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In this update:

• Urging Further Action Against Putin
• March Report: Pottsville CollegeTowne Will Boost Revitalization
• A Prayer for Peace
• Philadelphia Homicides and RGGI: Senate Continues Review of Governor Wolf’s Budget
• Additional 100,000 Older Adults Eligible for Prescription Assistance

Urging Further Action Against Putin

Vladimir Putin is a war criminal, it’s time for Congress to officially declare him one.

The nation and the world are watching in horror and disgust as Vladimir Putin has disrupted decades of European peace in order to pursue an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. In order to combat the actions of this tyrant, I have introduced a bipartisan resolution urging the United States Congress to take further action against the Russian Government.

This resolution will ask Congress to:

1. Designate the Russian government as a state-sponsor of terrorism;
2. Designate President Putin as a war criminal;
3. Enforce the Magnitsky Act by sanctioning Russian leaders who have violated human rights;
4. Block all assets and all transactions of Russian banking institutions;
5. Place an embargo on Russian oil, gas, and coal;
6. Increase NATO reinforcements to all Baltic nations, especially our key ally Lithuania, and Poland;
7. Provide humanitarian assistance to displaced Ukrainians;
8. Recognize The Holodomor (The Great Famine of 1932-1933) as genocide;
9. Ban Russian propaganda accounts from social media; and
10. Ban all air travel over Russia.

We’re seeing Republicans and Democrats come together on this issue not only in Harrisburg, but in Washington DC. We must stand with our allies across the world in forcing Putin to back down from his aggression and punish those responsible for this unprovoked invasion.

Visit this link to watch an interview I did with WFMZ on my resolution.

March Report: Pottsville CollegeTowne Will Boost Revitalization

The March edition of my local TV program focuses on Alvernia University’s newest CollegeTowne campus in downtown Pottsville.

If you want to see what community revitalization looks like, just look at Pottsville. This city is enjoying several new restaurants and businesses, including two new microbreweries and a new parking garage. We have seen the progress that Alvernia College’s new campus has had in breathing life into downtown Reading – now we have the same model for Pottsville.

This edition features a recent press conference where university, local, state, and federal officials celebrated a $3 million state grant to turn a vacant building in downtown Pottsville into Alvernia University’s newest CollegeTowne. Once completed, the new campus will feature high tech classrooms for 13 bachelor and 5 graduate degree programs. An anatomy science lab will also be constructed in order to support the university’s health care and nursing programs.

This edition will air on:

• Blue Ridge Communications (Channel 13) every Monday at 10 a.m. and every Wednesday at 10:30 p.m.
• Berks Community Television (Comcast – Channel 15 and Service Electric – Channel 19) on Thursday at 10 p.m. and Friday at 8 p.m.
• Service Electric Cablevision:  Hazleton, Mahanoy City; Shenandoah – on Hazleton’s WYLN TV 35 Channel 507 and MetroCast Communications Channel 10.  Please check local listings for air times.

My show is also available on my website.

A Prayer for Peace

In light of the recent events in Ukraine, I found this prayer by Rabbi Baruch “BB” Melman, who served as the guest chaplain during Senate session earlier this year, especially meaningful.  Watch it above. 

Philadelphia Homicides and RGGI: Senate Continues Review of Governor Wolf’s Budget

The Senate Appropriations Committee continued public hearings this week on the proposed 2022-23 state budget.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro faced questions about Philadelphia’s skyrocketing homicide rate, and what more can be done to address this tragedy.  Committee members also discussed concerns with state government’s cyber security infrastructure. Last year, a data breach involving a Department of Health contractor exposed tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians’ personal information to hackers. 

Secretary McDonnel of the Department of Environmental Protection was asked about how he was ensuring the voices of those harmed by the Governor’s plan to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative were heard.

At the hearing for the Department of Community and Economic Development, members stressed the need to improve Pennsylvania’s economic standing, noting that the current Corporate Net Income Tax rate has prevented many businesses from relocating and investing in Pennsylvania.

Learn more about these hearing here.

Additional 100,000 Older Adults Eligible for Prescription Assistance

Legislation approved by the General Assembly in December expanding income eligibility limits for the Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly Needs Enhancement Tier (PACENET) program is now in effect.

The new law allows an additional 100,000 older adults to now become eligible to sign up for the program with enrollment beginning this month. The law expands the PACENET income limits by $6,000:

• Singles: from $27,500 to $33,500
• Married: from $35,500 to $41,500

The PACENET and PACE programs are funded with revenue from the Pennsylvania Lottery and provide comprehensive reimbursement coverage for prescription medications to qualified older Pennsylvanians.

The program serves older Pennsylvanians 65 years of age and older, many of whom require multiple medications for chronic conditions.

You can read more about PACE/PACENET, the latest expansion and the application process here.

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