url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/in-2020-casey-produces-results-for-pa-constituents,"In 2020, Casey Produces Results for PA Constituents",2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is finishing 2020 having delivered results for Pennsylvania families. Below is a list of Senator Casey's 2020 work on behalf of Pennsylvania constituents. Securing COVID-19 Relief for America's Families Securing $100 Million for Nursing Home Oversight: As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136), provisions from Senator Casey's Coronavirus Relief for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act (S. 3544) led to the passage of $100 million to promote infection control in nursing homes during the pandemic through enhanced surveys and inspections. Shedding Light on the Nursing Home Crisis: Senator Casey authored multiple investigative reports, alongside U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Gary Peters (D-MI), documenting the Trump Administration's repeated failures to contain the spread of COVID in nursing homes. Following the Senators' oversight, the Trump Administration implemented federal data collection requirements and the public release of information on COVID cases, deaths and supply shortages in nursing homes. Securing $1 Billion to Keep Seniors Safe at Home: Senator Casey led efforts to obtain vital funding to support seniors sheltering in place during the pandemic. Stemming from S. 3544, the Senator secured roughly $1 billion for essential services, including home-delivered meals and caregiver respite, across two relief packages passed by Congress the CARES Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260). To date, Pennsylvania has received $47 million of these relief funds. Delivering Food Boxes to Seniors in Need: Also stemming from his bill, S. 3544, Senator Casey obtained $13 million in additional funding to support food delivery to low-income seniors during the COVID pandemic through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, also known as the senior food box program. His advocacy also helped to secure an additional $80 million in funding for the program in FY2021. This money will allow states to serve more low-income seniors with shelf-stable food boxes. Both the COVID-19 and FY2021 funding was secured as part of Congress's year-end agreement (P.L. 116-260). Standing Up for Seniors Passing the Improving Low-Income Access to Prescription Drugs Act: Senator Casey's bipartisan Improving Low-Income Access to Prescription Drugs Act (S. 1999) was passed into law as part of Congress's year-end deal (P.L. 116-260). This important legislation makes permanent a federal program to ensure low-income seniors and people with disabilities retain affordable access to their prescription medications as they transition to Medicare. Passing the Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act: Senator Casey co-led the bipartisan reauthorization of hallmark legislation, now Public Law 116-131, to deliver essential services and supports to America's seniors. This 5-year reauthorization provides respite services to grandfamilies, advances innovation and evaluation within the Act, prioritizes funding to bring kids and seniors together, requires data collection on LGBT seniors and ensures younger adults with Alzheimer's disease are eligible for services. Passing a Law to Close Harmful Coverage Gaps in Medicare: Key provisions from Senator Casey's bipartisan Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act (BENES) Act (S. 1280) were passed into law as part of Congress's year-end agreement (P.L. 116-260). These policies will ensure people new to Medicare have more immediate access to health insurance, closing coverage gaps that led seniors and people with disabilities to go without essential care. Securing Continued Support for Grandfamilies: The Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, created by Senator Casey's bipartisan bill signed into law in 2018, will continue to meet in 2021 as a result of funding the Senator obtained through the appropriations process (P.L. 116-260). The Council is tasked with developing a one-stop shop of resources to help grandparents raising grandchildren navigate programs and benefits. Allowing Families to Access Long-Term Care at Home: Through his Protecting Married Seniors from Impoverishment Act (S. 2000), Senator Casey continues to stand up for financial protections to prevent spouses whose partners need home and community-based services under Medicaid from falling into abject poverty. Congress's year-end agreement (P.L. 116-260) includes a 3-year extension of these vital protections. Advancing Best Practices to Stop Senior Scams: Senator Casey's bipartisan Stop Senior Scams Act (S. 149) passed the U.S. Senate. The Senator's bill would establish a federal advisory council charged with bringing together relevant government officials, industry representatives, advocates and consumer representatives to collect and develop model educational materials for retailers, financial institutions and wire transfer companies to use in stopping scams on seniors. Combatting Age Discrimination in the Workplace: Senator Casey's bipartisan Protecting Older Workers from Age Discrimination Act (S. 485) passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The Senator's bill would restore standards undone by a 2009 Supreme Court decision that made it more difficult for older workers to successfully seek restitution in court for age discrimination they experienced. Leading Efforts for Individuals with Disabilities Fighting for Continued Access to Disability Benefits and Supports: Senator Casey led efforts, along with 40 Senators, to call for the withdrawal of a proposed rule that would make it more difficult for people with Social Security disability benefits to retain needed support. The Senator also led an initiative to encourage the public to tell the Social Security Administration directly how the proposal would harm them, resulting in more than 125,000 comments submitted on the rule. Promoting Care Continuity from Home to the Hospital: The CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) included a provision that Senator Casey fought for to ensure direct service providers could enter and provide services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who were admitted to hospitals and rehabilitation settings because of COVID or other health-related concerns. Making it possible for those providers who care for people in their homes while they are in the hospital allows for continuity of care, better communication among hospital and community caregivers and makes the transition back to their homes safer and healthier. Preventing COVID Infections Among People with Disabilities: Senator Casey advocated that the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) include funding increases for Centers for Independent Living to provide COVID prevention services during the pandemic. Pennsylvania received $2.75 million to be distributed among its eleven federal Centers for Independent Living. The funds make it possible to provide people with disabilities with personal protective equipment (PPE) in their own homes, to transition from congregate care settings to home settings, to translate COVID information into other languages and many more preventive actions to reduce the risk of infection for people with disabilities. Fighting for Rural Communities and Expanding Broadband Access Supporting Rural Innovation: Senator Casey secured increased funding for the Small Business Administration's Regional Innovation Clusters (RIC) program in the FY 2021 appropriations bill (P.L. 116-260). The RIC program provides an increased focus on outreach to rural areas in leveraging a region's unique competitive strengths and geographically-concentrated, interconnected network of complementary businesses, suppliers and associated organizations that engage in a particular industry sector. These types of programs are essential to Pennsylvania businesses to fight the economic effects of COVID-19. Don't Break Up the T-Band: Senator Casey led efforts with U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and other colleagues to enact the Don't Break Up the T-Band Act into law (P.L. 116-260). The Don't Break Up the T-Band Act will ensure that our brave first responders throughout Pennsylvania and the rest of the country have access to the tools they need to effectively communicate with other first responders when responding to public safety emergencies. Hyndman Cellular Tower: In October, Senator Casey announced the completion of a project to provide cellular service in Bedford County via Hyndman Cellular Tower, ensuring that thousands of Bedford County residents have reliable service. After train derailments and feedback from local and state first responders highlighted the urgent need for better emergency response telecommunications, Senator Casey advocated for more than two years for AT&T to prioritize rural areas like Hyndman for First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) tower sites. Fighting for Jobs and a Secure Retirement Standing up for Federal Workers: Senator Casey led a letter opposing proposed changes to the Department of Defense's procurement policy in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would have undermined the role depots and shipyards play in the readiness and maintenance of our armed forces. This effort led to stringent oversight requirements over decisions that lead to undermining depot and shipyard workforces. Fighting for Pay Equity for Army Depot Workers: A version of Senator Casey's Locality Pay Equity Act (S. 3015) was included in the FY 2021 NDAA passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation would put an end to locality pay adjustment disparities between salaried and hourly workers at federal facilities, including Tobyhanna and Letterkenny Army Depots in Pennsylvania. Strengthening Unemployment Benefits: Senator Casey pushed for the expansion and strengthening of unemployment benefits for workers affected by COVID as was done in the CARES Act that passed into law in March (P.L. 116-136). Senator Casey also strongly pushed for the extension of vital unemployment benefit programs that were slated to expire at the end of this year, which was achieved in the end-of-year relief package (P.L. 116-260). Fighting to Combat Hunger and Support our Farmers Leading Efforts to Expand Access to Food for the Most Vulnerable: As the pandemic increased food insecurity for households who lost access to paychecks, Senator Casey worked to build the capacity of the food assistance system to assist families in Pennsylvania and across the country. He led letters to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and grocery retailers urging innovative solutions to expand access to home delivery and curbside pickup for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants, especially for seniors and immunocompromised individuals. He introduced the Increasing Access to SNAP Delivery During COVID-19 Act to support retailers in expanding their SNAP delivery offerings during the pandemic. Senator Casey also advocated for and supported Pennsylvania's participation in the SNAP Online Purchasing Program and will continue working for additional access to delivery services. Advocating for the Expansion of Hunger Assistance Programs: Senator Casey fought to protect critical nutrition assistance programs for our most vulnerable citizens. From the beginning of the COVID pandemic, he advocated for the expansion of SNAP benefits to respond to the food insecurity crisis. He led a Pennsylvania delegation letter urging the inclusion of a 15 percent increase in SNAP benefits levels. A six-month increase in these benefits was ultimately included in the most recent COVID relief package (P.L. 116-260). Senator Casey also advocated for critical nutrition waivers for Pennsylvania to access food assistance and necessary flexibilities throughout the pandemic. In addition to COVID-related food security needs, he also led appropriations efforts to support the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI), a program modeled after Pennsylvania's Fresh Food Financing Initiative. Supporting our Farmers and Food Production System: Senator Casey worked tirelessly to support our farmers, who play a critical role in feeding families throughout Pennsylvania and the Nation. He introduced and co-sponsored legislation to support farmers who faced significant market losses and supply chain disruptions. He introduced the Farmers Feeding Families Act, building on his work to establish Farm to Food Bank projects in the 2018 Farm Bill. He was also an original cosponsor of the Food Supply Protection Act to help strengthen the food supply chain, protect workers, reduce food waste and support farmers and families in need. Additionally, Senator Casey led a Pennsylvania delegation letter to the Small Businesses Administration to ensure that loans and programs are available and work for farmers and agricultural businesses. Protecting the Environment Securing Funding for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: Senator Casey joined the Chesapeake Bay delegation in working to secure increased funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program in the FY 2021 spending agreement (P.L. 116-260). Senator Casey also introduced the bipartisan Farmer Driven Conservation Outcomes Act, which would direct USDA to establish a process through which it could measure, evaluate and report on conservation program outcomes, including water quality improvements. He continues to build on wins from the 2018 Farm Bill for water quality by ensuring that programs are implemented to benefit the Bay. He led a bipartisan letter to USDA regarding implementation of key provisions in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to improve water quality. Addressing the Climate Crisis: Senator Casey worked to address the climate crisis through efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect the health of our communities, create good paying jobs and address environmental injustices. He was an original cosponsor of the Clean Economy Act of 2020, which would empower the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to design and implement a national plan to rapidly reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner. He continued to stand up against the Trump Administration's efforts to roll back bedrock environmental laws. Additionally, Senator Casey is working to ensure that farmers can be part of the solution to address the climate crisis by introducing legislation to measure, evaluate and report on the outcomes associated with farm bill conservation programs, including carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. PFAS Contamination: Senator Casey continued to stand up for communities impacted by PFAS contamination. He fought for inclusion of key PFAS provisions in the NDAA and advocated for funding to expand PFAS monitoring, standards development and cleanup capabilities. Senator Casey also continued to engage in efforts to implement a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study on the effects of PFAS on long-term health. He led efforts to secure this funding and Pennsylvania's Bucks and Montgomery Counties were included in the multi-year site study. Preserving Public Lands in Pennsylvania: Senator Casey introduced legislation to extend authorization of Pennsylvania's National Heritage Areas (NHAs). The Pennsylvania National Heritage Area Act would extend authorization of the Pennsylvania NHAs set to expire between FY 2021 and FY 2022. Additionally, this legislation would eliminate incongruent funding restrictions and streamline appropriations levels for NHAs. Senator Casey will continue to work to ensure these extensions are secured and to protect our natural and cultural resources while strengthening communities and stimulating local economies. Fighting for Miners' Benefits Leading Efforts to Protect Retired Miners: Senator Casey successfully advocated for language in the year-end agreement (P.L. 116-260) to protect the health care benefits of all retired miners in the event of future bankruptcies, no matter when the bankruptcies occur. Previous efforts to protect coal miner health care specified the year of a company's bankruptcy; The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) anticipate the remaining coal companies with retiree health care obligations will declare bankruptcy within the next 6-12 months. This language will ensure coal miners' health care is fully covered if a coal company goes bankrupt and also ensures Congress does not have to act each time a company is relieved of its obligations to pay for retiree health care by a bankruptcy court. According to UMWA, the majority of retirees and widows covered by this provision are over 80 years old. Standing Up For Veterans Veterans Affairs and Veteran Health: Senator Casey and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), working with House colleague U.S. Representative Elaine Luria (D-VA-2), successfully introduced and passed the Department of Veterans Affairs Website Accessibility Act (P.L. 116-213). This law directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report to Congress regarding the accessibility of VA websites (including attached files and web-based applications) to individuals with disabilities. Senator Casey continues to advocate for robust funding for veterans health, supporting efforts to secure PPE, vaccines, mental health support and additional resources to VA workers and patients in response to the COVID pandemic. Passage of the Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act: The bipartisan Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act honors American women who joined the workforce in support of the war effort during World War II by awarding them a Congressional Gold Medal. These Rosie the Riveters answered the Nation's call to action and learned new skills, many building the vehicles, weaponry and ammunitions that were critical to the war effort. Senator Casey led the effort along with U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and U.S. Representatives Jackie Speier (D-CA-14) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1). 76 senators co-sponsored the Senate bill, including every female senator, and it has now been enacted into Public Law 116-195. Keeping Communities Safe and Our Judiciary Working Law Enforcement Reform: In response to a national reckoning regarding the systemic violence and injustice impacting communities of color across the Nation, Senator Casey helped to advance a critical conversation focused on transformative change within law enforcement. Senator Casey joined thirty-four of his colleagues, led by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris (D-CA), to introduce the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. The bill would put in place the most significant police reforms in our Nation's history by focusing on officer accountability, data transparency and enhancing police practices and training. He also led the Law Enforcement Education and Accountability for People with Disabilities (LEAD) Initiative to help counter the high rate of violent interactions between police and people with disabilities. The LEAD Initiative is comprised of two bills the Safe Interactions Act and the Human-services Emergency Logistic Program (HELP) Act. Combined, these bills would: (1) divert non-criminal, non-fire and non-medical emergency calls from the 9-1-1 system to the 2-1-1 system; and (2) provide grants to enable non-profit disability organizations to develop training programs in partnership with police academies and agencies to support safe interactions between law enforcement officers and people with disabilities. Fighting for Prison Safety During COVID: Senator Casey has repeatedly pressed the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for answers and reforms in response to the COVID pandemic. Senator Casey wrote multiple letters in March and April to DOJ and BOP leadership raising significant concerns about BOP's inmate transfer policies, supply of PPE and other general concerns related to the BOP's preparation for COVID. After raising these concerns and calling on the DOJ to require mandatory testing before transferring any incarcerated individual, BOP announced in May that it had decreased internal movement by 90 percent and committed to testing all incarcerated individuals prior to leaving a local detention facility. Criminal Justice Reform: Senator Casey introduced the bipartisan Clean Slate Act of 2020 with U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), which would automatically seal the federal records of individuals convicted or arrested for simple drug possession, and establish a process for individuals to petition to seal records for other nonviolent offenses. This landmark piece of legislation would give tens of millions of Americans a second chance to fully participate in society by removing major barriers for finding employment, securing housing and accessing education. The Clean Slate Act is modeled after Pennsylvania's own Clean Slate Act, which was the first Clean Slate law in the Nation after it was enacted into law with tremendous bipartisan support in 2018. Federal Judges: Senator Casey worked with U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) to confirm two more Federal judges to the District Courts in PA. Since 2011, Senators Casey and Toomey have worked together, in a bipartisan fashion, to fill vacancies on the federal bench in Pennsylvania. Together they have now vetted, recommended and confirmed 27 Federal District Court Judges for Pennsylvania. Only two states - New York and Texas - have had more district court judges confirmed to their federal benches during this time. Combat Online Predators: Senator Casey led efforts with Senator Toomey to enact the Combat Online Predators Act into law in December 2020 (P.L. 116-249). This bipartisan law was drafted in response to the traumatic experiences of a Pennsylvania family and will give judges additional tools to ensure that perpetrators who stalk or cyberstalk children are held accountable with serious penalties. Fighting for Consumer Health Leading Senate Efforts to Modernize FDA Regulation of Over-the-Counter Drugs: Senator Casey, along with retired U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA), led a multi-year effort to overhaul and modernize the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) regulatory authority for over-the-counter (OTC) monograph drugs. These products, including drugs like painkillers, allergy medicines and sunscreens, are used by millions of Americans and are subject to certain requirements known as monographs. The OTC system was outdated, making it hard for FDA to take action to protect public health and hard for companies to innovate. With the passage of the Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act (P.L. 116-136), the FDA has new tools and resources at its disposal, and consumers will benefit from increased regulatory oversight and new innovation. Fighting for Children Leading Efforts to Increase Federal and State Efforts to Investigate and Collect Information When an Infant or Young Child Die: Senator Casey's bipartisan legislation, named after Pittsburgh child Scarlett Pauley, will help combat Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood by providing grants to help states, municipalities and nonprofits improve data collection and death scene investigations related to unexpected infant and child deaths. The bill will also help promote safe sleep practices for children and support local efforts to conduct infant and child death reviews. This legislation was signed into law by the President as Public Law 116-273 on December 31, 2020. Leading Efforts to Extend the Creating Hope Act: Senator Casey led a bipartisan effort to reauthorize the Creating Hope Act, which authorized the FDA's pediatric priority review voucher program. This important program encourages the development of new drugs to treat rare pediatric diseases, and was first authorized in 2012 following Senator Casey's efforts. The Creating Hope Reauthorization Act was included as a provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260) and extends the program for an additional four years. Leading Efforts to Reauthorize Critical Program for Emergency Medical Care for Children: Senator Casey led a bipartisan, bicameral coalition to reauthorize the Emergency Medical Services for Children (P.L. 116-49), a federal program that works to improve the quality of emergency care provided to children and ensure that hospitals and emergency workers providing emergency care to children are properly equipped. Fighting for Health Care Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) Program: Senator Casey, the Senate champion of the Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) and author of several laws to extend and improve the program, secured additional funding for the program through the appropriations process. Funding for the program was increased by $10 million from $340 to $350 million for FY2021 (P.L. 116-159). Fighting the Administration's Immigration Cruelty Care of Immigrant Children in U.S. Custody: At Senator Casey's request, the Government Accountability Office opened an investigation into the conditions and care of migrants, including children, in Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) custody. The report revealed that CBP illegally used funds designated for medical care and food for children in detention on dirt bikes, dog food and leashes, boats and other unrelated items. The report also shined a light on significant gaps in care for children in custody and CBP's failure to follow its own health and safety guidelines. Helping Children Learn More Now to Earn More Later Early Care and Education COVID Relief: Senator Casey has fought to provide assistance to childcare providers facing financial hardship and families struggling to find care due to COVID. In March, aspects of Senator Casey's Supporting Child Care Providers and Families Affected by Coronavirus Act (S. 3562) was included in the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136), helping to secure $3.5 billion in emergency relief for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and $750 billion for Head Start. His continued advocacy to provide an additional $50 billion for early education helped to secure $10 billion for CCDBG and $250 million for Head Start COVID relief in the FY2021 omnibus appropriations and COVID relief legislation (P.L. 116-260). Ensuring Opportunity For Students: Senator Casey's Stopping Unfair Collateral Consequences from Ending Student Success Act or SUCCESS Act (S.5079) was included in the FY2021 omnibus appropriations and COVID relief legislation (P.L. 116-260). The SUCCESS Act repeals provisions of the Higher Education Act that limits access to federal student aid for students convicted of drug-related offenses. To date, according to the ALCU, this provision has prevented about 200,000 students from receiving federal student aid. This legislation will help to reduce recidivism, over-criminalization and taxpayer burdens by stopping the suspension of college aid for young people who made a mistake but want to get their lives back on track. It affirms that the United States is a country of second chances, not second punishments. Protecting the Nation and Promoting American Values Abroad International Disability Rights: Senator Casey introduced the Office of International Disability Rights Act (S. 3880) to require the State Department to develop and implement a formal policy for disability inclusion in foreign assistance programming and establish State Department Office of International Disability Rights headed by an Ambassador-at-Large (AAL) for International Disability Rights. He also introduced S. Res. 445, a resolution recognizing International Day of Persons with Disabilities. These efforts to promote disability rights globally will continue into the 117th Congress. Global Impacts of COVID: Senator Casey led letters to the Trump Administration urging increased funding to combat increasingly global food insecurity due to COVID, as well as assessment of COVID's impact on children's mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Senator Casey intends to introduce legislation next Congress addressing child MHPSS globally. Promoting a Peaceful and Inclusive Future: Senator Casey successfully secured $10 million in the FY21 NDAA to improve training and inclusion of Afghan women in Afghanistan's security forces. These efforts will serve to integrate and create opportunities for Afghan women to have a say in Afghanistan's future. Senator Casey and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) also led a letter to the Trump Administration urging emergency humanitarian funding for the Nagorno-Karabakh region for the clearance of cluster munitions deployed during the fall 2020 hostilities that put children at particular risk of exposure to unexploded ordnance. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 was signed into law as Public Law 116-283 on January 1, 2021. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases/john-joyce-will-object-electoral-college-certification-process-january-6,John Joyce Will Object to Electoral College Certification Process on January 6,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,John Joyce,J000302,johnjoyce.house.gov,johnjoyce,https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) today announced that he will object to the Electoral College certification process on Wednesday, January 6. ""American democracy is possible only as long as the American people have faith in government ?of, by, and for the people.' We cannot have truly free and fair elections unless American voters have confidence in the results. In Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf's unlawful actions coupled with the hastily passed Act 77 shrouded this year's election and spurred rabid distrust in the system. Despite millions of Americans' efforts to discern the facts, we have not seen a meaningful investigation into the many legitimate accounts of election fraud and irregularities. For the sake of our liberty and our American values, I will stand up for President Trump and our American democracy by objecting to the Electoral College certification on January 6."" Today Dr. Joyce joined fellow members of the Republican Congressional delegation in a joint statement on the certification of the electors, including in part: ""Unfortunately, the many unlawful actions undertaken by the Pennsylvania Governor's office, the Secretary of State, and what has been described as a rogue Pennsylvania Supreme Court exceeded and circumvented the state legislature's clear constitutional authority. ""The unlawful actions include, but are not limited to: Accepting ballots past 8:00 pm on Election Day Not properly requiring signatures to match those on mail-in ballots or requiring dates Meanwhile, the matching of signatures was required at a polling site Authorizing the curing of mail-in ballots with less than a 24-hour's notice Only some counties were informed and adhered to this order leaving voters treated unequally from county to county Authorizing the use of unsecure drop boxes, which is not permitted in statute Prohibiting certified poll watchers overseeing the canvassing of ballots in Philadelphia ""These unlawful actions were taken without the authority or consent of the Pennsylvania state legislature. These are facts, and they are indisputable."" Despite sustained efforts to discern the truth, these Members of Congress have not received an adequate response from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Given this failure of the Commonwealth's leadership, they cannot agree to support electors chosen based upon an inaccurate total vote count. ""This very unfortunate, volatile, and distressing situation is due to the lack of respect and regard for the law and the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Pennsylvania State Constitution. Additionally, the failure of Pennsylvania's justice system to seek the truth, rather than stay silent, allowed these irregular, unlawful actions to create a high level of mistrust in the process, as well as a potentially flawed outcome,"" they continued. Background: Since Election Day, Dr. Joyce has been in lockstep with President Trump and his team to ensure that justice is served. ? November 6, 2020: Dr. Joyce and 38 fellow Members of Congress call on U.S. Attorney General Barr to begin a federal investigation and exercise oversight on the November 3 elections in Pennsylvania and around the country. ? November 7, 2020: Dr. Joyce and fellow Republican Members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation urge Governor Wolf, PA Attorney General Shapiro, and Secretary Boockvar to uphold the law of Pennsylvania and ensure that every LEGAL vote is counted once. They also call on Governor Wolf to recuse AG Shapiro, a hyper-partisan candidate, from ALL election oversight. ? November-December: Dr. Joyce supports President Trump's legal challenges in Pennsylvania. ? December 1, 2020: Dr. Joyce and 36 fellow Members of Congress urge U.S. Attorney General Barr to take ""bold and courageous action"" in DOJ investigation of widespread allegations of election fraud in Pennsylvania and around the country and to uphold the rule of law and ensure legal justice for President Trump. As they write, ""justice delayed is justice denied."" ? December 7, 2020: Dr. Joyce files an amicus brief in support of Kelly v. Pennsylvania, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Congressman Mike Kelly's case against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ? December 8, 2020: Dr. Joyce co-sponsorsH.R.8830, the You Must Be Alive to Vote Act of 2020, which will require states to obtain information from Social Security Administration on deaths for purposes of voter registration list maintenance and to prevent dead people from voting. ? December 10, 2020: In support of President Trump, Dr. Joyce files an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Texas v. Pennsylvania and give all due consideration to our President. ? December 24, 2020: Dr. Joyce files an amicus brief calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Kelly v. Commonwealthof Pennsylvania and uphold the Constitution of Pennsylvania. ? December 31, 2020: Dr. Joyce and members of the Republican Pennsylvania Congressional delegation release statement announcing that they will object to the Electoral College certification process. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/pennsylvania-members-congress-release-statement-regarding-certification,Pennsylvania Members of Congress Release Statement Regarding Certification of Electors,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) and seven Pennsylvania members of Congress released the following statement regarding the certification of electors on January 6, 2020: The United States Constitution is unambiguous in declaring that state legislatures are the entity with authority to set election procedure Article 1, Section 4, Clause 1: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof' Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2: Each state shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors' Unfortunately, the many unlawful actions undertaken by the Pennsylvania Governor's office, the Secretary of State, and what has been described as a rogue Pennsylvania Supreme Court exceeded and circumvented the state legislature's clear constitutional authority. The unlawful actions include, but are not limited to: Accepting ballots past 8:00 pm on Election Day. Not properly requiring signatures to match those on mail-in ballots or requiring dates. Meanwhile, the matching of signatures was required at a polling site. Authorizing the curing of mail-in ballots with less than a 24-hours' notice. Only some counties were informed and adhered to this order leaving voters treated unequally from county to county. Authorizing the use of unsecure drop boxes, which is not permitted in statute. Prohibiting certified poll watchers overseeing the canvassing of ballots in Philadelphia. These unlawful actions were taken without the authority or consent of the Pennsylvania state legislature. These are facts, and they are indisputable. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Attorney General did nothing with regard to these unlawful activities. Not one inquiry, no questioning, and certainly no investigations. Not to mention that hundreds, if not thousands, of affidavits outlining election complaints and potential fraud were documented, submitted, and ignored. The Pennsylvania election could be summed up as a free-for-all with no oversight and different standards applied throughout the Commonwealth. It is also very apparent that the unlawful actions described were concentrated in heavily populated, Democrat-led counties. By definition, such unlawful, unregulated, and inconsistent activities resulted in a highly questionable and inaccurate vote total. The scope of these inaccuracies cannot be known until the legal ballots are identified and counted, and the illegal ballots are disqualified. This has not been done. Therefore, the state's official certification of electors was based upon a flawed system and an inaccurate vote count. Thus, very possibly resulting in an erroneous certification. Until these unlawful practices are acknowledged and corrected, we, as members of the U.S. House of Representatives, cannot agree to support electors chosen based upon an inaccurate total vote count. The voters of Pennsylvania deserve integrity in the election process and equal protection under the law. This very unfortunate, volatile, and distressing situation is due to the lack of respect and regard for the law and the U.S. Constitution as well as the Pennsylvania State Constitution. Additionally, the failure of Pennsylvania's justice system to seek the truth, rather than stay silent, allowed these irregular, unlawful actions to create a high level of mistrust in the process as well as a potentially flawed outcome. The one thing that all voters, regardless of party affiliation, can all agree upon is that we must have election integrity. That is the only way to ensure trust in our elections and it is accomplished by adhering to our Constitution and the law. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kelly.house.gov/press-release/pennsylvania-us-house-members-release-statement-certification-electors,Pennsylvania U.S. House Members Release Statement on Certification of Electors,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Representative Mike Kelly (PA-16) today released this joint statement with Representatives Dan Meuser (PA-9), Glenn GT' Thompson (PA-15), Scott Perry (PA-10), Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), John Joyce (PA-13), and Fred Keller (PA-12) regarding their intent to vote against certification of Pennsylvania's electors on January 6: The United States Constitution is unambiguous in declaring that state legislatures are the entity with authority to set election procedure - Article 1, Section 4, Clause 1: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2: Each state shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors Unfortunately, the many unlawful actions undertaken by the Pennsylvania Governor's office, the Secretary of State, and what has been described as a rogue Pennsylvania Supreme Court exceeded and circumvented the state legislature's clear constitutional authority. The unlawful actions include, but are not limited to: Accepting ballots past 8:00 pm on Election Day; Not properly requiring signatures to match those on mail-in ballots or requiring dates.Meanwhile, the matching of signatures was required at a polling site; Authorizing the curing of mail-in ballots with less than a 24-hour's notice.Only some counties were informed and adhered to this order leaving voters treated unequally from county to county; Authorizing the use of unsecured drop boxes, which is not permitted in statute Prohibiting certified poll watchers overseeing the canvassing of ballots in Philadelphia; These unlawful actions were taken without the authority or consent of the Pennsylvania state legislature. These are facts, and they are indisputable. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Attorney General did nothing with regard to these unlawful activities. Not one inquiry, no questioning, and certainly no investigations. Not to mention that hundreds, if not thousands, of affidavits outlining election complaints and potential fraud were documented, submitted, and ignored. The Pennsylvania election could be summed up as a free-for-all with no oversight and different standards applied throughout the Commonwealth. It is also very apparent that the unlawful actions described were concentrated in heavily populated, Democrat-led counties. By definition, such unlawful, unregulated, and inconsistent activities resulted in a highly questionable and inaccurate vote total. The scope of these inaccuracies cannot be known until the legal ballots are identified and counted, and the illegal ballots are disqualified. This has not been done. Therefore, the state's official certification of electors was based upon a flawed system and an inaccurate vote count. Thus, very possibly resulting in an erroneous certification. Until these unlawful practices are acknowledged and corrected, we cannot agree to support electors chosen based upon an inaccurate total vote count. The voters of Pennsylvania deserve integrity in the election process and equal protection under the law. This very unfortunate, volatile, and distressing situation is due to the lack of respect and regard for the law and the U.S. Constitution as well as the Pennsylvania State Constitution. Additionally, the failure of Pennsylvania's justice system to seek the truth, rather than stay silent, allowed these irregular, unlawful actions to create a high level of mistrust in the process as well as a potentially flawed outcome. If there is an American ideal that all citizens, regardless of party affiliation, can agree upon it is that we must have election integrity. Election integrity is the only way to ensure trust in our elections and it is accomplished by adhering to our Constitution and the law."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://meuser.house.gov/media/press-releases/pennsylvania-members-congress-release-statement-regarding-certification,PENNSYLVANIA MEMBERS OF CONGRESS RELEASE STATEMENT REGARDING CERTIFICATION OF ELECTORS,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Daniel Meuser,M001204,meuser.house.gov,meuser,https://meuser.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Pennsylvania members of the U.S. House of Representatives including Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-9), Congressman Glenn ‘GT' Thompson (PA-15), Congressman Mike Kelly (PA-16), Congressman Scott Perry (PA-10), Congressman Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), Congressman Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), Congressman John Joyce (PA-13), and Congressman Fred Keller (PA-12) released the following joint statement: ""The United States Constitution is unambiguous in declaring that state legislatures are the entity with authority to set election procedure - ""Article 1, Section 4, Clause 1: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof… ""Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2: Each state shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors… ""Unfortunately, the many unlawful actions undertaken by the Pennsylvania Governor's office, the Secretary of State, and what has been described as a rogue Pennsylvania Supreme Court exceeded and circumvented the state legislature's clear constitutional authority. ""The unlawful actions include, but are not limited to: Accepting ballots past 8:00 pm on Election Day Not properly requiring signatures to match those on mail-in ballots or requiring dates Meanwhile, the matching of signatures was required at a polling site Authorizing the curing of mail-in ballots with less than a 24-hour's notice Only some counties were informed and adhered to this order leaving voters treated unequally from county to county Authorizing the use of unsecure drop boxes, which is not permitted in statute Prohibiting certified poll watchers overseeing the canvassing of ballots in Philadelphia ""These unlawful actions were taken without the authority or consent of the Pennsylvania state legislature. These are facts, and they are indisputable. ""Additionally, the Pennsylvania Attorney General did nothing with regard to these unlawful activities. Not one inquiry, no questioning, and certainly no investigations. Not to mention that hundreds, if not thousands, of affidavits outlining election complaints and potential fraud were documented, submitted, and ignored. The Pennsylvania election could be summed up as a free-for-all with no oversight and different standards applied throughout the Commonwealth. It is also very apparent that the unlawful actions described were concentrated in heavily populated, Democrat-led counties. ""By definition, such unlawful, unregulated, and inconsistent activities resulted in a highly questionable and inaccurate vote total. The scope of these inaccuracies cannot be known until the legal ballots are identified and counted, and the illegal ballots are disqualified. This has not been done. ""Therefore, the state's official certification of electors was based upon a flawed system and an inaccurate vote count. Thus, very possibly resulting in an erroneous certification. ""Until these unlawful practices are acknowledged and corrected, we cannot agree to support electors chosen based upon an inaccurate total vote count. The voters of Pennsylvania deserve integrity in the election process and equal protection under the law. ""This very unfortunate, volatile, and distressing situation is due to the lack of respect and regard for the law and the U.S. Constitution as well as the Pennsylvania State Constitution. Additionally, the failure of Pennsylvania's justice system to seek the truth, rather than stay silent, allowed these irregular, unlawful actions to create a high level of mistrust in the process as well as a potentially flawed outcome. ""If there is an American ideal that all citizens, regardless of party affiliation, can agree upon is that we must have election integrity. Election integrity is the only way to ensure trust in our elections and it is accomplished by adhering to our Constitution and the law.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases/pennsylvania-members-congress-release-statement-regarding-certification,Pennsylvania Members of Congress Release Statement Regarding Certification of Electors,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Guy Reschenthaler,R000610,reschenthaler.house.gov,reschenthaler,https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Pennsylvania members of the U.S. House of Representatives including Congressman Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-9), Congressman Glenn ‘GT' Thompson (PA-15), Congressman Mike Kelly (PA-16), Congressman Scott Perry (PA-10), Congressman Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), Congressman John Joyce (PA-13), and Congressman Fred Keller (PA-12) released the following joint statement: ""The United States Constitution is unambiguous in declaring that state legislatures are the entity with authority to set election procedure - ""Article 1, Section 4, Clause 1: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof… ""Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2: Each state shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors… ""Unfortunately, the many unlawful actions undertaken by the Pennsylvania Governor's office, the Secretary of State, and what has been described as a rogue Pennsylvania Supreme Court exceeded and circumvented the state legislature's clear constitutional authority. ""The unlawful actions include, but are not limited to: Accepting ballots past 8:00 pm on Election Day Not properly requiring signatures to match those on mail-in ballots or requiring dates Meanwhile, the matching of signatures was required at a polling site Authorizing the curing of mail-in ballots with less than a 24-hour's notice Only some counties were informed and adhered to this order leaving voters treated unequally from county to county Authorizing the use of unsecure drop boxes, which is not permitted in statute Prohibiting certified poll watchers overseeing the canvassing of ballots in Philadelphia ""These unlawful actions were taken without the authority or consent of the Pennsylvania state legislature. These are facts, and they are indisputable. ""Additionally, the Pennsylvania Attorney General did nothing with regard to these unlawful activities. Not one inquiry, no questioning, and certainly no investigations. Not to mention that hundreds, if not thousands, of affidavits outlining election complaints and potential fraud were documented, submitted, and ignored. The Pennsylvania election could be summed up as a free-for-all with no oversight and different standards applied throughout the Commonwealth. It is also very apparent that the unlawful actions described were concentrated in heavily populated, Democrat-led counties. ""By definition, such unlawful, unregulated, and inconsistent activities resulted in a highly questionable and inaccurate vote total. The scope of these inaccuracies cannot be known until the legal ballots are identified and counted, and the illegal ballots are disqualified. This has not been done. ""Therefore, the state's official certification of electors was based upon a flawed system and an inaccurate vote count. Thus, very possibly resulting in an erroneous certification. ""Until these unlawful practices are acknowledged and corrected, we cannot agree to support electors chosen based upon an inaccurate total vote count. The voters of Pennsylvania deserve integrity in the election process and equal protection under the law. ""This very unfortunate, volatile, and distressing situation is due to the lack of respect and regard for the law and the U.S. Constitution as well as the Pennsylvania State Constitution. Additionally, the failure of Pennsylvania's justice system to seek the truth, rather than stay silent, allowed these irregular, unlawful actions to create a high level of mistrust in the process as well as a potentially flawed outcome. ""If there is an American ideal that all citizens, regardless of party affiliation, can agree upon is that we must have election integrity. Election integrity is the only way to ensure trust in our elections and it is accomplished by adhering to our Constitution and the law."" ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/in-2020-casey-produces-results-for-pa-constituents,"In 2020, Casey Produces Results for PA Constituents",2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kelly.house.gov/press-release/rep-kelly-votes-override-presidential-veto-ndaa,Rep. Kelly Votes to Override Presidential Veto of NDAA,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives today voted to override President Trump's veto of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA is enacted annually to set the policy and spending priorities of the United States military. Representative Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) voted to pass the NDAA over the president's objection and issued this statement: ""The NDAA outlines the budget and policies the Department of Defense uses to plan for the next year. While I support the president's goal of amending or abolishing Section 230, that debate must not delay military planning for 2021."" #####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kelly.house.gov/press-release/kelly-statement-house-vote-increase-stimulus-payments-600-2000,Kelly Statement on House Vote to Increase Stimulus Payments from $600 to $2000,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) issued this statement following his vote against increasing COVID-19 pandemic relief stimulus checks from $600 to $2000: ""I support providing direct relief to Pennsylvanians whose current economic struggles were caused by Governor Wolf's lockdown of the Keystone State for most of 2020, but this stimulus check expansion misses the mark because it is not targeted to people who need it most and ignores President Trump's call to reduce wasteful government spending. Our path forward must include direct relief, spending cuts, and opening the Commonwealth's economy so families can go back to work."" #####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamb.house.gov/media/press-releases/lamb-statement-following-votes-provide-additional-covid-relief-and-support,LAMB STATEMENT FOLLOWING VOTES TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COVID RELIEF AND SUPPORT TROOPS,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Conor Lamb,L000588,lamb.house.gov,,,legacy,"(WASHINGTON, DC) Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) issued the following statement regarding his votes for the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help (CASH) Act to increase economic impact payments to $2,000 and to override the President's veto of the bipartisan William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 6395) Conference Report: You can't get two-thirds of this Congress to agree on much, but tonight we had overwhelming bipartisan votes to increase stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000, and to overturn the President's absurd veto of our bipartisan bill to fund the military and pay our troops. We've asked people to sacrifice a lot this year for the sake of public health jobs, businesses, wages and working hours, time with loved ones. And working families have been forced to wait far too long for their government to provide any support to make those sacrifices just a little bit easier. Mitch McConnell should not make them wait any longer, but he will. We know that about him. The important thing is that we do not and will not accept it. By not adopting his radical, do-nothing view of being a Senator, we got a bill signed into law yesterday. And we aren't done. Visit Lamb's website for more information on the additional legislation Congress passed to address the coronavirus public health crisis, as well as the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 6395). ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/top-republican-agriculture-panel-rep-glenn-thompson-sees-opportunities,"As top Republican on agriculture panel, Rep. Glenn Thompson sees opportunities to close urban-rural divide",2020-12-25,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,,,legacy,"ForRep. Glenn Thompson, R-Centre, the COVID-19 pandemic has showed the value and vulnerability of regions like Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District: a 14-county expanse of rural farmland, forests and recreation areas dotted with a major land grant university, energy production and manufacturing. Mr. Thompson, entering his seventh term in Congress as the longest-serving Republican lawmaker from Pennsylvania, said he recognizes the challenges facing his swath of north-central Pennsylvania. He's put in a dozen years on the powerful House Agriculture Committee, which has jurisdiction over not only farm policy but a wide array of rural programs on food assistance, housing, utilities and economic development. It assembles thesprawling farm bill, one of the biggest and most contentious pieces of legislation on Capitol Hill when it comes up for a vote every five years. In January, Mr. Thompson, 61, will ascend to the top Republican seat on the powerful panel, giving him the chance to wield greater influence to shape the U.S. food system and narrow gaps between urban and rural parts of the state and country. Without a robust rural economy and a strong agriculture program in this country, people all over America, including in cities, are going to wake up cold, in the dark, and hungry, Mr. Thompson said, laying out his agenda in broad strokes in a recent interview. It's a tremendous amount of responsibility and opportunity, Mr. Thompson said. The agriculture committee probably impacts people's lives on a daily basis more than any other committee in Congress. Mr. Thompson, who was first elected in 2008 after 28 years as a therapist and licensed nursing home administrator, said he wants to target infrastructure development as a way to stem population decline in rural areas and attract business. He pointed to his experience on the panel's subcommittees, and on the House Education and Labor Committee, to push for investments in telemedicine, broadband expansion and remote learning. In 2011, he introduced legislation, eventually signed into law by President Barack Obama, that expanded telemedicine services among active duty military service-members. In 2017, he sponsored another bill that expanded telemedicine throughout the VA health care system. To expand these services in broader rural areas, he has said, there must be access to high-speed internet but also aid that makes it affordable to providers and consumers.In June, he introduced a measure to codify Medicare reimbursement for community health centers and rural health clinics to provide telemedicine services making permanent some of a temporary benefit enacted during the pandemic. The issue does come down to connectivity, obviously, but it comes to other issues, such as reimbursement, hesaid in September.If you're able to access the right providers, you're getting high-quality care no matter where you live. The success of rural areas depends on helping farmers navigate what has been a turbulent stretch. The virus has disrupted the broader food supply chain, with restaurants shutting down and food pantries overwhelmed with demand from hungry families, he said. Even before the pandemic, Pennsylvania farmersstruggled with low pricescaused in part by the Trump administration's trade war with China, whose government effectively blocked U.S. soybean shipments for about 18 months in retaliation. The dairy industry, which makes up roughly a third of Pennsylvania's farm sales, has been awash in milk for years, mostly due to overproduction and consumers flocking to alternative non-dairy milks. The agriculture committee has purview over the complex system of farm subsidies and aid, including aprogram that provides payments to dairies when their margins fall below a certain level. When COVID-19 hit, the government set uptheCoronavirus Food Assistance Program, which has providedmore than $19 billionto farmers through direct payments and through purchasing and distribution of produce, dairy and meat to places that need it most. Mr. Thompson said the committee should hold hearings and listening sessions on ways to make the food system more resilient, he said. Lessons learned from the pandemic should be part of the next farm bill, scheduled to come up in 2023. Meeting with farmers about the pandemic program so far, he said, the feedback I've gotten has been very, very positive. A small-government Republican, Mr. Thompson has said he knows farmers' top goal is to get their product to a buyer not government checks.In the longer term, he said, the government should help farmers invest in their business, like aid to help dairy farmers, for example, buy processing equipment that can produce more lucrative cheese. He praised President Donald Trump'spartial trade deal with China, signed in January, which put a hold on the trade war and directed China to accelerate purchases of American farm goods, among other U.S. exports. (The pandemic put a damper on those lofty goals, and Chinahas fallen behind its commitmentsthis year.) He said he would continue to advocate for trade deals with the United Kingdom, and across Europe and Asia. They have far more stomachs they need to fill, he said. He said he intends on meeting the climate change challenge by maintaining forests and encouraging farmers to use precision agriculture to conserve resources and maintain healthy soil. Overseeing those practices, the agriculture committee is responsible for the largest carbon sinks in the world, he said, referring to their ability to store carbon currently in the atmosphere. Mr. Thompson, whose district has the most abandoned mine land in the country, has led the charge toextend the federal programthat funds cleanup projects, fighting a dueling proposal from Wyoming lawmakers to cut the program by 35%. But he has questioned the need for more regulations on the energy industry, suggesting during a webinar in June that unfavorable news coverage and environmental groups opposing natural gas had been covertly fueled by Russians bent on disrupting America's energy supply. He has criticized Democrats' climate change proposals as unrealistic and economically destructive. Mr. Thompson, who tends to avoid wading into partisan disputes, led Pennsylvania's Republican delegation last month in challenging the state's administration of the election, repeatingMr. Trump's baseless accusationsof widespread voter fraud. Mr. Thompson, in the interview, saidthere may have been abuses and that voter fraud may have occurred in small pieces, perhaps, small parcels, but the transition is preceding to allow President-Elect Joe Biden to take office next month. He emphasized he wants to move forward after the politics of 2020 sidelined important measures. He called the committee's new chair, Rep. David Scott, a Georgia Democrat representing the Atlanta suburbs, a gentleman and a statesman, and I'm looking forward to our work together. The former chair, Rep. Collin Peterson, lost his re-election bid after 30 years representing rural western Minnesota. Mr. Peterson was among 13 Democrats whose seats were flipped, narrowing their House majority. In some sense, that will put us in a position where the majority party will be motivated to work with us, Mr. Thompson said.We tend to be bipartisan.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kelly.house.gov/press-release/twenty-eight-members-congress-file-amicus-brief-supporting-representative-kellys,Twenty Eight Members of Congress File Amicus Brief Supporting Representative Kelly's Lawsuit Challenging Pennsylvania's Unconstitutional Mail-in Ballot System,2020-12-24,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Last night, more than two dozen members of the United States House of Representatives filed an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs inMike Kelly, U.S. Congressman, et al. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, et al., a case challenging the constitutionality of Pennsylvania's no-excuse mail-in ballot voting system. ""I am honored that so many of my colleagues from Pennsylvania and across the country have joined our fight to protect the Pennsylvania Constitution, which states clearly how voters are to cast their votes in the Commonwealth,""said Kelly.""If Governor Wolf and the legislature wanted to create another method of voting, they should have amended the PennsylvaniaConstitution, which requires, among other factors, placing the question on the ballot for Pennsylvanians to consent.We're asking the Supreme Court of the United States to hear our case and require the Commonwealth to properly amend the Constitution if they want to create a mail-in voting system for future elections. Read the Amicus Brief Here Members of Congress who signed the amicus brief include Representatives Alex Mooney (R- W.Va.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Andy Harris (R-Md.), Bill Posey (R-Fla.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), Fred Keller (R-Pa.), GT Thompson (R-Pa.), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Jody Hice (R-Ga.),Dr. John Joyce (R-Pa.), Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Mike Johnson (R- La.), Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) and Warren Davison (R-Ohio). Background In this case, Representative Kelly and the other plaintiffsallege that the Pennsylvania Legislature and Governor Wolf violated the Pennsylvania Constitution when they enacted no-excuse mail-in voting, which conflicts with the Constitution's clear delineation of what makes a person eligible to vote by mail. Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia McCullough issued an emergency preliminary injunctionin the case, saying: Petitioners appear to have established a likelihood to succeed on the merits because Petitioners have asserted the Constitution does not provide a mechanism for the legislature to allow for expansion of absentee voting without a constitutional amendment. Following this pronouncement, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania appealed directly to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, which dismissed the case on a technicality without addressing the merits of the petitioners' claims. Currently, the Petitioners have filed awrit of Certiorarito argue the merits before the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).SCOTUS has yet to announce whether it will take up the case.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases/reschenthaler-toomey-spearhead-resolution-supporting-free-trade-taiwan,"Reschenthaler, Toomey Spearhead Resolution Supporting Free Trade with Taiwan",2020-12-23,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Guy Reschenthaler,R000610,reschenthaler.house.gov,reschenthaler,https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) joined with Congressional Taiwan Caucus Chairs Reps. Steve Chabot (OH-1)and Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) to introduce H. Res. 1268, which expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should initiate negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement with Taiwan. This legislation is a critical step toward building a stronger diplomatic partnership with Taiwan, expanding economic growth and job creation through increased access to markets in the Indo-Pacific region, and countering the Chinese Communist Party's hostilities towards Taiwan. Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), the author of the legislation, and 25 Senate Republicans introduced this resolution in the Senate. ""As a member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I am proud to introduce this critical legislation that supports expanding economic ties between the United States and Taiwan by lowering trade barriers,"" said Reschenthaler. ""As an important trading partner for the United States and Pennsylvania, a free trade agreement with Taiwan will enhance our economic, diplomatic, and security partnership in the Indo-Pacific while also countering the Chinese Communist Party's aggression in the region. After visiting Taiwan in 2019, I saw firsthand Taiwan's shared economic values and commitment to freedom and democracy. It is past time our nation takes advantage of this opportunity to deepen trade ties with our friend and ally Taiwan. I thank Senator Toomey and Reps. Diaz-Balart and Chabot for joining me to strengthen this enduring partnership."" ""Building closer trade ties between the United States and Taiwan is a win-win for both countries,"" said Senator Toomey. ""American workers and manufacturers would have more customers, American consumers would have access to more affordable goods, both economies would grow faster, and America would strengthen its relationship with a key regional ally and increase our economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. The Senate should pass this resolution and the incoming Biden administration should make a trade agreement with Taiwan a priority."" ""Taiwan is a strong friend and democratic ally of the United States, and I support efforts to further strengthen that relationship with deepened economic ties,"" said Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart. ""While the PRC continues to bully and threaten its neighbors, Taiwan has nonetheless thrived as an economic powerhouse and responsible partner on a variety of key priorities including public health, democracy promotion, and trade. Working toward a free trade agreement with Taiwan will strengthen this crucial relationship and enable Taiwan to better withstand the barrage of threats and hostility from the PRC."" ""As a longtime proponent of a U.S.-Taiwan free trade agreement, I am pleased to support this important legislation put forward by Congressman Reschenthaler,"" said Congressman Chabot. ""Taiwan is one of our top trading partners, and consolidating our economic partnership will bring both economic and strategic benefits to both of our countries. Earlier this fall, President Tsai took bold action to address longstanding barriers to U.S. agricultural imports. It is critical that the United States Trade Representatives build on this gesture of goodwill before momentum is lost."" ""TECRO sincerely appreciates Senator Toomey and Congressman Reschenthaler for introducing this important resolution,"" said Ambassador Bi-Khim Hsiao. ""As both Taiwan and the United States are making every endeavor to ensure supply chain security and trading relationships that will provide us with more resilience and restore our economic growth in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, a bilateral trade agreement would be a sensible and necessary move to achieve those goals. Taiwan is ready to start the negotiations towards a high-standard trade agreement. We look forward to working with US Congress and the administration to deepen Taiwan-US trade and economic ties."" Currently, Taiwan is the 10th largest trading partner with the United States in goods and 11th largest trading partner overall. Taiwan is also Pennsylvania's 18th largest export market, with an estimated $367.6 million in 2017. In 2019, bilateral trade in goods between Taiwan and the United States accounted for $86 billion, a $24 billion increase from 2010. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Taiwan supports an estimated 208,000 U.S. jobs as of 2015, and Taiwan's foreign direct investment stock accounts for $11.1 billion. As a member of the China Task Force (CTF), Congressman Reschenthaler supported including language to recommend increased trade ties with Taiwan in the CTF 2020 report. Specifically, the report stated: ""the Administration should work to deepen trade ties with Taiwan and resolve specific outstanding trade issues, taking the steps to launch trade agreement negotiations once those are addressed."" ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://www.toomey.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/toomey-led-resolution-calls-for-free-trade-agreement-between-the-us-and-taiwan,Toomey-led Resolution Calls for Free Trade Agreement Between the US and Taiwan,2020-12-23,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Patrick Toomey,T000461,www.toomey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) is leading an effort to expand trade with Taiwan. The Constitution gives Congress control over trade policy, and it is the responsibility of the executive branch to pursue trade policies and trade agreements in line with those supported by Congress. In line with this, Senator Toomey has introduced a Senate resolution detailing the need for a trade agreement with Taiwan. Building closer trade ties between the United States and Taiwan is a win-win for both countries, said Senator Toomey. American workers and manufacturers would have more customers, American consumers would have access to more affordable goods, both economies would grow faster, and America would strengthen its relationship with a key regional ally and increase our economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. The Senate should pass this resolution and the incoming Biden administration should make a trade agreement with Taiwan a priority. Senator Toomey's colleague from Pennsylvania, Congressman Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa. 14th), has introduced a companion resolution in the House. The Senate resolution, which is available in its entirety below, is cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.). Background: The United States is currently Taiwan's second largest trading partner, and Taiwan is the tenth largest trading partner of the United States in goods and the eleventh largest trading partner overall. Trade with Taiwan supports an estimated 208,000 United States jobs according to estimates of the United States Department of Commerce as of 2015. Bilateral trade in goods between Taiwan and the United States increased from $62,000,000,000 in 2010 to $86,000,000,000 in 2019, according to the United States Census Bureau. Title: Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should initiate negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement with Taiwan. Whereas, pursuant to section 2(b)(1) of the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301(b)(1)), it is the policy of the United States to promote extensive, close, and friendly commercial, cultural, and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan; Whereas the friendship between the United States and Taiwan is based on a shared commitment to individual and economic freedom, shared values, and an appreciation for the blessings of liberty and democracy; Whereas the United States and Taiwan enjoy a robust trade partnership, marked by the exchange of goods and services and international travel; Whereas Taiwan has shown an interest in strengthening its economic relationship with the United States by investing in technology manufacturing facilities located within the United States and agreeing to lift restrictions on the importation of certain United States agricultural products; Whereas Taiwan has demonstrated a commitment to protecting intellectual property and individual freedom by serving as a leader in the responsible development of technology, as evidenced through a Joint Declaration on 5G Security announced between the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in August 2020; Whereas Taiwan has played an integral role in the global supply chain during the coronavirus disease 2019 (commonly known as COVID19) pandemic, producing mass amounts of masks at the time when masks were most scarce and ensuring that this critical tool was available to individuals around the world; Whereas the United States has consistently supported peaceful relations between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China, and respected the provisions of both the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) and the Six Assurances offered by President Ronald Reagan to Taiwan in 1982; Whereas the People's Republic of China has shown a hostility to Taiwan, aggressively asserting its military power, using coercive economic measures to keep Taiwan economically dependent on the People's Republic of China, and seeking to isolate Taiwan from the rest of the world; Whereas the policy of the United States is to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and achieving that vision must include working with like-minded countries in the region to liberalize trade; Whereas the United States is currently Taiwan's 2nd largest trading partner, and Taiwan is the 10th largest trading partner of the United States in goods and 11th largest trading partner overall; Whereas Taiwan has been a member of the World Trade Organization since 2002; Whereas bilateral trade in goods between Taiwan and the United States increased from $62,000,000,000 in 2010 to $86,000,000,000 in 2019, according to the United States Census Bureau; Whereas Taiwan's foreign direct investment stock in the United States was $11,100,000,000 as of 2019; Whereas trade with Taiwan supports an estimated 208,000 United States jobs according to estimates of the United States Department of Commerce as of 2015; Whereas closer engagement with Taiwan through trade negotiations would encourage even greater access to Taiwan's market and would benefit both security and economic growth for the United States, Taiwan, and the Indo-Pacific region; Whereas it is essential that a free trade agreement negotiated between the United States and Taiwan lower tariff and nontariff barriers to trade, including meaningfully expanded access to agricultural markets and ensuring that science-based standards govern international trade in animals and animal products; Whereas the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (19 U.S.C. 4201 et seq.) enables the President to negotiate reciprocal reductions of nontariff barriers while preserving the authority of Congress over foreign trade as required by section 8 of article I of the Constitution of the United States; Whereas the procedures laid out in the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 were designed by Congress to maintain the sovereignty of Congress over trade; and Whereas, for legislation implementing a trade agreement to qualify for trade authorities procedures under the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015, the trade agreement is required to make progress toward achieving the applicable objectives, policies, and priorities set forth by Congress in that Act, and failure by the administration of a President to adhere to the trade negotiating objectives and notification and consultation requirements established by Congress renders a trade agreement ineligible for fast-track consideration: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the United States should initiate negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement with Taiwan.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-releases-statement-on-covid-relief-legislation,Casey Releases Statement on COVID Relief Legislation,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is releasing a statement on the COVID-19 relief legislation: The COVID-19 relief legislation is a bipartisan compromise that will put money in the pockets of working families and invest vital dollars into vaccine deployment. While agreement on this latest COVID-19 relief bill is welcome and long overdue, the legislation is nowhere near what must be done to address the full scope of our Nation's public health and economic crisis. Due to the intransigence of Senate Republicans, this relief bill does not include critically-needed money to state and local governments to prevent service cuts and layoffs of firefighters, law enforcement and local health departments. It also lacks meaningful policies and investments to protect nursing home residents and workers and to allow seniors and people with disabilities to receive needed care at home. I will continue to fight for these measures. When a new Congress convenes in January and President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are sworn in, we must begin work on bold, robust legislation that will allow America to build back better and provide families a full measure of support.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dean.house.gov/2020/12/house-passes-budget-includes-rep-dean-s-priorities-pfas-atf-funding-substance,"House Passes Budget that includes Rep. Dean’s Priorities on PFAS, ATF Funding, Substance Abuse Disorders, and, Disability Assistances",2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Madeleine Dean,D000631,dean.house.gov,dean,https://dean.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — The House voted on the budget to increase non-defense spending by $12.5 billion, allowing for strong investments in American families and communities. The budget supports better schools, expands access to housing, tackles food insecurity, builds safer communities, and protects the environment. “It’s important that we expand funding for 2021 to ensure that American families are the priority.” Rep. Dean said. “I am grateful we were able to include my priorities including the PFAS health study and funding for pregnant and postpartum women struggling with substance use disorders.” Reps. Dean and McBath co-led a letter to increase the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives funding to $1.48 billion. ATF plays a critical role in protecting Americans from gun violence. This $83.9 million increase from last year’s allocation will help ATF investigate gun crime, prevent illegal gun trafficking, and ensure gun dealers comply with federal law and regulations. Reps. Dean and Rose co-led a letter to secure an extra $1 million (from last year’s allocation) for the Pregnant and Postpartum Women program in SAMHSA. This program is specifically targeted at women suffering with substance use disorders and is designed to expand the availability of comprehensive, residential substance abuse treatment, prevention and recovery support with a family-centered approach. Rep. Dean also led a letter to secure $15 million for the CDC-ATSDR PFAS health study which will help study exposure to PFAS, an issue that has impacted Montgomery County for decades. Additionally, $6 million for Disability CDFI funds was secured. These funds will go to CDFIs that grant loans for disability related purchases and help organizations like the PA Assistive Technology Foundation. The year-end package also included Rep. Dean’s Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act which addresses the needs of foster youth by providing vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to those who are at risk of homelessness – rather than forcing them to spend years on waiting lists.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://dean.house.gov/2020/12/rep-dean-passes-bipartisan-covid-relief-deal,Rep. Dean Passes Bipartisan COVID Relief Deal,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Madeleine Dean,D000631,dean.house.gov,dean,https://dean.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — Last night, Rep. Dean helped pass the necessary and long-awaited $900 Billion COVID-19 relief package. The package now includes the following measures and more: Small Business: $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility, modifications to PPP to serve smallest businesses, nonprofits, and independent restaurants; $20 billion for EIDL Grants Rent Assistance: $25 billion in rental assistance and an extension of the eviction moratorium. Direct Payments: Worth up to $600 per adult and child Unemployment: $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work. Food Insecurity: $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits Education and Child care: $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open. Broadband: $7 billion to increase access to broadband, including a new Emergency Broadband Benefit to help millions of students, families and unemployed workers afford the broadband they need during the pandemic. State and Local Governments: The bill included Rep. Dean and Rep. Thompson’s LOCAL Act – which extends the time state and local governments can use CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) dollars until the end of 2021. “I voted yes on the relief package because the situation is dire and folks need relief now, but this does not mean the package is sufficient.” Rep. Dean said. “But, we couldn’t wait any longer to extend funding for unemployment assistance, or to get funding to those who are hungry, or struggling to stay in their homes, and immediate relief for small businesses.” Rep. Dean is hopeful the relief will be out to Americans as quickly as possible. The package also includes billions in funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines and funds to implement a strong national testing and tracing strategy. However, the bill fails to go far enough to replenish State and local funding or provide adequate direct payments. However, this emergency relief bill is an important initial step, which will be built upon under the Biden-Harris Administration. Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-budget-includes-rep-dean-s-priorities-pfas-atf-funding-substance,"House Passes Budget that includes Rep. Dean’s Priorities on PFAS, ATF Funding, Substance Abuse Disorders, and, Disability Assistances",2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Madeleine Dean,D000631,dean.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON The House voted on the budget to increase non-defense spending by $12.5 billion, allowing for strong investments in American families and communities. The budget supports better schools, expands access to housing, tackles food insecurity, builds safer communities, and protects the environment. It's important that we expand funding for 2021 to ensure that American families are the priority. Rep. Dean said. I am grateful we were able to include my priorities including the PFAS health study and funding for pregnant and postpartum women struggling with substance use disorders. Reps. Dean and McBath co-led a letter to increase the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives funding to $1.48 billion. ATF plays a critical role in protecting Americans from gun violence. This $83.9 million increase from last year's allocation will help ATF investigate gun crime, prevent illegal gun trafficking, and ensure gun dealers comply with federal law and regulations. Reps. Dean and Rose co-led a letter to secure an extra $1 million (from last year's allocation) for the Pregnant and Postpartum Women program in SAMHSA. This program is specifically targeted at women suffering with substance use disorders and is designed to expand the availability of comprehensive, residential substance abuse treatment, prevention and recovery support with a family-centered approach. Rep. Dean also led a letter to secure $15 million for the CDC-ATSDR PFAS health study which will help study exposure to PFAS, an issue that has impacted Montgomery County for decades. Additionally, $6 million for Disability CDFI funds was secured. These funds will go to CDFIs that grant loans for disability related purchases and help organizations like the PA Assistive Technology Foundation. The year-end package also included Rep. Dean's Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act which addresses the needs of foster youth by providing vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to those who are at risk of homelessness rather than forcing them to spend years on waiting lists. Furthermore, the bill incentivizes young people to participate in self-sufficiency activities such as pursuing education, workforce development opportunities, or employment, by extending their assistance for up to an additional two years.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-dean-passes-bipartisan-covid-relief-deal,Rep. Dean Passes Bipartisan COVID Relief Deal,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Madeleine Dean,D000631,dean.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Last night, Rep. Dean helped pass the necessary and long-awaited $900 Billion COVID-19 relief package. The package now includes the following measures and more: Small Business: $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility, modifications to PPP to serve smallest businesses, nonprofits, and independent restaurants; $20 billion for EIDL Grants Rent Assistance: $25 billion in rental assistance and an extension of the eviction moratorium. Direct Payments: Worth up to $600 per adult and child Unemployment: $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work. Food Insecurity: $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits Education and Child care: $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open. Broadband: $7 billion to increase access to broadband, including a new Emergency Broadband Benefit to help millions of students, families and unemployed workers afford the broadband they need during the pandemic. State and Local Governments: The bill included Rep. Dean and Rep. Thompson's LOCAL Act which extends the time state and local governments can use CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) dollars until the end of 2021. I voted yes on the relief package because the situation is dire and folks need relief now, but this does not mean the package is sufficient. Rep. Dean said. But, we couldn't wait any longer to extend funding for unemployment assistance, or to get funding to those who are hungry, or struggling to stay in their homes, and immediate relief for small businesses. Rep. Dean is hopeful the relief will be out to Americans as quickly as possible. The package also includes billions in funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines and funds to implement a strong national testing and tracing strategy. However, the bill fails to go far enough to replenish State and local funding or provide adequate direct payments. However, this emergency relief bill is an important initial step, which will be built upon under the Biden-Harris Administration. Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dean.house.gov/press-releases?ID=7A874B8A-B42B-4354-8677-33857E304699,"House Passes Budget that includes Rep. Deans Priorities on PFAS, ATF Funding, Substance Abuse Disorders, and, Disability Assistances",2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Madeleine Dean,D000631,dean.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON — The House voted on the budget to increase non-defense spending by $12.5 billion, allowing for strong investments in American families and communities. The budget supports better schools, expands access to housing, tackles food insecurity, builds safer communities, and protects the environment. “It’s important that we expand funding for 2021 to ensure that American families are the priority.” Rep. Dean said. “I am grateful we were able to include my priorities including the PFAS health study and funding for pregnant and postpartum women struggling with substance use disorders.” Reps. Dean and McBath co-led a letter to increase the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives funding to $1.48 billion. ATF plays a critical role in protecting Americans from gun violence. This $83.9 million increase from last year’s allocation will help ATF investigate gun crime, prevent illegal gun trafficking, and ensure gun dealers comply with federal law and regulations. Reps. Dean and Rose co-led a letter to secure an extra $1 million (from last year’s allocation) for the Pregnant and Postpartum Women program in SAMHSA. This program is specifically targeted at women suffering with substance use disorders and is designed to expand the availability of comprehensive, residential substance abuse treatment, prevention and recovery support with a family-centered approach. Rep. Dean also led a letter to secure $15 million for the CDC-ATSDR PFAS health study which will help study exposure to PFAS, an issue that has impacted Montgomery County for decades. Additionally, $6 million for Disability CDFI funds was secured. These funds will go to CDFIs that grant loans for disability related purchases and help organizations like the PA Assistive Technology Foundation. The year-end package also included Rep. Dean’s Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act which addresses the needs of foster youth by providing vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to those who are at risk of homelessness – rather than forcing them to spend years on waiting lists.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://dean.house.gov/press-releases?ID=C56A57B5-7274-43E4-9D8D-569FB1899C16,Rep. Dean Passes Bipartisan COVID Relief Deal,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Madeleine Dean,D000631,dean.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON — Last night, Rep. Dean helped pass the necessary and long-awaited $900 Billion COVID-19 relief package. The package now includes the following measures and more: Small Business: $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility, modifications to PPP to serve smallest businesses, nonprofits, and independent restaurants; $20 billion for EIDL Grants Rent Assistance: $25 billion in rental assistance and an extension of the eviction moratorium. Direct Payments: Worth up to $600 per adult and child Unemployment: $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work. Food Insecurity: $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits Education and Child care: $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open. Broadband: $7 billion to increase access to broadband, including a new Emergency Broadband Benefit to help millions of students, families and unemployed workers afford the broadband they need during the pandemic. State and Local Governments: The bill included Rep. Dean and Rep. Thompson’s LOCAL Act – which extends the time state and local governments can use CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) dollars until the end of 2021. “I voted yes on the relief package because the situation is dire and folks need relief now, but this does not mean the package is sufficient.” Rep. Dean said. “But, we couldn’t wait any longer to extend funding for unemployment assistance, or to get funding to those who are hungry, or struggling to stay in their homes, and immediate relief for small businesses.” Rep. Dean is hopeful the relief will be out to Americans as quickly as possible. The package also includes billions in funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines and funds to implement a strong national testing and tracing strategy. However, the bill fails to go far enough to replenish State and local funding or provide adequate direct payments. However, this emergency relief bill is an important initial step, which will be built upon under the Biden-Harris Administration. Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://doyle.house.gov/media/press-releases/congress-approves-new-covid-relief-bill,Congress Approves New COVID Relief Bill,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Mike Doyle,D000482,doyle.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (PA-18) announced that he voted in favor of legislation to provide $900 billion in COVID-related relief to American households and small businesses. The bill, H.R 133, the Omnibus Appropriations and Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act, was approved by the House and Senate last night and sent to the President for his signature. The COVID-19 relief legislation will provide urgently needed help for unemployed Americans and our struggling small businesses, Congressman Doyle said after the vote. This bill will provide a $600 stimulus check to most Americans, for example, and it will extend federal unemployment assistance for 11 more weeks. The COVID relief bill also provides $300 billion in new aid for small mom and pop businesses, and it includes reforms to ensure that aid gets to the small and minority-owned businesses that were all too often left out of the first round of business relief. This bill also provides the funding necessary to purchase and distribute the newly approved vaccines for COVID-19. It also included legislation I negotiated to help eliminate the Digital Divide' that's been highlighted and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This legislation provides less aid than I had hoped and fought for, but it will make a big difference in millions of Americans' lives, Congressman Doyle explained. Taken as a whole, I believe that the compromise reached on COVID relief deserved my support. It's a good down payment on controlling the coronavirus, getting the economy back on track, and putting people back to work. Democrats fought successfully for many policy and spending provisions that were included in H.R. 133, Congressman Doyle added. I believe that it was the best deal possible at this time, it was long overdue, and it contains aid that millions of families and small businesses desperately need. With the enactment of this bill, Congress will have provided more than $4 trillion this year for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused more than 300,000 American deaths. I look forward to working with the Biden-Harris Administration next year to meet the remaining COVID-related needs of the American people, getting the coronavirus under control, and setting our economy on course for a strong recovery, Congressman Doyle said. Here are some highlights of the bill. Families and Individuals Unemployment insurance (UI) This bill extends the unemployment benefit coverage for the self-employed, gig workers, and others in non-traditional employment (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or PUA). It increases the amount of time than an individual can claim these benefits by 11 weeks, for a total of 50 weeks of eligibility. It extends federally-funded unemployment benefits for individuals who have exhausted their regular state benefits (Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation or PEUC) by 11 weeks, for a total of 50 weeks of eligibility. The extension was critical in preventing 12 million Americans from losing this economic lifeline at the end of this year. The bill provides an extra benefit of $100 per week for some workers who have both wage and self-employment income, but whose base UI benefit calculation doesn't take their self-employment into account. In addition, the bill provides an additional $300 per week for all workers receiving unemployment benefits, through March 14, 2021. Direct Payments This bill will provide Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks) to most American households similar to the ones included in the CARES Act enacted by Congress with my support in March. The difference is, that instead of $1,200 for every adult and $500 for every qualifying dependent child, this time the Economic Impact Payments will total $600 for each adult and their child dependents. As with the previous round of stimulus checks, the payments will phase out starting at annual incomes of $75,000 per adult and $150,000 per couple.Rental Housing Assistance The bill includes an extension of the eviction moratorium through Jan. 31. It also includes $25 billion in critically needed rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes. The assistance, which would be administered by state or community housing organizations, could be used to help pay rent or utility bills, including those owed since the beginning of the pandemic. In addition, The bill strengthens the Low Income Housing Tax Credit to help increase affordable housing construction and provide greater certainty to new and ongoing affordable housing projects in the future. Hunger Alleviation The COVID relief bill includes $13 billion to increase SNAP benefits by 15 percent to help relieve the historic hunger crisis that has left up to 17 million children food insecure. Earned Income Tax Credit & Child Tax Credit The bill will help millions of families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic by increasing the size of their Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). It will do it by allowing them to calculate these credits based on their 2019 income, which in many cases will be larger than their income this year during the pandemic. Child Care The bill includes $10 billion to help child care providers stay in operation despite the higher costs associated with changes necessary to keep operating during the pandemic. This will help many parents get back to work as well as keep a number of child care providers open. Education The package includes the largest expansion of Pell Grant recipients in over a decade, reaching 500,000 new recipients and ensuring more than 1.5 million students will now receive the maximum benefit. Small Businesses Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) The bill includes $284 billion in new funding to help small businesses hurt by the pandemic through the PPP. It will provide new loans for eligible small businesses, including second loans for businesses that applied for and received loans this summer, and it expands eligibility for non-profit organizations and news providers. It also dedicates $12 billion in PPP funding to mom and pop businesses and low-income neighborhoods through proven community lenders like Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs). The bill also includes PPP program reforms to help non-profits and small businesses like restaurants such as simplifying the loan forgiveness process for loans under $150,000. Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) The bill also includes $20 billion for targeted EIDL Grants which are critical to many smaller businesses on Main Street. The bill dedicates $15 Billion in PPP funding for live concert venue, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. Employee Retention Tax Credit The agreement extends and improves the Employee Retention Tax Credit to encourage employers to keep workers in their jobs during coronavirus closures or reduced revenue. State and Local Government While the bill didn't include comprehensive assistance for state and local governments, it did include some assistance targeted to specific government agencies. Education $82 billion in funding for colleges and K-12 schools, including ventilation repair and replacement, to help prevent virus transmission and reopen classrooms Transportation $14 billion for transit systems like the Port Authority of Allegheny County $10 billion for highways $2 billion for airports Telecommunication As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Congressman Doyle worked successfully to include legislation in the bill to provide an investment of $7 billion in increasing access to broadband, including a new Emergency Broadband Benefit to help millions of students, families and unemployed workers afford the broadband they need during the pandemic. It included: o $3.2 billion in emergency funds for low-income families to access broadband o $250 million dollars in additional funding for telehealth services Health Care The COVID relief legislation provides billions in urgently need funds to carry out the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to Americans as rapidly as possible, to implement an effective national testing and tracing strategy which includes billions of dollars that will be dedicated to eliminating the disparities facing communities of color, and to support health care providers on the front lines of the pandemic. $20 billion for procurement of vaccines and treatments $9 billion for vaccine distribution $22 billion for testing, tracing and COVID mitigation programs; of this amount, $2.5 billion will be specifically targeted at underserved areas, including both communities of color and rural communities. $9 billion in support for health care providers $1 billion for NIH to research COVID-19 $4.5 billion in mental health funding $3 billion to replenish the strategic national stockpile What's Not in the Bill Last, but not least, there are a number of provisions that weren't in the bill as approved by the House last night. The bill approved by the House doesn't include several Republican proposals that Democrats, including Congressman Doyle, considered serious threats to American workers and the recovery of our economy. One was a provision that could have unjustly put workers' health and safety at risk and taken away their right to legal recourse. The other would have hamstrung the Federal Reserve's ability to stabilize the economy and save jobs. We were successful in preventing the inclusion of those provisions in the final version of the bill. In addition, Democrats fought hard to include more COVID relief funding for state and local governments, which have been hit hard this year by the pandemic. State and local governments have been called upon to spend billions of dollars in emergency funding to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic - at the same time as the revenues they depend on dropped dramatically as a result of the shutdowns required to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Congressional Republicans refused to permit the inclusion of broad funding to help state and local governments in the bill. Nevertheless, the bill does contain some targeted assistance for specific local government operations like education, transportation, and vaccine distribution. Click here for a one-page fact sheet on the Coronavirus relief portions of the bill. Click here for a one-page fact sheet on the Appropriations portions of the bill. Click here for a one-page fact sheet on the Authorization portions of the bill. Click here for a section-by-section summary of the Coronavirus relief portions of the bill. Click here for a section-by-section summary of the Appropriations portions of the bill. Click here for a section-by-section summary of the Authorization portions of the bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/president-trump-signs-keller-s-bill-honoring-hunts-healing-founder-law,President Trump signs Kellers bill honoring Hunts for Healing founder into law,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, President Trump signed into law H.R. 4279, Congressman Keller's bill to designate the Post Office in Laceyville, Pennsylvania, as the Melinda Gene Piccotti Office in honor of the late Mindy Piccotti, an Air Force veteran who founded Hunts for Healing. Started in 2009, Hunts for Healing aims to help wounded soldiers returning from military missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and other combat veterans transition back into civilian life by allowing them to experience the joys of hunting, including social interaction and camaraderie. The Hunts for Healing team is completely volunteer based, made up of veterans and community members committed to supporting America's men and women in uniform. On the bill becoming law, Congressman Keller made the following statement: Today is an exciting day for our veteran community, the residents of Laceyville, Mindy's family, and every person whose life has been touched by Mindy's outstanding work. Mindy was a community leader who cared deeply about making sure our wounded veterans had the support they need to recover from and overcome their injuries. Mindy built an organization that continues to grow, making an important impact in our community. I thank President Trump for signing this bill into law and for allowing us to finally give Mindy the recognition she deserves for her lifetime of service. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kelly.house.gov/press-release/kelly-statement-passage-targeted-pandemic-related-economic-relief-americans,Kelly Statement on Passage of Targeted Pandemic-Related Economic Relief for Americans,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives today passed theBipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus & COVID Relief Deal, legislation to provide pandemic-related financial relief to workers and small businesses and to fund the federal government through September 30, 2021, the end of Fiscal Year 2021. U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) voted in favor of the legislation and released this statement: ""For most of 2020, government lockdowns because of the pandemic have caused economic pain across the nation and our Commonwealth. This bill, while far from perfect, brings targeted economic relief to workers and small businesses. I support the direct payments to individuals and families, the provisions that will allow for the deductibility of Paycheck Protection Program loans, and unemployment insurance supplements, all of which will help western Pennsylvanians weather this economic storm. Additionally, as the COVID-19 vaccine makes its way to communities across America, this bill helps ensure it gets to those most vulnerable. While these measures provide temporary relief, the real solution to our economic and emotional well-being is to open the economy and get people back to work."" #####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wild.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-wild-votes-support-small-businesses-expand-child-care-assistance-send,"Rep. Wild Votes to Support Small Businesses, Expand Child Care Assistance, Send Direct Payments to Pennsylvanians",2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Susan Wild,W000826,wild.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) released a statement following Congressional passage of a COVID-19 relief package and 2020 omnibus appropriations bill: We should have passed this months ago, but last night we passed both a COVID-19 bill and a bill to avoid yet another shutdown and send desperately needed relief to the Lehigh Valley. Last night's relief package marks a down payment on real reliefstarting, first and foremost, with critical funding to get the COVID-19 vaccine distributed through our communities as quickly as possible. Providing a second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans for our hardest-hit main street businesses. Offering rental assistance supporting not only those struggling to make rent, but our landlords, too. Supporting child care providers so we can help give parents the options they need to return to work. Investing in funding for our schools to repair and replace HVAC systems so we can help get our students back in the classroom. And putting money directly in the pockets of Pennsylvanians. And I'm proud of the wins I secured in the omnibus appropriations bill, including a new $35 million crisis care initiative within the Mental Health Block Grant to help create 24/7 mobile mental health crisis units which can offer outreach and support and can travel to individuals in need, and a $67 million increase in funding for the Social Security Administration's operating expenses along with designated funds to address the disability hearings backlogwhich has left too many Pennsylvanians waiting for years to receive their benefits. But let me be clear: While I am encouraged by the long-awaited relief we were able to secure in this package and through appropriations funding, our work is by no means finished. PA-07 needs morenot only to get to the other side of this crisis, but to rebuild and thrive in the aftermath. We need specific assistance tailored to the small businesses that power our economyespecially the restaurants, gyms, barbershops and salons, event centers, community centers, and arts venues that rely on public gatherings. We need stronger funding for our schools. We need direct aid to our state and local governments, so they aren't forced to lay off frontline workers like bus drivers, cops, firefighters, teachers and more. As we move into the new year with a new Congress and administration, I am committed to working with my colleaguesDemocrat and Republican aliketo expand upon these bipartisan successes and pass additional legislation to fully address all our community's needs. My focus remains on getting our community down the road to recovery. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-releases-statement-on-covid-relief-legislation,Casey Releases Statement on COVID Relief Legislation,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-releases-statement-following-meeting-with-health-and-human-services-secretary-nominee,Casey Releases Statement Following Meeting with Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is releasing a statement following his meeting with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Xavier Becerra: Our Nation faces a once in a century pandemic which requires a Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) who is committed to the health and well-being of all Americans. After meeting with him and reviewing his record, I am confident that California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is the kind of leader our Nation needs at the Department of Health and Human Services during this challenging time. Xavier Becerra has dedicated his life to public service and at every turn he has fought to expand access to health care and improve the health and well-being of his constituents. As a Congressman, he was instrumental in developing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and as California Attorney General he has been leading the fight to protect the ACA. Attorney General Becerra has been on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 by standing up for California workers' safety on the job. Xavier Becerra's long fight to ensure all Americans have access to health care will continue when he is confirmed as HHS Secretary.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-when-it-comes-to-the-rights-of-workers-and-womens-economic-empowerment-the-united-states-must-lead-,"Casey: When it Comes to the Rights of Workers and Women’s Economic Empowerment, the United States Must Lead",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Following a request from U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3), the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report on women's rights and economic participation in trade preference programs. The GAO report highlights the lack of requirements for Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to monitor or report on women's economic participation and rights. The report, titled Observations On Whether Women's Rights and Economic Interests Are Protected or Promoted by U.S. Trade Preference Programs, reviewed ten years of agency reports, finding only episodic coverage of issues related to the rights of women and equal protection in trade programs. Around the world, women disproportionately face barriers to equal protection and economic participation, including legal barriers to work, restrictions on property ownership, restricted educational opportunities, wage discrimination and violence and harassment in the workplace. GAO's review of indicators related to women's rights and economic participation shows that beneficiary country performance on these measures varies widely. Key GAO Findings: 1. U.S. trade preference program statutes do not include provisions specifically promoting women's rights and economic interests. 2. U.S. agencies are not required to monitor or report on women's rights and economic interests with respect to trade programs. 3. GAO's review of 10 years of agency reports found only episodic coverage of issues pertaining to the rights of women and equal protection in trade programs. 4. Beneficiary country performance on indicators related to women's rights and economic participation varies widely. When it comes to the rights of workers and women, the United States should be a leader. Our trade laws should support women's full economic participation globally. Firms and countries should not be able to use discrimination, in any form, as a trade advantage, said Senator Casey. It is clear from this report that we have a long way to go with respect to advancing women's economic empowerment and participation, globally. Accordingly, our trade laws must be modernized to include binding measures on the rights of women and equal protection under the law, measures on non-discrimination as well as violence and harassment in the workplace. In June, Senator Casey introduced the Women's Economic Empowerment in Trade Act to strengthen and modernize Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) standards on worker rights and ensure countries receiving GSP afford equal rights and protection under the law, regardless of gender. The legislation also bars gross violations of human rights; includes measures on non-discrimination and violence and harassment in the workplace. Read the GAO report here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/boyle-statement-stopgap-covid-19-relief-package,BOYLE STATEMENT ON STOPGAP COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Brendan F. Boyle,B001296,boyle.house.gov,boyle,https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) released the following statement on tonight's bipartisan passage of legislation to fund the government and provide additional, long-overdue pandemic relief for the American people, including survival checks and enhanced unemployment: ""This is the second-largest bill in American history. While not as historic and encompassing as the HEROES Act passed by the House months ago, it will help provide some relief to the millions of Americans who are suffering. But, Congress must do more. When the first draft of this bill came out over a week ago, it did not contain any direct cash payments to the American people. This was completely unacceptable to me. I banded together with a group of like-minded House Democrats who agreed with me and pledged not to support any bill that failed to include these payments. I'm proud our effort was successful. ""While I'm glad to have helped lead the fight for direct cash payments, I am disappointed it is only a one-time check for $600. This is nothing but a Band-Aid for struggling families who are months behind on rent, utilities, and car payments. It's a disgrace that in the richest nation on Earth, millions of people will be spending this holiday season wondering if they will be able to keep a roof over their heads or pay for groceries in 2021. The bill now moves to the Senate for approval. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cartwright-statement-on-coronavirus-relief-and-government-funding-0,Cartwright Statement on Coronavirus Relief and Government Funding Compromise,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Matt Cartwright,C001090,cartwright.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) made the following statement ahead of consideration of a bipartisan House-Senate compromise coronavirus relief and government funding bill, on which he will vote to pass on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The vote is expected later today. Seven months after the House passed the Heroes Act coronavirus relief bill that prioritized frontline workers, families, small businesses and older Americans, we have a negotiated agreement that falls short in many ways. But House negotiators fought for and won important battles to make sure aid reaches people who are struggling, and big corporations can be held accountable for keeping people safe. When Senate Leader Mitch McConnell was finally ready to end his self-described pause on relief', he then tried for months to block another round of direct payments, enhanced unemployment insurance, rental assistance, food aid and more. His main priority was to give corporations a pass even if they blatantly put the health and safety of their employees and customers at risk. That will not be forgotten, but the House succeeded in providing relief that puts people over corporate profits. In addition to stimulus checks, enhanced unemployment, rental assistance to help landlords and tenants, and food aid, this compromise also includes priorities For The People like funds for equitable vaccine distribution, relief for our smallest businesses, investments in broadband in rural places, education and child care support, and my bill to help schools modernize their ventilation systems. There is no question that many of the lifelines in this bill needed to be stronger, and more needed to be done to ensure we can continue to keep our police officers, first responders, teachers and other public employees on payroll. However imperfect this compromise is, our constituents cannot wait any longer for us to act. It is time for us to come together to fund the government for the next fiscal year and deliver long overdue aid to the people we serve, who for months have been looking to us for help during this painful crisis. With distribution of two safe and effective vaccines underway, there is light at the end of the tunnel. But we have to continue to be responsive to American people's needs until we get to the other side. The omnibus coronavirus relief and government funding bill includes the following provisions. Accelerates vaccine distribution:provides billions in urgently need funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to as many Americans as possible as soon as possible, to implement a strong national testing and tracing strategy with billions reserved specifically for combating the disparities facing communities of color, and to support our heroic health care workers and providers. Ends surprise billing:includes bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will end surprise billing for emergency and scheduled care. Strong Support for Small Business:includes critical funding and policy changes to help small businesses, including minority-owned businesses, and nonprofits recover from the pandemic. The agreement includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits and local newspapers, TV and radio broadcasters, key modifications to PPP to serve the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits and better assist independent restaurants,and includes $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. The agreement also includes $20 billion for targeted EIDL Grants which are critical to many smaller businesses on Main Street. Community Development Financial Institutions and Minority Depository Institutions: includes dedicated PPP set-asides for very small businesses and lending through community-based lenders like Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs); $9 billion in emergency U.S. Treasury capital investments in CDFIs and MDIs to support lending in low-income and underserved communities, including persistent poverty counties, that may be disproportionately impacted by the economic effects of the COVID19 pandemic; and $3 billion in emergency support for CDFIs through the CDFI Fund to respond to the economic impact of the pandemic on underserved low-income and minority communities. Rental assistance: Provides $25 billion in critically needed rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and an extension of the eviction moratorium. Strengthens the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC): enhances the LIHTC to help increase affordable housing construction and provide greater certainty to new and ongoing affordable housing projects. Direct payment checks:authorizes a new round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child, also ensuring that mixed-status families receive payments. Strengthens Earned Income Tax Credit & Child Tax Credit:helps ensure that families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic are able to receive a strong tax credit based on their 2019 income, preserving these vital income supports for vulnerable families. Supports paid sick leave:provides a tax credit to support employers offering paid sick leave, based on the Families First framework. Employee Retention Tax Credit: extends and improves the Employee Retention Tax Credit to help keep workers in their jobs during coronavirus closures or reduced revenue. Enhanced Unemployment Insurance benefits:averts the sudden expiration of Unemployment Insurance benefits for millions and added a $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work. Nutrition assistance for hungry families:provides $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the historic hunger crisis that has left up to 17 million children food insecure. Education and child care:provides $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including support for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open. Historic expansion of Pell Grants: includes the largest expansion of Pell Grant recipients in over a decade, reaching 500,000 new recipients and ensuring more than 1.5 million students will now receive the maximum benefit. Broadband access:invests $7 billion to increase access to broadband, including a new Emergency Broadband Benefit to help millions of students, families and unemployed workers afford the broadband they need during the pandemic. Fights the climate crisis: includes sweeping clean energy reforms, R&D enhancements, efficiency incentives, and extends clean energy tax credits to create hundreds of thousands of jobs across the clean economy.The package also phases out superpollutant HFCs, positioning the U.S. to lead the world in avoiding up to 0.5 degree Celsius of global warming. WRDA: includes the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA), creating good-paying jobs and strengthening and improving the vital water infrastructure that Americans rely on while unlocking the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. Global Health:provides an additional $3.36 billion for a total of $4 billion for GAVI, the international vaccine alliance, recognizing that we are not truly safe until the whole world is safe from the coronavirus.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://evans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/evans-relief-package-bridge-next-year-and-biden-s-start,Evans: Relief Package is Bridge to Next Year and Biden’s Start,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Dwight Evans,E000296,evans.house.gov,evans,https://evans.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON (Dec. 22, 2020) – Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3rd) welcomed agreement on a new Covid relief package, something he has been advocating and voting for since May: ""While a new round of $600 direct payments, also known as ‘stimulus checks,' seems to me to be getting the most attention, that's only about 20 percent of the package. There's much more in this package to deliver help to people NOW. ""Since we are currently limited by both a Republican president and Republican-controlled Senate, we have to get as much relief for people as we can NOW, and come back for more starting in January. We cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good when so many people are hurting, when so many people are at risk of homelessness or hunger in this pandemic winter. ""This package is a bridge to the new Biden-Harris administration that begins in just over four weeks. President-elect Biden has already expressed his determination to do more to provide relief, revive the economy and crush the virus. I look forward to working with him to do exactly that!"" Evans said the package includes many items he supported and even pressed for. Here are some highlights: Housing: $25 billion in emergency rental assistance, along with an extension of the eviction moratorium until Jan. 31. Evans recently led a letter with more than 50 of my colleagues urging the CDC to extend its eviction moratorium even further, to March 31, and he plans to continue pursuing that. Enhanced Unemployment Insurance benefits: Averting the sudden expiration of Unemployment Insurance benefits for millions and adding a $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work. Evans supported a second $1,200 stimulus payment in the Heroes Act the House passed in May and will keep pressing for more. In the meantime, the enhanced and extended unemployment benefits will add up to even more help for many people in need than the stimulus payment. Help for hungry families: $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the historic hunger crisis that has left up to 17 million children food-insecure. Education and child care: The agreement provides $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including support for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open. Small businesses: The agreement includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans, $20 billion for targeted EIDL grants to help small businesses, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofit organizations, and key modifications to PPP to serve the smallest businesses and struggling nonprofits and better assist independent restaurants. The agreement also includes something Evans has pressed for: dedicated PPP set-asides for lending through community-based lenders like Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs). Evans said this is vital for making sure more of the aid reaches smaller businesses and minority-owned small businesses. Vaccine distribution and Covid testing funding: The package provides billions in urgently needed funds to speed the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to as many Americans as possible as soon as possible, to implement a strong national testing and tracing strategy with billions reserved specifically for combating the disparities facing communities of color, and to support health care workers and providers. ""As far as I'm concerned, this package is not the final word, just a way to get some urgently needed help to people NOW, and I will keep pressing for more relief!"" Evans said. Evans represents Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District, which includes Northwest and West Philadelphia and parts of North, South, Southwest and Center City Philadelphia. He serves on the influential House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees Medicare and much of the U.S. health-care system. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://houlahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1932,Houlahan Passes Bipartisan COVID Relief Deal,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Chrissy Houlahan,H001085,houlahan.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) helped to pass a long-awaited, long-overdue bipartisan COVID relief deal. Representative Houlahan is a member of the bi-partisan and bi-cameral Problem Solvers Caucus, and much of what is in the final negotiated legislation was proposed by this group. Included in the package is her Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act, which will expedite forgiveness for recipients of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of $150,000 or less, further helping small business owners keep their workers employed during this crisis. I have been clear from the start: our community and Commonwealth needed relief yesterday, said Houlahan. That's why I've been working alongside Democrats and Republicans to get a deal passed. Make no mistake: this deal is not end all be all. It is a down-payment of sorts to deliver immediate relief and to hopefully help Pennsylvanians weather these next very difficult weeks. I am very grateful to have earned wide bipartisan support for my PPP legislation, which will help our smallest of small business owners retain their workers and keep Pennsylvanians employed. As we look toward a transition to a new administration, I will continue negotiating to get another, more favorable deal on the table - particularly one that addresses the needs of state and local governments as they navigate vaccine distribution. This crisis is not over, and we as elected representatives have a responsibility to continue to rise to the occasion and meet the needs of the American people. Included in this package: Houlahan's bipartisan Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act A second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans for smaller and harder-hit businesses that still need relief Authorization for certain nonprofit organizations to receive PPP funds and $15B in grants for the live event industry, which has been hit hard by the pandemic Modifications to other small business loan programs (such as 7(a) loans) to help more small businesses weather the crisis Additional assistance for small businesses in low income communities through the EIDL advance program Clarifies that deductions are allowed for expenses paid with proceeds of a forgiven PPP loan Extension of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, which will provide an additional $300/week until March 14, 2021, and extends coverage for self-employed and gig workers, as well as those who have exhausted their regular state unemployment benefits $166B in direct payments of $600 for individuals making up to $75,000 ($1,200 for couples making up to $150,000) and $600 per eligible child dependent. $25B for Emergency Rental Assistance and an extension of the eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021. Rep. Houlahan recently advocated for an extension until March 2021. Additional funding for farmers, including $100M for specialty crop farmers, like mushroom growers, and supplemental assistance to the dairy industry $1.7B for HBCUs, including Lincoln University $3B to provide grants and other financial assistance to CDFIs as they serve consumers, small businesses, and non-profits in their communities, including reserved funds for minority lending institutions $300M grant program to support broadband infrastructure deployment to areas lacking broadband, especially rural areas 15% increase in the monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit through June 2021 and $400 million for the Emergency Food Assistance Program $250M for the FCC's COVID-19 telehealth program and $300M to support broadband infrastructure deployment in underserved areas Establish an office to focus on broadband adoption and access to HBCUs and other MSIs Extends the date by which state and local governments can use CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds through December 2021 $8.75B for vaccine distribution through state and local governments as well as nearly $20B for vaccine manufacturing and procurement $10B for child care providers More than $27B for transportation, including airports, highways, Amtrak, and transit agencies Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She's in her first term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases/dr-joyce-covid-19-vaccine-safe-effective,Dr. Joyce: The COVID-19 Vaccine Is Safe & Effective,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,John Joyce,J000302,johnjoyce.house.gov,johnjoyce,https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) received the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer/BioNTech, which was granted emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 11. ""As a doctor, I want to lead by example. While I would never ask Americans to place blind trust in the U.S. government, I have faith in American exceptionalism and innovation and all Americans can be confident in the COVID-19 vaccine's safety and its lifesaving potential,"" said Dr. Joyce. ""The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective and it's also the key to defeating the virus, rebuilding the economy, and saving lives. Operation Warp Speed has harnessed the full power of America's health care heroes, the scientific community, private industry, and the federal government to produce a safe and effective vaccine. All COVID-19 vaccines are subject to the same rigorous safety, quality, and efficacy screenings as any other modern vaccine. At a time when distrust in certain aspects of government is high, I have faith in the scientific community, American exceptionalism, and innovation and confidence in this vaccine's safety and its lifesaving potential."" Last week, the Attending Physician of the U.S. Congress encouraged all Members of Congress to receive the vaccine for continuity of government operation purposes. Since September, Dr. Joyce has pledged to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as he was eligible. Dr. Joyce is a strong proponent of the COVID-19 vaccine, and he is working to ensure that Americans are equipped to make informed decisions about the vaccine. Last week, he introduced bipartisan legislation to raise public awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine, combat misinformation, and build confidence in its lifesaving potential.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases/dr-joyce-statement-fy2021-appropriations-covid-19-relief,"Dr. Joyce Statement on FY2021 Appropriations, COVID-19 Relief",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,John Joyce,J000302,johnjoyce.house.gov,johnjoyce,https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC Congressman John Joyce (PA-13) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives advanced the Senate Amendment to H.R. 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which includes COVID-19 relief for American families, workers, farmers, and small businesses. ""The U.S. Constitution clearly states that Congress is entrusted with ?providing for the common defense' and ?promoting the general welfare' of our nation. Tonight, the House advanced legislation to bolster our national defense, support our law enforcement community, defend the sanctity of life, and provide long-overdue relief to struggling Americans. ""The FY2021 appropriations bill includes key support for our Armed Forces, including a three percent raise for our servicemembers, as well as funds to continue construction of the southern border wall. It also pushes back on the progressives' radical agenda by blocking Democrats' efforts to defund the police. Importantly, this legislation includes critical pro-life protections that ensure American taxpayer dollars will never fund abortion. ""After months of fighting for our small businesses, I am grateful that this legislation will reopen the Paycheck Protection Program, saving jobs and providing a lifeline to small businesses struggling under the restrictions of burdensome shutdowns. It also will offer direct assistance for American individuals, families, and children in need a provision championed by President Donald Trump and make additional investments in COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and support for frontline health care heroes. This legislation, though far from perfect, will offer hope to American families as we near the end of this incredibly difficult year. ""At the same time, the vastly irresponsible process by which this legislation reached a final vote is unacceptable, and I urge Speaker Pelosi to restore regular order in the People's House. ""Furthermore, it is despicable that Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats squandered months of valuable time while American families, workers, farmers, and small businesses suffered. This breathless political stunt demonstrates the worst of their misguided politics. The American people should never forget that the Democrats proudly withheld relief from children, families, and workers in order to handicap President Trump and other political rivals. The citizens of this great land deserve far better."" ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases/joyce-statement-covid-19-vaccine-arrival-van-zandt-va-medical-center,Joyce Statement on COVID-19 Vaccine Arrival to Van Zandt VA Medical Center,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,John Joyce,J000302,johnjoyce.house.gov,johnjoyce,https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Altoona, PA Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona, PA will receive doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine this week. The Moderna vaccine received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday evening. The Van Zandt VA Medical Center will soon join other area hospitals in administering our region's first doses of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. ""With the arrival of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine to the Van Zandt VA Medical Center, Pennsylvania veterans and their health care providers will be better protected against the threat of this virus. Defeating COVID-19 will yield immeasurable physical and mental health benefits for our veterans. I commend the VA's collaboration with Operation Warp Speed to begin the vaccination process and protect the men and women who have served our nation."" ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-fred-keller-votes-no-massive-year-end-spending-bill,Congressman Fred Keller votes no on massive year-end spending bill,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) released the following statement after voting against the $2.3 trillion year-end spending package, which combined government funding with COVID-relief legislation and passed the House by a vote of 359-53: Congressman Fred Keller made the following statement in response to the vote: Since the start of the pandemic, I have advocated for targeted relief for American families, workers, and small businesses that is focused on getting Americans back to work. The best stimulus is a job, and Congress should advance policies that will allow our economy to recover and create family-sustaining jobs for Pennsylvanians. While this legislative package includes measures I have worked hard to advance, such as extending and improving the Paycheck Protection Program, it also spends well beyond our nation's means, lacks critical protections for small businesses, healthcare providers, and educators, and continues policies that will make it harder to achieve sustained economic recovery. Based on conversations with small businesses and workers across Pennsylvania's 12th District, I have advocated for an extension of the PPP and allowing businesses to deduct PPP expenses. The PPP has been a tremendous success keeping Americans employed and our small businesses operational by providing forgivable loans. These provisions will allow struggling small businesses and their workers to continue to access critical resources. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi and the House Democrat majority blocked efforts to pass a clean extension of the PPP more than 40 times since the program expired in August. For months, Speaker Pelosi passed messaging bills, using the pandemic as a political bargaining chip. COVID relief must stand on its own and be narrowly targeted to the hardest hit industries and those who need it the most. The only way we will see sustained economic recovery is by supporting relief that gets Americans back to work. Unfortunately, this bill saddles our children and grandchildren with more debt and misses the mark in ensuring targeted relief for the American people. This package includes an Omnibus appropriations bill, coronavirus relief, an extension of expiring tax credits, and legislation to address surprise medical billing. Each of these items is important, and Congress should deal with them individuallythrough regular orderso that members of Congress and the American people can review them. Unfortunately, this 5,593-page bill was released hours before the House voted on it. We are never going to change Washington, D.C. and fix our nation's problems legislating like this. Background Congressman Keller has taken significant action to get targeted, pro-growth relief to American families, workers, and businesses. Those actions include: Supporting H.R. 7010, the PPP Flexibility Act, which provided additional flexibility to PPP loans, including extending the time period businesses have to spend their funds and lowering the threshold required to be spent on payroll. Sending a letter to Senate leadership and the Senate Small Business Committee, requesting the creation of a streamlined forgiveness application for loans under $350,000 to prevent businesses from being weighed down by burdensome guidelines when applying for loans or loan forgiveness. Cosponsoring H.R. 7777, the Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act, a bipartisan bill that modifies loan forgiveness under the paycheck protection program for loans of $150,000 or less. Cosponsoring H.R. 7175, the Paycheck Protection for Producers Act, which would allow farmers to calculate their PPP loan amount based on 2019 gross income rather than net income. Signing Congresswoman Jamie Herrera Beutler's discharge petition, which would force a vote on H.R. 8265, the Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act, to free up and extend the additional $138 billion of unspent PPP funds. Sending a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy requesting that Congress restore deductibility of forgiven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) expenses. Sending a letter to House leadership requesting clarification that recipients of forgivable PPP loans can claim normal deductions in any end-of-year legislation. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamb.house.gov/media/press-releases/lamb-statement-following-passage-coronavirus-relief-package,LAMB STATEMENT FOLLOWING PASSAGE OF CORONAVIRUS RELIEF PACKAGE,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Conor Lamb,L000588,lamb.house.gov,,,legacy,"(WASHINGTON, DC) Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) issued the following statement after passage of the Omnibus Appropriations and Emergency Coronavirus Relief Package (H.R. 133), which includes a $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill: Too many families were stretched too thin for far too long this year. Our constituents have demanded over and over again that we set politics aside and just meet basic needs for cash and food. Finally, we are doing that in this bill, which is a credit to pragmatists in both parties who simply did not give up. We must do more in the new year without delay, but for now, the extra unemployment assistance, cash payments, and small business aid are a step in the right direction, and a reason to continue believing that our government can work if we just put the country first. Visit Lamb's website for more information on the additional legislation Congress has passed to address the coronavirus public health crisis. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://medium.com/@repmgs/constituent-success-stories-housing-d4ada0a4dfab?source=rss-c2708a5a087------2,Constituent Success Stories: Housing,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Mary Scanlon,S001205,medium.com,,,legacy,"This year has been filled with uncertainty and economic hardship. During these difficult times, I want you to know our office is just a phone call away to assist you. While my team and I have been working around the clock to secure resources, send updates, and work on important pieces of legislation, our office remains committed to doing what we can to resolve any challenges that arise for our constituents, especially those concerning federal agencies. I'd like to share with you a few ways we can help you navigate one of these challengesHousing. Right here in PA-05, there are thousands of our neighbors only one unexpected expense away from being unable to make rent. This public health crisis and the resulting financial crisis have only made it worse, illuminating many inequities in our country, particularly in the areas of housing, health, and economic security. Housing is foundational to economic security and I remain committed to doing everything I can at the federal level to keep people in their homes. I want to share with you a few ways our office has helped constituents secure housing: Sylvia is a 100-year-old constituent who was on the verge of getting evicted from her assisted living community. She had spent most of her savings on the assisted living facility and was quickly running out of money. Her daughter, Kathy, had spent years trying to file a claim with the VA for spousal benefits but was denied. Not understanding why the claim was being denied, she reached out to the Delco VA but was met with more roadblocks They had lost her paperwork. Frustrated, confused, and overwhelmed, Kathy reached out to our office for help. Our casework team was able to locate and review their denial letter. We soon got to the bottom of what was missing that resulted in the denial and contacted the VA immediately. We worked with numerous VA departments to make sure proper documentation was submitted and requested the case to be immediately expedited due to her age. In a little over a month, she was awarded back pay of over $12,000 and an additional $1228 a month for the rest of Sylvia's life to cover any cost moving forward. Jim is a 64-year-old constituent who was homeless and living in his car when he reached out to us. He contacted our office inquiring about how we could help with the delays in housing inspection due to COVID-19 he was experiencing. We immediately reached out to the Delaware County Housing Authority. Because Jim didn't have access to a computer, we worked with DCHA to create and manage a web account for him. Within the week, Jim was able to move into a place of his own just in time for the holidays. *Sylvia, Kathy, and Jim are pseudonyms given to protect the anonymity of these constituents. We are committed to doing all we can to meet the needs of our constituents during this challenging time. If you need help with a federal agency, please call 6106262020. You will be connected, via phone, to a constituent services representative who will assist you.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://medium.com/@repmgs/constituent-success-stories-were-here-to-help-you-9cb5ee92432?source=rss-c2708a5a087------2,Constituent Success Stories: Were Here to Help You,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Mary Scanlon,S001205,medium.com,,,legacy,"While my team and I have been working around the clock to secure resources, send updates, and work on important pieces of legislation, our office remains committed to doing what we can to resolve any challenges that arise for our constituents, especially those concerning federal agencies. I'd like to share with you a few ways we can help you navigate what challenges you might be having: Steve reached out to us after not receiving the tax refund he was due. He was struggling to get answers from the IRS due to certain department closures. We reached out to the IRS on his behalf and began communicating with a taxpayer advocate on his behalf. Since the errors resolutions department was closed for several months, we kept in contact with the taxpayer advocate, keeping Steve updated about the timeline of his refund every step of the way. When we were finally able to get him his refund, he received over $16,000 plus his accrued interest from the period it was withheld. Dr. Williams is a constituent who had recently received a grant to research Alzheimer's at a local university. Just before the pandemic, she went on a trip overseas to visit her mother. While abroad, the virus took hold of the world and many countries began restricting travel. In the country she was visiting, the consulate notified her that they would not be honoring the specific visa she was visiting with. The research grant Dr. Williams had received was under a very strict timeline and being stranded overseas would lead to wasted valuable research time. We were able to get a hold of the consulate and worked with them to resolve the visa issue and get her home asap so she could continue her research. We are committed to doing all we can to meet the needs of our constituents during this challenging time. If you need help with a federal agency, please call 6106262020. You will be connected, via phone, to a constituent services representative who will assist you. *Steve and Dr. Williams are pseudonyms given to protect the anonymity of these constituents.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://meuser.house.gov/media/press-releases/meuser-statement-passage-congressional-covid-19-relief-package,MEUSER STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF CONGRESSIONAL COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Daniel Meuser,M001204,meuser.house.gov,meuser,https://meuser.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"POTTSVILLE, Pa. – Tonight, Congressman Dan Meuser released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a targeted COVID-19 relief package: ""As our nation continues our fight against COVID-19, Congress has delivered overdue support for the American people. This legislation will provide additional funding for hospitals, schools, small businesses, and transportation, while ensuring the efficient distribution of safe and effective vaccines. Importantly, it will add deductibility for PPP expenses and improved PPP initiatives for the hospitality industry, including restaurants, that have suffered from forced shutdowns. This bill also contains extended unemployment and stimulus for individuals and families. The Problem Solvers Caucus played an instrumental role in getting this deal across the finish line by demonstrating that common ground could be found. ""It is critical to note that this legislation is targeted and truly based upon need. It is not perfect, but the actual new outlay of $325 billion is far less than Speaker Pelosi's original $3.5 trillion proposal. This was accomplished by repurposing roughly $140 billion in unused PPP funds and rescinding $429 billion in unspent funds from the Federal Reserve. Pennsylvanians should know that Senator Pat Toomey played a leading role in ensuring that money from the previous CARES Act was repurposed and not able to be utilized for other non-essential means. ""In addition to these relief provisions, this package accomplished important Republican priorities in funding the government through the end of the fiscal year, including a pay-raise for our military, Pro-Life protection provisions, and additional border security funding. Language was also included that will shield patients from surprise medical bills. ""I'd like to thank Leaders McConnell and McCarthy, Secretary Mnuchin, and President Trump for negotiating such tailored and fiscally responsible legislation that prioritizes the lives and livelihoods of the American people.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases/reschenthaler-votes-provide-targeted-covid-relief-reopen-our-economy,"Reschenthaler Votes to Provide Targeted COVID Relief, Reopen Our Economy",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Guy Reschenthaler,R000610,reschenthaler.house.gov,reschenthaler,https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) voted for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which provides targeted COVID-19 relief to America's small businesses, workers, and families and funds federal programs for the remainder of the fiscal year. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration. ""I am proud to support another round of assistance to hardworking Pennsylvanians whose livelihoods have been devasted by draconian statewide shutdowns,"" said Reschenthaler. ""This legislation provides much-needed relief to our nation's small businesses and families, facilitates the distribution of Operation Warp Speed vaccines, and ensures we can safely reopen schools and our economy. It is unacceptable that Speaker Pelosi's irresponsible brinkmanship and political posturing needlessly delayed these bipartisan relief efforts, but I am glad Congressional Democrats finally put politics aside to help the American people."" Specifically, the legislation includes the following COVID-19 provisions: Provides $600 Economic Impact Payments for Americans and their children. Enables another round of PPP loans to help struggling small businesses. Invests $7 billion in broadband Internet services, including $300 million for rural broadband. Facilitates vaccine distribution funding, including $20 billion for purchase of vaccines that will make the vaccine available at no charge for anyone who needs it. Extends $300-per-week supplemental unemployment assistance through March 2021. Rejects Democrats' socialist wish list items, including bailing out blue states and providing checks to illegal immigrants. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://smucker.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-smucker-supports-covid-19-relief-continued-funding-legislation,"Rep. Smucker Supports COVID-19 Relief, Continued Funding Legislation",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Lloyd Smucker,S001199,smucker.house.gov,smucker,https://smucker.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. Lloyd Smucker voted in favor of H.R. 133 which provides additional relief to families and small businesses and continues to fund government operations through September 30, 2021. The legislation passed with strong bipartisan support. Smucker issued this statement following the vote: ""I'm thankful that at long last, Congress has advanced bipartisan legislation to provide additional support to families and small businesses. The reauthorization of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will provide much needed and targeted aid to small businesses who are struggling. I have been personally advocating to allow for a second round of PPP for small businesses with the greatest need, in addition to calling for a fix to ensure expenses paid with forgiven loans remain tax deductible; I am proud to see both provisions included. I was also encouraged to see dedicated support for the live events industry included in this package. The PPP has already helped thousands of small businesses across Pennsylvania's 11th District support approximately 100,000 jobs and I am thankful this legislation will continue to allow this program to deliver for our small business community. The legislation also includes further financial assistance which will be swiftly delivered to families. Additional aid to those unemployed through no fault of their own will be temporarily extended into the new year. Pennsylvania's Department of Labor & Industry must ensure those payments are made timely and any attempts of fraud are swiftly investigated and brought to justice. The legislation also provides aid to support safely reopening our schools, funding to aid in the distribution of vaccines, and makes additional investment in rural broadband so that those who need to continue learning remotely can do so. Importantly, the cost of this stimulus legislation has been offset by repurposing unused funds appropriated by the CARES Act. This legislation only spends approximately $325 billion in new funds, compared to the multi-trillion-dollar packages advanced by Speaker Pelosi earlier this year. This targeted legislation is a win for taxpayers.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/incoming-house-ag-committee-ranking-member-outlines-top-priorities,Incoming House Ag Committee Ranking Member Outlines Top Priorities,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Glenn GT Thompson, GOP Leader Elect of the House Ag Committee, says his number one priority is building resiliency within the ag food supply chain. We've all witnessed the disruptions as a result of the coronavirus, he says. I'm excited that we're talking on the week where the first vaccines are already being delivered around the country and being received but we have a few months here yet that we still will have to deal with some of the impacts of the coronavirus and I think building resiliency within the ag industry has to be a priority for us. He tells Brownfield building new markets for agricultural products is another priority. Whether that's domestic markets through innovative approaches for use of our farm commodities or expanding our foreign markets, he says. We've seen some good signs from USMCA and certainly the China trade deal. Other priorities include improving broadband connectivity and supporting farmers and ag practices that address conservation needs and climate issues. The Pennsylvania Republican says it is a privilege and honor to have been selected by his colleagues to serve as Ranking Member of the 117thCongress. The new Congress will convene on January 3.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/thompson-issues-statement-coronavirus-relief-package,Thompson Issues Statement on Coronavirus Relief Package,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,thompson,https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC– Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an additional COVID-19 relief package amounting to $900 billion. The legislation includes Congressman Thompson's bill, the LOCAL Act, which will extend the deadline to spend Coronavirus Relief Funds for one year, to December 31, 2021. The legislation also includes: $30 billion for vaccine development and deployment. $285 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, helping small businesses and independent contractors. $300 a week in additional unemployment insurance benefits for 10 weeks. $600 stimulus payments for individuals making up to $75,000; $1,200 payments for couples making up to $150,000; $600 payments for dependent children. $13 billion for farmers, ranchers, cattlemen and producers. $13 billion for additional emergency food assistance. $7 billion for broadband development.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/thompson-lauds-agriculture-provisions-covid-package,Thompson Lauds Agriculture Provisions In COVID Package,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,thompson,https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC– Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an additional COVID-19 relief package which includes $13 billion in support for the agriculture industry. The legislation provides continued direct relief for producers, additional emergency nutrition assistance, support for food purchases, and funding for rural broadband. Following the vote, Congressman Glenn ‘GT' Thompson issued the following statement: ""Rural America and our agriculture industry have waited far too long for the much needed support included in tonight's legislation. However, I'm pleased to see many agriculture wins were delivered in this Coronavirus relief package,"" said Rep. Thompson. ""Our farmers and ranchers will finally receive additional assistance, along with vital support for rural broadband development, a critical resource not only in the wake of the pandemic, but essential for a robust rural economy.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-releases-statement-following-meeting-with-health-and-human-services-secretary-nominee,Casey Releases Statement Following Meeting with Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-when-it-comes-to-the-rights-of-workers-and-womens-economic-empowerment-the-united-states-must-lead-,"Casey: When it Comes to the Rights of Workers and Womens Economic Empowerment, the United States Must Lead",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.toomey.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/toomey-statement-on-passage-of-latest-covid-19-relief-bill,Toomey Statement on Passage of Latest COVID-19 Relief Bill,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Patrick Toomey,T000461,www.toomey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the latest COVID-19 relief bill: For the fourth time this year, Congress has passed major spending legislation to help the American people cope with the economic and public health fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. While there is much in this bill that I disagree with, including wasteful government spending and misguided policies that will dampen the recovery, the good it does outweighs the bad. I am glad that Congress is extending unemployment eligibility for the self-employed and gig workers; reauthorizing the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses hurt by government shutdowns; picking up virtually the entire cost of the distribution and administering of the COVID-19 vaccine to the American people; and providing substantial assistance for education so children can safely return to school. In this legislation, Senate Republicans also secured an unqualified victory for taxpayers with the wind down of the successful emergency lending facilities established in the CARES Act just as Congress intended and the law requires. Without these protections, the risk for mischief with the Fed's extraordinary powers was far too real. Concerns about possible political interference are greatly diminished since the law now redirects more than $429 billion of unused funds to offset about half of the cost of this bill and ensures these facilities cannot be restarted or replicated in the future without congressional approval. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-statement-on-receiving-the-covid-19-vaccine,Casey Statement on Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine,2020-12-20,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.- Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that he has received the COVID-19 vaccine: Our Nation now has a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19, which has already claimed the lives of more than 300,000 Americans. Dr. Brian P. Monahan, the Attending Physician for the United States Congress and Supreme Court, recently issued a recommendation that all members of Congress receive the COVID-19 vaccine, which arrived at the Capitol this week in order to ensure continuity of government. This morning, I received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. I will receive my second dose in approximately three weeks. I encourage all Americans, in consultation with their doctor, to get the vaccine when it becomes available to them. I will continue to press the Administration to work to ensure that all Americans can receive the vaccine in a timely manner and insist that vaccines be distributed in an equitable fashion, particularly at nursing homes where residents and workers face an acute threat from the virus. The Food and Drug Administration granted an Emergency Use Authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on December 12, 2020. The Office of the Attending Physician was notified this week by the National Security Council that consistent with Presidential Policy Directive 40 (PPD-40) (2016), Congress and the Supreme Court, along with Executive Branch agencies, will be provided with a specific number of these COVID-19 vaccine doses to meet long-standing requirements for continuity of government operations. These requirements are focused on essential operations and personnel. PPD-40 establishes continuity requirements for the Federal Government and states that continuity actions for the Executive Branch should be undertaken in parallel with the Legislative and Judicial branches of government. The small number of COVID-19 vaccine doses being provided reflects a fraction of the first tranche of vaccines being distributed throughout the country.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-statement-on-receiving-the-covid-19-vaccine,Casey Statement on Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine,2020-12-20,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-releases-statement-following-meeting-with-agriculture-secretary-nominee,Casey Releases Statement Following Meeting with Agriculture Secretary Nominee,2020-12-19,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is releasing a statement following his meeting with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary nominee Tom Vilsack: The pandemic and ensuing economic crisis have caused millions of children and their families to go hungry. Our farmers have faced significant market disruptions as well as the devastating effects of climate change. Given his experience and vision, I know that Tom Vilsack will make food security one of USDA's top priorities and ensure that farmers have the tools they need to play a critical role in protecting natural resources and addressing the climate crisis. I had the opportunity to virtually meet with Secretary Vilsack on Friday and we discussed the work that needs to be done to deliver relief for families and farmers in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation. He is committed to leading a diverse team at USDA and addressing the racial inequities in our food and agriculture system. At a time of national crisis, Tom Vilsack brings with him to USDA his eight years of prior experience as Secretary of Agriculture under President Obama, as well as first-hand, intricate knowledge of the department that will allow him to be effective on day one. I look forward to supporting his nomination.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-releases-statement-following-meeting-with-agriculture-secretary-nominee,Casey Releases Statement Following Meeting with Agriculture Secretary Nominee,2020-12-19,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-bill-inspired-by-pittsburgh-family-to-strengthen-investigations-into-sudden-unexpected-infant-and-child-deaths-passes-senate-goes-to-president-for-signature,"Casey Bill, Inspired by Pittsburgh Family, to Strengthen Investigations Into Sudden Unexpected Infant and Child Deaths Passes Senate, Goes to President for Signature",2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that his bipartisan legislation to strengthen efforts to investigate and collect information when a young infant or child dies, the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act, has passed the U.S. Senate. This bill would help combat Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood by providing grants to help states, municipalities and nonprofits improve data collection and death scene investigations related to unexpected infant and child deaths. The bill would also help promote safe sleep practices for children and support local efforts to conduct infant and child death reviews. With its passage in the Senate, the legislation will go to President Trump for his signature. Scarlett's Sunshine is named after a little girl who was lost to Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood, said Senator Casey. We must do more to understand why certain infants and young children have died unexpectedly, and to learn what is causing these deaths. I introduced the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act to help increase our understanding of the causes of unexplained infant and child deaths and to help us develop new tools to prevent and reduce such deaths in the future. I am pleased that Congress has passed the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act and I look forward to seeing its passage into law. On January 8th, 2017, our lives were shattered when our beautiful, healthy, thriving 16-month-old daughter, Scarlett Lillian Pauley, went to sleep and never woke up. And we do not know why,"" said Stephanie Zarecky and Ryan Pauley. ""Losing a child is the single greatest pain we could ever imagine and living without answers magnifies the tragedy exponentially. We try every day to spread Scarlett's Sunshine, allowing her memory to shine on and bring light to unexplained death in childhood, the medical mystery that took her from us. We thank Senator Casey for his leadership on Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act in honor of Scarlett and all of the other children who are deeply loved and missed. Sudden Unexpected Infant Death is any sudden and unexpected death that occurs during infancy (from birth to age one), including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other unforeseen deaths; SIDS is the fourth leading cause of infant deaths. Similarly, Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood is the unexpected death of a child over the age of one. Currently, there are no nationwide standards for investigating and collecting data following an infant or child death. This often makes it impossible to determine the causes of these deaths, and decide what strategies can be implemented to help prevent these tragedies. The Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act is endorsed by: The American Academy of Pediatrics, March of Dimes, Children's Hospital Association, Cribs for Kids, First Candle, SUDC Foundation, KID: Fighting for Product Safety, Aaron Matthew SIDS Research Guild of Seattle Children's Hospital, Child Care Aware and Safe Kids Worldwide. Read more about the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-joyce-announces-us-service-academy-nominations-class-2025,Congressman Joyce Announces U.S. Service Academy Nominations for the Class of 2025,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,John Joyce,J000302,johnjoyce.house.gov,johnjoyce,https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Altoona, PA Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) today announced that 28 students from Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District have received nominations for the U.S. Service Academies. These students, if they receive an appointment directly from an academy, will have the opportunity to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO, the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY, or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. ""It is an honor to recognize outstanding students who are pursuing the call to serve our nation,"" said Dr. Joyce. ""The U.S. Service Academies equip young men and women with an unparalleled education and provide outstanding preparation for the leaders of tomorrow. After years of hard work and preparation, these students have demonstrated their desire to lead, grow, and serve. It was my privilege to nominate these 28 Pennsylvanians to attend our excellent service academies, and I wish each of them every continued success."" Students living in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District who received a Congressional nomination for an appointment to one or more of the service academies include: U.S. Naval Academy Sienna Chippie, Somerset County - Windber Area High School Ashton Dull, Bedford, County - Bedford High School Riley Hammond, Adams County - Gerstell Academy Jordan Love, Somerset County - Somerset High School Emily Malesky, Adams County- Delone Catholic High School Caroline McClain, Somerset County - Windber Area High School Luke Moore, Adams County - Adams County Christian Academy Connor Quinlisk, Westmoreland County - Derry Area High School Aurelia Santoya, Adams County - Gettysburg Area High School Hayden Walker, Franklin County - Waynesboro Area High School U.S. Air Force Academy James Buchheit, Fulton County - Kolbe Academy Gianna Copelli, Westmoreland County - Derry Area High School Allison Dunlap, Adams County - Gettysburg Area High School Aaron Jones, Franklin County - Waynesboro Area Senior High School Luke Manning, Franklin County - St. Maria Goretti High School Luke Myers, Franklin County - Shalom Christian Academy Nathan Rupp, Blair County - Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School Grace Sedewar, Westmoreland County - Ligonier Valley High School Derek Sisto, Blair County - Altoona Area High School Hayden Walker, Franklin County - Waynesboro Area High School U.S. Military Academy Nicholas Carpenter, Adams County- Delone Catholic High School Gianna Copelli, Westmoreland County - Derry Area High School Ashton Dull, Bedford County - Bedford High School Allison Dunlap, Adams County - Gettysburg Area High School Sarah Fink, Cumberland County - Shippensburg Area Senior High School Brian Johnson, Blair County - Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School Jordan Love, Somerset County- Somerset High School Grace Sedewar, Westmoreland County - Ligonier Valley High School Hayden Walker, Franklin County - Waynesboro Area High School Lauren Wetzel, Franklin County - 21st Century Cyber Charter School U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Connor Brown, Adams County - Littlestown Senior High School Gabe Dabkowski, Allegheny County - James I. O'Neill High School Ryan Hart, Adams County - Bermudian Springs High School Jordan Love, Somerset County - Somerset High School Meagan McHale, Franklin County - Chambersburg Area Senior High School Adam Muir, Blair County - Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School Luke Myers, Franklin County - Shalom Christian Academy Grace Sedewar, Westmoreland County - Ligonier Valley High School All prospective students wishing to attend an academy must by nominated by a Member of Congress or another U.S. official. These PA-13 students were evaluated by a panel of U.S. Service Academy alumni who volunteered to serve our district in this capacity. Congressman Joyce nominated students upon the recommendation of this expert panel. ""The Service Academy Panel is comprised of dedicated individuals who have served our nation with distinction, and I am grateful for their continued service to our community. Securing a nomination for a U.S. Service Academy is a competitive process, and no one is better suited to recommend candidates than these alumni. I offer each one my sincere thanks for helping to select the next class of service academy nominees from Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District,"" added Dr. Joyce. The PA-13 Academy Panel includes: Todd Alexander, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy Michael DelGrosso, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy Dave Diedrich, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy Rod Edminston, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy Ed Moe, a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Jayme Orr Rhodes, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy Steven Sims, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy Col. Andrew ""Colby"" Short of Allegheny County, currently serving in the U.S. Corps of Engineers Bill Ward, Jr. of Blair County, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy All nominees from PA-13 will be vigorously evaluated by the academies before they receive a possible appointment, which are announced on a rolling basis. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://keller.house.gov/media/in-the-news/intermediate-unit-be-given-head-start-grant,Intermediate unit to be given Head Start grant,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"McVEYTOWN Rep. Fred Keller, whose 12th District encompasses all of Mifflin, Juniata, Snyder and Perry counties, has announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded a grant to Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11 in Mifflin County. A Head Start grant in the amount of $839,202 will be administered by HHS to TIU 11 to support comprehensive childhood development and better meet the needs of area children and families in need. On the awarding of the grants, Keller made the following statement: Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11 is an outstanding service agency dedicated to bettering children's lives and providing them with the education and tools necessary for future success. I am confident that this grant will go a long way to support their important mission. I commend HHS for continuing to connect our community with federal resources that to improve the lives of those living in our region.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-keller-participates-hearing-america-s-opioid-epidemic,Congressman Keller participates in hearing on Americas opioid epidemic,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) participated in a hearing of the House Oversight and Reform Committee focusing on the role of Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family in the opioid epidemic. During his remarks, Congressman Keller highlighted the importance of holding companies like Purdue Pharma accountable for engaging in deceptive tactics that ultimately worsened America's opioid epidemic. Congressman Keller noted that Purdue Pharma and the Sackler Family significantly downplayed the addictiveness and other effects of OxyContin to the American people when the drug was first marketed. Starting in 1996, Purdue Pharma and the Sackler Family marketed OxyContina drug at the forefront of our nation's opioid epidemicas having much lower addiction risk to patients, which sharply contrasts with the reality that this drug has cost lives and torn families apart, Keller said. Congressman Keller asked Dr. Craig Landau, President and CEO of Purdue Pharma, what his company is doing to educate patients and providers about the dangers of overprescribing opioids. We are supporting a tremendous amount of education through third party resources to bring to the surface important information relating to the prescription of opioidstheir safe storage and disposaland the consequences of addiction with an emphasis on school children to prevent them from initial exposure which can have devastating consequences, Dr. Landau said. In a follow-up question about ensuring accountability in the future, Congressman Keller asked Dr. Landau how he would recommend Congress work with the pharmaceutical industry to prevent opioid addiction. What I would recommend is to make training for prescribing opioids mandatory, Dr. Landau said. I would also suggest that efforts be made to require that all the medicines within this classcontrolled release and immediate release opioidshave barriers introduced to make them less attractive as drugs of abuse. Addiction is a tougher issue. It's a complex medical condition with various contributing factors. I think education of physicians and access to healthcare are vital. A copy of Congressman Keller's remarks can be found below. Thank you, Madam Chair, I appreciate you holding this important hearing. For decades, drug overdose deaths have remained at an unacceptable level across the United States. Just last year, we lost 4,458 Pennsylvanians due to drug overdose. That's 12 deaths per day on average, which is 12 too many. I hope this committee and the House of Representatives can get to work on solutions that save lives and enhance the 21st Century Cures Act and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. Thanks to these efforts and President Trump's leadership on the issue, more resources are available to fight the opioid epidemic. Naloxone is more widely available to prevent overdoses, which has led to encouraging downward trends, however more work is needed to reduce deaths related to the opioids. This includes holding companies like Perdue accountable for their deceptive tactics. Starting in 1996, Perdue Pharma and the Sackler Family marketed OxyContina drug at the forefront of our nation's opioid epidemicas having much lower addiction risk to patients, which sharply contrasts with the reality that this drug has cost lives and torn families apart.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamb.house.gov/media/press-releases/lamb-leads-bipartisan-effort-address-k-12-testing-during-covid-19,LAMB LEADS BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO ADDRESS K-12 TESTING DURING COVID-19,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Conor Lamb,L000588,lamb.house.gov,,,legacy,"(WASHINGTON, DC) Today, Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) led a bipartisan coalition of Members in a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos regarding standardized testing during the coronavirus public health crisis. The letter urges the U.S. Department of Education to provide clarity, guidance and support to K-12 schools as they navigate decisions around student assessments. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) have endorsed the letter. Since the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, our offices have heard from students, families, teachers, and school leaders who are concerned by COVID-19's disruption of student learning and effect on student learning outcomes, the lawmakers wrote. Many schools in the Commonwealth and other states are providing virtual-only or hybrid learning, and unfortunately, in most cases school leaders have been unable to identify when it will be safe for fully in-person learning to resume. We are committed to our students and understand that their futures rely on a high-quality education, which benefits from the close monitoring of students' learning through assessment. However, we are concerned about the challenges schools face in implementing federally required annual assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter asks the Department of Education to provide clarity about: Whether a waiver process similar to last year's will be considered this year; If the Department will provide flexibility in assessment design as states may need to make changes to how they assess students because of COVID-19; and What kind of guidance and support schools can expect from the Department on matters of testing and assessment during COVID-19. School districts across Pennsylvania are facing and overcoming unprecedented challenges to ensure their students are safe and learning during the pandemic. While assessments are a critical piece in helping our students stay on track, we know things will continue to look different through the spring. We appreciate Rep. Lamb and his colleagues for urging the Department of Education to provide additional clarity, flexibility, and guidance so we can continue to support and prioritize student success, said John Callahan, Chief Advocacy Officer of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. There is no doubt that students need to be back in school as long as the appropriate safety measures are in place. But with COVID continuing to spread through communities at alarming rates, states need the option of waivers this school year. We should also think about more creative ways to assess students' progress such as year end and capstone projects, not just this year but moving forward, said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers. In addition to Lamb, the bipartisan letter was signed by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Brendan Boyle (PA-2), Dwight Evans (PA-3), Madeleine Dean (PA-4), Susan Wild (PA-7), Matt Cartwright (PA-8), Mike Doyle (PA-18), Alma Adams (NC-12) and Lauren Underwood (IL-14). Click here to view a copy of the Lamb letter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/congressman-thompson-optimistic-covid-relief-will-be-passed-soon,Congressman Thompson Optimistic COVID Relief Will Be Passed Soon,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Glenn GT Thompson, incoming GOP leader of the House Ag Committee, says it's critical that lawmakers pass a coronavirus relief bill soon. Our farmers and ranchers are still needing assistance and so are our agriculture businesses, he says. That's why it's so important that, if not within days, within the week that we pass a COVID-19 relief act that offers support to farmers and ranchers and neighbors in need that are struggling from a nutritional perspective. He tells Brownfield he is optimisticI'm planning on sticking around through the weekend and I'm hoping we'll get this done. Leadership on both sides of the aisle are looking at tying the next covid relief package in with the federal funding. The Pennsylvania Republican was elected by his colleagues to serve as Ranking member of the House A Committee in the 117thCongress.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-bill-inspired-by-pittsburgh-family-to-strengthen-investigations-into-sudden-unexpected-infant-and-child-deaths-passes-senate-goes-to-president-for-signature,"Casey Bill, Inspired by Pittsburgh Family, to Strengthen Investigations Into Sudden Unexpected Infant and Child Deaths Passes Senate, Goes to President for Signature",2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.toomey.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/toomey-statement-on-emergency-lending-facility-provision,Toomey Statement on Emergency Lending Facility Provision,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Patrick Toomey,T000461,www.toomey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement about legislative language regarding the CARES Act's temporary, emergency lending facilities: The language Senate Republicans are advocating for affects a very narrow universe of lending facilities and is emphatically not a broad overhaul of the Federal Reserve's emergency lending authority. Our language, which largely mirrors what has been publicly available since September, ensures, as the CARES Act intended, that the five facilities that received CARES Act money expire at the end of the year and cannot be re-started or duplicated without authorization by Congress. Any statement to the contrary is inaccurate. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-ernst-introduce-legislation-to-seal-low-level-nonviolent-criminal-records,"Casey, Ernst Introduce Legislation to Seal Low-Level, Nonviolent Criminal Records",2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are introducing the Clean Slate Act to give more than 70 million Americans, with nonviolent criminal records, a second chance to fully participate in society. This bipartisan legislation would remove major barriers for many Americans in finding employment, securing housing and accessing education by automatically sealing the federal records of individuals convicted or arrested for simple drug possession. More than 1 in 3 adults have some form of a criminal record, keeping them from participating in many facets of everyday life as nearly nine in ten employers, four in five landlords and three in five colleges utilize background checks to screen applicants. Automated record sealing is a critical step in the ongoing fight for criminal justice reform. Too many Americans are not given a second chance at life because they are burdened by criminal records for nonviolent convictions or arrests that did not result in a conviction. With nearly half of U.S. children having at least one parent with a criminal record, automatically sealing these records helps us invest in our Nation's future by ensuring millions of parents with minor criminal histories, and their families, aren't prohibited from achieving a successful life, said Senator Casey. Those who have been charged with low-level, nonviolent misdemeanors oftentimes face significant barriers to employment, housing, and other necessities, even after they've paid their debt to society. This bipartisan legislation is a commonsense criminal justice reform to give these individuals a second chance, while keeping our communities safe, said Senator Ernst. Many states have ways to either seal or expunge some types of criminal records, but there is a considerable gap between those eligible to apply for clearance and those who actually complete the process. The Clean Slate Act aims to reduce this gap by automatically sealing federal arrest records for individuals not convicted and records for individuals convicted of simple drug possession after successfully completing their sentence. It would also establish new procedures to allow individuals to petition to seal records for other nonviolent offenses that are not automatically sealed. The Clean Slate Act is endorsed by the Center for American Progress, FreedomWorks, Justice Action Network, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, Faith & Freedom Coalition, JPMorgan Chase, Business Roundtable and Community Legal Services of Philadelphia. Read more about the Clean Slate Act here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cartwright-applauds-616054-research-grant-awarded-to-university-of,"Cartwright Applauds $616,054 Research Grant Awarded to University of Scranton Professor",2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Matt Cartwright,C001090,cartwright.house.gov,,,legacy,"Scranton, PA Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) applauded a National Science Foundation (NSF) $616,054 federal grant awarded to a University of Scranton professor to fund an atmospheric research project. Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics and electrical engineering at The University of Scranton, was awarded the CAREER grant, a highly competitive award. NSF CAREER grant is a special funding program that is only available to early-career, tenure track faculty members and must include tightly integrated research and education components. Dr. Frissell's research will build on his previous studies of how space weather events affect the communications and GPS technologies that Americans rely on every day. The funding supports two research assistants at Scranton who will conduct data analysis and run models and code implementation using a new server that the grant will also fund. America's leadership in technology is due in large part to the work that goes on in places like the University of Scranton, said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.This kind of research not only moves us forward on innovation, the students who take part in it can then become part of a highly skilled workforce that attracts space and technology businesses to our area. I applaud Dr. Frissell and the University of Scranton for their pioneering work. In Congress, I will continue to support National Science Foundation initiatives that lift up Northeastern Pennsylvania's best minds. I am excited about the opportunities this grant gives for scientific discovery, engineering development, and the education and training of future technological leaders of America. This grant will bring new cutting-edge research to the University of Scranton while furthering America's ability to lead in the fields of space science, space weather, climate, and communications, said Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics and electrical engineering at The University of Scranton. The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports research, innovation and discovery that provides the foundation for economic growth in this country. By advancing the frontiers of science and engineering, our nation can develop the knowledge and cutting-edge technologies needed to address the challenges we face today and will face in the future.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases/dr-joyce-safe-effective-covid-19-vaccine-there-are-brighter-days-ahead,"Dr. Joyce: With a Safe & Effective COVID-19 Vaccine, There Are Brighter Days Ahead",2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,John Joyce,J000302,johnjoyce.house.gov,johnjoyce,https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) this week provided an update on COVID-19 vaccine progress and encouraged Americans to stay the course in our shared fight against this virus. Watch his full remarks. Madam Speaker, this week Americans witnessed a remarkable achievement. Less than a year after the novel coronavirus reached our shores, the first doses of a safe and effective vaccine were administered to frontline health care workers in Pennsylvania and around the country. This amazing accomplishment is not only a testament to America's unparalleled health care heroes, researchers, and scientists, but it is also a testament to the promise of American innovation. In just a matter of months, Operation Warp Speed has harnessed the full power of the federal government, the private sector, and the scientific community to deliver results for the American people all in record time. I am sincerely grateful to the leaders at the helm of this historic public/private partnership, including President Donald Trump and Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, who was born in my district in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Truly, all of those who have served in Operation Warp Speed have done an incredible job. As our nation continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize that a safe and effective vaccine is key to restoring our communities, rebuilding our economy, and ultimately saving lives. While the first COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer already has been granted emergency use authorization from the FDA, we expect more to follow in the coming days and weeks. Now, it is imperative for the American people to know the facts about these vaccines so that they can make informed consent. Number One: As part of Operation Warp Speed, multiple COVID-19 vaccines are being developed by private companies and simultaneously produced accelerating the typical production process so that as soon as a safe and effective option is cleared, it's ready to go. Number Two: Each COVID-19 vaccine is undergoing the same rigorous safety, quality, and efficacy screenings as any other modern vaccine. Number Three: The FDA will only grant emergency use authorization to a vaccine following the recommendation of an independent advisory board. And, Number Four: The American people can be confident in the safety and the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine. Like many Americans, I recognize that this vaccine has lifesaving potential and I plan to take the vaccine as soon as I am eligible. As part of Operation Warp Speed, our nation is equipped to facilitate this vaccine distribution more efficiently than any other country in the world. At the same time, we know that it will take time before everyone can receive it. As we wait, this is not the time to grow complacent. COVID-19 cases are rising in Pennsylvania and around the country, and it's up to all of us to do our part to protect our family, friends, and neighbors. This year, I have been amazed by Americans' commitment to one another and to their communities. Together, we can defeat this virus. As we wait for widespread immunization, we must continue to stand strong against this invisible enemy. Yes, the coronavirus remains an ever-present threat to Americans and to our economy. Yes, we are in a shared fight to save lives and livelihoods. And, yes, there is hope on the horizon. It is arriving in communities every day, in coolers on UPS and FedEx trucks. As we near the end of this incredibly challenging year, Americans have much for which to be grateful. Thanks to our science community, to Operation Warp Speed, and especially to our health care heroes, there are brighter days ahead. Thank you, and I yield. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://keller.house.gov/media/in-the-news/republican-members-oversight-and-reform-commission-demand-emergency-hearing-about,Republican members of Oversight and Reform Commission demand emergency hearing about online censorship,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Fred Keller (R-Pa.) has joined his colleagues from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform in demanding that Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) hold an emergency hearing about online censorship in light of the news that Hunter Biden's business dealings are under federal investigation. House Oversight Republicans claim that a New York Post article regarding Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings was censored by Facebook and Twitter. The committee further expressed concerns of political bias among large tech companies and the silencing of conservative voices and values. Chairwoman Maloney refused to hold a hearing about the issue. Last week, Hunter Biden confirmed that his taxes are indeed under federal investigation. In response, the Oversight Republicans sent a second letter to Chairwoman Maloney demanding an emergency hearing about censorship. On the second letter, Congressman Fred Keller made the following statement: Despite Big Tech's censorship of Americans' free speech in the Hunter Biden cover-up, we now know he is under federal investigation. This level of unchecked censorship is unacceptable and has no place in the United States. I urge Chairwoman Maloney to hold an emergency hearing to hold Big Tech accountable for its clear violations of Americans' free speech. The full text of the letter follows: Dear Madam Chairwoman: On October 15, 2020, we requested you hold an emergency hearing on Big Tech's repeated efforts to interfere in the 2020 election. At that timejust days before the November 3, 2020 presidential electionFacebook and Twitter censored a news article about Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, regarding his Ukrainian business dealings while his father was Vice President.These Big Tech companies both limited and/or denied distribution of the New York Post's report, and Twitter locked the New York Post's account. Last week, both Hunter Biden and the Biden-Harris Transition Team acknowledged Hunter Biden is under federal investigation for his tax affairs. Reporting indicates this investigation is related to his overseas business dealings. In light of Hunter Biden's admission that he is under investigation, especially after Big Tech's unjustifiable censorship of the New York Post's report, we are renewing our hearing request. Big Tech's silencing of viewpoints and censorship of news undermines our electoral process, our institutions, and our U.S. Constitution. As we explained in our October 15 letter, shortly after the New York Post posted its story on Facebook the company reduc[ed] its distribution in an apparent attempt to limit access to the story. Just as concerning, Facebook reportedly refused to answer basic questions about its decision. Twitter also censored the article and warned users that it is potentially spammy or unsafe, and locked the New York Post's Twitter account. As Hunter Biden admitted last week, he is under federal investigation regarding his taxes, potentially related in part to the very matters the New York Post reported, yet for which it was censored. Indeed, additional reporting from NBC News refers to a 2017 email to Hunter Biden regarding his income from Burisma and need to amend Biden's 2014 tax returns to reflect the unreported income. An NBC spokesperson did not dispute the authenticity of the email, which came from a laptop dropped off at a computer hardware store in Delawarethe same laptop and same computer hardware store discussed in the New York Post's October 14 article censored by Big Tech for being potentially spammy or unsafe. Big Tech's effort to selectively limit speech based on political affiliation is a disturbing patten [sic] of censorship in our nationa nation that holds out the First Amendment's right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press as two of our most paramount freedoms. As Big Tech platforms continue to limit speech based on political ideology, we must immediately hold a hearing to learn who are responsible for making these decisions and what policies enable Big Tech to selectively limit and/or censor speech on social media. We reiterate our request the Committee hold an emergency hearing on this important matter as soon as possible.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-fred-keller-announces-2020-congressional-app-challenge-winner,Congressman Fred Keller announces 2020 Congressional App Challenge winner,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Fred Keller (PA-12) today announced that Loyalsock Township High School junior Hibah Khan has been selected as the winner of the 2020 Congressional App Challenge for Pennsylvania's 12th District. The Congressional App Challenge is designed to engage student creativity and encourage participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education fields. This nationwide event allows high school students from across the country to compete against their peers by creating and exhibiting their software application, or ""app,"" for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice. The Congressional App Challenge is sponsored by the Internet Education Foundation (IEF), which assists offices in hosting the challenges in their individual districts. Khan created a web application for a new community group, the Williamsport Youth Organization (WYO). She built a responsive website using HTML, CSS and JavaScript to inform the community of WYO's mission, activities and partnerships. Khan's winning creation will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building and featured on the U.S. House of Representatives website. The Congressional App Challenge is open to all middle school and high school students in participating districts. Information on the 2021 contest will be announced next spring. On the award, Congressman Keller made the following statement: Congratulations to Ms. Khan on this wonderful achievement and for using her passion for coding to make a difference in our community. It is my hope that Ms. Khan's success inspires other students to get involved in STEM fields and use their creativity and innovation to solve the problems of tomorrow. I am confident that Ms. Khan will continue to be an active leader in our community, and I have no doubt she will do great things in the future. Thank you to the Internet Education Foundation for sponsoring the Congressional App Challenge and elevating the importance of STEM in our nation.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamb.house.gov/media/press-releases/lamb-announces-pa-17-winner-2020-congressional-app-challenge,LAMB ANNOUNCES PA-17 WINNER OF 2020 CONGRESSIONAL APP CHALLENGE,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Conor Lamb,L000588,lamb.house.gov,,,legacy,"(PITTSBURGH, PA) Today, Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) announced that Ananth Kashyap, a student at Fox Chapel Area High School, is the winner of the Congressional App Challenge for Pennsylvania's 17th District for their development of the Covid Scanner app. Lamb hosted the Congressional App Challenge in order to give middle and high school students in PA-17 an opportunity to practice coding and computer science skills. A panel of independent judges from the Pittsburgh region chose the winning app which will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for the next year. Health and safety are top of mind for all of us during this public health crisis, and the Covid Scanner app is a smart use of technology in these challenging times, said Lamb. Congratulations to Ananth for winning the Congressional App Challenge. Thanks to all of the talented students who participated and the teachers for encouraging students to pursue and explore STEM skills. Ananth is a sophomore at Fox Chapel Are High School. The Covid Scanner app runs on the iOS system, and asks users who believe they have contracted COVID-19 a set of question about symptoms and underlying health conditions to determine if they are experiencing recognized symptoms of the virus before advising testing and listing local testing sites. The app utilizes data and resources from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in its analysis. The Congressional App Challenge is an annual nationwide competition sponsored by the Internet Education Foundation to inspire students to explore STEM, coding and computer science through hands-on practice. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://medium.com/@repmgs/scanlon-helps-pass-bill-to-support-mental-health-treatment-for-incarcerated-individuals-c3a04815be11?source=rss-c2708a5a087------2,Scanlon Helps Pass Bill to Support Mental Health Treatment for Incarcerated Individuals,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Mary Scanlon,S001205,medium.com,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Yesterday, Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) helped to pass The Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Act of 2020, a bipartisan bill led by Representative David Trone (D-MD), which would support mental health treatment for incarcerated individuals. This bill, which unanimously passed the House, was introduced with original co-sponsors Representatives John Rutherford (R-FL), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), and Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), and Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Richard Blumenthal (D-RI). According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1 in 7 individuals incarcerated in state and federal prisons and 1 in 4 individuals in jails self-reported experiences of serious psychological distress. The Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Act would allow for correctional institutions to partner with mental health providers to provide mental health treatment and crisis stabilization for incarcerated individuals and promote warm handoffs to community-based care upon reentry. Far too often, we criminalize mental health challenges in our country, Rep. Scanlon said. This is a small step in breaking that cycle by ensuring people have the resources they need to successfully re-enter society. I am grateful to my colleague, Rep. Trone, for this leadership on this important issue and look forward to this critical piece of legislation becoming law. We are facing a mental health crisis that has only been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, and incarcerated populations are bearing the brunt of it due to the lack of social distancing and safety measures, said Rep. Trone. Every American deserves access to high-quality mental health care, and this bill will help us make this a reality by ensuring that incarcerated individuals can access treatment should they need it. In my time as a district judge, I often handled the cases of reoffenders who were suffering from untreated mental illness or substance abuse, conditions which made it nearly impossible for them to successfully reintegrate into society following incarceration, said Rep. Reschenthaler. The Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Act will ensure we provide these men and women with treatment and tools for their long-term recovery upon their release from a correctional facility. Ensuring continuity of mental health care improves the success rate of reentry, which is critical to reducing recidivism, improving public safety, and saving taxpayer dollars. For far too many the criminal justice system is the end point of a mental health crisis, Rep. Dean said. This bill works to break that cycle by providing formerly incarcerated individuals with the medication they need to build a stable footing as they reenter society. Throughout my time in law enforcement, I saw many individuals re-offend time and time again, often with the same offenses involving substance abuse and issues with mental health, said Rep. Rutherford. That's why I was proud to join my colleague Representative Trone to introduce the Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Act, which passed the House today. This bipartisan legislation will prevent a lapse in care between prison and society, and instead, create a Continuity of Care' for those at greatest risk of relapse. I look forward to this bill becoming law, as it will save lives, save money, and reduce crime. Ensuring the strong mental health and wellbeing of those incarcerated is an important step in helping them prepare to re-enter our communities, said Rep. Kelly Armstrong. The Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Act builds on efforts to lower recidivism and provides real criminal justice reform that better serves our nation and helps connect formerly incarcerated individuals to the resources they need. The bill, introduced by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Richard Blumenthal (D-RI), passed the Senate on November 16th and now heads to the President's desk for signature. An overview of the legislation can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://perry.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402520,OP-ED: Congress lurches from crisis to crisis — here’s how to fix it,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Scott Perry,P000605,perry.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Reps. Scott Perry, Chip Roy, Andy Biggs, Ted Budd, and Ben Cline As published at FoxNews.com Americans have become used to two things in December: the holiday season and a looming government shutdown right before Christmas. Like a scripted play, the media always portray this in a similar fashion — shirts and skins, the bad guys versus the good guys, those who want to govern and those who want ""obstruct."" It’s so predictable at this point that we ought to call it the Capitol Hill Christmas Pageant. In reality, these so-called ""crisis"" moments are often manufactured in order to force members to support spending they would otherwise oppose. Bills are presented as ""must-pass,"" but only because congressional leadership lets them linger until the last minute. A small handful of power brokers hammer out massive, complicated, trillion-dollar bills behind closed doors, only to release them to members hours before they must cast an up-or-down vote. Don’t like it? Tough. If you choose to stand against the broken legislative process, you’ll be attacked — at times from some in your own party — and set yourself up for attack ads. Those who raise reasonable, principled objections are labeled ""obstructionists."" They are chastised for trying to do their best to represent the needs of their individual constituencies. The only thing that ever really changes when all is said and done is how many zeros are added to the price tag — a buck reprehensibly passed to future generations of Americans. The truth is that real legislating is difficult. It’s supposed to be. The House of Representatives is a consensus-driven body, meaning it should require broad coalitions to get a bill across the finish line. The body accomplishes said consensus working diligently through the committee process — but even more, the full body is supposed to have a full debate on the House floor. Members should then be able to raise substantive objections, debate them, and amend the bill being considered. Once their voices have been heard, every member should have the chance to cast an up or down vote. Unfortunately, Congress hasn’t operated this way in a long time. Thanks to a process governed primarily by an authoritarian Rules Committee, the House has not had an open debate, nor has it allowed rank-and-file members to amend bills since May of 2016. This includes any bill you could name in the past four years — the CARES Act, which spent trillions of taxpayer dollars; the National Defense Authorization Act; or even last week’s bill on ceiling fan regulations. This past September, for example, members received the legislative text of the stopgap government spending bill just minutes before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., scheduled it for a vote on the floor. Four months later, as we are about to recess for the holidays, the House hasn’t even gotten that far. Last week we voted on another stopgap bill to avoid a government shutdown in order to give congressional leadership another seven days to drum up some sort of ""deal,"" which the vast majority of members won’t know the details of likely until the day of the vote. Two days before the government shuts down unless we approve funding, we have no legislative text and are all but guaranteed there will be no real debate, no amendments, and no time to vet the legislation before we are forced to cast our vote. Even worse, now our colleagues don’t even have to show up to shortchange the American people, since so many have decided to vote by proxy instead of coming to work to do the people’s business in person. One even decided to phone in his vote from the comfort of his boat. The framers of our Constitution — the ones who spent months carefully deliberating and debating the ends and means of government in a stuffy room with the windows closed in Philadelphia over 200 years ago — never intended for us to do business this way. Congress, due to its nature and design, was given the responsibility of thoughtfully deliberating on behalf of the American people. That’s why we were elected to ensure that we address the needs and desires of the whole American people, not just the ones whose representatives have a seat at the table of congressional leadership. And if they could see us now, you can be certain that the creators of this body would be disgusted both at our laziness as legislators and the dereliction of our duty to the American people. The current process is nothing short of legislative oligarchy masquerading as representative government. In this upcoming session, Congress should pass no bill that has not gone through committee for a full hearing and markup. We should not pass anything we haven’t been given at least 72 hours to review, or that we cannot openly amend and debate on the floor. We should ensure that bills cover single subjects so that we can deliberate them on their merits alone, and not on the merits of must-pass provisions that leadership has attached to them. Finally, we should come to work to do our jobs, rather than allowing this chamber to establish quorums with members voting from their boats or elsewhere. That is how representative government based on the consent of the governed is supposed to work. That is how Congress used to operate. And that is what the American people should demand that their government do again.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-ernst-introduce-legislation-to-seal-low-level-nonviolent-criminal-records,"Casey, Ernst Introduce Legislation to Seal Low-Level, Nonviolent Criminal Records",2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases/joyce-introduces-bill-counter-ccps-influence-bring-pharmaceutical,Joyce Introduces Bill to Counter the CCP?s Influence & Bring Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Home to America,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,John Joyce,J000302,johnjoyce.house.gov,johnjoyce,https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), a member of the China Task Force, today released the following statement after introducing commonsense legislation to strengthen America's medical supply chains and bolster our national security by bringing the production of medicines and health care supplies home to America and our allies and away from the Chinese Communist Party. The Enhancing the Security of the U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Act of 2020 will incentivize the manufacturing of medicines in the United States and enhance the security of the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain. ""The American people must never again be beholden to the Chinese Communist Party for lifesaving medicines and health care supplies. By returning our medical supply chains home to America and away from the Chinese Communist Party, we can secure Americans' access to critical drugs and medical equipment, strengthen our national security, and create family-sustaining jobs for American workers. ""As the only doctor serving on the China Task Force, I am proud to lead our work to develop realistic and achievable solutions to protect American patients from the growing influence of the Chinese communist government. As Americans persevere in our shared fight to save lives and livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress cannot stand by and allow the Chinese Communist Party to control our access to vital medicines and medical supplies. The Enhancing the Security of the U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Act of 2020 is a commonsense solution that can make a real difference for American patients, and I urge Speaker Pelosi to take up this legislation immediately."" As a member of the China Task Force, Dr. Joyce is working to counter the growing threats of the Chinese Communist Party. The only physician on the task force, he has prioritized legislative solutions to restore America's technology edge, bolster our nation's competitiveness, and strengthen America's supply chains for medicine, technology, and other vital supplies. Background: This fall, the China Task Force released its final report, which includes more than 400 realistic and achievable solutions to counter the growing threats of the Chinese Communist Party. Read more. Earlier this year, Dr. Joyce sponsored additional legislation to counter the Chinese Communist Party. In July, Dr. Joyce introduced the Academic Institution Research Integrity Act, which would improve transparency in higher education by closing loopholes in existing law to ensure that adjunct non-profits, research endowments, and alumni foundations must disclose foreign gifts in the same way the main university does under the law. Additionally, Dr. Joyce introduced the House companion to the Onshoring Rare Earths (ORE) Act of 2020. Introduced by Senator Ted Cruz in the Senate, the ORE Act seeks to end America's dependence on China for rare earth elements and other critical minerals, used to manufacture medical supplies, defense technology, and high-tech products, by establishing a supply chain for these minerals in the United States. The legislation also requires the Department of Defense to source materials from America. For further details, read the full text of H.R. 7813, the Academic Institution Research Integrity Act, and H.R 7812, the Onshoring Rare Earths (ORE) Act of 2020. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://keller.house.gov/media/in-the-news/top-gop-lawmakers-call-swalwell-be-removed-intelligence-committee,Top GOP lawmakers call for Swalwell to be removed from Intelligence Committee,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Top Republicans in the House are calling for Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) to be removed from the Intelligence Committee following reports that he was allegedly targeted by a woman believed to be a Chinese spy. In a letter sent Tuesday to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the lawmakers, including House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (Wyo.), said Swalwell's contacts posed a national security risk. Because of Rep. Swalwell's position on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, his close interactions with Chinese intelligence services, however unintentional they may be, are an unacceptable national security risk, they wrote. It said the panel handles some of the most sensitive information our government possesses,"" and that as a result Swalwell should be removed from his position. Axios first reported that Swalwell had been targeted by an alleged Chinese Ministry of State Security operative named Christine Fang, who also goes by Fang Fang. The woman, according to the report, helped Swalwell's fundraising during his 2014 reelection campaign and she also helped place an unpaid intern inside his office. The Republicans drew a parallel to Democratic calls for former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign after he met with a Russian ambassador without alerting Congress. The lawmakers said that Swalwell should be held to the same standard as Sessions, arguing that his interactions with the Chinese agent were more dangerous. Rep. Swalwell withheld information for five years from the House Intelligence Committee about an ongoing Chinese espionage operation targeted at him and his own colleagues, they wrote. Obviously, Rep. Swalwell's interactions with a Chinese spy were more dangerous and unusual than AG Sessions' meetings with a Russian diplomat. But to make matters worse, Rep. Swalwell kept this information to himself while repeatedly using his position on [the Intelligence Committee] to peddle damaging and baseless conspiracies about President Donald Trump's unproven ties to Russia for years and still refuses to comment fully on the extent and nature of his relationship with the Chinese Communist Party spy exposed in Axios' bombshell report. Swalwell told Politico last week he severed contact with Fang after he was alerted by federal investigators of alleged suspicious activity and is not accused of any wrongdoing, adding Democratic leadership knew about the interactions. He also questioned the timing of the report, arguing that there was political motivation behind the leak given his rebukes of the Trump administration. Fang left the country in 2015 during the FBI investigation into her activities. Pelosi has previously stated she has no concerns about Swalwell remaining on the panel. ""I don't have any concern about Mr. Swalwell, she told reporters last week. Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks (Ind.) and GOP Reps. Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Jody Hice (Ga.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Bob Gibbs (Ohio), Greg Murphy (N.C.), Ron Wright (Texas), Ted Budd (N.C.), Jeff Duncan (S.C.), Warren Davidson (Ohio), Fred Keller (Pa.) and Kevin Hern (Okla.) also signed on to the letter. Other GOP lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and retiring Rep. Pete King (N.Y.), who previously sat on the Intelligence Committee, have also called for Swalwell's removal from the panel. ""I will accept Swalwell's claim that he ended all involvement with Fang after he was informed by the FBI that she was a spy,"" King wrote in an op-ed in The Hill on Tuesday. ""Nevertheless, the fact remains that he was compromised and made susceptible to blackmail by the Chinese, who could threaten him with the disclosure of his involvement with their alleged agent. No matter what anyone thinks of Swalwell, his appointment was not a risk worth taking.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-fred-keller-announces-head-start-grant-tuscarora-intermediate-unit,Congressman Fred Keller announces Head Start grant to Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded a grant to Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11 in Mifflin County. A Head Start grant in the amount of $839,202 will be administered by HHS to Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11 to support comprehensive childhood development and better meet the needs of area children and families in need. On the awarding of the grants, Congressman Fred Keller made the following statement: Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11 is an outstanding service agency dedicated to bettering children's lives and providing them with the education and tools necessary for future success. I am confident that this grant will go a long way to support their important mission. I commend HHS for continuing to connect our community with federal resources that to improve the lives of those living in our region. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-keller-oversight-republicans-renew-call-emergency-hearing-big-tech,"Congressman Keller, Oversight Republicans renew call for emergency hearing on Big Tech censorship",2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) today joined his colleagues from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform in demanding Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) hold an emergency hearing on Big Tech censorship, in light of the news that Hunter Biden is under federal investigation. In October, House Oversight Republicans called for an emergency hearing after a New York Post articlehighlighting Hunter Biden's foreign business dealingswas censored by Facebook and Twitter, raising significant concerns of political bias and the silencing of conservative voices and values by Big Tech companies. Chairwoman Maloney refused to hold a hearing. Last week, Hunter Biden confirmed that he is under federal investigation regarding his taxes, prompting Oversight Republicans to send a second letter to Chairwoman Maloney demanding an emergency hearing to hold Big Tech accountable for suppressing free speech and censoring conservative voices. On the second letter, Congressman Fred Keller made the following statement: Despite Big Tech's censorship of Americans' free speech in the Hunter Biden cover-up, we now know he is under federal investigation. This level of unchecked censorship is unacceptable and has no place in the United States. I urge Chairwoman Maloney to hold an emergency hearing to hold Big Tech accountable for its clear violations of Americans' free speech. Full text of that letter can be found below. Dear Madam Chairwoman: On October 15, 2020, we requested you hold an emergency hearing on Big Tech's repeated efforts to interfere in the 2020 election.[1] At that timejust days before the November 3, 2020 presidential electionFacebook and Twitter censored a news article about Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, regarding his Ukrainian business dealings while his father was Vice President.[2] These Big Tech companies both limited and/or denied distribution of the New York Post's report, and Twitter locked the New York Post's account.[3] Last week, both Hunter Biden and the Biden-Harris Transition Team acknowledged Hunter Biden is under federal investigation for his tax affairs.[4] Reporting indicates this investigation is related to his overseas business dealings.[5] In light of Hunter Biden's admission that he is under investigation, especially after Big Tech's unjustifiable censorship of the New York Post's report, we are renewing our hearing request. Big Tech's silencing of viewpoints and censorship of news undermines our electoral process, our institutions, and our U.S. Constitution. As we explained in our October 15 letter, shortly after the New York Post posted its story on Facebook the company reduc[ed] its distribution in an apparent attempt to limit access to the story.[6] Just as concerning, Facebook reportedly refused to answer basic questions about its decision.[7] Twitter also censored the article and warned users that it is potentially spammy or unsafe, and locked the New York Post's Twitter account.[8] As Hunter Biden admitted last week, he is under federal investigation regarding his taxes, potentially related in part to the very matters the New York Post reported, yet for which it was censored. Indeed, additional reporting from NBC News refers to a 2017 email to Hunter Biden regarding his income from Burisma and need to amend Biden's 2014 tax returns to reflect the unreported income.[9] An NBC spokesperson did not dispute the authenticity of the email, which came from a laptop dropped off at a computer hardware store in Delawarethe same laptop and same computer hardware store discussed in the New York Post's October 14 article censored by Big Tech for being potentially spammy or unsafe. Big Tech's effort to selectively limit speech based on political affiliation is a disturbing patten of censorship in our nationa nation that holds out the First Amendment's right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press as two of our most paramount freedoms. As Big Tech platforms continue to limit speech based on political ideology, we must immediately hold a hearing to learn who are responsible for making these decisions and what policies enable Big Tech to selectively limit and/or censor speech on social media. We reiterate our request the Committee hold an emergency hearing on this important matter as soon as possible.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamb.house.gov/media/press-releases/lamb-bill-help-medal-honor-spouses-and-families-headed-president-s-desk,LAMB BILL TO HELP MEDAL OF HONOR SPOUSES AND FAMILIES HEADED TO PRESIDENTS DESK,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Conor Lamb,L000588,lamb.house.gov,,,legacy,"(WASHINGTON, DC) Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate amendment to the bipartisan Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (H.R. 7105) to increase access to health care and services for women veterans, provide for training opportunities for unemployed veterans, provide assistance for homeless veterans and increase oversight and accountability within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The final legislation includes the Veterans Valuing our Widows and Widowers (VOW) Act (H.R.1826), introduced by Representatives Conor Lamb (PA-17) and Brian Mast (FL-18), which would ensure that the widows and widowers of Medal of Honor recipients receive the same support that was given to the veteran. Spouses and families sacrifice so much in support of our men and women in uniform, said Lamb. We owe the families of our Medal of Honor recipients the financial security their spouse has earned. I look forward to the President signing this commonsense, bipartisan bill into law. Currently, veterans who receive the Medal of Honor are entitled to an additional monthly pension. However, when the recipient passes away the pension stops. The VOW Act would ensure the surviving spouses of the Medal of Honor recipients continue receiving the pension that their spouse was awarded, even if the Medal of Honor is awarded posthumously. The Medal of Honor represents the highest recognition for valor in combat that a member of the Armed Forces can earn. It is awarded very rarely and only to those whose service and sacrifice far exceed the call of duty. H.R. 7105 passed the U.S. Senate with unanimous consent last week and now goes to the President for his signature. Click here to learn more about the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/aba-unveils-bakers-dozen-award-winners,ABA unveils Bakers Dozen Award winners,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Three politicians and a government official were recognized by the American Bakers Association as winners of the 2020 Bakers' Dozen Award. Congressman Glen Thompson of Pennsylvania, Congressman Dwight Evans of Pennsylvania, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa and Frank Yiannas, deputy commissioner for food policy and response at the US Food and Drug Administration, were honored during the ABA's Bakers' Dozen Awards Reception held virtually on Dec. 14. During this challenging year, it has been truly amazing to see the resilience of the baking industry and its suppliers, said Robb MacKie, president and chief executive officer of the ABA. They have ensured American families have one less worry at night, that when they head to a store or restaurant, they can count on finding and enjoying your wholesome and nutritious baked goods. Bradley K. Alexander, chair of the ABA and chief operating officer of Flowers Foods, said the recipients of this year's awards provided much needed assistance and have served the industry's workers throughout the pandemic, while Lee Sanders, senior vice president of government relations and public affairs at the ABA, pointed out the importance of collaboration and communication from the plant floor to the policymakers in Washington. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Evans were recognized for their collaborative work in introducing the AG CHAIN Act in May 2020. The legislation provides a federal tax holiday and payroll tax exemption for all essential employees in the food and agriculture industry. Ms. Ernst in July introduced the FRNT Line Act, which offers federal tax relief for all essential workers during the public health emergency, including those in the baking industry. At the virtual ceremony, Tyler Brown from Ms. Ernst's office accepted the award on her behalf. Mr. Yiannas was recognized for his work helping provide bakers and other food supply sectors with much needed regulatory flexibility, practical solutions, resources and tools during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Frank Yiannas' leadership with the support of the FDA team kept our workers safe and our facilities operational so our industry could continue producing a safe, steady supply of baked goods to feed America's families, Mr. MacKie said. His steadfast commitment to partnering with the food industry to ensure there are commonsense solutions for essential businesses is the untold success story.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-releases-statement-following-meeting-with-deputy-treasury-secretary-nominee,Casey Releases Statement Following Meeting with Deputy Treasury Secretary Nominee,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. -U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is releasing a statement following his meeting with U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary nomineeWally Adeyemo: Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet virtually with Wally Adeyemo, who has been nominated to serve as Deputy Treasury Secretary in President-elect Biden's Administration. I commended Mr. Adeyemo for his service during President Obama's Administration and his willingness to once again serve our Nation during this challenging time. Mr. Adeyemo expressed his desire to ensure that our Treasury Department focuses on the economic needs of working families. I am confident that he will focus his efforts on promoting policies that raise wages for workers and help American families make ends meet. Mr. Adeyemo has the experience and vision to serve as Deputy Treasury Secretary during this economic crisis. He, working together with Janet Yellen, who has been nominated to be Treasury Secretary, will help America build back better.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-releases-statement-following-meeting-with-surgeon-general-nominee,Casey Releases Statement Following Meeting with Surgeon General Nominee,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is releasing a statement following his meeting with U.S. Surgeon General nominee Dr. Vivek Murthy: Today, I had the opportunity to virtually meet with Dr. Vivek Murthy, President-elect Biden's nominee to be our Nation's next Surgeon General. During President Obama's Administration, Dr. Murthy was a Surgeon General who worked to protect and improve the health and well-being of all Americans. As our Nation faces its most dire health crisis in more than 100 years, I am grateful to Dr. Murthy for his willingness to serve in this role once again and lend his considerable skills and experience to the incoming Biden Administration. If confirmed, I am confident that he will play a critical role in helping to lead our Nation through the COVID-19 pandemic and emerge stronger.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-releases-statement-following-meeting-with-treasury-secretary-nominee,Casey Releases Statement Following Meeting with Treasury Secretary Nominee,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is releasing a statement following his meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen: On Friday, I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet virtually with the Treasury Secretary nominee, Janet Yellen. I thanked Chair Yellen for her lifetime of public service and her willingness to once again work on behalf of our Nation and its families during this difficult time. We discussed Chair Yellen's vision for the Treasury Department in President-elect Biden's Administration and how she will work to ensure our Nation builds back better. Janet Yellen has the experience and vision to ensure the Treasury Department is at the forefront of the fight for working families. If confirmed, I am confident she will once again serve the Nation with distinction.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cartwright-urges-house-and-senate-leaders-to-forge-covid-19-relief,Cartwright Urges House and Senate Leaders to Forge COVID-19 Relief Compromise,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Matt Cartwright,C001090,cartwright.house.gov,,,legacy,"Scranton, PA Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) sent a letter to Democratic and Republican leaders in both parties urging them to reach a bipartisan deal that provides urgently needed economic relief for Northeastern Pennsylvanians, as the Pennsylvania state government issued new restrictions intended to mitigate the latest surge of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth. As time runs short for a bipartisan COVID-19 relief deal to come together before the remaining CARES Act programs expire, I wish to express the urgency of putting aside our differences and coming together to provide relief for all Americans who desperately need us to act. We need to find common ground and pass a bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill immediately, Cartwright writes in the letter. Cartwright outlined the concerns of some of the constituents have raised with him since many of the CARES Act relief programs expired. While the vaccine offers hope, he pointed out that the latest coronavirus surge still threatens lives and livelihoods. The emergency authorization and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine is reason for hope that this public health and economic crisis will soon be behind us. However, we are experiencing by far the worst COVID-19 surge our nation has endured since the outbreak began, and the trendlines are looking worse, He wrote. He added that economic support is critical in light of the new business and travel restrictions implemented by the state government over the weekend. In my home state of Pennsylvania, new lockdowns have been imposed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and to ensure those who contract the disease can be treated in a hospital if necessary. While these painful measures are needed, they are untenable without robust economic support to protect families, jobs and businesses, Cartwright wrote. Read the full letter below or HERE. Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader McConnell, and Leader Schumer: As time runs short for a bipartisan COVID-19 relief deal to come together before the remaining CARES Act programs expire, I wish to express the urgency of putting aside our differences and coming together to provide relief for all Americans who desperately need us to act. We need to find common ground and pass a bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill immediately. I hear daily from many of my constituents whose hearts are breaking with worry. A mother near Matamoras called to ask when her pandemic SNAP benefits would return to help her feed her two school-age children. She does not have the means to pick up meals from the school and monitor her children who are learning remotely. Almost every week, I get another e-mail from a man who lives near East Stroudsburg and has been waiting for months for his Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). It took quite some time before Pennsylvania's system was operational, and people really could not wait yet so many still are waiting. Many more have told me how the credit cards, the banks, the car dealerships and others are not willing to wait for their money. One woman called because her extra $300 in federal funds added to her unemployment benefits ended. Those dollars moved over from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) relief expired in September. A man in Wilkes-Barre called because he was still waiting for a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan when the funding ran out in July. His voice cracked as he told me how his employees and his family are looking to him for support. For 20 years, he and his partner ran their business without needing a loan or help from anyone. Large event centers and resorts are some of our biggest employers in the Eighth Congressional District. They have the same fears as small business owners. They call me worried about staying in business and keeping their employees safe and on payroll. The PPP loan funds covered payroll and some other expenses earlier this year. That money is long gone. One single mother runs several small businesses and opened a new one despite challenges from COVID-19. She received one SBA loan, which did not go far. She had worried how she was going to keep her businesses afloat until she got a grant through her county's relief funding made possible through the CARES Act. I think about her and how persistence is power. She kept trying, and she made it. But I know that aid will not last long, either. Local government officials call to ask about the limits of what they can do with their remaining CARES Act funds. They have so much to do. The funds helped, but it fell short of their needs. Our municipal governments are in jeopardy as sales tax and income tax revenues fall, and I hear their worries about keeping staff in place to maintain operations as well as respond to the pandemic. The emergency authorization and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine is reason for hope that this public health and economic crisis will soon be behind us. However, we are experiencing by far the worst COVID-19 surge our nation has endured since the outbreak began, and the trendlines are looking worse. In my home state of Pennsylvania, new lockdowns have been imposed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and to ensure those who contract the disease can be treated in a hospital if necessary. While these painful measures are needed, they are untenable without robust economic support to protect families, jobs and businesses. We should come together and pass a bill that provides relief for people in an efficient manner, including: A renewal and strengthening of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to support our struggling business community, along with targeted relief for the hard-hit hospitality and entertainment businesses. The winter will only make things tougher for them, and we need to give them a lifeline to make it to the summer when we hope the vaccine will help us get back to normal. Stimulus checks to get money into people's hands, to help them pay their bills and to get money flowing through our economy. State and local aid to help our governments provide basic services and pay their employees, from our police to our teachers. An extension of enhanced unemployment benefits to get aid to those that need it most. So many people desperately want to work, but are in an industry that is shut down or struggling. We need to support these families. Food assistance to help those in need as we see the lines at our food pantries grow amid the holiday season. Funding for our public health infrastructure and vaccine distribution to keep people healthy and administer the vaccine as efficiently and safely as possible. Thank you for your consideration and I hope and pray we can find common ground for the good of all Americans in the coming week. Sincerely, /s/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases/dr-joyce-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-raise-public-awareness-covid-19,Dr. Joyce Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Raise Public Awareness of COVID-19 Vaccine,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,John Joyce,J000302,johnjoyce.house.gov,johnjoyce,https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC Representatives John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M. (OH-02), Ron Kind (WI-03), Roger Marshall, M.D. (KS-01), Scott Peters (CA-52), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Neal Dunn, M.D. (FL-02), and Albio Sires (NJ-08) this week introduced bipartisan legislation authorizing a public advocacy campaign to promote COVID-19 vaccine participation and provide science-backed information. The bill provides necessary funds for the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide grants to entities to launch public awareness campaigns no less than 30 days after a vaccine is authorized. ""As our nation combats the COVID-19 pandemic, America's scientists, researchers, and health care heroes have achieved remarkable progress in developing a safe and effective vaccine the key to restoring our communities, rebuilding our economy, and saving lives,"" said Representative John Joyce, M.D. ""Like many Americans, I am planning to take the vaccine as soon as I am eligible. It is imperative that the American people have confidence in the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine. To gain their trust, we must cut through misinformation and ensure that Americans have the facts about this vaccine and its lifesaving potential."" ""Operation Warp Speed has produced a safe and effective vaccine in record time. A vaccine, however, will only lead us out of this pandemic and allow us to restore our way of life if enough Americans are willing to receive it,"" said Representative Brad Wenstrup D.P.M. ""It is more important than ever that we provide science-based, factual information about COVID-19 vaccines to the American people. I believe providing accurate information about vaccines will help alleviate concerns and empower Americans to make sound medical decisions."" ""Today is a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic as millions of vaccines are shipped across the country and arrive to Wisconsin and we begin to inoculate our health care workers and most vulnerable to the virus. But for these vaccines to ultimately bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that Americans are willing to receive them,"" said Representative Ron Kind. ""I am proud to support this bipartisan bill to provide resources to trusted local leaders across the country to raise awareness and share factual, evidence-based information about COVID-19 vaccines with the communities they serve."" ""A COVID-19 vaccine will only be effective in defeating this virus if people have confidence in its safety and efficacy,"" said Representative Roger Marshall, M.D. "" America is home to world-class scientists and a gold-standard regulatory agency that oversees the drug approval process. As a physician, I understand people's concerns over this unprecedented process, but from the start, pharmaceutical scientists have been in constant contact with officials at the Food and Drug Administration, ensuring multiple layers of safety and oversight. I am proud to co-lead legislation that provides funding for science-based information for our families and communities. I remain confident that we will defeat this virus and return to life as normal."" ""Today's distribution of the first COVID-19 vaccines is a national triumph. It speaks to the skill of our public and private scientists, whose efforts to develop, certify and deploy a vaccine will soon help our country get closer to normal and save lives,"" said Representative Scott Peters. ""We must do everything we can to optimize and uplift their work. This legislation will educate and boost awareness and trust in communities disproportionately hurt by this deadly virus."" ""Earning the public's trust is key to putting an end to this pandemic, which is why it's so important that we come together in a bipartisan way to make sure every American has the facts about the COVID-19 vaccines,"" said Congressman Andy Kim. ""This bill would make sure that accurate information reaches the American people so that they can take the vaccine with confidence. I hope my colleagues from both sides of the aisle join in passing this critical effort."" ""The swift development of a COVID-19 vaccine is a serious progression on our route to curbing the virus and getting back to our normal routines. Now that the vaccine is being administered, it is crucial that we encourage as many Americans as possible to receive one,"" said Representatives Albio Sires. ""We must ensure that Americans have science-based, factual information on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. This bipartisan legislation will go a long way in funding states public awareness campaigns so that Americans have the information they need to receive the vaccine with confidence."" The bill is a companion to legislation introduced in the Senate by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Thune (R-SD), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ). Full text of the bill is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://keller.house.gov/media/in-the-news/injured-usp-allenwood-corrections-officer-released-hospital,Injured USP Allenwood corrections officer released from hospital,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Danville, Pa. A corrections officer at the United States Penitentiary at Allenwood who was injured last week during an assault by an inmate has been released from the hospital. A spokesperson at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville confirmed Dale Franquet Jr., 51, was discharged on Sunday. Franquet Jr. was transported to the hospital on Monday, December 7, after an inmate assaulted him and another staff member. The inmate reportedly stabbed Franquet Jr. in the eye with a shank. Franquet Jr. underwent surgery on Wednesday to remove his right eye. The federal Bureau of Prisons did not release the identity of the second staff member, but The Daily Item reports that corrections officer was Sara Harvey. She reportedly was injured but has since returned to work. Congressman Fred Keller (PA-12), who serves on the federal Bureau of Prisons Reform caucus, said in a media release that Franquet Jr.'s father said he is expected to be fitted with a prosthetic eye within three months. Shane Fausey, the national president of the Council of Prison Locals and an employee at Allenwood prison complex, said the assaults are a stark reminder of the unpredictable and violent nature of the vital work the Bureau of Prisons correctional professionals do every day, according to Keller's release. Details regarding the attack are not being released pending an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Franquet Jr.'s brother, Jeffrey Franquet, of New Jersey, and his sister, Corie Kline, started a Go Fund Me campaign. The pair stated on the campaign page that the inmate who assaulted their brother was serving a sentence for terrorism. The Go Fund Me, which had raised more than $29,000 by Monday afternoon, is to help support Franquet Jr.'s family including his two daughters during a time of financial distress. Unfortunately, our brother will have to learn a whole new way of life and a whole new normal. Doing the simplest of task will be a struggle until Dale adjusts to this new way of life, Franquet and Kline wrote in the campaign update. Franquet Jr., who was employed by the federal prison system for 22 years, also is the head wrestling coach at Midd-West High School. He had recently built a pole barn on his property for wrestling clinics and had been scheduled to hold a grand opening last Saturday, according to Keller. Those plans are temporarily on hold. Franquet Jr.'s father, Dale Franquet Sr., of Orwigsburg, expects that he will recover quickly. He's a tough individual and will be stronger for it, Franquet Sr. said, recalling how at age 16 Franquet Jr. wrestled in high school with a broken hand, according to Keller's release.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://perry.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402517,Perry District Offices Open and Ready to Serve PA-10,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Scott Perry,P000605,perry.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Representative Scott Perry (PA-10) today reminded constituents of Pennsylvania's 10th that our offices are open and ready to assist. The Cumberland, Dauphin, and York County offices may accept in-person meetings by appointment only, and stand ready to help via phone, email, and in some cases, video conferencing. The Offices follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. House of Representatives' Attending Physician to protect the health of visitors and staff. To schedule a meeting today, constituents may call any office or fill out a meeting request form on Perry's website. As our community adapted to the outbreak of COVID-19, my Offices responded quickly to the changing environment and began utilizing every available technology to communicate and connect with the residents of PA-10. Over the past nine months, I've been able to connect with hundreds of thousands of constituents and help our communities as we continue to face tremendous uncertainty and loss during the pandemic. I'm honored to serve the constituents of PA-10, and look forward to continued service to them, said Congressman Scott Perry. COVID-19 Safety Precautions Constituents with cold, flu, or COVID-19 like symptoms are asked to contact the office via phone or e-mail. Face coverings are required for all visitors upon entering the office. CDC social distancing guidelines of at least 6 feet will be followed. Hand sanitizer will be provided/encouraged upon entrance. Disinfectant will be used on frequently-used surfaces. The health of staff is monitored daily; sick/presumed sick employees are required to go/stay home. Serving Constituents During COVID-19 Constituent Services Congressman Perry and his staff have worked tirelessly to assist constituents during the COVID-19 pandemic. His office has been a one-stop shop for information and assistance on a wide range of issues, including: travel restrictions; business closures; unemployment; federal government health and safety guidance; Economic Impact Payments; and much more. To stay up to date with Congressman Perry's newsletters, click here. Telephone Town Halls Perry hosted eight tele-town halls and one Facebook Live Town Hall focused on COVID-19. All told, almost 50,000 constituents joined the events to stay informed on the outbreak in their communities. During each call, Perry welcomed special guests to update listeners on the medical risk of COVID-19 and other important topics. Guests included medical experts from WellSpan Health, Penn State Health, UPMC Pinnacle, and Country Meadows Retirement Communities, as well as, a nationally recognized trauma psychologist, president of The Giant Company, regional director of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and PA Secretary of Labor & Industry. Recordings of all eight tele-towns are found on Perry's Youtube channel. Constituents wishing to participate in future tele-town halls may sign up to receive information here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-releases-statement-following-meeting-with-deputy-treasury-secretary-nominee,Casey Releases Statement Following Meeting with Deputy Treasury Secretary Nominee,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-releases-statement-following-meeting-with-surgeon-general-nominee,Casey Releases Statement Following Meeting with Surgeon General Nominee,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-releases-statement-following-meeting-with-treasury-secretary-nominee,Casey Releases Statement Following Meeting with Treasury Secretary Nominee,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.toomey.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/advisory-toomey-and-stabenow-to-lead-senate-hearing-examining-the-alzheimers-crisis,Advisory: Toomey and Stabenow to Lead Senate Hearing Examining the Alzheimers Crisis,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Patrick Toomey,T000461,www.toomey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Subcommittee on Health Care, will convene a hearing examining the testing and treatment for Alzheimer's disease and the fiscal implications of the disease on our federal healthcare programs onWednesday, December 16that 2:30 PM. Last year, the Senate Finance Committee Subcommittee on Health Care held a hearing on thebarriers to treatment and care for Alzheimer's patients. Chairman Toomey and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)also sought inputfrom stakeholdersproviders, researchers, patients, patient advocacy groups, states, and othersto inform the development of regulatory recommendations and potential future legislation. The senatorssent a letter to the Administrationin October, requesting certain regulatory actions to improve care for Alzheimer's patients. What:Hearing: The Alzheimer's Crisis: Examining Testing and Treatment Pipelines and Fiscal Implications. When:Wednesday, December 16that 2:30 PM. Witnesses: Nikolay Dokholyan, Ph.D., M.S. G. Thomas Passananti, Professor and Vice Chair for Research Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa. Randall J. Bateman, M.D. Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Director, Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network (DIAN), DIAN Trials Unit Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Mo. Richard Mohs, Ph.D. Chief Scientific Officer Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation, Chicago, Ill. Maria Carrillo, Ph.D. Chief Science Officer Alzheimer's Association, Chicago, Ill.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-wild-bill-would-ensure-that-emergency-preparedness-protocols-in-schools-include-needs-of-students-with-disabilities,"Casey, Wild Bill Would Ensure that Emergency Preparedness Protocols in Schools Include Needs of Students with Disabilities",2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is introducing the Promoting Responsible Emergency Protocols (PREP) for all Students Act to keep all students safe when extreme weather strikes or on-campus violence occurs. During the 2017-2018 school year, 16 to 18 percent of children had a disability or developmental delay. As natural disasters such as flooding and wildfires rise in the United States and on-campus violence spikes, safety recommendations for schools and child care settings must evolve to integrate the needs of young children and youth with disabilities. The PREP for all Students Act would ensure that public schools, early child care education centers and institutions of higher education have the tools they need to develop inclusive emergency preparedness protocols. U.S. Representative Susan Wild (D-PA-7) is introducing companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. No student should feel unsafe or unprotected in a learning environment, said Senator Casey. We must do more to meet the needs of all children and youth, regardless of age, developmental stage and ability. The PREP for all Students Act would ensure that young children and students with disabilities are not left out of emergency preparedness and would support schools and child care centers by providing the resources they need to keep young people safe. All too often, emergency protocols are designed with a one-size-fits-all approach not properly accounting for the unique needs of persons with disabilities, mental health needs, or young children, said Congresswoman Wild. As natural disasters and on-campus violence continue to rise, every level of schooling from child care centers to institutions of higher education need the resources to be able to develop trauma-informed emergency preparedness plans to protect young students and students with disabilities. I'm proud of this legislation that would ensure students with disabilities and mental health challenges are included in their schools' emergency planning and creates a safer environment for each and every student. The PREP for all Students Act would establish a Federal Advisory Council composed of federal agencies, youth with disabilities and mental health considerations, parents, educators and advocates to develop guidelines and recommendations for the implementation of accessible, developmentally appropriate, culturally aware and trauma-informed emergency preparedness protocols in early child care and education centers, public schools and institutions of higher education. The legislation would ensure that Congress is provided a report with the findings of the Federal Advisory Council and that schools are provided with accurate information about the needs of specific populations of children, youth and employees during emergency events. The PREP for All Students Act is supported by the following organizations: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Institute for Childhood Preparedness, National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), Sandy Hook Promise, National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), Little Lobbyists, National Association of the Deaf (NAD), Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), Autism Society of America, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Council of Parent and Attorney Advocates (COPAA), Spina Bifida Association and Access Living. Read more about the PREP for all Students Act here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/boyle-levin-axne-introduce-suite-legislation-protect-sustainable,"Boyle, Levin, Axne Introduce Suite of Legislation to Protect Sustainable Investing",2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Brendan F. Boyle,B001296,boyle.house.gov,boyle,https://boyle.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09), Vice Chair of the House Education & Labor Committee and member of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, along with Congressman Brendan Boyle (PA-02), member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Congresswoman Cindy Axne (IA-03), member of the House Financial Services Committee, today introduced two pieces of legislation to protect and increase sustainable investments. The Sustainable Investment Policy Act and the Retirees Sustainable Investment Policies Act together would give workers a bigger say in where they invest their retirement savings by requiring plan investors and fiduciaries to take into account and explain to beneficiaries how they consider environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors when making investment decisions. Sustainable investing and profitable investing are not mutually exclusive. According to Morningstar, a leading research source on investment performance, on average, investments based on environmental, social and governance goals outperformed conventional offerings during 2019 and the first quarter of 2020. Yet on June 30, the Department of Labor proposed regulations seemingly designed to discourage and block sustainable retirement investing. The Department received more than 8,000 comments on that proposal, 95 percent of which opposed the proposed regulations. Those comments came not just from green investors and advocates, but also giants of the investment industry like Vanguard, Fidelity and BlackRock. On October 30th, the Department finalized a version of this rule. ""This legislation allows Congress to give teeth to what industries, Wall Street and individual investors have made increasingly clear: taking environmental, social and corporate governance principles into consideration isn't just good public relations, but is the viable, responsible, and profitable approach for America,"" said Rep. Boyle. ""When environmental advocates, corporate leaders and business analysts can all agree that social responsibility cannot coexist without financial responsibility, we need to not just listen to them, but to act to ensure a better future for our economy, our 401(k)s and our environment."" ""This is workers' money. The investment process should be transparent to them and in line with workers' values,"" said Rep. Levin. ""Fortunately, we are seeing that there is a convergence of sustainability values and diversity priorities in governance with durable performance over time. Companies perform better if they are aimed at where the economy is going, which is towards sustainability and inclusion across all aspects of how we build, how we make things, how we live and how we move about. ""When we save for retirement, we want to know that our investment is going to be focused where we want it and will be there when we need it,"" said Rep. Axne. ""It's obvious that companies that invest in their future will do better over the long run, and that's what sustainable investing is all about. We as investors should understand how our advisers are evaluating these risks, and having this information will help ensure people can control what their savings is supporting."" The Sustainable Investment Policies Act amends the Investment Advisers Act, and the Retirees Sustainable Investment Policies Act amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The bills are supported by the Center for American Progress, which released the white paper entitled, ""Modernizing the Social Contract With Investment Fiduciaries"" in November of 2020, the UNPRI (United Nations Principles for Responsible Investing), and Heartland Capital Strategies (HCS). ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/thompson-sponsors-bipartisan-bill-support-emergency-service-organizations,Thompson sponsors bipartisan bill to support emergency service organizations,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,,,legacy,"As volunteer fire departments and other emergency service organizations struggle to maintain operations during the ongoing pandemic, U.S. Rep. Glenn GT Thompson (R-PA) last week sponsored a bipartisan bill to expand the permissible uses of federal pandemic relief funds. The economic impact of COVID-19 has been hardest on organizations that already operate on razor-thin margins, said Rep. Thompson. Congress created a relief fund, which has yet to be exhausted. As a volunteer firefighter, I know we must act immediately to provide more flexibility and extend these deadlines, otherwise volunteer organizations and non-profits will be left out in the cold. The Coronavirus Relief Fund Expansion Act of 2020, H.R. 8950, which Rep. Thompson introduced on Dec. 10 with cosponsor U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), would extend the deadline to spend COVID-19 relief funds by one year to Dec. 31, 2021, according to a bill summary provided by the congressman's office. Additionally, the bill would permit non-profit and emergency service organizations to use funds to replace lost, delayed or decreased revenues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the summary. First responders across the nation are concerned that the current language in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is ambiguous, said Jerry Brant, Second Assistant Chief of the Patton Fire Company No. 1 in Patton, Pa., and board member of the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute. We are worried fire and EMS departments have not and will not utilize these funds because of a lack of detail on how this financial assistance may be legally expended by our agencies, Brant said. This legislation would simplify this section of the CARES Act and alleviate these concerns. We applaud Congressman Thompson for his efforts and plead with other members of Congress to join him in passing this critical legislation. H.R. 8950 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/thompson-names-republican-staff-director-agriculture-committee,Thompson Names Republican Staff Director of Agriculture Committee,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,thompson,https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Rep. Glenn ""GT"" Thompson announced Parish Braden as Republican Staff Director of the House Agriculture Committee in the 117th Congress. Braden currently serves as Republican Staff Director of the House Committee on Natural Resources. ""Parish is a trusted advisor who will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Agriculture Committee. His management talents and strategic abilities have resulted in legislative victories both in the minority and majority. I look forward to working with him in this role as we carry out the important work of the Agriculture Committee in the coming Congress,"" Rep. Thompson stated. Prior to his current role, Braden served as Deputy Staff Director for the Natural Resources Committee in the 115th Congress. He worked as Communications Director at the Natural Resources Committee in the 114th Congress. Prior to that, he served as Communications Director and Policy Advisor to Rep. Thompson. Parish also previously served in various other senior legislative and communications roles on Capitol Hill and at the Republican National Committee.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://wild.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-wild-sen-casey-bill-would-ensure-emergency-preparedness-protocols-schools,"Rep. Wild, Sen. Casey Bill Would Ensure that Emergency Preparedness Protocols in Schools Include Needs of Students with Disabilities, Mental Health Concerns",2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Susan Wild,W000826,wild.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) introduced the Promoting Responsible Emergency Protocols (PREP) for all Students Act to keep all students safe when extreme weather strikes or on-campus violence occurs. During the 2017-2018 school year, 16 to 18 percent of children had a disability or developmental delay. As natural disasters such as flooding and wildfires rise in the United States and on-campus violence spikes, safety recommendations for schools and child care settings must evolve to integrate the needs of young children and youth with disabilities. The PREP for all Students Act would ensure that public schools, early child care education centers and institutions of higher education have the tools they need to develop inclusive emergency preparedness protocols. U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) has introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate. All too often, emergency protocols are designed with a one-size-fits-all approach not properly accounting for the unique needs of persons with disabilities, mental health needs, or young children, Wild said. As natural disasters and on-campus violence continues to rise, every level of schooling from child care centers to institutions of higher education need the resources to be able to develop trauma-informed emergency preparedness plans to protect young students and students with disabilities. I'm proud of this legislation that would ensure students with disabilities and mental health challenges are included in their schools' emergency planning and creates a safer environment for each and every student. No student should feel unsafe or unprotected in a learning environment, Casey said. We must do more to meet the needs of all children and youth, regardless of age, developmental stage and ability. The PREP for all Students Act would ensure that young children and students with disabilities are not left out of emergency preparedness and would support schools and child care centers by providing the resources they need to keep young people safe. The PREP for all Students Act would establish a Federal Advisory Council composed of federal agencies, youth with disabilities and mental health considerations, parents, educators and advocates to develop guidelines and recommendations for the implementation of accessible, developmentally appropriate, culturally aware and trauma-informed emergency preparedness protocols in early child care and education centers, public schools and institutions of higher education. The legislation would ensure that Congress is provided a report with the findings of the Federal Advisory Council and that schools are provided with accurate information about the needs of specific populations of children, youth and employees during emergency events. The PREP for All Students Act is supported by the following organizations: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Institute for Childhood Preparedness, National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), Sandy Hook Promise, National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), Little Lobbyists, National Association of the Deaf (NAD), Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), Autism Society of America, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Council of Parent and Attorney Advocates (COPAA), Spina Bifida Association and Access Living. Read more about the PREP for all Students Act HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-wild-bill-would-ensure-that-emergency-preparedness-protocols-in-schools-include-needs-of-students-with-disabilities,"Casey, Wild Bill Would Ensure that Emergency Preparedness Protocols in Schools Include Needs of Students with Disabilities",2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Bob Casey,C001070,www.casey.senate.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.toomey.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/toomey-and-stabenow-continue-fight-against-alzheimers-disease,Toomey and Stabenow Continue Fight Against Alzheimers Disease,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Patrick Toomey,T000461,www.toomey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, are once again working together to improve care for Alzheimer's patients and expand resources for caregivers. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, the pair shares a number of recommendations collected from health care providers, researchers and scientists, patient advocacy groups, states, and other experts. The recommendations are derived from a February request for information issued by Chairman Toomey and Ranking Member Stabenow seeking input from experts about how to make meaningful improvements to the detection, education, treatment, and support for patients and families affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. To date, more than 200 policy recommendations have been received from over 30 organizations. In the letter, Chairman Toomey and Ranking Member Stabenow stated: As the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, we are committed to advancing efforts to meet the goals set forth in NAPA as well as improving care for existing and future patients. In February, we published a request for information from experts and stakeholders to inform our regulatory and legislative efforts. Specifically, we inquired about mechanisms that could promote care coordination for Alzheimer's disease patients enrolled in federal health programs, improve disease detection, enhance the affordability and accessibility of long-term care, strengthen protections for vulnerable individuals, and incentivize the development of cures. In response, we received 36 comment letters comprised of more than 200 policy recommendations. Today, we are asking you to review a subset of these recommendations and take specific actions to make progress toward these important goals. The letter in its entirety is below. It is available online with footnotes here. October 21, 2020 The Honorable Alex M. Azar II Secretary U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 Dear Secretary Azar: We write on behalf of the estimated 5.8 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer's disease. Beyond the individual cognitive decline and vast psychological and emotional consequences for families, the costs to society of Alzheimer's disease are staggering. For instance, a 2013 study funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) estimated the total annual cost of dementia in the United States to lie between $159 billion and $215 billion, with that figure projected to grow to between roughly $379 billion and $511 billion by 2040. Moreover, after adjusting for an individual's underlying health conditions and demographics, the same study estimated the annual cost of informal caregiving attributable to dementia to range between $13,188 and $27,789 per person. For Medicare, the nation's largest public health care payer, dementia-specific costs imposed an additional $2,752 per person on the program. Nearly a decade later, much work remains to address the momentous societal costs of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Currently, pharmacological interventions are unable to cure or even effectively treat the relentless progression of Alzheimer's disease. Congress has long recognized the challenges facing Alzheimer's disease patients and their families, and in 2011, passed the National Alzheimer's Project Act (P.L. 111-375; NAPA). This landmark legislation put forth the laudable goal of finding a cure and treatment by 2025. As the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, we are committed to advancing efforts to meet the goals set forth in NAPA as well as improving care for existing and future patients. In February, we published a request for information from experts and stakeholders to inform our regulatory and legislative efforts. Specifically, we inquired about mechanisms that could promote care coordination for Alzheimer's disease patients enrolled in federal health programs, improve disease detection, enhance the affordability and accessibility of long-term care, strengthen protections for vulnerable individuals, and incentivize the development of cures. In response, we received 36 comment letters comprised of more than 200 policy recommendations. Today, we are asking you to review a subset of these recommendations and take specific actions to make progress toward these important goals. RECOMMENDATIONS PROMOTE COORDINATED, QUALITY CARE Develop New Demonstration Projects: We encourage the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to create and test alternative payment and coordinated care models targeted toward Medicare and/or Medicaid beneficiaries with Alzheimer's disease that would improve care coordination, reduce duplicative service utilization, and increase the quality of care.Develop Quality Indicators for Dementia Care Services: To ensure quality of care for enrollees in federal health programs, we encourage CMS to assess the state of quality indicators for dementia care services. Alzheimer's disease patients often utilize a variety of services such as adult day programs, meal and transportation services, and memory care centers. Yet, CMS has not produced clear guidance for state Medicaid programs and Medicare Advantage plans on what measures are meaningful for Alzheimer's disease patients' health outcomes and quality of care. Similarly, new quality measures for Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) organizations could allow patients and their caregivers to make more informed decisions. In a February 2020 report, the National Quality Forum's Measure Application Partnership encouraged CMS to prioritize measure development for this patient population. We urge HHS and CMS to review existing quality reporting programs and other payment systems in which quality reporting is lacking within the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Moreover, we urge HHS to establish a plan to implement specific quality care indicators for services heavily utilized by Alzheimer's disease patients.Issue Guidance for Comprehensive Care Practices: In 2019, the NAPA Advisory Council recommended that HHS form a working group to determine best care practices for Alzheimer's disease patients. We urge HHS to quickly implement this recommendation, and once identified, work with the relevant agencies to issue guidance to health plans and providers detailing these practices.Increase Coordination of Care Planning: CMS is reviewing comments from stakeholders regarding wider adoption of interoperable health information technology (IT) systems across long-term care settings. Inclusion of items, such as a patient's care plan, could enhance care coordination of health and social services that support cognitively impaired individuals. We recommend that CMS continue to work with providers, patients, and their caregivers to facilitate mobility of this information across care settings. Encouragement from CMS of documenting in a patient's medical record the name of a family member or caregiver, as well as any advance directives, could also improve care coordination.Review Patient Access to Palliative Care: Palliative care encompasses a set of services that provide medical, social, emotional, and practical support for people living with serious illness. Several of our stakeholders expressed their support for expanding coverage and access to palliative care in federal health programs, including traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid. We encourage CMS to review current access to palliative care and report to Congress on areas such as provider prevalence, cost, and quality of care.Create a Nursing Home Staff Database: Nursing home medical directors play an important role in the coordination and quality of care for patients with Alzheimer's disease residing in long-term care facilities. We urge CMS to establish and operate a publicly available database for nursing home medical directors so that families and caregivers have a reliable source of contact. Such a database could be posted to the CMS website in a similar fashion to how CMS posts Medicare Part D contact information. LEVERAGE TELEHEALTH SERVICES Revise the Limit on Billable Telehealth Visits for Nursing Care Facilities: Currently, CMS allows just one telehealth visit every 30 days in nursing care facilities. Several of our stakeholders argue that this policy is arbitrary and limits access to care for patients living with Alzheimer's disease in institutional settings. CMS has attempted to address this concern by revising the limit to once every three days in its proposed physician fee schedule rule for calendar year 2021. CMS has also noted the potentially greater acuity and complexity of Medicare beneficiaries in nursing care facilities, as well as the importance of in-person care in that context. We find access to telehealth in this setting to be important to the care provided to Alzheimer's disease patients, and we support CMS efforts to expand telehealth access across settings where clinically appropriate and with adequate beneficiary protections in place. STRENGTHEN THE PACE PROGRAM FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE PATIENTS Implement Congressionally-Intended PACE Pilot Demonstrations: In 2015, the PACE Innovation Act (P.L. 114-85) authorized CMMI to test the PACE model for new populations with complex and special needs. Rather than test PACE-specific models, however, CMMI has requested PACE organizations (POs) apply to a separate Direct Contracting model focused on primary care. In a Senate Committee on Finance Report, the Committee stated the intent of the legislation was to test changes to the PACE model, either through an expansion of eligibility standards and/or changes to administrative requirements that would enable greater enrollment. Based on stakeholder information we have received, we believe the existing Direct Contracting model does not provide the flexibility necessary to test PACE-specific models. We request that CMMI follow the intent of the statute to create a PACE-specific model.Improve the PACE Application Process: By law, PACE-eligible individuals must reside in the service area of their applicable PACE program. Moreover, CMS only reviews service area expansion applications on a quarterly basis and POs are limited to one pending application under CMS review at a time. , Thus, we request that CMS review PACE service area expansion applications more frequently and allow POs to submit more than one service area expansion application at a time. Furthermore, CMS must prioritize timely review of service expansion applications and other updates to the program to ensure the federal government is not a barrier to access for individuals who may benefit from PACE enrollment. CONSOLIDATE RESOURCES FOR CAREGIVERS AND PATIENTS Establish a Centralized, Alzheimer's Disease-Specific Portal for Patient and Caregiver Resources: Patients living with Alzheimer's disease, along with their caregivers, must often navigate a series of complex decisions involving long-term care planning and the various institutional or community-based services available to them. Currently, HHS, its agencies, and state and local health departments maintain platforms with information about these issues for patients and caregivers. Our stakeholders believe that Alzheimer's disease patients and their caregivers could benefit from a more unified platform that streamlines all the information and resources available to them. We urge HHS to undertake a review of its current Alzheimer's disease-related resources and consolidate the relevant information for patients and caregivers into a single online resource portal. This can be done through expansion of an existing federal resource portal. Information that our stakeholders believe could be valuable in such a portal include the following:Resources for long-term care planning and clarification on the long-term care benefits, and eligibility for such benefits, under Medicare fee-for-service, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and other relevant federal health care programs;Descriptions of the types of long-term care facilities and care options available to Alzheimer's disease patients, including institutional settings and home- and community-based services;Resources for federal- and state-sponsored caregiver support and training programs;Information about clinical trial enrollment, including links to existing registries and support for patients currently enrolled in clinical trials;Educational resources about Alzheimer's disease and developments in the process toward a cure and treatment;Information on identifying and preventing elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation;Material on services and devices to improve patient safety, like GPS and web-based home monitoring services for Alzheimer's disease patients who suffer from wandering or navigational issues. INCREASE THE USE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF COGNITIVE SCREENS Address Research Gaps for Cognitive Screens: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has concluded that evidence regarding the effectiveness of cognitive impairment screening is insufficient to support a recommendation for its routine use. As a result, insurers are not required to cover this service and are also allowed to apply cost sharing if they do. Ensuring that appropriate wrap-around services are provided at the right time in a patient's diagnosis could reduce avoidable hospital and emergency department visits and as a result, potentially mitigate federal health care expenditures. , , Thus, it is imperative that research into the potential benefits of improved cognitive screens and other means by which providers diagnose Alzheimer's disease are prioritized by HHS so that a more robust body of literature surrounding their use can be established.Encourage Use of Evidence-Based Cognitive Assessment Tools: One objective of Medicare's annual wellness visit (AWV) is to detect cognitive impairment of an individual, a clear symptom of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. We ask that CMS recommend the use of an evidence-based cognitive assessment tool during AWVs rather than direct observation. Ensuring the results of such assessments be made available in the beneficiary's electronic health record (EHR) could also aid in care coordination.Encourage Use of the Health Risk Assessment (HRA) to Assess Cognitive Function: Given the relatively low uptake in the AWV, we ask that CMS encourage Medicare Advantage plans to use their HRAs to assess cognitive function and the potential long-term care needs of seniors. Plans are provided significant flexibility in what they include in the HRA. While some plans provide for a cognitive screening, not all plans do. These visits and assessments provide ample opportunity for the identification of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, which could lead to more timely coordination of care. FOSTER INNOVATION FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE THERAPIES AND DIAGNOSTICS Prioritize Alzheimer's Disease within the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Complex Innovative Trial Designs (CID) and Model-Informed Drug Development (MIDD) Programs: The FDA is currently operating two pilot programs, the CID and MIDD, which aim to increase the efficiency of the clinical trial process for innovative therapies and improve the likelihood of their success throughout the regulatory approval process. In particular, the CID provides opportunities for enhanced dialogue with FDA officials during the trial design process, and the MIDD provides sponsors the chance to collaborate with officials on precise risk-benefit models for the drug. , We urge HHS to consider the merit of incorporating more Alzheimer's disease therapeutic sponsors into these pilot programs.Accelerate Development of Diagnostics: We encourage the National Institutes of Health and NIA to establish a program akin to the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative for COVID-19 with the goal of bringing to market an affordable and non-invasive point-of-care diagnostic for Alzheimer's disease. If such an initiative would require legislation, we urge you to work with us on the development and passage of such a law. CLARIFY AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO CERTAIN SERVICES Review the 2014 Qualified Settings Rule for Home- and Community-Based Services: In 2014, CMS finalized a definition for home- and community-based settings. Stakeholders expressed concern that parts of the rule intended to promote community integration or strengthen facility security are not appropriate for cognitively impaired individuals. One stakeholder expressed concern that the requirement of locks on doors to strengthen privacy can pose a threat to patients with dementia. We urge CMS to review the regulation and issue guidance or best practices to states about how settings that provide services to individuals with Alzheimer's disease can best meet the requirements in the regulation. This can either be achieved through setting-specific policies and practices or through modifications to person-centered service plans.Evaluate and Expand Access to CPT Code 99483: CPT code 99483 reimburses providers for undertaking functional assessments and care planning services for individuals living with cognitive impairment. Unfortunately, the most recent utilization data suggests that only a small fraction of eligible seniors are receiving the benefit. We encourage CMS to conduct education and outreach to increase awareness of and access to the code. Additionally, some stakeholders assert that the documentation requirements for the code's billing are too complex and prone to deficiencies for some providers. We encourage CMS to review the billing requirements for CPT Code 99483 to ensure such requirements are not uniquely onerous. Billing requirements should also require proper documentation in the patient's medical record or EHR. We thank you for your continued engagement on one of the most pressing health care issues of our time addressing the scourge of Alzheimer's disease. As we continue our efforts to support the Alzheimer's disease community, we ask that you transmit any legislative recommendations that the Administration may have in the aforementioned areas of care coordination, long-term care accessibility, and the development of a treatment and/or cure for Alzheimer's disease. We look forward to your response and a commitment to improve care delivery for this patient population.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.toomey.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/toomey-statement-on-barr-resignation,Toomey Statement on Barr Resignation,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Patrick Toomey,T000461,www.toomey.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement regarding Attorney General Bill Barr's decision to step down in the coming days: Attorney General Bill Barr has served the American people and the Department of Justice with distinction under two separate administrations Presidents Donald Trump and George H.W. Bush. Unfazed by political pressure from either side of the aisle, Attorney General Barr proved time and again that he understood his ultimate obligations were to serve as the nation's top law enforcement officer and to uphold the Constitution. I particularly appreciated Attorney General Barr's work to end sanctuary city policies, keep guns away from felons and the dangerously mentally ill, and support law enforcement officers. I wish Attorney General Barr well in any future endeavors.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dean.house.gov/2020/12/rep-dean-appointed-serve-house-democratic-steering-and-policy-committee,Rep. Dean Elected as Regional Whip and Appointed to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Madeleine Dean,D000631,dean.house.gov,dean,https://dean.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Rep. Dean is elected as Regional Whip, and appointed to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. The Democratic Steering and Policy Committee is chaired by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, co-chaired by Reps. Cheri Bustos, Eric Swalwell, and Barbara Lee. The committee helps provide guidance on the caucuses, legislative policies and agenda, and provides recommendations for committee appointments. The regional whip will be responsible for assisting the Whip in maintaining a united caucus during crucial votes. Rep. Dean’s region will include Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. ""I am grateful for this new opportunity and eager to work alongside mentors and colleagues on policy that looks forward, while keeping the caucus unified,"" Rep. Dean said. ""I will look forward to working each day, for the people and generating real, important change."" Rep. Dean is eager to help lift up her caucus while making positive change in our nation. Both of these leadership roles will give her the opportunity to work alongside colleagues to advance legislative priorities while maintaining a united caucus. Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://dean.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-dean-appointed-serve-house-democratic-steering-and-policy-committee,Rep. Dean Elected as Regional Whip and Appointed to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Madeleine Dean,D000631,dean.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Rep. Dean is elected as Regional Whip, and appointed to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. The Democratic Steering and Policy Committee is chaired by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, co-chaired by Reps. Cheri Bustos, Eric Swalwell, and Barbara Lee. The committee helps provide guidance on the caucuses, legislative policies and agenda, and provides recommendations for committee appointments. The regional whip will be responsible for assisting the Whip in maintaining a united caucus during crucial votes. Rep. Dean's region will include Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. ""I am grateful for this new opportunity and eager to work alongside mentors and colleagues on policy that looks forward, while keeping the caucus unified,"" Rep. Dean said. ""I will look forward to working each day, for the people and generating real, important change."" Rep. Dean is eager to help lift up her caucus while making positive change in our nation. Both of these leadership roles will give her the opportunity to work alongside colleagues to advance legislative priorities while maintaining a united caucus. Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dean.house.gov/press-releases?ID=D1784827-1928-464F-974B-90784B42AB58,Rep. Dean Elected as Regional Whip and Appointed to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,PA,Madeleine Dean,D000631,dean.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – Rep. Dean is elected as Regional Whip, and appointed to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. The Democratic Steering and Policy Committee is chaired by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, co-chaired by Reps. Cheri Bustos, Eric Swalwell, and Barbara Lee. The committee helps provide guidance on the caucuses, legislative policies and agenda, and provides recommendations for committee appointments. The regional whip will be responsible for assisting the Whip in maintaining a united caucus during crucial votes. Rep. Dean’s region will include Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. ""I am grateful for this new opportunity and eager to work alongside mentors and colleagues on policy that looks forward, while keeping the caucus unified,"" Rep. Dean said. ""I will look forward to working each day, for the people and generating real, important change."" Rep. Dean is eager to help lift up her caucus while making positive change in our nation. Both of these leadership roles will give her the opportunity to work alongside colleagues to advance legislative priorities while maintaining a united caucus. Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-fred-keller-calls-immediate-small-business-relief,Congressman Fred Keller calls for immediate small business relief,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today on the steps of the Capitol, Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) joined Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, Whip Steve Scalise, Conference Chair Liz Cheney, and other House Republicans for a press conference on the need to immediately extend the Paycheck Protection Program and deliver much needed relief to America's small business, workers, and hardest hit industries. The Paycheck Protection Program expired 124 days ago, yet Speaker Pelosi has yet to take legislative action to reopen this highly effective program, which has served as a lifeline for thousands of small businesses nationwide. In Pennsylvania, more than 73,000 small businesses received PPP loans totaling over $20.7 billion in forgivable loans that helped them keep workers employed. In a video immediately after the press conference, Congressman Keller called on Speaker Pelosi to put partisan politics aside and join House Republicans' effort to reopen the Paycheck Protection Program and deliver the remaining $138 billion in relief to those who need it the most. Here a few excerpts from Congressman Keller's video: H.R. 8265 would provide relief to small businesses and the people who work for them. Speaker Pelosi has admitted that, for political purposes, she's held up relief negotiations, and she's done so more than 40 times. It's time to end the [political] games; it's time to get to work. Let's get this bill done, and let's get relief to the people who need it most.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-fred-keller-responds-gov-wolf-s-latest-shutdown-orders,Congressman Fred Keller responds to Gov. Wolfs latest shutdown orders,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. In response to Governor Tom Wolf's latest shutdown order announcement, Congressman Fred Keller (PA-12) made the following statement: Since the start of the pandemic, small businesses and workers across Pennsylvania have suffered due to Governor Wolf's chronic mismanagement and heavy-handed shutdown mandates. Now, two weeks before Christmas, the governor is once again taking unilateral action that will further devastate our economy and threaten the livelihoods of countless Pennsylvanians simply trying to earn a living. To put it plainly, shutdowns do not work. As with his previous order, the governor's latest shutdown will advantage big box stores, destroy countless small businesses and restaurants, and cause more harm than it solves. Today's announcement shows a stunning lack of confidence in the people of Pennsylvania who have been living and learning through this pandemic for nearly a year. Pennsylvanians are smart, hardworking people capable of following common-sense guidance from healthcare professionals. The last thing Pennsylvania needs are more mandates and a one-size-fits-all shutdown order.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://meuser.house.gov/media/press-releases/meuser-statement-amicus-brief-urging-supreme-court-review-election-proccesses,MEUSER STATEMENT ON AMICUS BRIEF URGING A SUPREME COURT REVIEW OF ELECTION PROCESSES,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,PA,Daniel Meuser,M001204,meuser.house.gov,,,legacy,"POTTSVILLE, PA. Today,Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-9)released the following statement after signing on to an amicus briefseeking further review of the constitutionality of various processes which occurred during the last election: ""There continue to be many unanswered questions related to the irregular actions taken in the past election across the Commonwealth. Why did Pennsylvania break statute and allow three-day late mail-in ballots to be counted? Why did the Pennsylvania Secretary of State order the curing of ballots 24 hours prior to election day, leading to inconsistent preparedness and effectiveness between counties? Why were verified signature requirements applied differently for in-person ballots versus mail-in ballots? ""Millions in Pennsylvania want to know why these actions were taken, were they legal, and will they occur in the next election? It is not arguable that there were inconsistencies in the last election. We can't have arbitrary and irregular actions taken and then think we have integrity in our election process they don't mix. We must have consistent rules, laws and requirements for what constitutes a legal vote. Free and fair elections are not a partisan or political issue. They are important for Republicans, Democrats and for all. The legitimacy of our institutions of government depends upon the trust our people have in our election system. ""The amicus brief merely states our belief that the broad scope of the various allegations and irregularities in the subject states merits careful, timely review by the Supreme Court. There will be a smooth transition of power to the next administration, whatever the outcome of the court's decision. The people need to believe in the integrity of the election and there won't be full confidence in our system until these questions are answered. It's as important for the people to believe in democracy as it is for democracy itself. I will continue to work to assure we have an honest, lawful and fair vote count, now, and in the future."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z