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In this Update:
Happy Independence Day: Praising God for America’s Founders
As we gather together with family, friends and neighbors this Independence Day, I wish you and your loved ones a safe, happy and blessed Fourth of July weekend. This year’s celebration is especially meaningful as we mark America’s 250th birthday. On July 4, 1776, delegates gathered in Philadelphia to adopt the Declaration of Independence, forever changing the course of history and establishing the principles of liberty and self-government that continue to guide our nation today. As we now stand at the precipice of the 250th anniversary of the Independence of the United States, there are those seeking to destroy America from within by withholding the Truth of our nation’s founding from our students and the public in general. As Pennsylvanians, we have the unique privilege of celebrating this historic milestone in the very Keystone State where our nation’s story of Independence began. Far more than a time for cookouts, fireworks and other community gatherings, Independence Day weekend presents the perfect opportunity to reflect on how strongly God, and the Holy Bible have divinely influenced and inspired America’s Founders to produce the greatest written framework of government (Constitutional Republic) ever conceived by man. Praise God for guiding those who set the stage for the grandest country the Free World has ever seen and may He continue to Bless the United States of America! Important Notice – My offices will be closed for in-person services on Friday, July 3. Virtual services will continue to be accessible via my website. PA Official Fossil, Private Property Protection Bills Released from Conklin Committee Gridlock
Congratulations are definitely in order for the extremely dedicated Bucktail Area High School students who kept up the pressure to successfully rescue both my legislation to officially change Pennsylvania’s state fossil to the Hynerpeton Bassetti and their official mascot Harry the Hynerpeton from partisan committee gridlock. Although the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously advanced this legislation by a landslide vote of 49-0 on Nov. 18, Senate Bill 829 was not advanced by the House State Government Committee—which has primary jurisdiction over this type of legislation—but was unusually re-referred to the House Commerce Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Scott Conklin (D-Centre). Unfortunately, this mysterious committee swapping scenario was also impeding the progress of legislation I specifically sponsored to help protect private family farmland from being forcibly confiscated by the state as part of PennDot’s Route 322 Connector project. Fully supported by the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Senate Bill 225 was passed by the Senate in June 2025, with approval from every member, republican and democrat, to financially protect business and farm owners whose properties are seized through eminent domain and the corresponding loss of goodwill. Thanks to everyone who has effectively advocated for this legislation that would make it much harder and more expensive for the government or government agencies to confiscate private land. On June 30, both Senate Bill 225 and Senate Bill 829 were unanimously advanced to the full PA House, for hopefully prompt and affirmative consideration. PA Senate Delivers Historic Tax Cuts, Putting PA Families First
Make no mistake, Josh Shapiro is the real reason your electric bill keeps rising. Pennsylvania families are paying more for electricity—and a major part of the reason is we’re helping foot the bill for green energy policies in surrounding states. Pennsylvania produces reliable energy. But thanks to Gov. Shapiro’s regional price cap, we’re now sharing costs with states that have shut down power plants and restricted energy production. The result? Pennsylvania families pay higher energy bills while states like Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey get relief. Click here to read more about why energy costs remain high for Pennsylvanians. On June 25, I had the opportunity to vote to eliminate the more than $1.7 billion Gross Receipts Tax on electricity for citizens, townships, boroughs, cities, counties, non-profit organizations and even on the Commonwealth’s assets that increase the taxes you are forced to pay. Passed with a strong bipartisan margin of 44-6, the measure would also eliminate the tax exemption for large data center corporations—saving taxpayers more than $125 million. It’s imperative we do all we can now to make life more affordable for Pennsylvania’s families. Returning to the House for concurrence, House Bill 1667 is the first step to significantly improve affordability for the necessities of The People of Pennsylvania—returning nearly $2 billion to taxpayers’ pockets. Fairness in Women’s Sports
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states can take action to protect fairness in women’s sports, specifically holding that states “may maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females.” Here in Pennsylvania, we’ve already taken big steps in this direction. The Senate has passed both Senate Bill 9 and Senate Bill 1293 to protect female athletes by requiring public schools and colleges to label sports teams as male, female, or coed. Both bills state that only biological females can join teams designated for women, and the bills would allow students to take legal action if they are harmed by violations of this rule. Given the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, it’s certainly time for the PA House of Representatives to allow a vote on this important legislation. Staying Cool When the Weather Turns Hot
Summer heat waves can be merely uncomfortable or worse depending on how we react. Drink plenty of water, limit time outside and cool off with AC. Call 211 or visit here for a list of cooling centers by county. And check on older family and neighbors. Never leave kids or pets in a vehicle. Most vehicle heatstroke deaths involving children are a result of a parent or caregiver forgetting a child in a car. Check the back seat before walking away from your car. Read more about preventing hot car deaths. The PA Public Utility Commission offers these tips on staying cool and cutting energy costs:
I hope you stay safe and cool and have a fantastic summer. Working to Finalize the State Budget
Good progress is being made as we work on finalizing the state budget for fiscal year 2026-27. This week, we received needed clarity on a number of issues which were delaying the budget’s completion. We’re now well on our way to reaching a full budget agreement in the coming days. In a divided government, all parties must work together to find common ground, and I’m confident that agreement can be reached and a responsible new state budget enacted soon. My focus remains on controlling the growth of state spending and implementing pro-growth policies to protect taxpayers. |
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