egg alternatives within 180 days of enactment.

Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress two years after enactment on actions taken with respect to food that is misbranded.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:40:56Z
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-cassidy-casey-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-combat-discrimination-on-college-campuses/,"Fetterman, Cassidy, Casey Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Combat Discrimination on College Campuses",2024-01-11,2024,2024-01,Democrat,Senate,PA,John Fetterman,F000479,www.fetterman.senate.gov,fetterman,https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/press-release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), along with Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), today introduced legislation to address discrimination on college and university campuses. The Protecting Students on Campus Act would inform students of their right to file a civil rights complaint with the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education if they experience discrimination based on their race, color, or national origin.

“Diversity is our strength as a country. No student should face hostility or violence for who they are, what they look like, where they’re from, or what they believe,” said Senator Fetterman. “Amid a despicable rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in our country, I am proud to introduce this bill with my colleagues to empower students facing discrimination to take action and hold universities accountable in protecting students.”

“No student should be harassed or attacked at school just because of who they are,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This legislation holds colleges and universities accountable and ensures discrimination against students is never ignored.”

“Discrimination should never stand in the way of a student’s education,” said Senator Casey. “I’m proud to join Senators Fetterman and Cassidy to cosponsor this bill to bolster students’ ability to report incidents of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of discrimination. Our students deserve accountability when they’re made to feel unsafe in the classroom.”

The Protecting Students on Campus Act would:

Empower students by improving awareness of how to report alleged civil rights violations regarding race, color, or national origin.

Require colleges and universities that receive federal funding to post on their homepage a link to OCR’s website where students can submit complaints.

Require colleges and universities that receive federal funding to post materials on how to file OCR complaints in physical locations on campus and online, including accessible elements such as auditory assistance to maximize all students’ awareness of the OCR complaint process.

Require OCR to brief Congress monthly on:

The number of complaints OCR receives

OCR’s plans to address those complaints

How long complaints have been pending with OCR

Require the ED Inspector General to audit colleges and universities that report the highest number of discrimination complaints relative to their student population.

Prohibit OCR from closing or dismissing complaints due to resolutions by another federal, state, or local civil rights enforcement agency to ensure students receive justice.

Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has a responsibility to ensure university programs or activities that receive federal funds do not discriminate against students based on their race, color, or national origin. Complaints filed by students who face discrimination, or on their behalf, are handled by ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). This legislation would ensure that colleges and universities that receive federal funding, such as federal student aid, properly inform students of their right to file OCR discrimination complaints. It would also provide accountability to ensure OCR properly investigates alleged discrimination so colleges and universities can maintain a safe learning environment for all students.

This bipartisan legislation comes amid rising antisemitic, anti-Arab, and Islamophobic activity on college campuses and nationwide following the October 7th attack on Israel by Hamas militants and Israel’s ensuing bombardment of Gaza. There have been a reported 2,031 antisemitic incidents nationwide in the eight weeks following October 7th – a 337 percent increase from the same period last year, and 2,171 complaints of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian incidents or requests for help in the same period – a 172 percent increase from the previous year, including the shooting of three Palestinian-American college students in Burlington, VT on November 25th.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T17:40:56Z