Recent News
E-news Updates – July 3, 2025
In this Update: Progress on the 2025-26 State Budget Senate Acts to Prevent Student-Athlete Tragedies Legislation Cracking Down on New Car Theft Tactic Approved by Senate New Law Targeting Organized Retail Theft Results in Arrests Fireworks Safety Tips Happy Independence Day Progress on the 2025-26 State Budget Standing up for families and taxpayers remains our […] [Read More]
PA Senate Leaders Issue Statement on State Budget Progress
Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-39), Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41) and Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Scott Martin (R-13) issued the following statement today on the current status of the 2025-26 state budget. [Read More]
E-news Updates – June 28, 2025
In this Update: Lifesaving Bill to Eliminate Cost Barriers to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Approved by Senate State Budget Interviews Senate Targets PA Opioid Crisis with Expanded Reporting Tool Measure to Prevent Eminent Domain Abuse Approved by Senate School Bus Safety Grant Program Applications Accepted Celebrating Great Outdoors Month Lifesaving Bill to Eliminate Cost Barriers to […] [Read More]
E-news Updates – June 21, 2025
In this Update: State Budget Update Indiana Wins State Championship! Senate Votes to Combat Overregulation Bill Targeting Rise of Deepfake Scams Approved by Senate PA Now Has Concealed Carry Reciprocity with Virginia Funding Available for Community Groups Providing Veteran Suicide Prevention Services Celebrating National Dairy Month in June State Budget Update We are actively engaged […] [Read More]
Connect With Us
๐๏ธ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๏ธ
Thank you to Todd Marino from Indiana in the Morning- NewsTalk WCCS FM 101.1 and AM 1160 for inviting me to call-in from Harrisburg on Wednesday morning to discuss the status of the 2025-2026 state budget.
PA Senate Republicans continue to stand up for #Pennsylvania taxpayers and #families as we work to reach a responsible budget agreement and keep our state in a strong fiscal position.
๐๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ง ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
With broad bipartisan support, the #pasenate approved legislation to strengthen Pennsylvaniaโs no-cost #breastcancer screening law by ensuring diagnostic imaging is fully covered, removing financial barriers for patients. Thank you to @senatorkimlward and Senator Frank Farry for championing this legislation.
Senate Bill 88 builds on the success of Act 1 of 2023, which provided no-cost preventive screenings for those at high risk. The new measure ensures individuals who receive abnormal results from supplemental screenings โ such as MRIs or ultrasounds, already covered under Act 1 โ can now access necessary follow-up diagnostic imaging at no cost. The bill also broadens eligibility beyond high-risk patients to include those at average risk, bringing #pennsylvaniaโs law in line with guidance from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.
While 26 other states have followed Pennsylvaniaโs lead in offering no-cost supplemental breast screening since the passage of Act 1, Pennsylvania remains the only state without guaranteed coverage for diagnostic imaging.
Senate Bill 88 closes this gap, ensuring patients can access the full continuum of care without financial burden.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ ๐บ
On Tuesday morning I sat down with Pennsylvania Cable Network to disucss the 2025-26 state #budget and key issues surrounding it.
#Pennsylvania is facing a multi-billion-dollar structural deficit. If we donโt figure out how to start right sizing our expenditures to match our revenues, we are going to have a fiscal calamity in a few short years.
๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐
๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐-๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ญ
Pennsylvanians deserve an honest accounting of the stateโs financial position and a clear picture of what the governorโs spending plans would mean for hardworking #families throughout the Commonwealth. Gov. Shapiroโs budget proposal this year totals nearly $51.5 billion โ an increase of $3.6 billion from the current yearโs budget โ and does not include a realistic path to close the stateโs multi-billion-dollar structural deficit.
We continue to engage in substantive work to reach consensus on a fiscally responsible 2025-26 state budget. Our @pasenategop vision for #pennsylvania remains focused on pro-growth initiatives that respect #taxpayers and their hard-earned money.
๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐
We are actively engaged in our work to complete a fiscally responsible 2025-26 state budget, but in this current fiscal year #Pennsylvania is faced with a $3 billion structural deficit. I am encouraged that all parties understand we have a structural deficit and know we must figure out a way to deal with it.
The functional reality is that once an agreement on a budget framework is reached, there is a substantial amount of time needed for all pieces to be implemented. Given there is not yet an agreed-to framework, there is not enough time to have a budget in place by June 30th. Our work on the #budget continues and there is an opportunity in the several days and weeks after June 30th to put a product together without any discernable impact.
Senate Republicans are focused on completing a budget that respects #taxpayers and addresses the needs of organizations and individuals who rely on state resources and services.
๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ โพ๐๐
Congratulations to Indiana on the incredible PIAA Class 4A #baseball championship win! Our community is so proud of your determination and drive throughout the season! #indianaproud @indianaareasd
Making sure working families have access to good, family sustaining jobs is key to helping our commonwealth grow and thrive.
Maximum wage jobs continue to be our focus and is why we value permitting reform and other efforts, such as stopping the RGGI Electricity Tax.
Implementing policies which help to create more maximum wage jobs will help to grow our economy.
๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฒ
I was honored to be invited to take part in an ecumenical prayer service to kickoff Leechburg Boroughโs weeklong 175th Anniversary celebration.
Leechburg was founded in 1850 by David Leech. Mr. Leech built one of two canals which connected the Harrisburg area with Pittsburgh and transformed the area into a small industrial center. Throughout its rich history, the Borough has been blessed with dedicated civic leaders who have helped it to grow and flourish.
My thanks to Mayor Doreen Smeal and a team of volunteers who worked hard to put together numerous events & activities for all ages throughout the week. Best wishes for another 175 years!
