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Capitol Report
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#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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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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District Happenings
Be sure to check out my Facebook page for a recap of recent district events.
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PA Must Do More to Restore Integrity of Medicaid Program
As the annual state budget deadline nears, the House Republican Policy Committee held a hearing Monday to highlight growing issues in the Commonwealth’s Medicaid program. Currently, more than 1 million able-bodied adults without dependents are enrolled in the program, while more than 14,000 disabled individuals remain on a waiting list for services.
Testifiers from the Foundation for Government Accountability testified about how Pennsylvania’s ability to deliver effective assistance to its neediest residents is being hampered by a lack of work requirements or accountability for able-bodied adults without dependents, as well as outdated verification systems that fail to detect ineligible enrollees and growing costs that jeopardize the sustainability of core services.
Republican lawmakers signaled a commitment to advance solutions that promote efficiency, transparency and compassion through reform—ensuring that taxpayer dollars are responsibly managed and prioritized for the truly vulnerable. Video of the hearing is available here.
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Celebrate Flag Day
Over the weekend we commemorated the adoption of the United States flag. Since a 1916 proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson, this date has been marked as “Flag Day.” Congressional legislation designating that date as national Flag Day was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949.
From 13 stars to 50, the American flag has been a symbol of freedom and liberty throughout the world. To learn more about the history of the American flag, click here.
To learn more about how to treat the flag and how to display it, read the United States Flag Code here.
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House OKs Bill to Boost Public Safety
To support law enforcement agencies in their efforts to solve crimes and keep their communities safe, I recently voted in favor of legislation known as the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act.
The measure would provide grant funding to police departments to help hire additional investigators, submit evidence for forensic testing, upgrade management systems and take other steps to help make arrests for homicide and other violent crimes. It would require at least 10% of grants to go to rural departments.
The program is needed as advances in forensic science, data analysis and digital evidence tools are transforming how police solve crimes, but not all departments can afford the necessary tools to bring perpetrators to justice. House Bill 1511 goes to the Senate for consideration.
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PHEAA Hosts Scholarship Sweepstakes
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is giving away $2,500 no-essay scholarships through its PA Forward and Keystone Student Loan programs!
The scholarship sweepstakes is for college students, graduate students and their parents for the 2025-26 academic year who opt in to receive communications from PHEAA between June 5 and Dec. 15. The communications are designed to provide students and families with tips on planning and paying for college.
Twelve winners will be selected for each scholarship. Winners will be announced in August and December of this year.
The PA Forward scholarship is open to PA residents only. Click here to enter the PA Forward sweepstakes.
The Keystone scholarship is open to residents of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. Click here to enter the Keystone sweepstakes.
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Juneteenth National Freedom Day
This Thursday, June 19, is Juneteenth National Freedom Day. Considered the longest-running African American holiday, Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when union soldiers reached Galveston, Texas – the furthest point in the south – with news of the end of the Civil War, which had occurred two months earlier with the surrender of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Virginia.
The troops’ arrival also came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves and ending slavery in the United States. Learn more about the history of Juneteenth here.
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Driver License Centers Closed for Juneteenth
All PennDOT driver license and photo centers, including the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg, will be closed Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth National Freedom Day.
Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT's Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.pa.gov.
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An Ice Cream Lover’s Dream Getaway!
Looking for a way to sweeten your summer? Check out this year’s Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail to help find the best cool treats of the season.
A partnership of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s PA Preferred® program, the state’s Tourism Office and the Center for Dairy Excellence, the eighth annual ice cream trail will take visitors all across Pennsylvania to more dairy destinations than ever.
Participants can accumulate points by visiting trail stops and making purchases. Points accumulated from May 30 to Sept. 7 earn prizes through the trail’s digital passport. Prizes include a commemorative metal tumbler for six stops, and for 10 stops, an entry into a grand prize drawing to win an overnight getaway to Lancaster County to experience “life on the farm.”
Travelers on the Ice Cream Trail can plan their adventures, learn about participating creameries and sign up for the free digital passport at participating creameries and sign up for the free digital passport at visitpa.com/scooped.
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Upcoming District Events
My staff and I have a lot of events planned in the coming months. More details to follow, but here is a sneak peek:
August 9th – Damaged License Plate Event, Evergreen School
September 5th – Senior Expo, Dingman Fire Department
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