Dear Neighbors,

Washington politicians are trying to make catastrophic cuts to healthcare by defunding Medicaid and dismantling the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These radical actions will put millions of Pennsylvanians at risk of losing their healthcare.

I fought to pass bills to make sure insurance companies can’t take us back to the days when they could deny coverage or charge outrageous prices for essential care. Because health care coverage should protect you, not health insurance profits.

So, we passed these four bills through the PA House last week:

Keeping young adults covered – The bill I wrote with state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski to allow parents to keep their children insured until age 26 (H.B. 404).
Banning lifetime and annual caps – Stopping insurance executives from capping coverage for essential benefits (H.B. 535).
Protecting people with pre-existing conditions – Ensuring that no one is denied coverage for conditions like diabetes, asthma, or cancer (H.B. 618).
Ensuring preventive care remains free – Requiring health insurance policies to cover preventive health care services like colonoscopies and annual exams without making you pay extra (H.B. 755).

Nursing Homes Face Closures From Washington Cuts

Federal funding cuts are also putting Pennsylvania’s nursing homes at risk of shutting down. Federal cuts could lead to closures, layoffs, and reduced care, leaving vulnerable older adults with nowhere to turn.

The latest federal proposal slashes $880 billion from Medicaid. Without Medicaid funding, our health care system will be forced to make painful cuts—reducing services, closing facilities, increased costs, and increasing wait times. For our region, which has already seen hospitals and emergency rooms shut down, this is unacceptable.

I’m working with my colleagues to push back against these harmful changes and ensure our older adults get the care they deserve.

Watch a clip of me talking about how Washington cuts will devastate our nursing homes by clicking the photo below.

Concern about Student Detentions

Like many of you, I am concerned about students who are here legally being snatched by undercover ICE agents. These are green card and visa holders who are disappearing, being moved to detention camps hundreds of miles away for expressing their freedom of speech.

My father was like millions of immigrants who came to this country for its freedoms— including freedom of thought, speech and religion. Freedom of speech is not only for speech that you agree with, and we must stand up when rights are being taken away. Last session, for instance, we passed my bipartisan bill into law protecting our neighbors’ free speech against bad actors who abuse the courts to bully and intimidate people. In this county we fight to protect the rights and the American dream our forefathers died for, not to take them away.

While I will do everything I can in Harrisburg, this is primarily a federal issue – please, make your voice heard by contacting our U.S. congressman and our U.S. senators:

Image: Flyer with information about federal government contacts

Fighting to Make Housing More Affordable!

In more welcome news—my affordable housing bill passed the Housing Committee! This bill would help lower housing costs by creating more places to call home in PA.

Our bill invests $10 million more per year for affordable housing - and this is in addition to the $40 million I fought and won to deliver last year – without raising taxes one dime.

This bill would help to lower the cost of housing and ensure hardworking taxpayers aren’t priced out of their neighborhoods.

Watch me talk about investing in affordable housing by clicking here

Investing in Our Kids Future

One of the best investments Pennsylvania can make is in childcare and early education. That’s why I’m working with Gov. Josh Shapiro to invest over $55 million to recruit and retain our early childhood education workforce.

Click below to hear my comments about the importance of investing in Pre-K:

Click on the photo below to see my comments about making investments into PreK

And Finally - March Madness Bill Recap: Strengthening Worker Protections and Expanding Civil Rights

Every day we are in Harrisburg, my colleagues and I work to pass bills that make a real difference for you and your family. Improving access to health care, making sure people are treated fairly, and standing up for you.

In the last couple weeks, we passed bills taking on health care challenges by:

Making it easier to get prescriptions (H.B. 60). We’ve updated Pennsylvania law to allow certain prescriptions to be transferred electronically between pharmacies, so people don’t have to jump through hoops just to get the medications they need.
Protecting access to opioid reversal medications (H.B. 111). No one should be denied health coverage just because they have a life-saving medication like naloxone in their prescription history. This bill would help remove stigma and ensure people can get help when they need it.
Addressing health care shortages in rural and underserved communities (H.B. 157). We’re investing in grants to help bring more medical professionals to the places that need them most.

Image: With Rep Jill Cooper (R-Westmoreland) at a presentation I helped organize on civility in the legislature.

We passed the PA CROWN Act (H.B. 439) to protect Pennsylvanians from discrimination based on their natural hair. No one should be judged—or held back—because of their hairstyle.

We’re also making sure survivors of domestic violence don’t have to choose between their safety and their livelihood. House Bill 274 would ensure survivors can access unemployment benefits if they have to leave a job due to an unsafe situation.

These are real changes that will improve lives across Pennsylvania. And we’re just getting started.

Read on for information about our upcoming events in the community — I hope to see you soon!

Police Explorers Are Here!

Image: With Captain Brown at this year's Mummers Parade wearing my RHS hoodie

As a kid growing up in Northeast Philly, I was a member of the Explorers program. The medical Explorers program helped expose me and other high schoolers to what a path in health care might look like. The program helped lay the foundation of my successful career in health care.

The Philadelphia Police Department is actively recruiting for their Police Explorer Program. This is for young adults aged 14 to 20 years old interested in a career in law enforcement.

If you are interested, please contact our friend and community relations Officer Damian Caggiano at 215 686-3052 or damian.caggiano@phila.gov.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Shredder Day & Library Hours!

Spring is around the corner, and some exciting community events are lined up! Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details.

🗑️ Shredder Day

Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. - noon

Roxborough YMCA - 7201 Ridge Ave.

Join us for Shredder Day, where you can securely shred your private documents and other paper items — up to three trash bags full. If you have any questions, please get in touch with our office at (215) 482-8726!

Click on the image below to see a video from our last Shredder Day announcement!

Image: Ben in our Shredder Day video

📚 Library Office Hours

Need help with state services? Whether it’s PennDOT paperwork, rent rebates, or any other issue, our team will be on hand to assist you—no appointment is needed!

The next session is at the Roxborough Library (6245 Ridge Ave.) on April 14, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. My staff will help you get the support you need!

Image: Flyer with information for each of the upcoming office hour events

REAL ID is Coming, Get Yours Today!

There’s only six weeks left until the federal enforcement deadline for REAL ID, after which you will need one to board a domestic flight, enter a military base or enter certain federal facilities.

Close to home, you can get a REAL ID at the PennDOT Center at 7121 Ogontz Ave., Philly; the Photo License Center at 30 Greenfield Ave., Ardmore; or the center at 1700 Markley St. in Norristown.

More information about REAL ID document requirements can be found on PennDOT’s REAL ID website.