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| The Barb Wire |
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The latest news from the State Capitol |
Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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House Session Update
Fifty percent of the session time this past week was spent on resolutions, such as one naming October Homemade Sauerkraut Month. This past Monday, I had three voting meetings and one hearing on bills packed into a three-hour time period. Some of those bills from meetings are now on the agenda for next week. One bit of good news is that House Bill 2393 and House Bill 2594 related to food processing residuals are on the docket for a House vote for next Tuesday. I am not hopeful this will make it through the Senate process, if voted out of the House, before the election, but we will see. A few last-minute voting meetings have been added to the voting schedule, but again, most seem to be introduced to help members in their re-election campaigns rather than having true substance for state affairs.
You can watch House session live at PAHouseGOP.com.
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Continue to Fight for the Protection of Women in Sports
I want to thank America First Policy Institute, Riley Gaines and Frank Murphy, with America Athletes Coalition, for visiting the state Capitol this week to meet with legislators to discuss protecting women and girls in sports. They inspire us to stay vigilant in our efforts. Pictured are Reps. Dawn Keefer, Martina White and I, who authored House Bill 216 in Pennsylvania to protect women in sports.
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Questions About PA’s Automatic Voter Registration
More than five dozen members of the House Republican Caucus sent a letter to Gov. Josh Shapiro calling on him to address concerns with the state’s automatic voter registration program raised in a recent court decision.
The program automatically takes residents, who are obtaining new or renewed driver licenses and ID cards and are eligible to vote, through the voter registration application process unless they choose to opt out of doing so. Previously, residents were first asked if they wanted to register to vote and then were directed to the voter registration application.
Earlier this month, the state Supreme Court issued a ruling involving a contested ballot in a Luzerne County primary election. The voter who cast the contested ballot had testified before a lower court that he believed changing his vehicle registration address — not his driver’s license — had triggered a change in his voter registration address. The majority of the court ruled PennDOT lacks the authority to make such a change outside the scope of a state driver’s license or identification card update.
Auditor General Tim DeFoor also announced recently he would conduct an audit of the automatic voter registration program, saying sufficient data is now available to assess the program which was launched one year ago by the governor.
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Tragedy of Human Trafficking Discussed at Policy Hearing
Recognizing human trafficking as one of the fastest-growing crimes in the nation, the House Republican Policy Committee convened a hearing in Tioga County last week to raise awareness of the crime, dispel misconceptions about it, and discuss ways the Commonwealth can improve policies to combat it.
The hearing, titled “Uncovering Human Trafficking,” featured testimony from Korrin Moon, founder, Lantern Rescue; Scott Henry, president, Northern Tier Law Enforcement Instructors Group; Joseph C. Peters, district attorney, Wyoming County; and Heather Castellino, chief deputy attorney general, and Gabriel Fabian, special agent, both of the human trafficking section, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
To watch the hearing, click here.
To report suspected human trafficking to federal law enforcement, call 1-866-347-2423. To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).
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Anti-Energy Policies Stir Concern for PA’s Energy Future
Citing concerns about the future of the state’s energy industry, the House Republican Policy Committee held a hearing in Westmoreland County recently to discuss the impact of anti-energy policies. These are policies that threaten to eliminate thousands of jobs, leave families without sustainable incomes and push the energy grid to the brink of failure.
The hearing, titled “Opportunity Lost: Bureaucracy’s Battle Against Fracking,” focused on the bureaucratic hurdles Pennsylvania companies face and the urgent need to defend energy independence and protect the livelihoods of hard-working Pennsylvanians. It featured testimony from Michael Hillenbrand, CEO and president, Huntley and Huntley; Amy McChesney, owner, McChesney Farms; Randy M. Roadman, government relations director, General Carbide Corporation; and Jeff Nobers, executive director, Pittsburgh Works Together.
Click here to watch the complete hearing.
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Fire, EMS Grant Applications Due Soon
All fire companies, emergency medical service providers and volunteer rescue squads may now apply for the latest round of grants through the Office of the State Fire Commissioner. Projects for which grants may be used include facilities, equipment, debt reduction, training, education, recruitment and retention.
The deadline to apply is Sunday, Oct. 20. For more information, please visit osfc.pa.gov.
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Here I am with members of the Army Special Forces Association, which is installing a Mogadishu Memorial Monument at the Army Heritage and Education Center in the upcoming year. This is a wonderful tribute to the heroes who fought during that battle, including our own SFC Randall Shughart.
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PA fair queens were at the state Capitol this week. I was fortunate to spend a few moments with Cadence Brown, the 2024 Cumberland Ag Expo Queen.
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PennDOT Announces ‘Innovations Challenge’ for PA High School Students
Pennsylvania High school students are invited to participate in the eighth annual PennDOT Innovations Challenge, which encourages students in grades 9-12 to present their solutions to real-world transportation challenges in a statewide competition.
According to PennDOT, Pennsylvania averages more than 350 unrestrained fatalities on its roadways each year. For this year’s challenge, students will be asked to develop a cost-effective, innovative solution that can help PennDOT more effectively increase awareness of seat belt safety and change behavior to improve roadway safety.
Regional Innovations Challenge winners will be selected and invited to present their solutions to the PennDOT secretary and a panel of judges, who will determine the statewide winner. For this year’s challenge, four different organizations are providing a combined award of $6,000 to the statewide winning team. For complete details, click here. The submission deadline is Jan. 31.
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
To honor those who have fought breast cancer or who are fighting it now, the fountain at the Pennsylvania State Capitol’s East Wing has been dyed pink again this year in recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, second only to lung cancer.
The pink fountain is also a reminder to all women of the importance of mammograms and early detection. People with low to moderate income who are uninsured or underinsured and meet certain age requirements may qualify for testing through the Pennsylvania Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. To learn about the program and eligibility, click here.
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Please register by Friday, Oct. 11th
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Upcoming Events
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| Office Locations |
| District Office: 437 E North Street | Carlisle, PA 17013 | Phone: 717-249-1990 |
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| 427 Irvis Office Building | House Box 202199 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2199 | 717-772-2280 |
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