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Harrisburg, PA – To help make the public aware of COVID-19 preparedness and procedures, the Wolf Administration has created a library of free outreach materials for businesses, organizations, and anyone interested in displaying important messaging on COVID-19.
The materials are available at PAcast.
“The goal is for everyone to have access to and be encouraged to share the information important to stopping the spread of COVID-19,” Gov. Wolf said. “Please help us share awareness while using caution and protecting yourself.”
Posters are available in multiple sizes and every Pennsylvanian is encouraged to make them accessible to their community of friends, community or religious group members, and business associates to print and post. The administration also expects the posters to be available in newspapers across the state for residents to tear out and post throughout their communities.
Properly sized graphics are available at PAcast for social media. Gov. Wolf also encourages everyone to make use of COVID-19 social media content on the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
The most up-to-date information, including video graphics, footage of all of the governor’s press conferences and b-roll, is also available at 08PAcast. Additional materials will be added to the library as they become available and as the situation evolves.
MEDIA CONTACT: Lyndsay Kensinger, 717-783-1116
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Late last week, the House passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201). The final bill was extensively negotiated between House Democrats and the White House. The bill is now with the Senate for passage early next week. This is the second funding package in the federal response to COVID-19.
The bill proposes:
Increased Federal Funding
Sick Leave
Testing, Treatment, and Other Medical Provisions
Telehealth
Nutrition Assistance
We will continue to share information with our members as we become aware.
Text of March 13 press release.
HARRISBURG – The House is preparing to return for a historic session week on Monday, March 16. As a result of the Capitol complex being closed to visitors, several committee meetings, hearings and informational sessions have been postponed. Floor proceedings will go on as scheduled with an effort to work as expeditiously as possible to address key issues related to COVID-19. The session schedule could be shortened if legislation to address the virus is agreed upon. There will be no guests in the House chamber or in the gallery.
Legislation to be considered by the House is still being determined as leaders from the House, Senate and the Wolf administration collaborate on the best legislative course of action to assist in the continuing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. Discussions are on-going and planned through the weekend to address possible funding, access to health care services, insurance and workplace protection reforms and the scope of a health emergency declaration.
The swearing-in ceremony for Roni Green, recently elected to represent the 190th Legislative District, will proceed as scheduled.
The public is encouraged to follow live web streams of House session and the majority of committee meetings at PAHouseGOP.com. Up to the minute changes to committee meetings and schedules is available at www.legis.state.pa.us. Important information and events may also be viewed by visiting Facebook.com/PAHouseGOP.
FINANCE DEMOCRATS DENOUNCE TRUMP ADMIN FOR HARMFUL MEDICAID BLOCK GRANT PROPOSALS
Washington, D.C. – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and all Democratic members of the Finance Committee today called on the Trump administration to end its harmful attacks on the Medicaid program, which provides essential health care to more than 70 million Americans. The letter comes ahead of the committee’s hearing on the president’s budget.
“This Administration in coordination with your Department has taken every opportunity to try to gut Medicaid and put critical health coverage for millions of vulnerable Americans on the chopping block,” the senators wrote. “It is time for the Trump Administration’s ongoing assault on the Medicaid program to end. The public has spoken loud and clear – Medicaid serves as a lifeline to millions of Americans and their loved ones, and they do not want to see it block granted, capped, or gutted.”
Last month, the Trump administration announced new guidance for the Medicaid program that would hand states a playbook to implement block grants. In return for placing arbitrary funding caps on its Medicaid program, the state would get unprecedented authority to cut benefits and access to care, including prescription drugs, and further restrict coverage by charging unaffordable premiums and cost sharing, and implementing arbitrary paperwork requirements. This week, the Trump administration followed up to their illegal guidance with a budget that proposes to gut Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion, block grant and cap the program, and push their failed paperwork requirements on all states.
Such policies would lead to devastating cuts to Medicaid, jeopardizing affordable, comprehensive care for millions of Americans benefiting from the Medicaid expansion and endangering health care for millions more, including seniors and individuals with disabilities who rely on Medicaid for nursing and home-based care, children and individuals with complex needs who depend on Medicaid to get the help they deserve to stay and thrive in their communities and at school, those suffering from opioid use disorders who count on Medicaid to get the treatment they so desperately need, and individuals impacted by public health emergencies in need of critical care.
The full letter can be found here.
Joining Ranking Member Wyden on the letter are Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Maria Cantwell, D-Wa., Bob Menendez, D-N.J., Tom Carper. D-Del., Ben Cardin, D-Md., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Bob Casey, D-Pa., Mark Warner, D-Va., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Catherine Cortez-Masto, D-Nev.
The US Constitution requires a census of all residents in the entire country every 10 years. The census counts every person living in the US once (and only once) in the right place. You are counted based on where you are living on April 1, 2020. Please encourage individuals that you serve to participate.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL TO PARTICIPATE:
Fair representation & legislative redistricting
The Census determines:
$675+ billion in federal public funding
The Census determines how much funding each state receives for the next 10 years.
Pennsylvania receives $26.8 billion each year
That’s $2,000 per Pennsylvanian
The data collected in the 2020 Census will impact the amount of federal funding our communities get for the next decade for programs like…
2020 Census will determine how much food support children, adults, and seniors receive…
2020 Census will determine how much we invest in the future of our children…
2020 Census will determine how much PA’s highways, railways, airports, and ports receive…
2020 Census will determine how much safe affordable housing will be available…
2020 Census determines how much funding rural areas receive for services and infrastructure…
2020 Census determines how much support our children and families receive…
Your census responses can never be used against you. Under Title 13 of the US Code, the US Census Bureau cannot release any information about an individual. Your answers can only be used to produce statistics.
Census employees and contractors are sworn for life to always protect your information. Violators face fines up to $250,000 and up to five years in prison.
Your information is protected from cyber-attacks, threats, and leaks. The bureau’s cybersecurity meets the highest federal standards for system protection. Your information is protected no matter if you respond online, by phone, or by mail.
If you respond online, make sure the website address begins with HTTPS and includes a lock symbol.
Census workers will never ask for your SSN, banking information, money, or anything on behalf of a political party.
Real census workers carry identification. They will have an official ID badge with photo, a US Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. You can call 800-923-8282 to verify a worker’s identity.
Report suspicious activity. Call your local police department if you receive a visitor falsely claiming to be representing the US Census Bureau.
April 1, 2020 is National Census Day
Join in community outreach. Learn more and download resources at the official website.
Posted on Feb 12, 2020
Scarnati will retire from the Senate at the end of his term later this year
(HARRISBURG) – Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25) today announced his retirement from the Pennsylvania Senate at the end of his 5th term in office. Senator Scarnati represents the 25th Senatorial District, which includes Cameron, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter and Tioga Counties and portions of Clearfield County.
“Today I am announcing that I will not be seeking a 6th term as Senator for the 25th Senatorial District. At the end of this year, I will have served the people of the 25th Senatorial District for 20 years. With the support of my Senate colleagues, I have spent the last 14 of those years in the position of President Pro Tempore and served as Pennsylvania’s 31st Lieutenant Governor from 2008 to 2011. I have worked with five Governors and throughout this time I am proud to have been a leading advocate for rural Pennsylvania values.
“While I am greatly humbled by those who have once again supported my petition to have my name on the ballot, after many conversations with family and close supporters I have made a personal, and not political, decision that I will not be filing my petitions. My concern with leaving office has always been in large part wanting to ensure the 25th Senatorial District is well represented after my departure from the Senate.
“I came to Harrisburg in 2001 as the first Senator elected as an independent. I was disappointed by the choices that our sitting Senator at the time had made, and could not support his candidacy. My independent streak never ended there in my tenure. I have always believed that both sides of the aisle must work together on behalf of our constituents and compromise on issues without compromising on our values. At the same time, I have always sought to protect working families and their hard earned tax dollars. Since the days of Governor Ed Rendell’s Administration, I have actively blocked the massive proposed tax hikes on workers and businesses as proposed by his Administration and others who have followed.
“I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished for the Commonwealth during my time in the Senate. We have overseen the largest Republican majority since Eisenhower was president (34-16). We have protected the unborn by supporting a strong pro-life agenda. We have fought to safeguard our 2nd Amendment rights that the liberal left continues to attack. In 2012, we passed a landmark Marcellus Shale Impact Fee bill to ensure responsible drilling and investments in our local communities. We have prioritized job growth and creation across Pennsylvania. We have fought for historic levels of school safety funding – and will continue that fight.
“I thank my family for their unwavering support over the last two decades. Serving in public office is not something that you do alone. I am looking forward to traveling and spending more time with my wife Amy, our children and grandchild. I also look forward to helping my parents who are both in their 80’s.
“Throughout my time in office, I am grateful to have been surrounded by friends and fellow senators whom I respect. My success has been largely in part because of serving with incredible colleagues and working with a team of talented individuals who are not my staff, but my co-workers. It takes a strong team to serve constituents and to oversee operations of the Senate.
“I sincerely thank my constituents for the honor of representing them. While the announcement of my future departure comes today, I will still be actively engaged in serving my district and the Senate for the next nine months. I also look forward to continuing to lead the effort this year to maintain our Senate Republican Majority. Following my departure from the Senate, I will be taking a more active role in my business and evaluating other opportunities.”
Questions, please contact Jack Phillips.