Dear Neighbors,

Despite the pouring rain and severe weather warnings, over two dozen neighbors joined us Tuesday night in East Falls for our Community Forum. We opened the meeting by passing around the microphone to each audience member to hear what was top of mind for folks.

Image: Community forum, I’m sitting on the left of the photo with Felicia Parker Cox from Congressman Evans office surrounded by neighbors.

Health care and food assistance in Washington were common concerns. The big (bad) budget just passed by Washington politicians will cut $600,000 from health care in PA starting in 2028. It cuts off food assistance to 140,000 people. And it adds $3.3 trillion to the national debt. This is all to give a large tax cut to multimillionaires and billionaires, not the rest of us.

Image: Graphic of money going around the world.

For an idea of how much $3.3 trillion is, if you were to stack $1 bills and wrap it around the equator, you would circle the entire earth. Nine times.

Yes, nine times.

The stories we heard were honest and powerful — about teachers not receiving enough support and students going hungry, the impact of Washington's cuts on grants for our community, and concerns about workers being unable to afford basic costs. These conversations don’t just matter; they guide the work I do in Harrisburg. Your voices continue to shape my priorities.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out, to Felicia Parker-Cox from Congressman Dwight Evans’ office for providing federal context, and to my staff for organizing such a great event! Look out for our next event in Chestnut Hill in the coming weeks; we hope to see you there!

And a special thank you to a friend and mentor, Congressman Dwight Evans, who unfortunately was held up in Washington and was unable to attend. Congressman Evans recently announced his retirement after 46 years of service, passing the torch to the next generation of leadership.

Image: With Congressman Evans at our community forum this spring. Credit – Tommy Tucker Chestnut Hill Local.

As I mentioned at the community forum, Congressman Evans message to me and other legislators is to “stay focused.” There are a lot of distracting issues that can take your eyes off the goal — stay focused on making things better for the community and getting things done. Thanks Dwight.

Support for AFSCME DC 33 💙💙

I believe in the power of unions to collectively bargain for the common good of workers. I was proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with AFSCME DC33 before they voted to strike, and to stand with them on the picket line daily for their 8+ day strike.

Image: With Rep. Keith Harris and union leadership in June 2025.

My district has around 65,000 constituents — and over 500 of them are members of DC 33. That is more than most Philly state reps. I spent many hours each day of the strike getting to know many of these union members, who went on strike to secure a fair contract that would support their families. It was an honor to offer my steadfast support every day during the strike.

Image: With Ms. Rachel, NW resident on Domino Lane.

Now that the strike is over, I look forward to connecting with the countless members when I see them at work. DC33 members do some of the most challenging jobs in the city. They also do great work. Say hello the next time you visit a DC33 member, whether they be a sanitation worker collecting your recycling or trash, a water department worker fixing a water main break, a park ranger, or an airport worker (all among many of the essential jobs DC 33 performs in our city). And please thank them for their work. Our great city would not run without them!

Image: With PWD workers on Henry Ave. The sign I’m holding now sits in my Harrisburg office.

Face the State Interview

Last weekend, I was proud to discuss my bipartisan food donation bill that I got signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro and the ongoing state budget negotiations with Joel Smith of CBS21’s “Face the State” segment.

As you may know, this bill will help many of the 1.2 million families in PA who have issues putting food on the table get access to donated foods. If you're interested in watching the conversation, you can find a clip here or by clicking on the image below.

Image: Screenshot from my interview with Face the State.

Thank you to the folks at CBS21 for highlighting such a vital issue!

Fox43 and Lancaster Online also interviewed me about my new law.

1. Click here or the photo below to see my Fox43 interview.

2. Click here or on the image below to read my interview with my coprime sponsor Rep. Tom Jones (R) in Lancaster Online.

Image: Shaking hands with Rep Jones after our bill passed the House.

This Week in Harrisburg

Last week in Harrisburg, my colleagues and I passed several bipartisan, common-sense bills out of the Pennsylvania House that will make everyday life safer, more affordable, and fairer, especially for working people and consumers across the state.

Here’s a quick look:

HB 1299 – Consumer Protection for Subscriptions

Too many of us have been hit with surprise subscription charges we didn’t agree to or couldn’t figure out how to cancel. This bill requires companies to notify customers before auto-renewals, disclose renewal terms upfront, and allow individuals to cancel online if they signed up online. It’s a simple fix that protects your wallet—and your time. My friend Rep. Joe Ciresi wrote this bill.

HB 1358 – Safety for Hotel Workers

No one should feel unsafe doing their job. This bill requires hotels to provide personal safety devices—like panic buttons—for staff who clean or service rooms alone. It’s a small tool that can make a huge difference in preventing harassment and violence at work. My twin, Rep. Roni Green, wrote this bill.

Image: With Rep. Roni Green at Shredder Day last year.

HB 1424 – Keeping Campgrounds Affordable

This bill exempts privately owned campgrounds from local amusement and admissions taxes — helping keep recreational activities like camping more affordable for families and preserving a key part of Pennsylvania’s tourism economy, especially in rural communities.

These are the kinds of practical, people-first policies we need more of, and I’ll keep working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get them across the finish line.

Commonwealth Budget Update

We’re in a divided government here in PA — Democrats control the PA House and Republicans control the PA Senate. Our job is to pass a budget that delivers for Pennsylvanians, and the House is doing everything we can to move that process forward.

We’ve partnered with Gov. Shapiro to focus on what matters to Pennsylvanians — strong public schools, affordable health care, better jobs, and real support for working families. While we wait for a full budget to move, the House has already advanced key bills to lay the foundation for a budget that delivers.

Here’s some of what we’ve passed:

HB 1364 – Investments in public transit, roads, and bridges across the commonwealth;
HB 1200 – Legalization and taxation of adult-use cannabis, projected to bring in billions in new revenue;
HB 1549 – Raising the minimum wage to lift up hundreds of thousands of workers;
Tax relief of up to $2,300 for working Pennsylvanians;
Stronger consumer protections to rein in junk fees and end auto-renewal traps;
Fixes to the cyber charter school system so every public school is funded fairly;
Protections for hospitals and health care access, especially as closures loom.

And, as I mentioned, the federal government just passed a budget that will bring steep cuts to education, health care, and critical safety-net services. Again, I am as frustrated as you are — these are programs our neighbors rely on. And now more than ever, the pressure is on us at the state level to protect the services families count on. They passed the bill — and sent us the bill.

Pennsylvanians are counting on us — not for gridlock, but for leadership. The House is ready. Now the Senate must come to the table, so we can pass a budget that protects what matters and puts people first. I’ll update you on how things go next week.