Bob Casey for US Senate

October 18, 2024

Casey Delivers More Than $149.7 Million to Make Pennsylvania Drinking Water Safer, Improve Water Infrastructure

Funding will support projects that help ensure clean drinking water, as well as improve water and sewage infrastructure across the Commonwealth Infrastructure law has delivered more than $688 million for clean drinking water in Pennsylvania Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey announced that the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) approved $149,739,802 worth of projects across the Commonwealth that will help communities access clean, safe drinking water by removing or replacing hazardous contaminated pipes and improve water and sewage infrastructure. All the selected projects are receiving full or partial funding from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA), which Casey fought to pass. “Pennsylvania’s Constitution guarantees the right to safe, pure water, but for too long communities across our Commonwealth have lacked the funding to ensure that commitment is honored. Thanks to the infrastructure law, we’re making investments to prevent water contamination and improve our water infrastructure,” said Senator Casey. “I will keep working to ensure that homes, schools, and businesses have access to clean, safe water.” Included in this round of funding is more than $65.6 million for removing and replacing hazardous contaminated lead pipes and addressing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination. The funding also supports more than $84.1 million in water infrastructure improvement projects including water main replacement, sewer system construction and repairs, and pump station upgrades. The funding will serve seven counties across the Commonwealth, including Bucks County, where Senator Casey has long fought to help communities clean up PFAS contamination. This year alone, PENNVEST has announced more than $396 million in IIJA-funded projects to improve drinking water and wastewater infrastructure including, July’s announcement of more than $95 million to remove lead pipes, upgrade wastewater, and reduce water contamination. Since the passage of IIJA, Pennsylvania has received more than $1 billion in funding for water infrastructure. See below for a list of project recipients: List of award recipients County Recipient Project Type Grant Amount Loan Amount Total Amount Allegheny Pennsylvania American Water Company Lead Service Line/Drinking Water $3,908,944 $1,891,056 $5,800,000 Allegheny Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority Lead Service Line/Drinking Water $4,907,206 $1,715,938 $6,623,144 Allegheny Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority Replacing water mains $0 $62,672,221 $62,672,221 Allegheny West View Water Authority Lead Service Line/Drinking Water $5,635,872 $3,144,428 $8,780,300 Allegheny Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority Lead Service Line/Drinking Water $6,798,083 $3,101,917 $9,900,000 Bucks Telford Borough Authority PFAS Mitigation $9,815,000 $0 $9,815,000 Crawford Saegertown Borough PFAS Mitigation $12,678,000 $0 $12,678,000 Lehigh Lehigh County Authority Lead Service Line/Drinking Water $6,337,070 $5,660,930 $11,998,000 Allegheny Shaler Township Public Sewer System Repairs $0 $4,300,000 $4,300,000 Juniata Port Royal Municipal Authority Pump Station/WWTP Upgrades $1,336,925 $2,359,032 $3,695,957 Mifflin Bratton Township Pump Station/WWTP Upgrades $5,471,726 $943,574 $6,415,300 Venango Clintonville Borough Sewer & Water Authority New sewage plant $7,061,880 $0 $7,061,880 ###

Share Tweet

October 18, 2024

Casey Exposes Private Equity’s Shady Dealings at Charleroi Glass Manufacturing Plant, Urges Federal Investigation and Injunction to Protect PA Workers

Private equity owners seek to shut down Pyrex plant that has been a keystone of Charleroi, PA for 132 years In recent years, Wall Street has gutted companies and communities in a seemingly never-ending quest to make a quick buck off the backs of hardworking Americans In light of new report, Casey is pressing FTC to pursue measures to stop the plant closure pending a full investigation into private equity firm Centre Lane Partners’ potential illegal activity to acquire plant without regulatory approval Read Casey’s report: Charleroi, PA: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind HERE Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), member of the Senate Finance Committee, released a report exposing how a private equity firm is shattering Charleroi’s 132-year-old proud tradition of glass manufacturing. Closing the Charleroi Pyrex glassware factory would not only cost more than 300 Pennsylvanians their jobs but would change the fabric of this community and put an end to one of Pennsylvania’s most impressive manufacturing success stories. His report, Charleroi, PA: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind, exposed private equity firm Centre Lane Partners for questionable financial engineering and shady business deals that culminated in Centre Lane’s recent decision to close the plant, leaving its workers as collateral damage. In the report and a follow up letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan, Casey called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to take action to block the plant closure pending the outcome of a full investigation into the private equity firm for its efforts to evade regulatory rules to strip the plant bare and lay off Pennsylvania workers. “Private equity crushing Charleroi’s generational legacy of glass manufacturing is yet another example of Wall Street screwing over Pennsylvania workers. The plant’s closure is a slap in the face to workers, their community, and the people of Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “I am working every day to protect union jobs and hold Wall Street executives accountable for the havoc they’ve wreaked in our Commonwealth.” Since Anchor Hocking abruptly announced plans to close this glass manufacturing plant in September 2024, Senator Casey has been investigating the questionable practices used by Anchor Hocking’s private equity owner, Centre Lane Partners, to make a quick buck. In his report, Casey revealed how private equity firms like Centre Lane prioritized short term ownership of companies to maximize profits at the expense of companies’ long-term health. Specifically, the report showed how Centre Lane purchased two of the Nation’s largest home glassware brands, Pyrex and Anchor Hocking, even though it initially failed to receive regulatory approval to purchase Pyrex in the fall of 2023. Casey’s report exposed Centre Lane’s actions to obtain a potential monopoly in the home glassware manufacturing market and emphasized the urgent need for a federal investigation. The report also laid out a timeline detailing Centre Lane Partners’ questionable financial engineering and shady business deals that culminated in the decision to consolidate its home glassware manufacturing at a separate Anchor Hocking facility outside of Pennsylvania. The initial findings outlined in Senator Casey’s report only raised more alarms about Centre Lane’s potential illegal activity. In a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan, Casey laid out the perplexing and questionable practices of Centre Lane and its acquisition of several glassware companies and called for a swift and full investigation. Casey urged the FTC to block the closure of the plant while it investigates whether Centre Lane violated the law in its acquisition of the facility. Casey’s report and call for investigation continue his tireless efforts to combat the Charleroi plant’s closure and save Pennsylvania jobs from the ravages of private equity. Immediately upon learning of Anchor Hocking’s plans to close the plant on September 5th, Senator Casey’s office reached out to the plant’s union leadership and Charleroi Borough officials, connecting them with federal and state authorities. Casey’s office also helped convene a task force of county commissioners, borough officials, and local economic development leaders. Casey’s staff also alerted the White House Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization to the situation, leading to several federal officials visiting Charleroi on September 11th. On September 19th, Senator Casey sent a letter to Anchor Hocking demanding an explanation for the closure and imploring the company to reconsider its actions. On September 20th, Senator Casey and Senate Finance Committee Chair Senator Ron Wyden successfully requested a joint confidential briefing with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on questions concerning Anchor Hocking’s assumption of control of the Pyrex manufacturing operation in Charleroi. Read the full report “Charleroi: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind” HERE. Read the full letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan HERE or below: Dear Chair Khan: I write today regarding the recent decision to shut down the Pyrex glass factory in Charleroi, Pennsylvania by its private equity owners, Centre Lane Partners, and parent company, Anchor Hocking. As I have detailed in a recent report entitled, Charleroi, PA: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind, Charleroi has become the latest victim of the all-too-common abusive financial engineering that private equity owners engage in to make a quick profit at the expense of its workers and consumers. In light of the numerous concerns that I raise in that report and this letter, I believe that Center Lane Partners’ acquisition of the Charleroi Pyrex plant deserves the fullest scrutiny by federal enforcement agencies, and I urge you to take whatever action necessary—including filing for preliminary injunctive relief—to block this plant closure pending the completion of an investigation into the matter. As you know, many private equity (PE) firms invest in companies and use financial engineering tactics to extract a quick profit from the company at the expense of its long-term health, its workers, and its customers. Unfortunately, few industries and companies exemplify the abusive PE playbook as much as the glass manufacturing industry and Anchor Hocking. Over the past 28 years, four major domestic glass manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy eight times among them—one bankruptcy every 3.5 years. In five of those cases, the company was owned by a PE firm —a fact that is not surprising given that PE-owned companies are far more likely to go bankrupt than non-PE-owned companies. From dividend recaps and leasebacks to layoffs and cutting employee benefits, including retirees’ healthcare, PE firms have specifically abused Anchor Hocking and its workers for far too long. However, over the course of my preliminary investigation into the recent circumstances surrounding Anchor Hocking and the Charleroi Pyrex plant, I am particularly troubled by the manner in which the PE firm, Centre Lane Partners (“Centre Lane”), came to acquire the Charleroi Pyrex plant. This acquisition set the stage for the subsequent announced closure of the plant, as well as the hundreds of lost jobs associated with the closure. In June 2023, the Charleroi plant’s prior parent company, Instant Brands (“Instant”), filed for bankruptcy. Instant was owned by another PE-firm, Cornell Capital, and included the popular Instant Pot and other consumers brands including Corelle, Pyrex, Snapware, CorningWare, Visions and Chicago Cutlery. After a bankruptcy auction in September, Centre Lane received court approval to acquire Instant’s housewares and appliances businesses in two separate transactions for $228.2 million and $122.6 million, respectively. Based on the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act, I understand that these acquisitions would have both been subject to FTC premerger review given that they were higher than the HSR filing threshold in 2023—$111.4 million. In November 2023, Centre Lane officially acquired Instant’s appliance division, but bankruptcy documents filed in December confirmed that Centre Lane failed to receive the required regulatory approvals to finalize the deal for Instant’s housewares division. As a result, Instant proposed a new plan wherein Instant would emerge from bankruptcy under the ownership of its prior lenders. In February 2024, Instant’s restructuring plan was approved and the housewares division emerged from bankruptcy under the new name, Corelle Brands (“Corelle”), and under the ownership of its prior lenders, including Centre Lane, which held 33.6% of the company. Less than a week and a half later, Centre Lane purchased the remaining 66.4% of Corelle from the majority lenders, including another PE firm, Citadel Group (“Citadel”), for approximately $38.5 million. The Anchor Hocking CEO informed me that this decision was made after “[t]he majority owners of Corelle, who had no operating or industrial expertise in the glass manufacturing industry broadly speaking, approached Centre Lane . . . about buying their ownership interests, as it became clear that Corelle Brands on a stand-alone basis would likely not be economically viable.” Days later, Centre Lane transferred ownership of Corelle to a subsidiary of Anchor Hocking in exchange for common stock valued at approximately $79.8 million. Approximately six months later, in September 2024, Anchor Hocking announced that it would be shutting down the Charleroi Pyrex plant. Given this timeline, it is fair to question why a PE firm—seemingly as sophisticated and savvy as Citadel—decided to acquire a company coming out of bankruptcy only to determine less than a week and a half later that it was no longer a viable investment. But it is even more perplexing that Centre Lane was able to acquire two-thirds of Corelle for merely $38.5 million in March 2024 and transfer it to Anchor Hocking days later at yet another price ($79.8 million)—all while evading FTC oversight—after it previously bid nearly $230 million for the same company and filed for regulatory approval in September 2023. The timeline of these financial transactions raises enough questions on its own, but the subsequent decisions of Centre Lane also justify further scrutiny. I have been informed by locals in Charleroi that despite taking ownership over Corelle, Anchor Hocking does not actually control two of Corelle’s most valuable brands—Pyrex and Snapware. It is my understanding that the licenses for these brands are in the process of being transferred or have already been transferred to another Centre Lane affiliate, 1880 Hospitality. This assertion is further supported by Anchor Hocking’s letterhead, which includes all of Corelle’s previous brands, except for Pyrex and Snapware. It is difficult to discern a logical business reason for such a move, but even more peculiar—it further calls into question the financial details of these transactions. How did Centre Lane acquire two-thirds of Corelle, including Pyrex and Snapware, for just $38.5 million from its prior owners, and then days later, transferred it to Anchor Hocking for approximately $79.8 million without two of its biggest brands—Pyrex and Snapware? At the core of these questions and concerns is whether Centre Lane engaged in any illegal activity to evade FTC scrutiny in pursuit of an anticompetitive advantage in the kitchenware and glassware markets. To better understand these concerns, it is important to review Centre Lane’s recent acquisition history. As you know, “rollups” are a common PE tactic to acquire many smaller companies in a specific market to be able to better exert market power and extract economic rents in a market. For example, since at least 2018, Centre Lane has made a concerted effort to acquire numerous kitchenware and tableware brands, and its portfolio now includes Anchor Hocking, Corelle, Pyrex, Corningware, Snapware, Chicago Cutlery, Visions, Lenox, Oneida, Kate Spade New York tabletop collection, Hampton Forge, Reed & Barton, and Cambridge. Centre Lane’s increasing market share in the kitchenware industry raise some broader antitrust questions, but none more so than the glassware market. In the domestic market, “heavy” glassware products—such as bakeware, measuring cups, and food storage containers—are primarily sold under two brands—Anchor Hocking and Pyrex. A simple search on just a few retail websites is illustrative. On Target’s website, 11 of the 12 glass bakeware products sold in-store are Pyrex, and in Wal-Mart, 33 of the 45 glass bakeware products sold in-store are either Pyrex or Anchor Hocking. On Costco’s website, a search for “glass food containers” returns nine results—five of which include Anchor Hocking or Pyrex. When searching for “glass measuring cups” sold on Amazon.com, 11 of the first 20 products are Pyrex or Anchor Hocking. Permitting Centre Lane to control both Anchor Hocking and Pyrex clearly increases its ability to manipulate the glassware market at the expense of both consumers and workers. During your time as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, your focus on the impact of PE in our markets has been laudable. As you highlighted in remarks on March 5 regarding the impact of PE in healthcare, some PE firms can provide an important source of capital for companies and aim to “take a more long-term view and focus on creating real operational improvements to generate value in ways that provide broader benefits.” Too many, however, “take a different approach, where they load up companies with enormous amounts of debt, strip valuable assets and sell them off to enrich the private equity owners, and pursue financial engineering tactics that leave the underlying firm weaker and worse off.” Given the history of PE abuses at Anchor Hocking and its recent decisions at the Charleroi Pyrex plant, I am afraid that Centre Lane falls into the latter category. In light of my preliminary investigation and the information that I have shared in this letter, I respectfully request your response to the following questions. Additionally, recognizing the strict confidentiality requirements under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, I ask that you answer these questions to the best of your ability as a general statement of law and agency practice, and not related to any particular individual case or company: In your experience, is it common for a company to be valued at nearly $230 million in a bankruptcy auction, but then be bought for only a third of that price months later? If a company is initially denied regulatory approval to acquire another company by the FTC, is it legal for the company to proceed with the acquisition under different terms without notifying the FTC? What tools does the FTC have to address anticompetitive deals that are consummated—either legally or illegally—without FTC premerger review? How much market share would a combined firm need to control for the FTC to consider a merger or acquisition to be anticompetitive? Is it lawful for a company to establish monopoly power over a market, if the company divides the market among its various subsidiaries? Do antitrust laws and/or FTC guidelines and practices allow a company to divide a potential acquisition’s assets among multiple subsidiaries in order to evade FTC oversight, including HSR premerger review? Do antitrust laws and/or FTC guidelines and practices allow a company to evade FTC oversight, including HSR premerger review, by acquiring a company in two steps? For example, by buying only 33% of a company initially, and then later buying the remainder? What tools (e.g., statutory authorities, resources) does the FTC need to better address the potentially anticompetitive behaviors of PE firms? Over the course of my preliminary investigation into this matter, I have unfortunately been left with far more questions than answers regarding Centre Lanes’ transactions, its decision to close the Charleroi Pyrex plant, and its broader impact on competition in the glassware market. At the very least, these questions deserve the fullest scrutiny from federal enforcement agencies, but unfortunately—time is of the essence. On Thursday, October 10, Centre Lane, through Anchor Hocking, submitted its federally required Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice confirming its plans to begin laying off workers in Charleroi on December 9, 2024, and fully shutting down the plant by February 28, 2025. Recognizing the time sensitive nature of this situation and to ensure a full and fair investigation into the many issues that I have raised in this letter, I urge you to consider filing for preliminary injunctive relief against Centre Lane’s acquisition of Corelle and utilizing any other tools at your disposal to block its efforts to shut down the Charleroi Pyrex plant. Knowing the resources and time necessary to pursue court action, I do not make this request lightly, but it is worth noting that there is historical precedent for the FTC to intervene in mergers regarding domestic glass manufacturing companies. In 2002, Libbey abandoned efforts to acquire Anchor Hocking due, in part, to an order issued by the FTC, and over a decade later in 2015, executives again dismissed the possibility of a merger between the two companies given the FTC’s prior concerns. After years of shady business deals and financial engineering, we owe it not only to the workers of Charleroi, but to the thousands of workers across the Nation who have been repeatedly taken advantage of by Wall Street and PE firms, to ensure that we are taking every action possible to fully investigate and hold accountable any company that has engaged in wrongdoing in this situation. Wall Street should not, and cannot, act with impunity. Thank you for your leadership on this issue and for your and your staff’s cooperation with Senator Wyden’s and my inquires on this topic to date. I look forward to your prompt response. ###

Share Tweet

October 17, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Wild Secure Major Federal Investment in Lehigh Valley Semiconductor Manufacturer

Preliminary agreement would support the construction of new Infinera semiconductor manufacturing plant in Bethlehem Funding was made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-PA-7) announced a critical first step in a major federal investment to help the semiconductor manufacturer Infinera build a new plant in Bethlehem, PA. This investment, made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act, would support the expansion and modernization of a new Advanced Test and Packaging (ATP) facility creating good-paying jobs in the Lehigh Valley and increasing Infinera’s capacity to manufacture semiconductors, which are vital to national security and American supply chain resilience. “I fought to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to ensure that Pennsylvania workers can continue leading the world in building the technology of tomorrow. This agreement is another critical step to deliver jobs and dollars to our Commonwealth, while protecting our Nation’s national and economic security,” said Senator Casey. “Infinera is emblematic of the future of the Lehigh Valley and I will keep fighting to bring manufacturing jobs to Pennsylvania.” “This is exactly what ‘Making Stuff Here’ in America and Pennsylvania looks like. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s implementation of the CHIPS Act, we’ll be seeing hundreds of good-paying jobs brought to Bethlehem. The Lehigh Valley has a rich history of innovation––it's where the first facility to mass-produce transistors was built. By investing in companies like Infinera, we’re standing up to global competitors and building on American legacies,” said Senator Fetterman. “By supporting the construction of a new Advanced Test and Packaging Facility right here in Bethlehem, this grant will not only create hundreds of new jobs in our community, but it will revitalize our local semiconductor industry and address key national security concerns,” said Congresswomen Wild. “I was proud to help secure this funding for Infinera, to support our national security and intelligence communities and bolster our local economy and manufacturing ecosystem. I will continue to advocate for our community to receive federal resources, promote Made in America policies, and protect our nation from foreign adversaries.” The preliminary agreement between the U.S. Department of Commerce and Infinera Corporation would provide major investments to Infinera plants in Pennsylvania and California. Infinera is a semiconductor and telecommunications equipment manufacturer that has operated for over 20 years. The proposed CHIPS funding would support the construction of a new Advanced Test and Packaging (ATP) facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and would be expected, with the California facility, to increase Infinera’s existing domestic manufacturing capacity by an estimated factor of 10. Senator Casey and Congresswoman Wild have long advocated for semiconductor manufacturing investments in Pennsylvania. Earlier this year both Casey and Wild urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to support the construction of a new Infinera manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania., Additionally, Casey and Wild visited Infinera to see the high-tech manufacturing already happening in the Commonwealth. Senator Casey and Congresswoman Wild are fighting to bring jobs and economic investment back to Pennsylvania. The Members worked to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to produce semiconductors in the United States, reducing the U.S. reliance on foreign adversaries, including China, for critical technology manufacturing. In addition to the CHIPS Act, Casey and Wild worked to pass Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act?and Inflation Reduction Act—two pieces of landmark legislation that have brought thousands of jobs and billions of dollars to Pennsylvania. ###

Share Tweet

October 17, 2024

Casey Announces More than $18.4 Million for Workforce Development, Community Revitalization in Pennsylvania Coal Communities

Grants from Appalachian Regional Commission will help communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal powerplant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries 21 projects across the Commonwealth are receiving more than $18.4 million for economic development Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced funding for 21 projects in Pennsylvania coal communities, including workforce training, business site development, and community revitalization. The $18,480,334 in funding comes from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative for communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries. Casey has long advocated to fund ARC and its work. “Job training programs, educational opportunities, and strong, vibrant communities are critical to economic success across our Commonwealth,” said Senator Casey “These grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission will invest in Pennsylvania’s coal communities to ensure that families and workers thrive. I won’t stop fighting to ensure our Appalachian communities are not left behind.” See below for a list of project recipients of the POWER Initiative funding. POWER Grant Recipient Recipient Grant Project Bedford County Development Association $498,840 Bedford County Business Park II -Site Preparation Bedford County Technical Center $50,000 Bedford County Technical Center: Expanding Opportunity in Coal Impacted Appalachia Catalyst Connection $2,000,000 Pennsylvania Career Pathways to Advanced Manufacturing: "Forging Your Future" Center for Employment Opportunities $50,000 Transitional Employment for Justice Impacted Pittsburgh Residents Center for Population Health $751,057 Growth of Community Health Workers in Cambria/Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania Corry Community Development Corporation D/B/A Impact Corry (nonprofit) $887,000 Corry City Center Trail Link Enterprise Development Center of Erie County, Inc. $2,000,000 Ironworks Square: Smart Redevelopment in Coal Impacted Regions Greene County Commissioners $50,000 Greene County Barriers to Workforce Study IUP Research Institute $452,326 NWPAMade — Galvanizing and empowering the region’s creative economy JARI Growth Fund, Inc. $1,000,000 Startup Alleghenies Ecosystem Capital and Technical Assistance Expansion - Capital JARI Growth Fund, Inc. $879,253 Startup Alleghenies Ecosystem Capital and Technical Assistance Expansion- Technical Assistance Jewish Healthcare Foundation $1,990,867 Revitalizing Community Jobs—Building, Training and Supporting the Frontline Workforce for Nursing Homes in Pennsylvania Lycoming County $1,867,395 Susquehanna River Walk Extension Trail Construction Project O.S. Johnson Technical Institute $50,000 Planning for Vehicle Maintenance Technology Jobs of the Future Office of Child Development, University of Pittsburgh $49,751 Two-Generational Literacy to Strengthen the Workforce Pipeline Pittsburgh Robotics Network (PRN) $750,000 Maturing Appalachia’s Robotics Workforce Saint Vincent College (SVC) $662,672 Equipment and Technology for a Nursing Education and Lab Facility at Saint Vincent College Screen Arts Institute $400,000 The Broadcast Arts Initiative The ClearWater Conservancy of Central Pennsylvania, Inc. $2,000,000 ClearWater Community Conservation Center Ecotourism, Agritourism, and Agribusiness Hub The University of Scranton $1,321,980 The University of Scranton: Technology Driven Transformation in Workforce Development and Innovation Westmoreland Hospital $769,193 Building an Innovative Nursing Workforce Model: Bridging the Gap from Student to Expert ###

Share Tweet

October 16, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Call on Biden Administration to Speed Up Enforcement of Iran Sanctions

In letter, bipartisan group of Senators call out Administration for missing deadlines on Iran sanctions The missed deadlines were put in place by Casey’s Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act, which cracks down on Iran’s petroleum trade Senators: “Due to the quantity of oil that Iran is able to trade and the subsequent profits, as well as their historical pattern of utilizing these funds to foster violence and chaos, it is vital that the United States take concrete action to disrupt their petroleum trade” Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined his colleagues Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and John Hoeven (R-ND) in a letter urging the Administration to speed up enforcement of sanctions on Iran’s petroleum trade. The letter pointed out that the Administration has missed several deadlines put in place by the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act, which cracks down on foreign persons who knowingly engage in the petroleum trade with Iran. “Due to the quantity of oil that Iran is able to trade and the subsequent profits, as well as their historical pattern of utilizing these funds to foster violence and chaos, it is vital that the United States take concrete action to disrupt their petroleum trade. Therefore, we ask the administration to honor the reporting deadlines and enforcement requirements prescribed within the SHIP and Fight CRIME Acts,” wrote the Senators. On April 23, 2024, Senator Casey voted to pass an emergency supplemental spending law with legislative provisions to strengthen U.S. national security, including the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act and the Fight and Combat Rampant Iranian Missile Exports (Fight CRIME) Act. The SHIP Act includes important provisions to sanction foreign persons that knowingly engage in the petroleum trade with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Fight CRIME Act restricts certain missile-related activities and transfers by Iran. The bills include a number of reporting deadlines and enforcement requirements for the Administration so that Congress can track efforts to deny Iran the resources and ability to engage in destabilizing activities, commit human rights violations, support international terrorism, and fund weapons development. Senator Casey has long pushed to protect American economic and national security by monitoring Iranian oil activity. Earlier this year, Casey cosponsored the bipartisan Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act–legislation establishing a fund to cover expenses related to the seizure or forfeiture of property found in violation of sanctions imposed by the United States against Iran or a covered proxy of Iran, including Hamas, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran-sponsored militias in Iraq and Syria. Additionally, after learning about potential Iranian oil transport on Panamanian vessels in violation of U.S. sanctions, Casey urged the Panamanian Maritime Authority (AMP) to investigate the hundreds of vessels of concern. Thanks to Casey’s advocacy, AMP launched investigations into all Panamanian ships suspected of transporting Iranian oil, de-flagged vessels that had no evidence of oil transport, and removed dozens of ships from its registry. Read the full letter HERE or below: Dear Secretary Blinken, Secretary Yellen, Acting Director Palluconi, and Administrator DeCarolis: On April 23, 2024, Congress passed H.R. 815, an emergency supplemental appropriation for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, that was signed into law by President Biden on April 24. The supplemental package included additional funding for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian assistance. The national security package also included legislation to strengthen U.S. national security, including the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act and the Fight and Combat Rampant Iranian Missile Exports (Fight CRIME) Act. The SHIP Act includes important provisions to sanction foreign persons that knowingly engage in the petroleum trade with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Fight CRIME Act restricts certain missile-related activities and transfers by Iran. The legislation includes a number of regulation publishing and reporting requirements from the administration in order for Congress to track efforts to deny Iran the resources and ability to engage in destabilizing activities, commit human rights violations, support international terrorism, and fund weapons development. For decades, there has been evidence that Iran has funded direct attacks on America and our allies. Since Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Iran has only become more emboldened to act against democratic interests across the globe. To cite just two recent events, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in its August 2024 report that Iran continues to increase its stockpile of enriched uranium, and on September 10, 2024, the Pentagon confirmed reports that Iran has transferred shipments of Fath 360 close-range ballistic missiles to Russia to support their continued aggression against Ukraine. Iran is able to further these disrupting activities due to profits from their oil trade. According to United Against Nuclear Iran, a non-partisan watchdog organization that tracks Iranian oil shipment, Iran exported 1,626,866 barrels per day in August 2024. Due to the quantity of oil that Iran is able to trade and the subsequent profits, as well as their historical pattern of utilizing these funds to foster violence and chaos, it is vital that the United States take concrete action to disrupt their petroleum trade. Therefore, we ask the administration to honor the reporting deadlines and enforcement requirements prescribed within the SHIP and Fight CRIME Acts that were included in H.R. 815, the emergency supplemental appropriations. To date, the administration has not met the following deadlines: By July 23, 2024 (90 after enactment, and every 180 days thereafter), the Secretary of State shall provide a report that identifies Iranian persons utilizing an unmanned combat aerial vehicle against a United States citizen. P.L. 118-50, Div. K Sec.6(a) By August 12, 2024 (10 days before regulation enactment), the President shall notify the appropriate Congressional committees of the proposed regulations to combat proliferation of Iranian missiles. P.L. 118-50, Div. K Sec. 5(f)(2) By August 22, 2024 (120 days after enactment), the President shall promulgate regulations as necessary for the implementation of sanctions to combat proliferation of Iranian missiles. P.L. 118-50, Div. K Sec. 5(f)(1) By August 22, 2024 (120 days after enactment, and annually thereafter), the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration shall submit a report describing Iran’s growing exports of petroleum and petroleum products, including their exports to the People’s Republic of China and the ships and ports involved in the oil sales. P.L. 118-50, Div. J Sec. 4(a) By August 22, 2024 (120 days after enactment), the Secretary of State shall submit written strategy on the role of the People’s Republic of China’s role in evading U.S.-imposed sanctions on Iranian-origin petroleum products. P.L. 118-50, Div. J Sec. 5 The following deadlines are upcoming within the next 30 days: By October 11, 2024, (10 days before regulation enactment) the President shall notify and brief the appropriate Congressional Committees on the regulations to be established to implement the SHIP Act. P.L. 118-50, Div. J Sec. 3(e)(2) By October 21, 2024 (180 days after enactment), the President shall prescribe necessary regulations to implement sanctions enforcement. P.L. 118-50, Div. J Sec. 3(e)(2) On and after October 21, 2024 (180 days after enactment), the President shall impose sanctions on foreign persons determined to have knowingly engaged in the Iranian petroleum trade. P.L. 118-50, Div. J Sec. 3(a) Given the havoc Iran is wreaking in the Middle East and the wider region, this information is both timely and vital for Congress to carry out appropriate sanctions oversight and understand what greater legislative action is required to ensure Iran does not have the resources to harm the United States or our partners and allies. We look forward to these timely reports and enhanced understanding of the administration’s plan to counter Iranian oil trade and accessible revenue for their funding of terrorism. We ask that you honor the October deadlines and work to address the deadlines already missed in order to provide Congress with the relevant reports as quickly as possible. We further request that you provide our offices an update on your efforts and when to expect these reports no later than October 29, 2024. Thank you for your continued work and attention to this matter. ###

Share Tweet

October 7, 2024

At Casey’s Urging, Administration Takes Major Step Toward Ending Wage Disparities Among Federal Workers at Tobyhanna and Letterkenny Army Depots

Casey lauds proposed rule to end wage disparities among hourly and salaried workers Rule change would increase wages for 2,100 Pennsylvania workers by a total of $23 million per year Casey has long fought for wage equity for workers at Tobyhanna and Letterkenny Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) proposed rule to solve the persistent wage disparities for federal workers, including those at the Tobyhanna and Letterkenny Army Depots in Pennsylvania. Currently, salaried employees at these critical national security facilities are included in higher paying locality pay areas than their hourly employee counterparts. When implemented, the proposed rule would increase wages for 2100 Pennsylvania workers by a total of $23 million each year. “The workers at Tobyhanna and Letterkenny Army Depots are a pillar of our Commonwealth’s economy and play a key role in protecting our national security,” said Senator Casey. “This proposed rule would ensure highly skilled workers are paid what they deserve so they can continue supporting their families and contributing to Pennsylvania’s economy and security. The workers at Tobyhanna and Letterkenny have been fighting for this for a long time, and I’m going to keep pressing to get this done.” “This proposed rule would put additional money into the hands of federal employees whose pay lags behind their coworkers. Thank you to Senator Casey for calling on the Office of Personnel Management to increase pay for thousands of workers across Pennsylvania and for championing the fight to ensure that AFGE workers are fairly compensated,” said Ned George, President, AFGE Local 1647. “I would like to thank Senator Casey for his steadfast dedication to this cause. Without his efforts, we would never have gotten this far,” said Chuck Vickery, President, NFFE Local 1442, Letterkenny Army Depot. “Getting compensated fairly with higher wages would boost morale and improve workers’ lives at Letterkenny. Thank you, Senator Casey for standing up for army workers,” said Bruce, Byers, President, NFFE Local 1429, Letterkenny Army Depot. Currently, salaried workers are paid based on a different locality than their hourly workers counterparts. The proposed rule would increase funding in Pennsylvania by $23 million each year to ensure that 2100 Pennsylvania hourly workers are paid fairly. Since 2005, salaried federal workers in Pennsylvania including at the Tobyhanna and Letterkenny Army Depots have been paid based on pay localities from New York City and DC—where pay is higher to meet higher costs of living—while their peers with hourly wages have been paid at lower locality rates. Since hearing reports from workers that this pay gap has created strong incentives to leave the federal workforce, join the private sector, and diminish the capability of the organic industrial base, Senator Casey has consistently pushed for the harmonization of locality pay areas for hourly and salaried workers. Over the past several years, Casey has advocated to remedy this issue to key Administration officials in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Department of the Army, Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In April 2024, Casey urged the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to return fairness to the federal workforce by ensuring that hourly workers are paid equitably, at a rate competitive with their private sector counterparts. Senator Casey pushed OPM to follow through on the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee’s (FPRAC) recommendation to eliminate differences in locality pay methodologies between hourly and salaried workers to ensure that all federal workers are paid equitably. In September 2024, Casey continued to advocate to harmonize locality pay areas, urging OMB to avoid further delays. Eliminating the differences the methodologies in locality pay calculation would ensure that all federal employees are paid at the same locality pay rate in a given county. This proposed rule marks the most progress made to remedy this issue that has placed financial burdens on blue-collar federal workers for decades. The rule will be open for public comment for the next 60 days. ###

Share Tweet

October 7, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Reschenthaler, Deluzio, Lee Urge Army Corps to Respond to Navigation Concerns on Monongahela River, Help Mon Valley Economy

Army Corps is leading on lock and dam removal in broader effort to modernize Monongahela River, key for region’s economy Members: “We understand that the various agencies of the Commonwealth are already standing ready to support the needed work on the Mon River. The Corps must do the same, as quickly as possible” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA-14), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), and Summer Lee (D-PA-12) continued to demand action on significant navigation issues on the Monongahela River and the ongoing impacts to the local economy. Due to significant changes in water levels, commercial barges continue to encounter shallow areas that damage equipment and impede regional commerce. The Members pressed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to act swiftly to do all in its power to help alleviate the depth and navigational issues to keep the Mon—and Southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy—flowing. “We recognize that addressing shallow areas that hinder navigation is a shared priority for all stakeholders involved. Because the dam removal led to the current navigational challenges, we believe it is imperative that the Corps does everything in its power to assist in remedying the navigational issues on the Mon River,” the Members wrote. In the letter, the Members highlighted how the project will be extensive and require a multi-party effort to address and urged USACE to commit to assist in determining outstanding dredging needs with the U.S Coast Guard, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and industry stakeholders. The Members continued, “We understand that the various agencies of the Commonwealth are already standing ready to support the needed work on the Mon River. The Corps must do the same, as quickly as possible.” The removal of the Elizabeth Locks and Dam is part of a broader effort to modernize the Monongahela River, a key waterway for Southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy. Earlier this summer, USACE began the dam removal project with help from the U.S. Coast Guard to keep the river safe and navigable during the project. Unfortunately, due to a resulting shallowness in the lock chamber, commercial barges could not initially navigate the Mon River at standard draft. The Members alerted the Corps to the ongoing issue and urged the Corps to do everything in its power to remedy the navigational challenges that continue to threaten the economy in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Senators Casey and Fetterman and Representatives Reschenthaler, Deluzio, and Lee have consistently pressed USACE to act swiftly to restore commercial barge navigability to normal. In August, the Members raised alarms to the Corps after learning that the water levels in the Elizabeth Locks were too shallow to accommodate traditional commercial vessels. In July, the Members urged USACE to prioritize the restoration of the nine-foot draft and provide ongoing updates about the project’s status. They also reminded USACE about the steep economic costs of delaying this project. Read the letter HERE or below: Dear Lieutenant General Graham: We write to reiterate our ongoing concerns with the impact of the dam removal at Locks and Dam (LD) 3 on navigation traffic on the Monongahela River (“Mon River”) near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. The project’s goal was to create one, continuous pool of water between Charleroi, PA and Braddock, PA, reducing travel times for commercial vessels and boosting the regional economy. While some overall reduction in water levels were expected, the drop observed after the initial demolition at Elizabeth has been unexpectedly detrimental to navigation. The resulting low water levels have created new navigational challenges on the river, that must be remedied to ensure that the benefits of the removal become a reality. We recognize that addressing shallow areas that hinder navigation is a shared priority for all stakeholders involved. Because the dam removal led to the current navigational challenges, we believe it is imperative that the Corps does everything in its power to assist in remedying the navigational issues on the Mon River. We understand that the Corps’ support for this work could include, but is not limited to: Developing and sharing all relevant data, including all survey results that may be helpful to determining outstanding dredging needs with the Coast Guard, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and industry stakeholders; Exploring potential beneficial uses of dredged materials produced as a result of Corps dredging and any supplementary dredging; Expediting permitting for dredge work on the Mon River; We appreciate the Corps’ ongoing work to respond as it can to the high points by using existing funding to quickly begin dredge work on problematic areas. However, the outstanding work required to return the river to its pre-demolition functionality is extensive and will require a multi-party effort to address. To facilitate that essential collaboration, we respectfully request answers to the following questions: Will USACE commit to taking all action possible to return the Mon to its pre-demolition functionality, including but not limited to sharing all relevant river survey results with the Coast Guard, PennDOT, and industry stakeholders, exploring potential beneficial uses of dredged material, and expediting permitting as possible and appropriate? What is USACE’s plan for the remainder of the dam at the Elizabeth Locks and Dam? Will USACE and its contractors continue to detonate and remove the dam? If so, does USACE anticipate that this will have any impact on water levels? How is USACE prepared to work with other permitting agencies to expedite any needed permit adjustments? We understand that the various agencies of the Commonwealth are already standing ready to support the needed work on the Mon River. The Corps must do the same, as quickly as possible. We appreciate your prompt attention to the urgent needs on the Mon River and the questions above. ###

Share Tweet

October 7, 2024

Casey Delivers $4.5 Million to Lower Energy Costs for Farmers and Small Business Owners

Grants funded by Casey-backed Inflation Reduction Act Grants will go towards purchasing and installing solar energy systems and improving waste digestion to help farmers and small businesses save on energy costs Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) secured a total of $4,537,255 to lower energy costs for farmers and small businesses across the Commonwealth. The twenty awards will help businesses and farms purchase and install solar photovoltaic systems, which will convert captured solar energy into electricity to power machines and operations and save Pennsylvanians thousands of dollars per year. These funds will also help a Pennsylvania dairy farm purchase and install a new engine for their anerobic digester. The funding comes from the U.S Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America (REAP) program, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. “When we invest in technology that lowers energy costs for our businesses and farmers, we are investing in the Commonwealth’s long-term success,” said Senator Casey. “Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, farmers and small businesses can continue supporting their families and their communities and save thousands of dollars each year. I will always fight for investments that lower costs, support businesses, and protect our Commonwealth’s environment for generations to come.” See below for a list of project recipients of the Inflation Reduction Act funding. Table of Funding Recipients Recipient Grant City/County Denis Beachel $329,831 Danville, Montour County Charles L. Fisher $648,800 Unionville, Centre County McNaughton Bros Inc. $152,600 Indiana, Indiana County GeoTech Engineering Inc. $49,894 Morrisdale, Clearfield County Ambassador Towers LLC $483,300 Huntington County Pax-Terra LLC $610,420 Meyersdale, Somerset County Schrack Farms LP $479,161 Loganton, Clinton County Unity Lab Corp. $387,300 Dunshore, Sullivan County Bruce King Jr. $306,150 Troy, Bradford County Ebensburg Animal Hospital Inc. $165,773 Ebensburg, Cambria County Mr. B’s Lawn Service Inc. $29,080 Ellwood City, Lawrence County Talview Dairy LLC $200,704 Lebanon, Lebanon County Philip Wise $79,000 Berks County Mann Plumbing and Heating LLC $49,810 Fayetteville, Franklin County Shree Sai Nivas LLC $81,142 Mifflin County Joeseph Nolt $81,216 Lancaster County Bellaire Farms LLC $184,050 Elizabethtown, Lancaster County McCartney’s Inc. $56,024 Altoona, Blair County Peter G. Reifsnyder Inc. $66,250 Bernville, Berks County Eagle Rental Inc. $96,750 Lebanon County ###

Share Tweet

October 3, 2024

Casey, Warnock Urge Biden Administration to Ensure Seniors Can Benefit from New Prescription Drug Out-of-Pocket Cap

Senators press Administration to provide more information to older adults about out-of-pocket prescription drug cost cap that goes into effect January 2025 The $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drugs for Medicare recipients to save seniors $1.5 billion in copays and other expenses Casey and Warnock fought to pass law giving Medicare the power to negotiate and lower prescription drugs Senators: “The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand these new options and benefits.” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) pressed the Biden Administration to take action to inform seniors of the steps they may need to take to benefit from the impending cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug prices. Starting in January 2025, as a result of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries will go into effect and reduce drug costs for nearly 19 million Americans. The Senators are urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase outreach efforts to ensure that seniors understand how to guarantee their prescription drugs count towards the out-of-pocket cap so they don’t end up paying more than expected. “The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand these new options and benefits. A lack of information and communication could leave older adults paying more and missing out on benefits to which they are entitled,” wrote the Senators. Chairman Casey and Senator Reverend Warnock have long led efforts in the Senate to lower prescription drug costs. In 2022, they fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which put in place the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. The law also capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for Medicare recipients and gave Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time. Negotiations began last year on the first set of ten drugs: Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and NovoLog/Fiasp. In August, the Biden Administration announced the new, lower negotiated prices for each of these first ten drugs. Early next year, the Administration will announce the next set of 15 drugs that will be subject to price negotiations. Earlier this year, Casey and Warnock introduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act, which would expand the savings of the Inflation Reduction Act by capping out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families on private insurance. Read the full letter HERE or below: Dear Secretary Becerra: Thank you for your ongoing commitment to lowering the cost of health care across the Nation. In just a few months, as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs will go into effect. The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand their new options and benefits. A lack of information and communication could leave older adults paying more and missing out on benefits to which they are entitled. As this and other prescription drug pricing provisions from the IRA take effect, we urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase outreach efforts to older adults to ensure they are aware of how to benefit from the law. When Congress passed the IRA, we fought to ensure the legislation included significant steps to improve prescription drug affordability by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, capping out of pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries, lowering insulin costs, and decreasing prescription drug costs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Last year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower the price of prescription drugs and in August, CMS announced the negotiated maximum fair prices for the first 10 drugs under the IRA’s negotiation program. Medicare enrollees taking these 10 drugs paid a total of $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2022. Had the IRA been in effect in 2023, Medicare would have saved $6 billion, and beneficiaries would have saved $1.5 billion in copays and other expenses. Additional drugs will be negotiated each year under this program, largely expanding the affordability of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries. Starting in 2023, cost-sharing was eliminated for vaccines covered by Medicare Part D. According to HHS, 10.3 million Medicare Part D enrollees received a recommended vaccine free of charge, which saved beneficiaries more than $400 million in out-of-pocket costs. This includes 3.9 million older adults who received a shingles vaccine, which is an increase of about 42 percent from 2021. In January 2024, the IRA also capped out of pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Part B and Part D. Had the IRA been in effect in 2020, 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries would have benefited, saving about $734 million in Part D and $27 million in Part B, or about $500 in average annual savings per beneficiary. Thanks to pressure from the IRA, three of the largest U.S. insulin manufacturers have capped out-of-pocket insulin costs for even more patients. In January 2025, Medicare Part D enrollees will benefit from a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug costs. This redesign will reduce beneficiary out-of-pocket spending by about $7.4 billion each year among more than 18.7 million enrollees in 2025. This will save nearly $400 per person in out of pocket costs each year. CMS has provided some information about the upcoming implementation of the out-of-pocket cap, with detailed guidance regarding the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to Part D plan sponsors and a fact sheet for consumers and Medicare beneficiaries. But CMS must do more to inform older adults about the details of the $2,000 out of pocket cap to ensure they are able to realize its maximum benefits. For example, Medicare beneficiaries need information about how to guarantee their prescription drugs count towards the out-of-pocket cap and how to choose the best Part D plan for their individual needs. Without this critical information, beneficiaries may end up paying more than expected. The IRA directly lowers prescription drug costs for millions of Americans, and we must do everything we can provide older adults with the resources to understand these benefits. This is especially important with Open Enrollment beginning on October 15, a key opportunity for beneficiaries to ensure their health plans meet their needs. The Biden-Harris Administration has worked tirelessly to pass and implement the IRA, and we look forward to continuing those efforts as provisions of the law take effect, making prescription drugs costs more affordable. ###

Share Tweet

October 2, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Boyle, Evans Secure More Than $15.4 Million to Retrofit Housing in Philadelphia, Lower Energy Costs for Seniors, Families, People with Disabilities

Funding will support more resilient and energy efficient housing for lower income Philadelphians St. George Athenagoras Manor, Cobbs Creek, and Inglis Gardens will receive funding Awards, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, will bring down energy and housing costs for seniors, working families, people with disabilities Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2) and Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) secured $15,440,000 in federal funds to improve units in three housing developments in Philadelphia: St. George Athenagoras Manor, Cobbs Creek, and Inglis Gardens. The funds come from grants and loans under the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) which was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. “Every family deserves a safe, reliable, and affordable home,” said Senator Casey. “This funding will upgrade communities to ensure safer and more resilient and energy efficient housing in Philadelphia that will bring down costs for our families, seniors, and people with disabilities. I will always fight for investments that lower costs and expand the stock of reliable, affordable housing in our Commonwealth.” “With this funding, the Biden-Harris administration is again making clear that it understands the need to invest in housing in the Commonwealth,” said Senator Fetterman. “These funds will improve utility efficiency and make housing more resilient for working families across Philadelphia. I’m proud to have helped bring these federal dollars to the commonwealth.” The Inflation Reduction Act, that I voted for, will support the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program---a truly forward-thinking initiative that modernizes buildings while prioritizes sustainability and energy efficiency,” said Congressman Boyle. “By integrating green technology and resilient infrastructure, it ensures long-term benefits for both the environment and residents. This program sets a strong example of how we can work together to create healthier, more durable communities while reducing our collective carbon footprint.” “I was proud to vote for the Biden-Harris administration’s historic investment in our environment, also known as the Inflation Reduction Act, which is delivering this more than $15 million in federal funding for more sustainable housing in Philadelphia,” said Representative Evans. The Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides grant or loan funding to support housing development projects that reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, implement renewable energy generation, enhance indoor air quality, or improve the climate resilience of HUD-assisted multifamily properties. St. George Athenagoras Manor, an assisted living facility for seniors, will receive $7,520,000 to improve 94 housing units, Cobbs Creek will receive $6,800,000 to make improvements in 85 housing units for working families, and Inglis Gardens will receive $1,120,000 to improve 14 units for residents with disabilities. ###

Share Tweet

October 2, 2024

Law Enforcement Endorses Casey’s Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act

The Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act will increase staffing and technology to detect and stop the flow of fentanyl coming across the border Bill has now been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, and other law enforcement organizations Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced growing support from law enforcement organizations for his Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act, which would reduce the flow of fentanyl by providing much-needed resources to secure the southwest border. The bill, which would increase staffing capacity and technology to detect illicit drugs and other contraband being smuggled through ports of entry along the border, has now been endorsed by four major police organizations: the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, Major County Sheriffs of America, and the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition. The bill is also now backed by the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employees. “Pennsylvania law enforcement can’t tackle the fentanyl crisis when so much of the fentanyl devastating our families and communities is being smuggled across our southwest border,” said Senator Casey. “This bill will help provide the hardworking law enforcement officers at the border with the resources, technology, and support they need to stop the flow of fentanyl into Pennsylvania communities. I’m proud to have law enforcement support and I won’t stop until we’ve passed this commonsense legislation.” “Our law enforcement members are the first line of defense against the scourge of fentanyl that comes across the American border each day,” said Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. “Now more than ever, our country must invest in methods to stem the flow of fentanyl into our communities. This legislation will support our members by giving them the tools they need to support border operations and drug interdiction efforts.” “Fentanyl is now the drug most associated with overdoses in the United States,” said Bill Johnson, the Executive Director of the National Association of Police Organizations. “This deadly poison is being mixed with other illicit drugs, hidden in counterfeit drugs, and being peddled at alarmingly high rates to our nation’s youth. The Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act provides much needed support, resources, and funding to the southwest border to help federal, state, and local law enforcement fight the trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the country. Law enforcement at all levels of government have long been asking for these resources to support their efforts to prevent and detect fentanyl coming into this country and our communities. NAPO stands with Senator Casey in support of this important bill.” The Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act would enable CBP to hire more officers and border patrol agents to increase capacity to stop illicit smuggling over the border. The bill also provides funding to purchase Non-Intrusive Inspection systems, which scan vehicles and cargo at the border to provide detailed images of their interiors, which leads to the detection of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. Additionally, the bill would create an inspection program to increase seizure of firearms, which Mexican cartels frequently purchase in the United States and smuggle into Mexico to support their fentanyl production operations and other violent criminal enterprises. Senator Casey has been a leader in the Senate on efforts to prevent the spread of fentanyl into the United States. He has traveled around Pennsylvania meeting with law enforcement and families of victims of fentanyl overdoses as he pushed for passage of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act. In July, Senator Casey applauded the Senate passage of the Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act, a bill that will direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate how transnational criminal organizations finance synthetic drug trafficking and help the federal government target them more effectively. In August, Casey led his colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Fighting Illicit Goods, Helping Trustworthy Importers, and Netting Gains (FIGHTING) for America Act to help CBP prevent fentanyl from entering the country undetected. In September, Casey introduced the Interdiction of Fentanyl at Federal Prisons Act, which would protect prison officers, staff, and inmates from fentanyl and other illicit substances entering the Federal Prison System through inmate mail. Read more about the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act here. ###

Share Tweet

September 26, 2024

Casey, Paul Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Seal Records of Low-Level, Nonviolent Offenses

Clean Slate Act to remove barriers to housing, employment for millions of Americans Clean Slate Act is based on successful PA law passed in 2018, would expand to Americans nationwide Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced bipartisan legislation to give millions of Americans a “clean slate” by sealing the criminal records of low-level and non-violent offenders who have successfully completed their sentence. The Clean Slate Act would automatically seal the federal records of individuals convicted of simple drug possession and other low-level, nonviolent crimes involving marijuana to remove major barriers many Americans face in finding employment, securing housing, and accessing education. This legislation would help more than 70 million Americans fully participate in society and provide them with a second chance to contribute to their communities and support their families. “Automatically sealing records is an opportunity for millions of Americans to get a second chance at life. This legislation will ensure that parents, workers, and families who have successfully completed their sentence can build successful lives that are unburdened by minor, nonviolent criminal histories,” said Senator Casey. “In introducing the Senate companion bill to the Clean Slate Act of 2023, Senators Bob Casey and Rand Paul showcase a deep understanding of the far-reaching benefits of Clean Slate legislation. Beyond ensuring individuals can earn a fair chance at redemption, Clean Slate policies catalyze economic growth and bolster our workforce. By removing barriers to employment and opportunity, Clean Slate legislation enables individuals to fully participate in our economy, driving growth and prosperity. So far, states have led the charge on automatic record-sealing, and it's encouraging to see momentum building in Congress. Together, we can break down barriers to opportunity and ensure everyone has a fair chance to build a better future for themselves and reach their potential,” said Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative. More than one in three adults have some form of criminal record, keeping them from participating in many facets of everyday life as nearly nine in ten employers, four in five landlords, and three in five colleges utilize background checks to screen applicants. The Clean Slate Act would grant millions of Americans the opportunity for a second chance at life by automatically sealing federal arrest records for individuals not convicted and those convicted of low-level, nonviolent drug offenses after successfully completing their sentence. It would also establish new procedures to allow people to petition a federal district judge to review and potentially seal records for other nonviolent offenses that are not automatically sealed, and it would ensure that law enforcement retains access to all sealed records. “Conservatives believe in accountability as well as the potential for redemption, particularly for those convicted of low-level, non-violent offenses. America loves a good comeback story. By creating a pathway to a clean slate, one that requires a period of waiting time for the ex-offender to demonstrate responsibility and earn a second chance, we can help people come out of incarceration and become good citizens. Ultimately, doing so helps strengthen families, communities, and our nation's work force,” said David Safavian, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Conservatives for Political Action (CPAC). Senator Casey has long pushed for the federal government to have a meaningful way to clear federal records of low-level convictions and arrests without conviction. With more than one half of children across the Nation having at least one parent with a criminal record, criminal justice reform like the Clean Slate Act would ensure that millions of American families could benefit from participating in the workforce or finding safe and affordable housing. The Clean Slate Act is based on a Pennsylvania law that was passed in 2018, making the Commonwealth the first state in the Nation to institute Clean Slate legislation. To date, Pennsylvania has expanded its widely popular bipartisan Clean Slate law two times, most recently in December 2023, and more than a million Pennsylvanians have had their records sealed under Clean Slate policies. Additionally, 11 other states have passed Clean Slate laws. "As a society, we have an expectation that individuals who come out of the criminal legal system will get their lives back on the right track, but most people don’t understand how many barriers stand in their way. We need to give people who have interacted with our criminal legal system a path to meaningful employment, safe housing, and education if we expect them to succeed. The Clean Slate Act provides that path forward by providing for automatic record-sealing for individuals arrested or convicted of simple possession and low-level, nonviolent marijuana offenses as well as a petition-based sealing process for persons involving other nonviolent federal offenses. We thank Senator Casey and Senator Paul for introducing the Clean Slate Act, and we look forward to working with those offices to continue building support for second chances for the 70 million Americans who need them," said Jason Pye, Vice President of the Due Process Institute. “People who have paid their debt to society for low-level, non-violent offenses deserve to be welcomed back into society. This is precisely the goal of the criminal justice system. We want people to pay their debts and amend their lives. Those who do it, should be rewarded and restored—for their good, their families’ good, and in the best interest of our communities and our states. Sealing the records of low-level, non-violent ex-offenders after they have successfully completed their sentences will help reduce recidivism, strengthen families and communities, and provide a pathway to redemption for people who want to reform their lives,” said Patrick Purtill, Director of Legislative Affairs of the Faith & Freedom Coalition. “The Clean Slate Act is a common sense reform that will help give people who have fulfilled their justice system obligations a second chance,” said Nan Gibson, Executive Director of the JPMorgan Chase Policy Center. “By creating a process for clearing low-level nonviolent federal records, and streamlining the process through automation, the Clean Slate Act will help people pursue stable career opportunities. This measure will enable companies like JPMorgan Chase, where about 10 percent of our new hires annually in the US have previous records with no bearing on their roles, continue to connect individuals to meaningful career pathways, opening doors to opportunities that transform lives, lift up communities and strengthen the economy.” The Clean Slate Act is supported by: Clean Slate Initiative; Due Process Institute; Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law; Center for American Progress; Code for America; Conservative Political Action Coalition (CPAC); Faith & Freedom Coalition; JPMorgan Chase; Justice Action Network (JAN); Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration; Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ); R Street; and Third Way. Read more about the Clean Slate Act HERE. ###

Share Tweet

September 25, 2024

Casey Introduces Legislation to Improve Flood Insurance Affordability for Families, Help Pennsylvanians Protect Their Homes

Fair Flood Protection Act caps insurance premiums, cuts fees Casey bill to provide long-term stability for Pennsylvania homeowners Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced legislation to cap the cost of flood insurance, making homeownership more affordable for working families. Across Pennsylvania, as floods become more frequent and intense, homeowners are struggling to keep up with significant increases in flood insurance costs, which can be as high as thousands of dollars per year. The Fair Flood Protection Act would lower the cost of flood insurance by creating a sliding scale premium cap to ensure that families pay fair amounts based on their income. “Throughout the Commonwealth, including in my home county of Lackawanna, families’ budgets are being increasingly squeezed by the rising costs of flood insurance. This bill will cut fees and cap flood insurance costs to help ensure that Pennsylvanians can afford to keep their homes safe for generations to come,” said Senator Casey. “Hardworking homeowners should be able to protect their homes without worrying about how to pay the bills.” With many Pennsylvanians struggling to get by and raise their families, flooding poses a looming financial threat. Most home insurance does not include flood insurance, making the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) a key safety net to protect against the devastating impacts of flooding. After hearing concerns about rising costs of flood insurance, coupled with reports of increased heavy rain and flood risk, Casey introduced the Fair Flood Protection Act to help working families protect their homes without breaking the bank. This bill would help make and keep flood insurance affordable and strengthen the NFIP. This legislation would help expand flood insurance coverage by reauthorizing NFIP for ten years, increasing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s authorization to provide funding for flood protection and mitigation projects, and creating a cap for NFIP premiums based on a sliding scale determined by income. Currently FEMA has instituted a premium model that sets rates based on an individual’s flood risk, which can lead to prohibitively high costs of flood insurance. Adjusting premium rates to account for income, rather than risk alone, would help to ensure that working class homeowners are not priced out of flood protection. Senator Casey has long worked to help Pennsylvania communities mitigate and recover from the devastating impacts caused by floods. Most recently, he successfully pushed President Biden to provide federal disaster relief support to Pennsylvania communities affected by the devastating flooding last month. Additionally, Casey has championed infrastructure investments to improve flood control infrastructure, including through community project funding and FEMA grant programs. Additionally, Casey voted to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which poured billions of additional federal funding into programs like the Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program and the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program. Senator Casey has always fought to lower costs for working families in Pennsylvania. From creating tax credits for renewable energy development, to negotiating the price of prescription drugs, Casey has consistently worked to bring prices down Pennsylvania families. Read more about the Fair Flood Protection Act HERE. ###

Share Tweet

September 25, 2024

Casey Introduces Suite of Bills to Expand Access to Community College

Casey’s bills would make community college programs more accessible and valuable for students Bills would spur investment in new and existing community college infrastructure in underserved areas, make it easier for college students to receive degrees when they have completed requirements Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced a suite of bills to strengthen American community colleges and make their programs more accessible and valuable for students. Two of the bills would spur investment in new and existing community college infrastructure in underserved areas. The package also includes the Correctly Recognizing Educational Achievements to Empower (CREATE) Graduates Act, which would resolve an issue preventing some community college students from receiving degrees for which they have completed the requirements. “Community college programs help young Americans compete for jobs, earn higher wages, and build brighter futures,” said Senator Casey. “I introduced these bills to expand access to community college and ensure students can fully take advantage of the benefits these programs have to offer. I will always fight to make sure every young American has access to the education they need to reach their full potential.” More than two-thirds of jobs in the modern economy require some education and training beyond high school, but many Americans lack access to affordable, quality postsecondary education. Approximately 35 million people, or 10 percent of the country’s population, live in education deserts: areas with zero or only one public broad-access college nearby. The legislative package Casey introduced today would invest in new community college infrastructure in these areas, while also bolstering existing programs around the country. The Funding Community College Infrastructure Act would create a $10 billion grant program within the Department of Education to invest in expanding community college access. Existing community colleges, states, local governments, and municipalities would be eligible for grant funding to establish or expand community colleges and programs to underserved areas, as well as address infrastructure needs at existing community colleges to help them serve students. The Community College Infrastructure Financing Act would create a bond program to provide interest-free financing for community colleges, which will allow existing community colleges, States, local governments, and municipalities, to issue “Qualified Community College Bonds” to establish or expand community colleges and programs to underserved areas, as well as address existing infrastructure needs to help them serve students. The bond’s interest would be covered through a federal tax credit to the bondholder in lieu of an interest payment by the municipality. Each year, thousands of community college students transfer to four-year institutions before receiving a degree. These students complete additional courses at those institutions, which if taken at a community college, would have earned them an associate degree. However, if these students leave the four-year university before graduation, they are left with nothing to show for their hard work, even though they have fulfilled the requirements for a shorter degree. The CREATE Graduates Act will help students receive the degrees that they have already earned by creating incentives for institutions of higher education to establish “reverse transfer” programs, or initiatives to transfer back credits from a four-year institution to the community college where a student without a degree was initially enrolled. As a result, this bill will allow eligible students to obtain the associate degree that they have earned and, consequently, be more competitive when they enter the job market and ready to succeed. Read more about the Funding Community College Infrastructure Act and the Community College Infrastructure Financing Act here. Read more about the CREATE Graduates Act here. ###

Share Tweet

September 24, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Push for Gecko Robotics-Navy Contract to Create Jobs in Southwestern PA, Protect National Security

Contract with Navy to help grow defense business in Southwestern PA, help meet Navy strategic needs Navy investments in Gecko Robotics’ advanced technologies to boost national and economic security against rising threats from China Members: “For the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania, this contract is critical. It will bring more than 150 jobs to the region directly. […] GSA must do better. The Nation’s security demands it” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led a bipartisan group of his colleagues in Congress in urging the General Services Administration (GSA) to expedite a U.S. Navy contract with Gecko Robotics to bolster national security amidst rising Chinese aggression and create jobs in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Navy’s pending $75 million contract with Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics has already been delayed many months, putting critical work on hold. When implemented, the contract will support ship maintenance and help ensure the Navy’s readiness against increasing maritime threats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This project will directly create 150 new jobs in Southwestern Pennsylvania and help grow defense business in the region to create future job opportunities. “For the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania in particular, this contract is critical. It will bring more than 150 jobs to the region directly. It will help grow Gecko Robotics’ defense business across other Navy platforms, other U.S. military services, and allied militaries, leading to further job growth. And, through workforce investments by Gecko Robotics, it will help traditional manufacturing workers in the area develop the advanced manufacturing skills and expertise necessary to compete in the global marketplace. GSA must do better. The Nation’s security demands it,” wrote the Members. The Navy’s pending $75 million Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to Gecko Robotics for automated vessel inspection and maintenance has been stalled many months, despite the contract’s strategic importance and prioritization by the Navy. When implemented, the contract will enable the reduction of ship maintenance backlogs by using Gecko Robotics’ robots and software. This critical investment will not only create 150 new defense manufacturing jobs, but it will strengthen the defense industrial base in Southwestern Pennsylvania, help transition traditional manufacturing workers to meet twenty-first century advanced manufacturing demands and create a pathway for future job creation. In a letter to GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan, the Members stressed the importance of maintaining a strong Navy in the face of rising Chinese aggression and urged the Administration to create an expedited timeline to implement this project. Full text of the letter is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE. Dear Administrator Carnahan: We write to bring to your attention a contracting delay with national security ramifications for the Nation’s naval and technological competitions against the People’s Republic of China (PRC). We respectfully request that you expedite issuance of the Navy’s pending $75 million Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to Gecko Robotics for automated vessel inspection and maintenance–from its delayed Q2 2025 start date up to Q1 2025. This contract stands not only to bolster our national and economic security in the face of increasing Chinese aggression, but to create jobs and grow Navy business in Southwestern Pennsylvania, a region long known for its industrious workforce and ingenuity. As stated in President Biden’s National Security Strategy, “the PRC is the only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the... power to do it.” The United States military must prioritize the Chinese threat across all domains of the competition, including naval capacity and the adoption of advanced technologies. The growing buildup of the PRC’s navy continues to strengthen its chances of winning a potential future war against the United States, as larger fleets have won 89 percent of wars with significant naval combat. Today, this shifting balance allows China to more confidently project power despite U.S. counterefforts. A competition against a state, China, controlling 230 times our shipbuilding capacity will require continued large-scale investments and a refocused strategy to address today’s threats. As part of the naval competition, the U.S. Navy must resolve its significant maintenance backlog and current inability, in the event of a conflict, to quickly repair damaged ships. Even if the United States had a navy with more vessels that are more powerful and hold more powerful weapons, we still would lose a war if those vessels were “in disrepair, tied to the pier, or in dry-dock.” Without this maintenance and repair capability, the U.S. Navy’s combat power has become only a fraction of its reported size. A 2023 GAO study confirmed this effect: Over the last decade across 10 different ship classes, hours of availability for operations and training have decreased as maintenance cannibalizations, delays, and costs have increased. Specifically, the United States must improve its naval maintenance planning processes, starting with a better understanding of its vessels’ condition. Experts have recommended that the U.S. Navy “invest in integrated [information technology (IT)] systems to document ships’ material condition properly,” as traditional methods of assessment take longer, cost more, and provide a much poorer understanding of a vessels’ maintenance needs. The Navy has identified its maintenance backlog as a priority and begun to execute on developing a technological solution to address that priority. To meet its spring 2024 availability timelines, the Navy worked hard to award a $75 million IDIQ contract to Gecko Robotics. Based in Pittsburgh, Gecko Robotics uses robotic automation and digital baselines to help the military optimize maintenance processes and improve mission readiness. This contract would allow the Navy to move more quickly in addressing its maintenance backlog while saving taxpayer funds compared to existing vehicles. Despite the contract’s strategic importance and prioritization by the Navy, it has stalled with GSA. Based on the Navy’s efforts, in December of 2023, a member of GSA informed Gecko Robotics that, “I’m confident we’ll have a contract in place by the end of February [2024].” In March of 2024 though, GSA backtracked, telling the Navy it could not support the contract until July. In April, GSA signed the requisite interagency agreement with the Navy, but by June, delays had worsened, leading a different member of GSA to inform Gecko Robotics that, “I don’t have a time frame when we would start the project.” In August, our staff learned from GSA that it does not plan to award the contract until Q2 of 2025, one year after it had originally planned. We understand that GSA has faced staffing turnover and a changing acquisition strategy, but in the meantime, the Navy’s readiness has suffered and will continue to suffer. China is emboldened. While commercial demand for Gecko Robotics’ capabilities is high, another young company in similar circumstances might have already gone out of business due to these delays. Difficulties generating revenue from contract delays like this will deter less mission-driven, innovative companies from even entering the defense market. For the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania in particular, this contract is critical. It will bring more than 150 jobs to the region directly. It will help grow Gecko Robotics’ defense business across other Navy platforms, other U.S. military services, and allied militaries, leading to further job growth. And, through workforce investments by Gecko Robotics, it will help traditional manufacturing workers in the area develop the advanced manufacturing skills and expertise necessary to compete in the global marketplace. GSA must do better. The Nation’s security demands it. We respectfully request that you expedite issuance of the Navy’s IDIQ contract to Q1 of 2025. Thank you for your attention to our request. We appreciate your swift efforts to remedy this situation. ###

Share Tweet

September 20, 2024

Casey to CEO: Keep Glass Plant Jobs in Charleroi

Glass making plant has been a keystone of Charleroi, PA for 132 years Sudden announcement to close glass manufacturing facility would lay off hundreds of workers, hurt families’ livelihoods that have depended on glass making for generations Casey: “Your sudden announcement to close the plant will upend the lives of Pennsylvania workers who have contributed to your company’s success. [...] They deserve better than to be tossed aside by a company that has tossed aside their rights, their value, and seems unable to prosper in a growing market.” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) slammed Anchor Hocking CEO Mark Eichhorn regarding the company’s recent announcement to abruptly close the glass manufacturing plant in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. Closing the factory would not only cost 300 Pennsylvanians their jobs but would change the fabric of this community and put an end to one of Pennsylvania’s most impressive manufacturing success stories. Senator Casey implored Anchor Hocking to reconsider the decision and reaffirmed his commitment to Pennsylvania industry and workers, particularly in the Mon Valley. “The jobs at this plant have provided family-sustaining livelihoods for the tens of thousands of proud workers who have shaped it into the local legacy it is today. Your sudden announcement to close the plant will upend the lives of Pennsylvania workers who have contributed to your company’s success,” wrote Senator Casey. “The Charleroi community and the hardworking employees of this historic facility have given your companies their very best, for your benefit, too. They deserve better than to be tossed aside by a company that has disrespected their rights, their value, and seems unable to prosper in a growing market. As their Senator, I will always fight for Pennsylvania jobs and workers.” For generations, Mon Valley residents have depended on and have been proud to work in glass manufacturing in Charleroi—a town named after the former European glass making capital, Charleroi, Belgium. Senator Casey pressed Anchor Hocking to reconsider the decision to close the glass manufacturing plant in Charleroi, citing its historical importance to the region and the harm closing the plant would cause to hundreds of Pennsylvania families who have depended on glass making for generations. Casey highlighted that closing the plant is puzzling, given that the glassmaking market is not in crisis, and disrespectful to the employees who have dedicated their careers to making glass in Charleroi. Full text of the letter is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE. Dear Mr. Eichhorn: I write with great dismay at the news of your intention to close your Charleroi manufacturing facility and to layoff the approximately 300 hardworking Pennsylvanians at this plant. Glass making has a proud legacy in Charleroi, and this plant has been a staple of the community for over 132 years, long before the current private equity ownership acquired it. The jobs at this plant have provided family-sustaining livelihoods for the tens of thousands of proud workers who have shaped it into the local legacy it is today. Your sudden announcement to close the plant will upend the lives of Pennsylvania workers who have contributed to your company’s success. On the front page of Anchor Hocking’s website, you proudly proclaim that “[s]upporting American jobs is a source of great pride for us, and it’s important to our customers too. They appreciate our dedication to the workforce here at home.”1 While I applaud the sentiment, I question the sincerity of such a statement given your recent decisions in Charleroi. The Mon Valley is one of America’s quintessential manufacturing communities and glass manufacturing is not merely an occupation in Charleroi, it’s a way of life. For generations, the residents of Charleroi and around the area have been proud to go to work in a place named after Charleroi, Belgium—a former glass-making capital of Europe—in a factory that has served as the backbone of this community since 1892.2 Shutting down this factory will not only cost over 300 hardworking Americans their jobs in Charleroi, it will close a chapter on one of Pennsylvania’s most impressive manufacturing success stories since the industrial revolution. This decision is all the more puzzling given that the glassware market is not in crisis. Private sector analysts predict that this market will continue to grow over the coming years.3 With this context, it is difficult to understand why it would be necessary to close the plant now. I implore you to reconsider the decision to close this facility and, at the very least, to explore options to sell this facility to a willing buyer. I also understand that your workers, represented by the United Steelworkers, have issued a demand to bargain and would welcome the chance to work for different owner. Please provide answers to the following questions before October 1, 2024: In June 2023, I understand that Instant Brands—a company that owned a portfolio of consumer brands, such as Instant, Pyrex, and Corelle—filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy.4 In October 2023, the court approved the sale of both Instant Brands’ housewares and appliances businesses to Centre Lane Partners, a private equity firm which also owns Anchor Hocking.5 While Centre Lane Partners was ultimately able to acquire Instant Brands’ appliance division in November 2023,6 it failed to receive the necessary regulatory approval to also purchase its housewares division.7 Ultimately, Instant Brands and its housewares division, including Pyrex, emerged from chapter 11 under the new moniker, Corelle Brands, in February 2024.8 However, just one month after Corelle Brands (f/k/a Instant Brands) emerged from bankruptcy, public reports indicate the Anchor Hocking took over Charleroi’s Pyrex plant in March 2024.9 Centre Lane Partners was previously unable to receive the regulatory approval to acquire Instant Brands’ housewares division, including Pyrex. Yet Anchor Hocking, a Centre Lane Partners business, was able to take over the Charleroi Pyrex plant. Please explain the events that led to and the process by which Anchor Hocking came to operate and ultimately decide to close the Charleroi Pyrex plant, including a specific timeline and any regulatory approvals that were necessary before assuming control of the plant. Additionally, please clarify the ownership structure of the Charleroi Pyrex plant and its workforce. Given the healthy state of the glassware industry, what financial factors are leading you to close this facility? Have you considered selling this facility rather than dismantling it? Has your company or any Centre Lane affiliates altered the formula or process for manufacturing Pyrex glass products? If the formula or process has been altered or will be altered in the future, how will this change be communicated to consumers? If Anchor Hocking moves forward with its plans to close this plant and lay off over 300 Pennsylvania workers, please explain how you intend to cooperate with the United States Department of Labor and Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry to assure employees have unrestrained access to any services that can be made available for them and their families? The Charleroi community and the hardworking employees of this historic facility have given you their very best. They deserve better than to be tossed aside by a company that has disrespected their rights, their value, and seems unable to prosper in a growing market. As their Senator, I will always fight for Pennsylvania jobs and workers. ###

Share Tweet

September 20, 2024

Casey’s Bipartisan Bill to Protect Savings Accounts for People with Disabilities Unanimously Passes Senate

Casey created the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program in 2014 to allow people with disabilities to save money without losing eligibility for critical federal programs Three ABLE provisions that make the program more accessible and expansive are set to expire in 2025 Casey’s ENABLE Act, which passed the Senate unanimously, would enshrine those provisions in law permanently Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, applauded the Senate’s passage of his bipartisan Ensuring Nationwide Access to a Better Life Experience (ENABLE) Act, which would extend three key provisions of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program. ABLE, created by Senator Casey in 2014, allows people with disabilities and their families to save and invest through tax-free savings accounts without losing eligibility for federal programs like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Three provisions that make the program accessible to more people with disabilities and make it easier for those in the program to save are set to expire in 2025. The bipartisan ENABLE Act, which Casey introduced alongside Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) earlier this year, would enshrine these provisions into law permanently. “For years, people with disabilities were barred from saving for the future, meaning they couldn’t save for a home, purchase needed assistive technology, or save for an accessible car. I worked to create the ABLE program to knock down those barriers, and ever since I’ve been working across the aisle to make sure the program is as effective as it can be,” said Chairman Casey. “Now that my bipartisan bill to prevent some key ABLE provisions from expiring has passed the Senate, it is on its way to ensuring that as many people with disabilities as possible across the country can continue to benefit from opening ABLE accounts.” People with disabilities are more than twice as likely to live in poverty compared to people without disabilities, yet households including a person with a work-limiting disability need, on average, 28 percent more income to obtain the same standard of living as people without disabilities. For a long time, this intersection of disability and poverty was made worse by asset limitations for federal assistance programs that many people with disabilities rely on. Senator Casey created the ABLE program to fix problem for more than 181,000 people with disabilities across the United States, who have saved approximately $2 billion since the program was created. Three key ABLE provisions are set to expire in 2025: ABLE to Work: A person with a disability who is employed can contribute an additional amount to his or her ABLE account. This additional contribution cannot be greater than either: the prior year’s federal poverty level for a one-person household ($15,060 in 2024), or the beneficiary’s yearly compensation. ABLE Saver’s Credit: A person with a disability who makes qualified contributions to their ABLE account can qualify for a nonrefundable saver’s credit of up to $1,000. 529 to ABLE rollover: A person with a disability may rollover from a 529 education savings account to an ABLE account funds that are less than or equal to the annual ABLE contribution limit are not subject to income taxation. The ENABLE Act would make all three provisions permanent, enshrining expanded access to the ABLE program. The bipartisan bill was co-sponsored by Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Katie Britt (R-AL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Markwayne Mulllin (R-OK), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mike Lee (R-UT), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), John Cornyn (R-TX), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Thomas Carper (D-DE), Thomas Tillis (R-NC). As the lead sponsor of the ABLE Act, passed in 2014, Senator Casey has long been a champion of ABLE accounts. He introduced the ABLE Age Adjustment Act to extend the eligibility of ABLE accounts from those who acquired their disability before the age of 26 to the age of 46. At an Aging Committee field hearing in August 2022, Senator Casey uplifted the success of the ABLE program and pushed for his bill to expand the program to 6.2 million additional Americans, including more than one million veterans. Senator Casey’s bill passed in December 2022 and takes effect in 2026. ###

Share Tweet

September 20, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Scanlon, Boyle, Evans Secure More than $217 Million for PhilaPort

Funding will expand port to increase shipping capacity and efficiency Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), and Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2) announced the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PhilaPort) is receiving a total of $217,000,000 in funding to expand the operational capacity of the SouthPort terminal. The operational expansion will create a new space for ships and expand onloading and offloading capacity and efficiency. This award is from the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) Program, which was created and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). “The infrastructure law is helping the port transport more goods, which will create good jobs in Southeastern Pennsylvania. This game-changing investment in PhilaPort will ensure that the port remains a critical force in the Nation’s supply chain and the Commonwealth’s economy.” said Senator Casey. “I will always fight to improve our shipping hubs to ensure that the Commonwealth’s waterways boost economic growth and create and sustain good jobs.” “I'm proud to see this $217 million funding coming to the SouthPort terminal. By expanding the terminal and increasing capacity, the Department of Transportation is investing in Pennsylvania as a leader in trade and infrastructure and supporting the communities that rely on these jobs every day. I thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their continued investment in Pennsylvania’s future,” said Senator Fetterman. “The Port of Philadelphia is a critical driver of good-paying jobs for our regional economy. I’m so pleased to see this critical funding coming to our region to bring more cargo to the Port,” said Representative Scanlon. “This funding will improve Philadelphia port infrastructure and will allow greater efficiency in handling and transporting goods. Most of all, this funding will create jobs by increasing trade, and enhancing global competitiveness. Philadelphia ports must always be kept updated and modernized to remain competitive in both the regional and global supply chain economy,” said Congressman Boyle. “I was proud to vote for the Biden-Harris administration’s infrastructure and jobs law, and it’s again delivering for Philadelphia and the region with $217 million in federal funding – that is a major investment in our future!” said Congressman Evans. The $217,200,000 investment from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This funding will expand the port’s operational capacity by creating more space to for vessels to dock at the port and increasing on and offloading efficiencies. Specifically, this funding will support the construction of a second berth which will improve the port’s ability to on and offload goods from ships. Additionally, the funding will support infill construction, which will expand the port by approximately ten acres. This port expansion will ensure that the port can remain a competitive and efficient shipping hub. ###

Share Tweet

September 20, 2024

Casey Pushes for Confidential Briefing on Questions Related to Charleroi Pyrex Plant

In letter to Senate Finance Committee Chair, Senator Casey asked for a confidential briefing from the Federal Trade Commission about the failed acquisition of Charleroi plant by private equity company that preceded eventual takeover by Anchor Hocking Anchor Hocking has since announced plans to close the plant, threatening over 300 jobs in Charleroi Casey: ‘Shutting down this factory will not only cost over 300 hardworking Pennsylvanians their jobs, but for a community of over 4,000 residents—it will be devasting to morale and to all the families who call Charleroi ‘home’” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey, member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chair Senator Ron Wyden to request a confidential briefing from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on questions concerning Anchor Hocking’s assumption of control over the Pyrex manufacturing operation in Charleroi. Specifically, Casey requested a briefing on the failed acquisition of Instant Brands’ Houseware division, which included the Charleroi plant, by Centre Lane Partners during Instant Brands’ chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in 2023. After the failed acquisition, a Centre Lane company, Anchor Hocking, assumed control of the Charleroi Pyrex plant and is now planning to close the facility. “After this failed acquisition, I have been informed that Anchor Hocking, a Centre Lane company, assumed control over the Charleroi Pyrex plant in March. This raises questions, especially given the subsequent actions taken by Anchor Hocking,” wrote Senator Casey. “Earlier this month, Anchor Hocking informed the over 300 employees at the Charleroi plant that it would be closing the factory’s doors after 132 years of operations. Glass manufacturing in Charleroi has a proud legacy, and this plant has served as the backbone of this community for generations. Shutting down this factory will not only cost over 300 hardworking Pennsylvanians their jobs, but for a community of over 4,000 residents—it will be devasting to morale and to all the families who call Charleroi ‘home.’” Immediately upon learning of Anchor Hocking’s plans to close the plant on September 5th, Senator Casey’s office reached out to the plant’s union leadership and Charleroi Borough officials, connecting them with federal and state authorities. Casey’s office also helped convene a task force of county commissioners, borough officials, and local economic development leaders. Casey’s staff also alerted the White House Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization to the situation, leading to a plant visit by federal officials on September 11th. On September 19th, Senator Casey sent a letter to Anchor Hocking’s CEO demanding an explanation for the closure and urging the company to reconsider its actions. Casey has long been a fierce advocate for Mon Valley workers and businesses. Last year, Casey successfully advocated for the inclusion of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers as part of the U.S. Marine Highway System, which opened up new federal opportunities along the corridors that can benefit local Southwestern Pennsylvania communities like Charleroi. In November 2023, Casey pushed to increase and diversify the flow of American-made goods along major Southwestern Pennsylvania waterways. Earlier this year, he secured language in the FY 2024 spending bill l directing the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization to convene stakeholders to discuss waterway freight diversification and economic development in the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela River Corridor. This task force will help connect riverfront communities with federal resources from laws like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Read the full letter HERE and below: September 20, 2024 The Honorable Ron Wyden Chairman Committee on Finance United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chairman Wyden: I write to request that you, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, request a confidential briefing from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for both our offices on the failed acquisition of Instant Brands’ housewares division—including the Pyrex manufacturing operation in Charleroi, Pennsylvania—by the private equity firm, Centre Lane Partners (“Centre Lane”) during Instant Brands’ chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in 2023, and any other actions the FTC has considered related to this facility. After this failed acquisition, I have been informed that Anchor Hocking, a Centre Lane company, assumed control over the Charleroi Pyrex plant in March.[1] This raises questions, especially given the subsequent actions taken by Anchor Hocking. Earlier this month, Anchor Hocking informed the over 300 employees at the Charleroi plant that it would be closing the factory’s doors after 132 years of operations.[2] Glass manufacturing in Charleroi has a proud legacy, and this plant has served as the backbone of this community for generations. Shutting down this factory will not only cost over 300 hardworking Pennsylvanians their jobs, but for a community of over 4,000 residents—it will be devasting to morale and to all the families who call Charleroi “home.” Yesterday, I sent a letter to the Anchor Hocking CEO demanding answers on how Anchor Hocking came to control the Charleroi Pyrex plant, as well as his decision to close it.[3] With the livelihoods of hundreds of Pennsylvanians hanging in the balance, however, we must have all the information available to demand answers and exhaust all federal avenues to fight for these Pennsylvania workers. Pursuant to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act’s disclosure clause,[4] I understand the sensitivity of such matters, and I can assure you that neither I nor my staff will disclose any non-public information provided during the briefing. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. [1] https://www.monvalleyindependent.com/2024/09/06/glass-making-is-important-part-of-charlerois-history/ [2] https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/charleroi-glassmaking-plant-shutting-down/ [3] https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-to-ceo-keep-glass-plant-jobs-in-charleroi [4] 15 U.S.C. § 18a(h)

Share Tweet

September 19, 2024

Casey Legislation to Crack Down on U.S. Investment in China Included in Annual Defense Bill

Legislation gives the United States visibility into investments in national security sectors made in countries of concern, including People’s Republic of China Casey first introduced legislation in 2021, has worked to garner support in years since In June 2023, Casey made case for proposal as part of vision for American economic future in Pittsburgh speech Policy was included in Senate version of defense bill in 2023 after overwhelming, bipartisan vote of 91-6 While House Republican leadership went “soft on China” by dropping the outbound investment bill, Casey continued to push for policy and successfully urged Biden Administration to take executive action Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) secured key provisions from his legislation to screen critical U.S. investments in countries of concern in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This would give the U.S. visibility into vulnerabilities and risks posed when governments of countries such as the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have access to American technology and know-how in national security sectors. The industries included under the bill are: advanced semiconductors and microelectronics, artificial intelligence, quantum information science and technology, hypersonics, satellite-based communications, and LiDAR remote sensing technology with dual-use applications. The Senate is expected to vote on the NDAA before the end of the year. “My legislation is a strong step to protect our national and economic security. We have another chance to stand up to China and keep our technology and secrets out of the hands of our adversaries, and there is bipartisan consensus to get this done,” said Senator Casey. “I’m going to keep working to crack down on Chinese aggression and take greater control of our economic future.” Senator Casey is one of the leading voices in Congress on the risks posed by U.S. national security investments in China. He has led bipartisan legislation to give the U.S. insight into investments in national security sectors from going to countries of concern, including China. His Outbound Investment Transparency Act passed the Senate as amendment to the 2023 NDAA by a vote of 91-6, but House Republican leadership ultimately dropped Casey’s bill from the final legislation. At the same time, Casey pushed the Biden Administration to take executive action to screen outbound investments in critical sectors in countries of concern. The Department of Treasury announced the proposed rule in June. This month, Senator Casey introduced comprehensive legislation to strengthen American competitiveness in the global economy, crack down on trade cheating, and protect against economic and cybersecurity threats from China. The Combat Chinese Economic Aggression Act will strengthen U.S. manufacturing and technology by pushing back against China and other countries of concern that seek to steal trade secrets and exert influence over American defense, manufacturing, infrastructure, telecommunications, and energy industries. ###

Share Tweet

September 19, 2024

Casey, Heinrich Introduce Legislation to Stop Fentanyl from Entering Prisons, Protect Officers from Dangerous Exposure

Interdiction of Fentanyl at Federal Prisons Act to help BOP eliminate fentanyl and other illicit narcotics from entering prisons by mail Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and introduced legislation to protect prison officers, staff, and inmates from fentanyl and other illicit substances entering the Federal Prison System through inmate mail. By directing the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to develop a strategy that guarantees all mail is screened for illicit contraband, the Interdiction of Fentanyl at Federal Prisons Act would reduce the risk of intentional poisoning or lethal exposure from illicit substances in federal prisons and support the 38,000 BOP corrections officers and staff that are dedicated to keeping prisons safe. “As we fight back against the fentanyl crisis, we must protect those who face at elevated risk of dangerous exposure. I have long pushed for digital mail screening as an effective way to stop fentanyl from entering our prisons to protect officers, staff, and inmates,” said Senator Casey. “This legislation is a critical step to keep Pennsylvanians safe and I will continue fighting like hell to stop the fentanyl crisis.” “We need to deploy every available tool we can to tackle the opioid epidemic and support law enforcement in cracking down on drug traffickers and the deadly flow of fentanyl,” said Senator Heinrich. “By screening all mail at federal prisons, we can protect officers and staff from harmful exposure to illicit substances and prevent life-endangering overdoses. I won’t stop fighting until we deliver the resources our law enforcement officers, first responders, medical providers, and New Mexicans on the front lines need to address this deadly epidemic.” “According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, drug or alcohol intoxication deaths in State prisons rose by more than 600% between 2001 and 2018. In county jails, this number increased by more than 200%. This rapid increase in drug-related deaths in prisons has left law enforcement, particularly correctional officers, overwhelmed. This legislation addresses this issue by limiting the synthetic drug supply chain which contributes to the circulation of illicit substances through our communities and correctional facilities. Correctional facilities’ capabilities to protect staff and detainees from exposure to synthetic drugs and opioids will be evaluated and appropriate protective measures will be implemented. Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Prisons will also incorporate a more comprehensive inbound mail processing system to prevent these illicit substances from reaching inmates,” said Patrick Yoes, FOP National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. As Pennsylvania and the Nation continue to grapple with the opioid crisis, The Interdiction of Fentanyl at Federal Prisons Act would protect officers, staff, and inmates by requiring BOP to develop a strategy to intercept and interdict illicit substances, including fentanyl, mailed to federal correctional facilities. After one BOP official lost his life and numerous reports of officers being hospitalized after being exposed to mail saturated in fentanyl and other unknown substances, this legislation would help keep them safe on the job. Specifically, this bill would enable BOP to acquire and deploy equipment to scan 100 percent of legal and postal mail arriving at federal correctional facilities. This legislation would enhance mail screening and ensure that all incarcerated people receive digital copies of mail addressed to them, while remaining consistent with the law and BOP procedures governing attorney-client privilege. This bill would also guarantee that all contraband-free mail be delivered once it has been screened. “CADCA strongly supports the Interdiction of Fentanyl at Federal Prisons Act,” CADCA’s President & CEO, Barrye L. Price, Ph.D., Major General, U.S. Army Retired, said. “This important legislation will help reduce the flow of drugs such as fentanyl, as well as other contraband, into prisons, while still allowing inmates to receive their mail. This legislation protects inmates, guards and prison staff from the risk of exposure to fentanyl as well as the harms related to intoxication and overdose.” Senator Casey has long pushed to keep inmates and staff at federal prisons safe. In 2019, Casey championed a pilot program to curb the influx of synthetic drugs trough prisoner mail at U.S. Penitentiary Canaan (USP Canaan). Casey has also worked to improve working conditions for BOP staff. In February, Casey introduced the Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act to ensure that BOP employees are paid fairly—especially in rural areas. The legislation would address staffing shortages by allowing for competitive pay that reflects the cost of living, commute times, alternative careers, and the hard work and dedication of BOP employees. In 2016, after the brutal murder of USP Canaan Corrections officer Eric Williams by an inmate Casey sponsored the bipartisan Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act, requiring BOP to provide pepper spray to all correctional workers in medium and high security facilities. “This legislation addresses the urgent need to protect federal employees from the growing crisis of workplace overdoses, with mail being the primary source of fentanyl entering federal prisons. At Thomson Federal Prison, in the last 30 days, three staff members have required Narcan administration and hospitalization due to exposure,” said Jon Zumkehr, President, AFGE 4070. Casey has consistently fought to resolve the prevailing understaffing issue in prisons. In April 2019, Casey raised concerns to Attorney General William Barr about BOP’s risky staffing practices, including hiring an insufficient number of correctional officers and the use of staff augmentation, using employees such as nurses and teachers to guard inmates. Moreover, in April 2023, Casey urged the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies to include increased funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 government spending bill to maintain the 122 federal prisons across the country and to improve their number of hires and retention rate. “The R Street Institute is happy to endorse the Interdiction of Fentanyl at the Federal Prisons Act, and we applaud Senators Bob Casey and Martin Heinrich for his leadership and collaborative approach to addressing this important issue. With understaffing rampant in our nation’s prisons, this bill will allow for a better allocation of human resources with the added potential of saving taxpayers $50-100 million annually. Not only is this a smart policy change, but it embraces technology and innovation to more effectively intercept and reduce the supply of fentanyl in our federal prisons,” said Anthony Lamorena, Senior Federal Affairs Manager at the R Street Institute Senator Casey has been traveling around Pennsylvania?meeting with law enforcement?and?families of victims of fentanyl overdoses?as he?pushed for passage?of the?FEND Off Fentanyl Act and continues to push for passage of his Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. Casey’s bill would increase staffing and technology to detect and stop the flow of fentanyl coming across the southwest border. It would enable U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire more Officers and Border Patrol Agents as well as provide funding to purchase Non-Intrusive Inspection systems, which scan vehicles and cargo at the border to provide detailed images of their interiors, and create an inspection program to increase seizure of firearms, which Mexican cartels frequently purchase in the United States and use to support their fentanyl production operations and other violent criminal enterprises. In July, Senator Casey applauded the Senate passage of the Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act, a bill that will direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate how transnational criminal organizations finance synthetic drug trafficking and help the federal government target them more effectively. In August, Casey led his colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Fighting Illicit Goods, Helping Trustworthy Importers, and Netting Gains (FIGHTING) for America Act to help CBP prevent fentanyl from entering the country undetected. This legislation is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), R Street Institute, National Association of Police Organizations, National District Attorneys Associations, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, and Voices of JOE. Read more about the Interdiction of Fentanyl at Federal Prisons Act here. ###

Share Tweet

September 19, 2024

Casey Holds Aging Committee Hearing on Protecting Older Adults Who Are Targeted by Frauds and Scams

At hearing, Casey released annual Aging Committee Fraud Book Hearing featured testimony from PA scam victim, law enforcement about how to prevent scams and support victims Casey touted his report on how 2017 Republican tax law penalized scam victims Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, held an Aging Committee hearing entitled “Fighting Fraud: How Scammers Are Stealing from Older Adults.” The hearing highlighted the psychological and economic impacts that frauds and scams have older adults, who are disproportionately targeted by fraudsters. During the hearing, Casey unveiled the Aging Committee’s annual Fraud Book, which provides seniors with an overview of the most prevalent scams to help them identify and avoid being victimized. The Fraud Book also contains resources for scam victims. In addition to the Fraud Book, Casey touted his report on the 2017 Republican tax law, called “Scammed Then Taxed,” which details how the law’s repeal of the theft loss deduction has imposed significant taxes on many scam victims. “At today’s hearing, we heard tragic stories from scam victims and law enforcement about how fraudsters are getting more sophisticated and aggressive with their scams and throwing the lives of older adults into chaos,” said Chairman Casey. “We must do everything we can to educate older adults about the threats they face from frauds and scams. We must also do more to provide resources for those who have been victimized by scams, including those who have been forced to pay taxes on money they’ve lost due to changes in the 2017 Republican tax law.” Chairman Casey invited Susan Whittaker, an Administrative Assistant at Lehigh County Aging and Adult Services in Allentown, PA, to testify at the hearing about her late husband’s experience as a scam victim. Susan testified, “This scam was devastating and had a devasting effect on Bill—both financially and emotionally. Because we lost $20,000, and Bill had a lot of chronic health conditions, Bill began to ration his medications. We just couldn’t afford them anymore… He also lost his sense of self-worth. I was really sad to see this very intelligent and past business owner, become so afraid to read emails and use a phone. It was a huge setback for him, and I think contributed to his worsening health conditions...he stopped living.” ###

Share Tweet

September 18, 2024

Casey, Colleagues to Biden: Stop China’s Illegal Steel Surge, Protect Our Workers, Jobs, Manufacturers

Senators ramp up pressure on Administration to prevent China, other countries from surging steel into U.S. market via Mexico in violation of 2019 trade agreement, a practice that threatens American steel industry jobs, has contributed to plant closures Casey has long pushed Administration to stop trade cheats from hurting PA steel workers and manufacturers At Casey’s urging, Administration reached agreement with Mexico this year to crack down on Chinese steel dumping Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues to urge President Joe Biden to protect the American industrial base by increasing tariffs on Mexican steel imports. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) illegally dumps steel into the U.S. market by transshipping steel through Mexico, which allows the PRC to evade tariffs and threatens the jobs of steelworkers in Pennsylvania and the Nation. At Casey’s urging, the Biden Administration took action recently to stop the unsustainable increase in Mexican steel imports since last year. Reimposing tariffs on Mexican steel imports at 2019 levels would build on this step by preventing the PRC from exploiting Mexico’s duty-free entry to the U.S. “Stopping China’s abuse of USMCA and Mexico’s steel surge is about protecting American industry and building economic resilience. It is also about enforcing our trade deals. What is the point of reaching trade deals if such deals are not paired with effective enforcement?” wrote the Senators. The Senators continued, “[We] must work with the Mexican government to ensure that our trading partnership is built not just on geographic proximity, but also on a shared goal of defending North American manufacturing jobs from the Chinese Communist Party.” Joining Senator Casey to send the letter were U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Mike Braun (R-IN). Currently, the PRC illegally dumps steel into the U.S. market by transshipping steel through Mexico before it enters the U.S. and by investing directly in production facilities in Mexico. Such actions are intended to evade U.S. tariffs and allow the PRC to continue to manipulate global steel markets. This exploitation of the 2019 United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement threatens the American steel industry and the jobs it provides to workers in Pennsylvania and across the country. In a bipartisan push in December 2023, Casey demanded the Administration set a clear deadline to enforce its 2019 agreement with Mexico and urged the Administration to take aggressive action to counter the increase in Mexican steel imports if the country refuses to comply. Casey previously pushed the Trump Administration to protect the American steel industry from trade cheats. In July 2024, USTR reached an agreement with Mexico to prevent the PRC and other countries from illegally dumping steel into the U.S. market. Casey’s Stop Mexico’s Steel Surge Act would reinstate 25 percent Section 232 tariffs on Mexican steel imports for no less than one year and empower the president to impose quotas or tariff rate quotas on specific goods where there have been major surges. The administration may only lift these tariffs once the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative certify that Mexico has adopted policies bringing it into compliance with the 2019 agreement and are confident that Mexico will maintain these policies. In April 2024, Casey and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) successfully pushed the Biden Administration to investigate unfair trade practices by the CCP that undercut American shipbuilding, threaten our national security, and hurt American workers. Further, Casey called on President Biden to maintain Section 301 tariffs, a call the Administration heeded by raising tariffs on key sectors including steel and aluminum, semiconductors, and batteries. This month, Senator Casey introduced comprehensive legislation to strengthen American competitiveness in the global economy, crack down on trade cheating, and protect against economic and cybersecurity threats from China. The Combat Chinese Economic Aggression Act will strengthen U.S. manufacturing and technology by pushing back against China and other countries of concern that seek to steal trade secrets and exert influence over American defense, manufacturing, infrastructure, telecommunications, and energy industries. The Market Economy Sourcing Act provision of that legislation would shut the backdoor to the U.S. economy that China has exploited to surge steel into the country via Mexico. The full text of the letter to President Biden is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE. Dear Mr. President: We write to urge additional administrative action to stop Mexico’s unfair steel surge in violation of the 2019 Joint Statement on Section 232 Duties on Steel and Aluminum as well as China’s manipulation of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). As you mention in your recent steel proclamation, it is vital to address China’s rampant exploitation of Mexico as an intermediary for the transshipment of goods. Mexico’s steel surge and China’s manipulation of USMCA significantly threaten our country’s industrial capacity and must also be promptly stopped. Accordingly, we ask that you reimpose duties on Mexican steel imports at 2019 levels and that you work to prevent Chinese firms from exploiting USMCA for its own benefit by shifting their facilities to Mexico. In March 2018, President Trump exercised his authority under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to protect U.S. industrial security by imposing a 25 percent tariff on steel imports. A year later, the Trump Administration released a Joint Statement on Section 232 Duties on Steel and Aluminum with Mexico, which waived the 25 percent tariff of Mexican steel so long as Mexico maintained imports at historical levels. In the case of a surge, the joint statement provides the importing country the ability to impose duties of 25 percent for steel and 10 percent for aluminum. Imports of Mexican steel are now surging far in excess of historical levels of trade. Imports of Mexican steel conduit have soared to around 500 percent over the 2015-2017 baseline and may rise to 700 percent this year. On July 10, 2024, your administration re-imposed a 25 percent tariff on Mexican steel melted or poured outside of North America. While this was an important step, it is to be insufficient because it did not apply tariffs to any steel melted and poured in Mexico itself and subsequently affected only 13 percent of total steel imports from Mexico. This step also did not include any measures to stop Chinese steelmakers from shifting their production to Mexico to exploit USMCA and further fuel the steel surge. We have written to you repeatedly about this surge, expressing our concerns that it has resulted in steelworkers losing their jobs and steel companies having no choice but to defer hundreds of millions of dollars in investment. Along with a bipartisan coalition of Senators and Members of Congress, we also introduced legislation to require the Secretary of Commerce to reimpose 25 percent duties on all Mexican steel imports for no less than a year. However, legislation is not required to remedy these violations; the United States Trade Representative (USTR) already has the authority to raise duties on Mexican steel imports unilaterally. We urge your administration to use it. We also urge your administration to expeditiously implement the revision to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Form 7501, announced on March 25, 2024. (OMB Control Number 1651-0022). This revision adds important information about where the steel used in the manufacturing of products was melted and poured, or in the case of aluminum, the countries where the largest and second largest volume of primary aluminum used was smelted. Such a change has the support of domestic steel and aluminum producers, who believe that these revisions will help enforce trade remedy laws and prevent circumvention of sanctions regimes. It has been well documented that hundreds of multinational firms are shifting their production facilities from Asia to Mexico. This “nearshoring” is a consequence of U.S. tariffs on China, a risky and dwindling Chinese economy, and supply chain woes. While bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. is preferred, and policymakers should prioritize this objective, it is also a welcomed trend when Western companies bring manufacturing back to the Western Hemisphere writ large. Unfortunately, Chinese firms are exploiting this nearshoring trend to avoid paying tariffs on goods they export to the U.S. market. China’s foreign direct investment into Mexico has increased significantly, especially in manufacturing and services—two sectors in which China has notably not invested in other Latin American countries. Notable examples of Chinese firms moving into Mexico are automakers. Chery and MG have established facilities in Mexico, and BYD and SAIC are scouting potential sites. Innovation New Material Technology, China’s biggest producer of aluminum alloy bars is also building a $197 million aluminum plant in Mexico. China is also adding shipping capacity between China and Mexico so that these factories use inputs made in China. Allowing Chinese firms—which routinely benefit from slave labor, stolen intellectual property, and massive state subsidies—to circumvent American trade enforcement and exploit our free trade agreements threatens American production. Our leaders must work diligently to replace Chinese production with American production, and that of our trading partners. Congress passed a free trade deal with Mexico—not China. Immediate action must be taken to prevent the Chinese Communist Party from exploiting USMCA and weaponizing this important trade deal. Stopping China’s abuse of USMCA and Mexico’s steel surge is about protecting American industry and building economic resilience. It is also about enforcing our trade deals. What is the point of reaching trade deals if such deals are not paired with effective enforcement? Tough rhetoric will not serve American industry unless it is met with action. There are various issues on which your administration must work with the Mexican government to strengthen our relationship and bolster investor confidence—such as the independence of its judiciary, a more robust security policy, and the enforcement of immigration laws. But we must also focus on these two trade issues because a free trade agreement with the world’s largest economy is a privilege that will be reevaluated in 2026. All the while, we must work with the Mexican government to ensure that our trading partnership is built not just on geographic proximity, but also on a shared goal of defending North American manufacturing jobs from the Chinese Communist Party. Thank you for your attention to these important issues. We ask that you respond in writing to the below no later than October 11, 2024: Please detail your efforts to stop Chinese firms from exploiting Mexico’s duty-free entry to the United States. Similarly, please provide any efforts that the Mexican government has adopted to the same end. Please describe your assessment of each Chinese industry that has established, is establishing, or which you suspect may establish production in Mexico and, of those, identify those which you think may injure American industry or threaten national security. Please list the Mexican subsidies to Chinese firms of which you are aware. What are you and the Mexican government doing to ensure that entry summaries are accurate and transshipments of Chinese goods from China are not undercounted? Will you commit your administration to work with our offices on a legislative fix to China’s backdoor entry to the U.S? ###

Share Tweet

September 18, 2024

Casey Introduces Legislation to Help Connect Farmers to Families Who Rely on Food Banks, Reduce Food Waste

Farm to Food Bank Reauthorization Act will increase food for families in need by reimbursing farmers who donate their surplus products to food banks Bill to expand Casey’s Farm to Food Bank program, bring food to Pennsylvania families, increase farmer compensation, reduce food waste Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced legislation to make it easier for local farmers to provide food banks with excess food to help people in need and ensure less food goes to waste. The Farm to Food Bank Reauthorization Act would extend and enhance the Farm to Food Bank Program, an initiative created by a Casey-led provision in the 2018 Farm Bill, which reimburses farmers for the costs of harvesting, packaging, processing, and transporting food they donate to food banks. As the rising cost of groceries continues to squeeze Pennsylvanians’ budgets, this legislation would continue a critical program to help families have access to nutritious foods while bolstering farmers’ bottom lines. “Every day, Pennsylvania farmers do their part to make sure that families throughout the Commonwealth have enough to eat. This bill is a commonsense solution that makes sure farmers get compensated, families are fed, and good, nutritious food doesn’t go to waste,” said Senator Casey. “I fought for this program in the last Farm Bill and we owe it to our farmers, families, and communities to extend it.” Across the Nation, 27 states receive funding from the Farm to Food Bank Program to help compensate farmers for donating their extra products to local food banks. In Pennsylvania, the Farm to Food Bank Reauthorization Act would further fund the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS) program to support farmers who connect surplus food and people in need. This legislation would extend the program through 2029, increase funding and flexibility for the program, allow new avenues for farmers to provide food to food banks, and reduce the financial responsibility for states wishing to participate in the Farm to Food Bank Program. Senator Casey has long fought make nutritious meals accessible to all Pennsylvanians. Earlier this year, Casey secured $7.03 billion in funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), helping nearly 7 million women, infants, and children access the healthy food they need. In 2023, Casey led the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act to help more child care centers overcome financial burdens to participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). He introduced the bipartisan Wise Investment in our Children (WIC) Act to expand eligibility for children to participate in the WIC program. In July 2023, Senator Casey introduced the Senior Nutrition Task Force Act and the Tools for Ensuring Access to Meals (TEAM) Act to tackle food insecurity among older adults and adults with disabilities. Casey has also worked to help Pennsylvania farmers feed the Commonwealth. In 2018, Casey championed provisions in the Farm Bill to expand dairy margin coverage, protect crop coverage, strengthen the community safety net, and make conservation programs more accessible. Since then, Casey has delivered historic investments to Pennsylvania farmers to support everything from climate-smart agriculture to reducing operational costs. Between 2022 and 2023, the Emergency Food Assistance Program provided over 700 million meals to people facing hunger Nationwide. This year, Pennsylvania received $222,819 in reimbursements from the Farm to Food Bank Program. Read more about the Farm to Food Bank Reauthorization Act here. ###

Share Tweet

September 18, 2024

Casey, Blackburn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Lift Restriction on Care for People with Disabilities

The Ensuring Access to Medicaid Buy-In Program Act would lift a restriction that currently prevents people with disabilities from buying-in to Medicaid after they turn 65 Currently, people with disabilities who receive care through Medicaid buy-in may be forced to retire rather than losing access Casey: “People with disabilities deserve to be given the resources and support they need to live and work independently no matter their age” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Buy-In Programs Act. The bipartisan bill would lift a restriction that prevents people with disabilities from buying-in to Medicaid after they turn 65. The Medicaid buy-in program allows people with disabilities to access daily long-term care services that most employer-sponsored insurance plans do not typically cover, but currently has an age limit of 65, forcing many people with disabilities to retire in order to maintain Medicaid coverage. Casey and Blackburn’s bill would remove that restriction, allowing people with disabilities to continue to work as long as they wish while receiving Medicaid supports that increase their independence. “People with disabilities deserve to be given the resources and support they need to live and work independently no matter their age,” said Chairman Casey. “The Medicaid buy-in program is a critical way for many people with disabilities to receive that support, and should not be restricted to those under 65. This new bipartisan bill will prevent people with disabilities from being forced into retirement just to maintain access to the support they need to live independently.” “Americans with disabilities should be able to continue working without losing coverage or care through Medicaid when they turn 65,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Ensuring Access to Medicaid Buy-In Program Act would ensure adults with disabilities over the age of 65 can continue to work without sacrificing their Medicaid coverage and benefits.” People with disabilities are given the option to buy-in to Medicaid so that they can get coverage for the supports they need, such as personal care attendants to help them prepare for the day. However, currently that opportunity is restricted to people under the age of 65, limiting the ability of people with disabilities over the age of 65 to be independent and work. The Ensuring Access to Medicaid Buy-In Program Act would remove that restriction, preventing people with disabilities from being forced into retirement simply to keep their Medicaid coverage. Chairman Casey is one of the Senate’s strongest advocates for the needs of people with disabilities. Casey has led efforts to expand access to home and community-based care services, facilitate better care for medically complex individuals, and ensure that federal technology and websites are fully accessible. Casey created the ABLE program, which has helped more than 170,000 people with disabilities across the United States save money for disability-related expenses. Last month, Casey and Blackburn called on the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend Medicare coverage to include a device which would help some Americans with disabilities get around more easily and live healthier and more independent lives. Read more about the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Buy-In Program Act here. ###

Share Tweet

September 17, 2024

Casey Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Support Dairy Farmers, Help Pennsylvanians Eat More Dairy

Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act will support the purchase of more nutrient-rich dairy products, help Pennsylvania dairy farmers by supporting healthy dairy production DAIRY PRIDE Act will provide consumers clarity when choosing dairy products at the grocery store Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) cosponsored bipartisan legislation to support Pennsylvania dairy farmers and help low-income families purchase more healthy dairy products. The Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act will create a program within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help families purchase and consume more nutrient-rich dairy products including yogurt and cheese. The Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, milk, and cheese to Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday (DAIRY PRIDE) Act will clarify dairy product labeling requirements to help consumers better understand differences in nutritional value when making choices at the grocery store. These two bills have garnered robust support from senators on both sides of the aisle. “From boosting our economy to feeding our families, Pennsylvania dairy farmers keep the Commonwealth going,” said Senator Casey. “Supporting agriculture is critical to making sure we all can put healthy food on the table. I will always fight to make sure that families have access to nutritious meals and our farmers have the support they need.” The Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act will help more Pennsylvanians meet their dairy consumption recommendations. This legislation would expand upon the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives program, which promotes milk purchases for SNAP participants, to include products like cheese and yogurt. The bill will create the Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program, which would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop methods to increase the consumption of naturally nutrient-rich dairy products and provide grants for states and nonprofits to help families buy these products. The DAIRY PRIDE Act will reinforce existing dairy product labeling requirements, ensuring clarity and accuracy in product labeling. This would prevent companies for labeling products with dairy terms including “milk, yogurt, or cheese” when describing products that are not from dairy animals. This legislation will require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop new guidelines to clearly distinguish dairy and nondairy products and help customers understand the nutrition profiles of their choices. Additionally, this bill will require FDA to update Congress on its enforcement efforts. Senator Casey has long pushed to help Pennsylvania farmers feed families. In 2018, Casey championed provisions in the Farm Bill to expand dairy margin coverage, protect crop coverage, strengthen the community safety net, and make conservation programs more accessible. Since then, Casey has delivered historic investments to Pennsylvania farmers to support everything from climate-smart agriculture, to reducing operational costs. Additionally, Senator Casey is pushing for legislation to fight food insecurity to be included in the upcoming Farm Bill. Those include the Senior Hunger Prevention Act and Senior Nutrition Task Force Act, which set up programs to prevent hunger among seniors, and the Farmers Feeding America Act, Farm to Food Bank Reauthorization Act, and Healthy Food Financing Initiative Reauthorization Act, which would increase access to food in underserved communities. The Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), John Fetterman (D-PA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Mike Crapo (R-ID). The DAIRY PRIDE Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), James Risch (R-ID), Susan Collins (R-ME), Peter Welch (D-VT), Angus King (I-ME), Debbie Stabenow (D, MI), Tina Smith (D-NM), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Fetterman (D-PA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Roger Marshall (R-KS). ###

Share Tweet

September 17, 2024

Casey Statement on Failed Right to IVF Act Vote

Casey: “American women know that actions speak louder than words and when given the opportunity to protect IVF, Senate Republicans have once again failed them.” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the failed Senate vote on the Right to IVF Act. Following the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, an Alabama Supreme Court ruling jeopardized access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other fertility treatments for millions of women and families. The Right to IVF Act would protect and guarantee the right for people to access IVF and fertility services nationwide, enhance fertility treatment options for veterans and servicemembers, and require insurance plans to cover infertility treatments. “The fall of Roe v. Wade not only ripped away abortion access for millions of women, but it also put fertility treatments in jeopardy for Americans desperately trying to start a family. This bill would guarantee that women’s access to IVF cannot be upended at the whims of extreme politicians. American women know that actions speak louder than words and when given the opportunity to protect IVF, Senate Republicans have once again failed them.” ###

Share Tweet

September 17, 2024

Casey Urges Biden Administration to Address Hoarding Disorder in an Aging Nation

In letters to housing and health agencies, Casey calls attention to the problems caused by hoarding disorder and pushes administration to support affected older adults, families, and communities Casey released report earlier this year detailing how hoarding behavior disproportionately affects older adults and how federal government should respond Letters call on agencies to follow recommendations in Casey’s report, including by expanding access to treatment for the condition and training local officials on how to help afflicted individuals Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, sent letters to the U.S Departments of Health and Human Service (HHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) urging the agencies to take steps to address issues caused by hoarding disorder, which affects approximately two percent of the American population and six percent of older adults. In the letters, Casey called attention to the array of risks that hoarding behavior poses to older adults, their families, and first responders. Earlier this year, Casey issued a report entitled “The Consequences of Clutter,” which detailed the implications of hoarding behavior for individuals, families, and communities as the American population gets older and set out a series of recommendations for how the federal government should respond. Casey’s letters to the agencies called for them to follow those recommendations, including by expanding access to treatment for the condition and training local officials on how to best help afflicted individuals. Chairman Casey wrote, “Hoarding disorder disproportionately affects older adults, a population that is projected to grow significantly in coming years. As America ages, it can expect an increase in hoarding behavior, with consequences for older Americans and their families and communities…The federal government must be prepared to respond.” Hoarding disorder is a serious mental health condition that causes people to accumulate more objects than they need. The disorder impacts roughly two percent of the general population, while it affects about six percent of those over the age of 70. Chairman Casey’s report found that hoarding disorder has serious consequences for older adults and communities around the Nation. For older adults, those consequences include health and safety risks, social isolation, eviction, and homelessness. For communities, those consequences include public health concerns, increased risk of fire, and dangers to emergency responders. Local communities throughout the United States are already working to address cases of hoarding disorder, including through the formation of hoarding task forces to coordinate response efforts. Unfortunately, the resources available for local responses often do not correspond with the level of challenge communities are facing. Chairman Casey’s report issued a series of recommendations for how the federal government can increase support to communities that are contending with hoarding disorder. In the letters to the agencies, he urged them to follow those recommendations, including by expanding access to treatment for the condition, providing local officials with more extensive guidance and training to support afflicted individuals, and expanding the scope of tracking and research about how hoarding disorder is affecting individuals and communities Nationwide. Read the full text of Casey’s letter to HUD here. Read the full text of Casey’s letter to HHS here or below: The Honorable Xavier Becerra Secretary Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20201 Dear Secretary Becerra: I write today regarding a need for action to address hoarding disorder (HD) among older adults. HD disproportionately affects older adults, a population that is projected to grow significantly in coming years. As America ages, it can expect an increase in hoarding behavior, with consequences for older Americans and their families and communities. The Consequences of Clutter, a Majority Staff report released by the Senate Special Committee on Aging, discusses the implications of HD for an aging Nation. The report includes information on the problems HD poses in communities across the Nation, and it provides a series of recommendations for how the federal government can respond. I urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review The Consequences of Clutter and to take action to address HD in America. HD is a chronic and progressive condition that causes a person to acquire excessive possessions that are not discarded and prevent the normal use of living spaces. Studies suggest an estimated six percent of older adults have HD, compared to roughly two percent of the general population. Older adults who exhibit hoarding behavior face significant consequences for their health, safety, and ability to function. For example, excess clutter can prevent living spaces from being used as intended and give rise to problems such as falls, malnutrition, and medical complications. Hoarding behavior also places older adults at risk of isolation, as the behavior is associated with stigma and often reduces access to family and social services. Further, individuals suffering from HD are more likely to be evicted, and research suggests that evictions related to HD are linked with homelessness. Elder homelessness is already increasing significantly in the United States and is projected to continue increasing over the next ten years. If not properly addressed, HD could exacerbate the existing homelessness crisis. As HD harms the health and well-being of older adults, it also negatively affects local communities and first responders. Hoarding conditions can bring about a variety of public health risks, such as animal and insect infestations or the broader spread of illnesses. Meanwhile, medical responses in cluttered households are complicated by “limited access and collapse potential” and often require specialized personnel and extra resources. Cluttered environments are also more likely to give rise to fires, and those fires are more likely to be severe. Responding to a fire at a cluttered household is more difficult than responding at an uncluttered household, and poses a greater danger of injury or death for first responders. Many states and local communities have taken steps to address HD, but resource limitations are a challenge. Some local governments have formed hoarding task forces, which are shown to increase the sensitivity of how local agencies respond to hoarding behavior, increase the adoption of evidence-based practices, and improve education and information sharing. Unfortunately, hoarding task forces are frequently underfunded and difficult to maintain. Funding and resource limitations extend beyond hoarding taskforces, with community organizations and local services providers similarly reporting being unable to serve local needs. The federal government must step up to support people with HD, their communities, and their families. The mission of HHS “is to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans,” and, as part of that mission, HHS oversees several component agencies relevant to addressing hoarding behavior. Some component agencies of HHS have taken actions related to HD, but the Department can and should do more. For example, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) currently lack programs or efforts specific to HD. Further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website includes useful information on topics facing older adults, such as preventing falls among older adults, aging in the workplace, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, Aging Majority staff were unable to identify a webpage or resources for “hoarding disorder” on the CDC website. The Consequences of Clutter includes recommendations to improve the federal response to HD and support older adults, families, and communities struggling with the condition. The report recommends that: SAMHSA and ACL should develop HD-specific training, technical assistance, and other guidance for communities and providers, including guidance for establishing and sustaining hoarding task forces. CDC should promote greater public awareness of HD, including by conducting a public awareness campaign and maintaining a webpage on the condition. Online resources should include tips for family and community members on evidence-based intervention and harm reduction for someone with HD. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should explore ways to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage for evidence-based treatment and services related to HD. Federal agencies, including HHS component agencies, should increase and improve tracking of the impact of hoarding behavior. Improved data collection should include better data related to when hoarding behavior plays a role in confirmed cases of self-neglect for older adults, how HD affects first responders, and when HD hinders the ability of older adults to access federal programs. The National Institutes of Health should continue to support research into HD, including by convening interested parties to discuss HD and older adults. The federal government, including HHS and component agencies, should seek input from people with HD and their family members when considering new policies and initiatives related to the condition. The United States is rapidly aging, a trend that will require the federal government to attend to issues that it had not previously prioritized. Because HD disproportionately impacts older adults, families and communities throughout the United States can expect to see an uptick in hoarding behavior. The federal government must be prepared to respond. Maureen, an 80-year-old with HD, shared the need for “more people out there willing to listen and help, making good suggestions, being positive.” HHS can play a role in creating a positive federal response for Maureen and other older adults with HD. I look forward to working with you to establish that response. Accordingly, I ask that the Department review The Consequences of Clutter and identify opportunities for HHS to educate, conduct research on, and support people with HD and their communities. I look forward to remaining updated on the Department’s work on HD, as well as any barriers to progress and necessary support from Congress. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Doug Hartman with my Aging Committee staff if you have questions. Sincerely, Bob Casey ###

Share Tweet

September 13, 2024

At Casey’s Urging, Biden Administration Implements Tariff Increase on China to Protect PA Workers, Jobs, Manufacturers

Administration set to raise tariffs on 12 key sectors including steel and aluminum, semiconductors, and batteries Casey urged President repeatedly to keep domestic market protections in place Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has finalized an increase on Section 301 tariffs to combat China’s unfair, anticompetitive practices. Casey repeatedly pushed for these increases as the Biden Administration reviewed these tariffs, warning that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to cheat on trade and any reduction in tariffs would undermine American workers, jobs, and manufacturers in Pennsylvania and nationwide. “When we give American workers the opportunity to get ahead, we all succeed,” said Senator Casey. “These tariff increases are a significant step to crack down on China’s trade cheating and protect American manufacturing and national security. We’re sending a clear signal to the Chinese Communist Party: when you try to bully and cheat your way to global economic dominance, we will fight back, and we will win.” Senator Casey is a staunch supporter of Buy America standards, as well as legislation to develop American manufacturing capacity. In November, he?sent?a letter to President Biden sharing his serious concerns about potential reductions of Section 232 and 301 tariffs previously imposed on China on national security grounds.?That month, he also?voted against a resolution?to effectively remove Buy American standards for electric vehicle (EV) chargers and force the United States to continue relying on China for products critical to the next generation of clean vehicle infrastructure. He fought to pass the?Build America, Buy America Act?as a part of the?Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which?requires that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in infrastructure projects are produced in the United States. Casey also fought to pass the?Inflation Reduction Act, which included tax credits for individuals and companies?manufacturing or deploying clean energy technologies to help lower costs and secure our energy independence, as well as?his provision?to provide a “domestic content” bonus credit for companies that use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods. In April 2024, Casey and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) successfully pushed the Biden Administration to investigate unfair trade practices by the CCP that undercut American shipbuilding, threaten our national security, and hurt American workers. Casey called on President Biden to maintain Section 301 tariffs, a call the Administration heeded. This week, Senator Casey introduced comprehensive legislation to strengthen American competitiveness in the global economy, crack down on trade cheating, and protect against economic and cybersecurity threats from China. The Combat Chinese Economic Aggression Act will strengthen U.S. manufacturing and technology by pushing back against China and other countries of concern that seek to steal trade secrets and exert influence over American defense, manufacturing, infrastructure, telecommunications, and energy industries. ###

Share Tweet

September 12, 2024

Casey: Price Gouging Is Illegal in 37 States. Let’s Make It 50.

In Guardian op-ed, Casey calls for a national ban on price gouging and highlights how similar bans are already protecting consumers in states across the country Casey: “While companies have a right to turn a profit—even a substantial one —American consumers deserve to pay fair prices. That means holding giant corporations accountable when they go too far to make a buck.” Casey introduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act earlier this year, and Vice President Harris has recently embraced it as part of her economic agenda Casey has been working to call out greedflation and corporations that are squeezing American families while raking in record profits Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) published a new op-ed in the Guardian calling for national ban on price gouging. In the op-ed, Casey laid out how price gouging bans are already protecting consumers from unfair prices in 37 states across the Nation. After Casey introduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act earlier this year, support for the bill has grown and Vice President Harris embraced it as a part of her economic agenda. “While companies have a right to turn a profit—even a substantial one—American consumers deserve to pay fair prices. That means holding giant corporations accountable when they go too far to make a buck,” wrote Senator Casey. “Giving the federal government the power to investigate and prosecute large companies that price gouge isn’t a campaign gimmick, nor is it the beginning of the end of capitalism in America. It’s simply a way of ensuring that when corporations are using a crisis as an excuse to jack up prices on consumers, we will not surrender—instead, we will fight back.” Casey’s Price Gouging Prevention Act will fight back against corporations that take advantage of American families and prey on consumers through greedflation. The commonsense legislation mirrors a similar Pennsylvania law against “unconscionably excessive” price gouging, which is not yet banned at the national level. Under the guise of inflation, corporations have jacked up prices on everyday items to charge American families more while they rake in record profits. Senator Casey has been calling out greedflation over the past year through a series of reports that call out of the various deceptive practices that corporations use to squeeze American families. His legislation would not only ban price gouging but would grant the FTC and state attorneys general the authority to enforce the law. Read Senator Casey’s full op-ed HERE.

Share Tweet

September 10, 2024

Casey Introduces Legislation to Combat China’s Rising Economic Aggression, Boost American Market Competitiveness, Crack Down on Trade Cheating

Combat Chinese Economic Aggression Act will protect U.S. technology and manufacturing by cracking down on trade cheating and investments in and from foreign countries of concern Casey legislation to strengthen U.S. economic and national security against evolving threats from China Casey: “The choice is ours: we can take control of our own future or we can let China eat our lunch” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced legislation to strengthen American competitiveness in the global economy, crack down on trade cheating, and protect against economic and cybersecurity threats from China. The Combat Chinese Economic Aggression Act will strengthen U.S. manufacturing and technology by pushing back against China and other countries of concern that seek to steal trade secrets and exert influence over American defense, manufacturing, infrastructure, telecommunications, and energy industries. Included in this legislation are five bills: the American Industry and Technology Protection Act, Disclosing Investments in Foreign Adversaries Act, Stop Investing in Chinese Innovation and Aggression Act; Market Economy Sourcing Act, and Secure Smartports Act. “China’s rising economic aggression will put our security, workers, and communities at risk if we don’t fight back. My bills will help to level the playing field for American workers and crack down on trade cheating and dangerous investments in Chinese markets,” said Senator Casey. “The choice is ours: we can take control of our own future or we can let China eat our lunch.” Senator Casey has led the charge in Congress to protect against threats to U.S. economic and national security from China and other countries of concern including Iran, North Korea, and Russia. Casey has pressed the Biden Administration to keep tariffs on Chinese imports, crack down on unfair Chinese trade practices, and prioritize American made products. Additionally, Senator Casey has led bipartisan efforts to raise alarms about SHEIN, a Chinese corporation allegedly utilizing forced labor. Casey championed provisions in the Intelligence Authorization Act to stop fentanyl at the border, prevent Chinese cyberattacks, and thwart Chinese efforts to evade U.S. regulations. In June 2023, Senator Casey delivered a rousing speech to union workers and business leaders in Pittsburgh to outline his vision for the United States to take control of its economic future by investing in American workers and manufacturing, as well as stopping investments in national security sectors from going to countries of concern, including China. He has led bipartisan legislation to give the U.S. insight into these investments, which passed the Senate as amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 91-6 in July 2023, but House Republican leadership ultimately dropped Casey’s bill from the final NDAA legislation. At the same time, Casey pushed the Biden Administration to take executive action to screen outbound investments in critical sectors in countries of concern. The Department of Treasury announced the proposed rule in June. The American Industry and Technology Protection Act will help the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS) to more rapidly crack down on evolving Chinese threats to the U.S. market economy. The legislation would expand CFIUS’ authority, allowing the Committee to review all transactions from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in emerging critical technologies. Additionally, this bill will help CFIUS identify and mitigate transactions that would impair the economic and technological competitiveness of the United States in foundational industries such as steelmaking, petrochemicals, and energy technology. The Disclosing Investments in Foreign Adversaries Act will enable Americans to know where their savings are invested and inform U.S. lawmakers about the extent of our financial exposure to China. This legislation would provide transparency into individual funds’ investments in China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea by requiring: private funds to annually disclose assets invested in each country of concern; an annual publicly available report containing a list of entities ant their assets in each country of concern; mutual funds and exchange-traded funds to publicly disclose percentage of funds’ net assets allocated in countries of concern; and companies issuing securities in U.S. markets to disclose the beneficial owners of the issuer, intended use of the proceeds, and the countries and sectors where the proceeds would be invested. The Stop Investing in Chinese Innovation and Aggression Act will protect U.S. national and economic security by limiting outsourcing and direct investments in foreign countries of concern, particularly China. This legislation would safeguard U.S. manufacturing, innovation, and security by establishing a program to prohibit U.S. firms from making investments in technologies in countries of concern and requiring U.S. entities, including corporations, to notify the Department of Treasury of certain investments and activities in countries of concern. The Market Economy Sourcing Act will establish a limit on the amount of content that can come from non-market economies (NME), shifting dependence away from NMEs, like China. At present, half of a product’s content under existing rules of origin can come from countries outside of those participating in a trade agreement. This means a significant share of content for goods receiving preferential market access under a trade agreement can come from non-market economies including China. The Market Economy Sourcing Act would shut a backdoor to our economy. During the first five-year period following entry into force of a free trade agreement, no more than 20 percent of the “remainder” of content, that is, content not covered by the rule of origin, in qualifying goods may originate from non-market economies, and no more than ten percent thereafter. After five years, 90 percent of the remainder content in qualifying goods, or 95 percent of total content, on average, must come from market economies. With respect to critical supply chains and capacities, no content from non-market economies and foreign adversaries would be allowed following this phase-out period. The Secure Smartports Act will direct the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) to alert the U.S. port and shipping industry to the threat of PRC-backed shipping and logistics infrastructure, technology, and software to U.S. supply chains to help protect against them. As the agency whose mission is to “provide counterintelligence outreach to U.S. private sector entities at risk of foreign intelligence penetration,” it’s critical to U.S. national and economic security that NCSC work with ports and shipping companies to understand the risks of using Chinese technology. Read more about the Combat Chinese Economic Aggression Act here. ###

Share Tweet

September 9, 2024

Casey Delivers $500,000 to Revitalize Johnstown Neighborhoods

Funding will forge a plan to transform Coopersdale and Oakhurst neighborhoods Johnstown neighborhoods also will be connected to jobs, community services, healthy foods, bikeshare, and accessible laundry Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) secured a $500,000 neighborhood planning grant to transform two isolated and distressed housing complexes in Johnstown. This federal funding will enable the Johnstown Housing Authority to begin plans to revitalize 121 units in the city’s Coopersdale neighborhood and the surrounding area, connecting residents to jobs, community services, healthy food, and additional amenities. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is awarding the funding through the Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants Program and will support Johnstown’s broader vision to reduce longstanding challenges with poverty and unemployment in the community. “Johnstown residents deserve to live in safe and affordable communities within vibrant neighborhoods,” said Senator Casey. “This award marks a critical step for the City to develop improved housing options for residents and families to call home. When we invest in safe, affordable housing that connects people to jobs and opportunities, we lift up entire communities.” HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants Program funds locally driven improvements to public housing and the surrounding neighborhoods. Thanks to this funding, Johnstown Housing Authority and Cambria County Planning Commission can develop revitalization plans for a 121 units in a 65-year-old public housing complex in the Coopersdale neighborhood. The planning resources will enable Johnstown to forge a neighborhood transformation plan to create new, higher-quality affordable housing that is better connected to job hubs and community amenities including bikeshare, accessible laundry facilities, and healthy food. Senator Casey las long called for Johnstown to receive Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants from HUD. In June 2023, he highlighted how many Johnstown affordable housing units were decades too old and urged HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge to support planning funding for community revitalization. This grant provides Johnstown with the critical opportunity to address poverty in the region by reimagining existing structures and community design, considering social determinants of health, and leveraging broader investments in economic revitalization. ###

Share Tweet

September 6, 2024

Casey Launches Resource Guide for Grandparent Caregivers

An estimated 2.7 million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends Grandfamilies face unique challenges and often are eligible for support from federal programs, but awareness of benefits is not widespread Casey launches guide to resources available to grandfamilies a month after introducing the Informing Grandfamilies Act Washington, D.C. - Today, in honor of National Kinship Care Month, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, launched a new resource guide for grandparent caregivers. An estimated 2.7 million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends. Though so-called “grandfamilies” or “kinship families” are often eligible for federal support due to unique challenges and disproportionate risk of poverty, awareness of these benefits is often not widespread among grandparents. Last month, Casey introduced the bipartisan Informing Grandparents Act, which would require states to provide grandfamilies with information about the resources available to them, all of which is contained in Casey’s new resource guide. “Grandparents raising grandchildren face unique challenges under difficult circumstances,” said Chairman Casey. “In recent years, the need for ensuring these families are supported has become even more dire as the opioid crisis and COVID-19 pandemic have forced more and more grandparents to take on unexpected caregiving duties. I am releasing this resource guide to ensure that grandparent caregivers know about and can take advantage of the resources they need and deserve.” Senator Casey has been a strong advocate for grandfamilies and kinship families for years, with a particular focus on ensuring they are able to access the benefits and resources they need to thrive. He led the passage of the bipartisan Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, which established the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, tasked with providing recommendations to Congress on how best to support grandparent caregivers. In May 2023, he introduced the bipartisan Grandfamily Housing Act, which would finance the upkeep and retrofitting of intergenerational housing and provide supportive services for grandfamilies and kinship families. Senator Casey also introduced the Grandfamilies Act to improve the financial security of grandfamilies by expanding access to benefits. Senator Casey also introduced the Grandfamilies Act to improve the financial security of grandfamilies by expanding access to benefits. Casey’s Informing Grandfamilies Act would not only require states to provide all of the resource guide’s vital information to grandfamilies, but also to hire staff or contract with a community-based with the necessary expertise to guide grandfamilies and kinship families through the benefit process. Access the resource guide here. ###

Share Tweet

September 5, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Secure More Than $2.4 Million for Safe Streets in South Central PA

Funds will improve road safety in Harrisburg, Gettysburg, and Lower Paxton Township Made possible by the infrastructure law, the funding will help retime traffic lights at dangerous intersections, identify unsafe roads, and plan future safety upgrades Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) secured more than $2.4 million in federal funding to make roads in South Central Pennsylvania safer for all users. Safe street programs in Harrisburg, Lower Paxton Township, and Gettysburg will all receive funding to execute safety projects such as identifying unsafe roads, retiming traffic lights at dangerous intersections, and planning future safety upgrades. The funding was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). “The infrastructure law is making Pennsylvania’s roads safer by funding long-overdue safety projects in communities across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Casey. “I was proud to advocate for this funding to reduce fatal crashes and make safety upgrades that will protect drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.” “This funding is a game-changer for South Central Pennsylvania. Harrisburg is home to what experts have called one of the most dangerous streets in the nation, and it’s high time we make meaningful changes. Retiming these critical intersections downtown will make our streets safer for everyone who travels through our state capital and the broader South Central area. I’m proud to support this initiative and will continue fighting for investments that protect our communities and make our streets safer.” said Senator Fetterman. Today’s announcement of federal safe streets funding for South Central Pennsylvania consists of three awards, all from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program, funded by the IIJA. The City of Harrisburg is receiving $955,184 for its downtown traffic signal retiming project, which will greatly improve road safety in downtown Harrisburg by fixing poorly timed traffic intervals that cause driver and pedestrian confusion. Lower Paxton Township is receiving $1,386,352 to conduct road safety audits and put into place new safety measures to reduce risk for drivers and pedestrians. The Borough of Gettysburg is receiving $120,000 to develop a comprehensive safety action plan for its roads. ###

Share Tweet

September 5, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Secure More Than $15 Million for Safe Streets in State College

Funds will create shared street on Calder Way, make downtown State College safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists Made possible by Casey’s vote for infrastructure law, the funding will include traffic calming measures, crosswalk visibility enhancements, additional bike lanes, and widening of sidewalks Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) secured $15,885,560 in federal funding to make Calder Way, a downtown corridor in State College, safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. As a central street utilized by residents and students, Calder Way is a high-pedestrian, high-cyclist street and these safety improvements will include traffic calming measures to reduce car speeds, crosswalk visibility enhancements and widening of sidewalks to protect pedestrians, and an additional bike lane. The funding was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed in 2021. “Calder Way is one of Penn State’s main streets and students and residents rely on it everyday to get across town on foot or by car,” said Senator Casey. “With slower cars speeds, wider sidewalks, and an additional bike lane, these improvements will make Calder Way safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.” “I'm thrilled to see the Borough of State College receive this significant investment from the Department of Transportation. With nearly $16 million in funding, this project will make downtown State College safer for everyone—whether you're on foot, bike, or behind the wheel. This is a big step forward in the effort to create safer streets across Pennsylvania, and I'm proud to support this project as part of our larger commitment to making our towns and cities more livable and sustainable for all.” said Senator Fetterman. ###

Share Tweet

September 5, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Evans Deliver More Than $8.7 Million for Safe Streets Program in Southeastern Pennsylvania

Funding will improve pedestrian safety, support traffic injury studies, and develop programs to improve safety in underserved communities Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) announced a total of $8,711,688 in federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to increase traffic safety on Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania streets. The two awards will support projects to develop pedestrian safety plans, calm traffic in school crosswalks, create safety studies to reduce traffic injuries, and help underserved communities develop programs to make streets safer. “From improving pedestrian and sidewalk safety to reducing traffic in school zones, these awards will help protect pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers in Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “I advocated for this funding from the infrastructure law to reduce fatal crashes, and I will always fight to keep Pennsylvania communities safe.” "Too often, our most vulnerable communities are left behind when it comes to street safety. With this award, we're ensuring that every corner of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, no matter the zip code, gets the attention it deserves. By focusing on high injury corridors and giving forgotten communities the tools to plan and protect their own streets, we're not just talking about change—we're making it happen. This is how we build a safer Pennsylvania.” said Senator Fetterman. “I’m pleased that more than $7 million in federal funding I voted for will help to improve pedestrian safety around 40 schools in Philadelphia! Improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety will take involvement from the federal, state and local levels,” said Congressman Evans. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The City of Philadelphia will receive $7,191,688 to develop a Pedestrian Safety and Sidewalk Improvement Plan, as well as conduct a demonstration project at 40 schools to test traffic calming interventions at crosswalks. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission will receive $1,520,000 to conduct regional high injury network corridor safety studies, develop a municipal safety analysis and create a model and process for partners to implement the regional plan at the subregional level. ###

Share Tweet

September 4, 2024

Casey Statement on U.S. Steel CEO’s Threats to Remove U.S. Steel from Southwestern Pennsylvania

Senator Casey has long advocated to protect domestic steel industry Since its announcement, Senator Casey has expressed grave concern about how the pending sale of U.S. Steel may undermine PA workers Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt’s threats to leave Southwestern Pennsylvania if Nippon Steel cannot complete its purchase of the company. “David Burritt’s threats to abandon the very community that built U.S. Steel is a slap in the face to the Steelworkers whose skill and work ethic make the company successful and to the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania whose livelihoods rely on the steel industry. My priority is to keep union steel jobs in the Mon Valley and I encourage Mr. Burritt to come to the table and work with the Steelworkers to protect and keep these jobs in Pennsylvania where they belong.” Senator Casey has raised concerns about Nippon Steel’s proposed purchase of U.S. Steel since it was announced. Citing national security concerns, Casey immediately pressed the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to block the sale. Casey voiced his concern about how the acquisition may harm Pennsylvania workers and pushed Nippon on its commitment to Pennsylvania workers and families who could be negatively impacted by the sale. Senator Casey also pushed the Biden Administration to oppose the acquisition, and applauded President Biden’s opposition of the sale. In June 2024, Senator Casey continued to raise alarms about the Nippon’s purchase of U.S. Steel, highlighting how the proposed sale would destabilize America’s trade system, threatening American industry workers and national security. ###

Share Tweet

September 3, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Push for Semiconductor Manufacturing Hub Led by Penn State

MASH DTI is a groundbreaking, job generating collaboration to drive semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. leadership in global semiconductor manufacturing Producing chips in the U.S. benefits workers in industries that rely on semiconductors, from autoworkers to health care workers Members: “We are eager to continue to support and uplift the role that the Commonwealth will play in advancing American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing. […] Under Penn State’s leadership, MASH is in a strong position to successfully serve as the CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led a bipartisan, bicameral group of his colleagues in urging U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to expand semiconductor innovation, education, and manufacturing by investing in the Penn State led Mid-Atlantic Semiconductor Hub (MASH) Digital Twin Institute (DTI). In a letter, the Members of Congress pushed for MASH DTI to become the CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute, a new funding opportunity created by the CHIPS and Science Act. The Penn State-led consortium will bring together a diverse coalition of experts and critical stakeholders that will strengthen domestic semiconductor production, support the economy, and bring forward next-generation technology. “Given Pennsylvania’s long history in manufacturing, science, and technology, we are eager to continue to support and uplift the role that the Commonwealth will play in advancing American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and technology. When given a fair shot, American workers can outcompete anyone in the world,” the Members wrote. “We believe that, under Penn State’s leadership, MASH is in a strong position to successfully serve as the CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute.” Senator Casey worked to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to produce semiconductors in the United States, reducing the Nation’s reliance on foreign adversaries, including China, for critical technology manufacturing. The new CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute was made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act and focuses on the production of digital twin technology for semiconductors, which allow for research conducted digitally: speeding innovation, reducing research and development costs, and allowing for nationwide collaboration between experts. MASH DTI will be the world's first distributed semiconductor network, creating a nationwide program for education, research, and workforce development to meet the needs of the semiconductor industry. The network has major nodes at Penn State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Arizona State University. The Institute has also assembled a wide-reaching team of experts including academic leaders, national labs, and workforce development and industry partners. MASH’s proposal will not only lead the world in digital semiconductor innovation, but it will also create job opportunities where the research hubs are located. In addition to Senator Casey, the letter is signed by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8), U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), and U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA-15), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Susan Wild (D-PA-7), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10), Grace Meng (D-NY-6), and Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D-DE At-large District), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), Dan Meuser (R-PA-9), John Joyce (R-PA-13), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4), and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-6). Full text of the letter is below and the signed PDF is HERE. Dear Secretary Raimondo, We write in support of the Mid-Atlantic Semiconductor Hub (MASH) Digital Twin Institute (DTI) full application for the Department of Commerce’s CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute Competition. We urge you to give this application full and fair consideration. Keeping the United States at the vanguard of technological innovation requires smart federal investments in the technology of tomorrow. These critical investments, historically made in institutions like the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have led to scientific breakthroughs that reshaped the American way of life and drove the global competitiveness of American businesses. In 2022, Congress turned its focus to the semiconductor industry and the intense global competition taking place to innovate into the future. Recognizing that this industry provided the building blocks for American technology and therefore both American security and economic might, Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act, which made sweeping investments in the semiconductor supply chain, from deep research to final production. The MASH proposal matches unparalleled expertise and potential with existing capacity. MASH’s proposal would build upon the coalition’s existing digital twin expertise to foster innovation and help manufacturers get their products to the market more quickly. Additionally, the coalition will undergo coordinated collaboration to support a skilled, diverse workforce, with programs spanning as young as elementary school age to professionals already in the workforce. Creating opportunities that can be met with a wide range of skills and backgrounds is necessary for the Nation to increase its competitiveness in the semiconductor industry and to support the communities where these efforts are located. This proposal shows strong potential for supporting the reshoring of semiconductor production, thereby increasing both our national security and global competitiveness. In the region, we have seen exciting progress in the semiconductor industry following passage of the CHIPS and Science Act in 2022. Given Pennsylvania’s long history in manufacturing, science, and technology, we are eager to continue to support and uplift the role that the Commonwealth will play in advancing American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and technology. When given a fair shot, American workers can outcompete anyone in the world. In particular, we are pleased to see that Pennsylvania—including the workforce, companies, and world class universities therein—is central to the MASH DTI proposal. We believe that, under Penn State’s leadership, MASH is in a strong position to successfully serve as the CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute. Thank you in advance for consideration. Please include this letter in the official record of the application. Consistent with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, we also respectfully request that you keep us informed of the status of this application. Finally, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact Senator Casey’s staff at (202) 224-6324. ###

Share Tweet

August 28, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Evans, Scanlon, Parker Secure Nearly $9 Million to Install Electric Vehicle Chargers in Philadelphia

Infrastructure law funding to support planning, community engagement, and installation of EV chargers in underserved Philadelphia neighborhoods, EV charging hub at Philadelphia Airport EV charger installation project to create jobs Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), U.S. Representatives Dwight Evans (D-PA 3), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5) and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced a total of $8,984,800 in funding to bring electric vehicle (EV) chargers to underserved neighborhoods in Philadelphia and to the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). The funding is from the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, made possible by the infrastructure law. Thanks to this funding, Philadelphia can expand access to EV charging to low-and middle-income communities and the Philadelphia International Airport can build an EV charging hub to serve passengers and employees. “As electric vehicles become more popular and lower fuel costs for families, it is critical that all Philadelphians can access reliable charging,” said Senator Casey. “Pennsylvania was among the first states in the Nation to begin building out a statewide network of charging stations with infrastructure law funds and now this grant will help more Philadelphians charge up. I will keep working to ensure the Commonwealth has the tools it needs to strengthen our burgeoning electric vehicle industry, providing more jobs and reducing our carbon footprint.” “Philadelphia is taking a bold step forward with this funding, bringing much-needed infrastructure to neighborhoods that have been left out of the clean energy transition. This project makes it possible for every Philadelphian, regardless of where they live, to benefit from the shift to green energy,” said Senator Fetterman. “We're laying the groundwork for a future where clean, affordable energy is accessible to everyone, and I’m proud to back this crucial investment in our communities.” “I’m proud to have voted for federal funding that’s resulted in this nearly $9 million for Philadelphia, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act! Having this cleaner-energy option available in more Philadelphia neighborhoods and at our area’s largest airport will help to reduce air pollution and help with addressing climate change. I’ll keep working with Senator Casey and all of our delegation to deliver more federal funding for Philadelphia and the commonwealth,” said Congressman Evans. "One of the challenges in transitioning to electric vehicles is ensuring that a robust, accessible network of public charging stations is available to everyone," said Representative Scanlon. "This new investment in that charging network will make it easier for EV drivers across our region to charge their cars, reduce our carbon footprint, and support the American workers building these charging stations. I’m proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which is funding this work, and look forward to seeing all of the infrastructure improvements that it will bring to Pennsylvania consumers" "We are pleased to announce that, once again, the City of Philadelphia finds itself the recipient of significant investment from the Biden-Harris administration. We are grateful for this opportunity to expand public infrastructure for electric vehicle (EV) charging in our city," said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. "This funding will be used to build out our EV charging network by installing EV fast chargers, and ultimately moving us closer to a cleaner and greener Philadelphia." The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This grant program supports the installation of public EV charging infrastructure and other alternative fueling infrastructure. Additionally, IIJA passed with provisions to make EV charging more accessible nationwide through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced 91 total EV charging projects, across 43 counties in the Commonwealth. Thanks to today’s funding, the City of Philadelphia can plan for and install EV chargers at the Philadelphia International Airport and at places across the city, particularly in neighborhoods with multifamily housing and in low-and-middle-income communities. These planned EV chargers are set to be accessible to the community, with some located at recreation centers near public transportation. To see more information about the Commonwealth’s EV charger implementation projects, click here. To see more federal investments Senator Casey has delivered to the Commonwealth, click here. ###

Share Tweet

August 16, 2024

Casey Celebrates Progress to Lower Costs, Create Jobs, Invest in Manufacturing, Clean Energy

On anniversary of law to lower energy and health care costs for Americans, Senator Casey touts new jobs; energy investment; reduced health care and prescription drug costs for families and seniors, including a $35 a month cap on insulin for seniors Casey-led provisions drive clean energy and manufacturing, incentivizing projects that use American materials as well as investments in energy communities Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, landmark legislation to lower health care and energy costs for families and boost clean energy production. “This game changing law invests in the Commonwealth, lowering costs for Pennsylvania families. From health care to electricity bills, Pennsylvanians are spending less on their everyday needs,” said Senator Casey. “I fought for this law to keep hard-earned dollars in Pennsylvanians’ pocket, and I will keep fighting to bring costs down.” Senator Casey has traveled around the Commonwealth delivering critical investments to Pennsylvania, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). He has visited companies and regions that are poised to benefit from lower costs, tax credits and investments. Senator Casey also continues to push the Administration to ensure that Pennsylvania can take advantage of additional grants, tax credits, and other opportunities. Senator Casey has long worked to lower health care costs. As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, Casey fought to give Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices. Just yesterday, Medicare successfully negotiated to lower costs for ten additional drugs. Casey’s Lowering Medicare Premiums and Prescription Drug Costs Act, included in the IRA, expanded cost sharing assistance for low-income people with Medicare, capped annual out-of pocket-costs, and lowered the price of insulin to $35 a month. Additionally, thanks to Casey’s advocacy, seniors qualify to receive critical vaccines for free. Casey has worked tirelessly to ensure that the Commonwealth can continue to be a leader in manufacturing, while also protecting the environment. He fought to include provisions in the clean energy law to boost domestic manufacturing, by providing a bonus tax credit for companies that use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods. Additionally, Casey created a tax credit program to incentivize investment in energy communities—communities whose economies have historically been dependent on the fossil fuel industry. The Treasury Department’s announcement and information on qualifying for the bonus credit can be found here. Casey also delivered millions of dollars from the Domestic Manufacturing Conversion (DMC) grant program to Volvo Mack Trucks and Harley Davidson LiveWire to produce zero-emissions vehicles in Pennsylvania and create hundreds of union manufacturing jobs. Further, Senator Casey delivered $396,108,225 to Pennsylvania to support industrial decarbonization projects, which will create jobs, benefit historically disadvantaged communities, and ensure that the Commonwealth continues to create in-demand goods for the American and global markets. Cleveland-Cliffs in Butler County received $75,000,000 to reduce carbon emissions and increase production of electrical steel. Milton Steel company also received funding to support their steel production business using solar energy. Their steel is used in bridges in the Commonwealth and around the world, including in Ukraine to replace bridges damaged by the Russians. Through the Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Program, Senator Casey has fought to ensure that communities are safe and accessible. Senator Casey secured $2,500,000 in federal funding to design safety improvements along Route 291 and connect to the City of Chester to the Port of Chester waterfront. The NAE program also helped initiatives to make communities safer and more connected to their surroundings, supporting safety improvements at Ira Reynolds Park in Susquehanna depot and capping the Vine Street Expressway to reconnect Philadelphia’s Chinatown. The law has also helped Pennsylvania to meet demand for electricity by supporting solar farms across the Commonwealth. Companies including Goonies Solar in Lycoming County and AES Distributed Energy in Fulton and Frankin Counties, developed solar farms that have generated hundreds of megawatts of solar power, enough to power thousands of Pennsylvania homes. This new source of clean energy will ultimately help reduce electricity costs for families. Thanks to Senator Casey’s advocacy, the IRS Direct File program will be implemented in the Commonwealth, saving Pennsylvanians up to $630 million in combined annual tax filing fees and additional tax credits claimed directly from the IRS. ###

Share Tweet

August 16, 2024

Support for Casey’s Price Gouging Prevention Act Growing

Price Gouging Prevention Act cracks down on excessive price increases Vice President Harris endorsed Casey’s price gouging bill in economic speech today Since fall 2023, Senator Casey has produced four reports detailing his investigations into corporate greed squeezing families’ budgets Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded growing support for his Price Gouging Prevention Act, including from Vice President Kamala Harris today. This legislation would crack down on corporate price gouging and protect American families from greedflation by creating a new federal ban on grossly excessive price increases and authorizing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general to enforce the ban. Since November 2023, Senator Casey has been investigating corporate price gouging and other actions by big corporations that have squeezed the budgets of American families. “Families are sick and tired of being squeezed by giant corporations that are jacking up their prices and raking in record profits. I call it greedflation, and I’m fighting back. This critical legislation will crack down on big corporations and finally prohibit price gouging,” said Senator Casey. “It’s about damn time that we hold corporations accountable for ripping off hardworking American families.” The Price Gouging Prevention Act fights back against corporations that take advantage of American families and prey on consumers through greedflation. This commonsense legislation mirrors a similar Pennsylvania law against “unconscionably excessive” price gouging, which is not yet banned at the national level. During the COVID-19 pandemic, big corporations raised their prices by even more than necessary to cover increases in their costs—hiding behind inflation and supply chain disruptions to do it. Now that the market shock of the pandemic has abated and the inflation rates is below 3% for the first time since 2021, corporations’ costs are coming down and profits are rising. But for American families, prices remain high. This legislation would not only ban price gouging but would grant the FTC and state attorneys general the authority to enforce the law. Since November 2023, Senator Casey has been investigating corporate price gouging. In February, the New York Times featured Senator Casey’s investigation into shrinkflation. In June, Casey sent letters to Target, Walmart, and Amazon to demand they disclose information about how they have made pricing decisions over the last two years. In July, Senator Casey held a hearing where Pennsylvanians testified about how price gouging is hurting their families’ budgets. Earlier this month, Senator Casey sounded alarms about Kroger Supermarket’s use of dynamic pricing to surge grocery prices and exploit working families. In February 2024, Senator Casey expressed concern about the Wendy’s Company’s plans to switch to surge pricing. He highlighted how changing menu prices based on time of day unfairly penalized working American Families. Wendy’s subsequently backtracked on its surge pricing proposal. The same month, Casey also introduced two pieces of legislation to protect American families from greedflation and shrinkflation. The Price Gouging Prevention Act would protect American families from greedflation by banning grossly excessive price increases and cracking down on corporations that engage in price gouging. The Shrinkflation Prevention Act, would empower the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering the prices. Senator Casey has released four reports in his greedflation series. His first report, “Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families,” details how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices and rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families and laying out Senator Casey’s vision to hold greedy corporations accountable. Casey’s second report “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive," examines how the agribusiness companies that process Americans’ food have increased prices for everyday staple foods and raising questions about why those price increases are necessary, particularly during the holiday season. Casey’s third report, “Less Bang for Your Buck: Casey Releases Shrinkflation Report Exposing Big Corporations for Reducing Product Size While Keeping Prices High,” calls out household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations for reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. Casey’s fourth report, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” details how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals. Senator Casey has also released two spotlight reports in his greedflation series. Earlier this month, Casey released a spotlight, “A Steady Stream of Price Hikes: How Streaming Services,” detailing how streaming platforms charge more for subscriptions and are delivering less to consumers. In April, Casey released a greedflation spotlight, “The Pink Tax: How Companies Tack Extra Costs on Women in the Age of Greedflation,” which details how corporate greed has disproportionately harmed the budgets of women. ###

Share Tweet

August 15, 2024

Casey Statement on First Set of Lower, Medicare-Negotiated Prescription Drug Prices

Statement follows announcement of the new, lower costs of the first ten prescription drugs subject to Medicare price negotiations Casey fought to pass law giving Medicare the power to negotiate and lower prescription drug prices New, lower prices will go into effect for Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and NovoLog/Fiasp on January 1, 2026 Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced new, lower costs for the first ten drugs subject to price negotiations by Medicare. The drugs are Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and NovoLog/Fiasp. “For far too long, prescription drug costs have hung like a bag of rocks tied around the necks of millions of Americans, weighing them down every single day,” said Chairman Casey. “I fought to give Medicare the power to negotiate prices with drug companies to help ease the burden that so many older Americans are carrying. Today’s announcement is a huge relief for the people who rely on these often life-saving medications, and shows just how significant the savings will be as Medicare plans to engage in price negotiations on more and more drugs in the coming years.” In 2022, Chairman Casey fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which gave Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time. Negotiations began last year on the first set of ten drugs: Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and NovoLog/Fiasp. Today, the Biden Administration announced the new, lower negotiated prices for each of these first ten drugs. Early next year, the Administration will announce the next set of 15 drugs that will be subject to price negotiations. Chairman Casey has long led efforts in the Senate to lower prescription drug costs. In addition to giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices, Casey’s vote for the Inflation Reduction Act capped the price of insulin at $35 a month and, starting on January 1, 2025, will cap total out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 a year for Medicare recipients. Earlier this year, Casey introduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act, which would extend the $2,000 out-of-pocket cap to all of the 173 million Americans who have private insurance. ###

Share Tweet

August 14, 2024

Casey leads Bipartisan Letter Pressing Biden Administration to Bring Marc Fogel Home, Designate as Wrongfully Detained

Marc Fogel, a Pennsylvania resident, was given a harsh 14-year sentence in Russia On the third anniversary of Marc Fogel’s imprisonment, Members of Congress again call to designate him as “wrongfully detained” Casey reiterated his commitment to bringing Marc Fogel home following prisoner exchange that omitted Fogel earlier this month The Members: “We ask that you do everything in your power to bring Marc Fogel home. […] Designating Marc as “wrongfully detained” will underscore the political nature of his continued detention by the Russian government and the failure of humanitarian and other efforts thus far to bring about Marc’s release” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led a bipartisan, bicameral group of Members of Congress in writing to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the Administration to do everything in its power to bring Pennsylvania teacher Marc Fogel home. Fogel, a Butler County native and Allegheny County resident, is a U.S. citizen and career educator who has been imprisoned by Russia since August 2021 for carrying less than an ounce of medical marijuana, which was legally prescribed to him by his doctor to treat severe medical conditions. Since Marc was not included in the multi-country prisoner swap that released detainees including Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan earlier this month, the Members are pushing the Administration to prioritize Marc’s case and to designate Marc as “wrongfully detained.” “We write to you with the gravest of concerns regarding the continued detention of Mr. Marc Fogel, a U.S. citizen, native of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and international educator, and ask that you do everything in your power to bring Marc,” the Members wrote. “Designating Marc as “wrongfully detained” will underscore the political nature of his continued detention by the Russian government and the failure of humanitarian and other efforts thus far to bring about Marc’s release. It will also demonstrate that the U.S. government considers his case to be of equal importance to similar cases […] Finally, it will bring to the family resources, such as a Family Engagement team, that can consistently support and communicate with Marc’s family.” Senator Casey and the congressional delegation have worked tirelessly to bring Marc Fogel back to his family in Pennsylvania. As news of the multi-country prisoner swap was breaking earlier this month, Senators Casey and Fetterman and Representatives Kelly, Deluzio, and Reschenthaler urged the Administration to prioritize Marc Fogel’s case. At Senator Casey’s urging, the Administration has finally begun to say Marc Fogel’s name. In July 2023, Casey and Congressman Deluzio led their colleagues in introducing a bipartisan concurrent resolution calling for the immediate release of Marc Fogel. The House resolution was cosponsored by all of the representatives who signed this letter. The resolution passed the Senate unanimously in June 2024. Casey spoke on the Senate floor that day to applaud the resolution and call for the administration to bring Marc home. Additionally, Senator Casey has helped the Fogel family set up meetings with other Congressional offices and administration officials to help bring attention to Marc’s case and garner support to bring him home. For years, he has called on the State Department to do everything possible to secure his release. In August 2022, Senator Casey led his Senate colleagues and sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary Blinken urging the State Department to designate Marc Fogel as “wrongfully detained,” one mechanism to give the case a higher level of support from U.S. officials. Members of the Pennsylvania delegation followed up in October of that year urging immediate action by the State Department. In addition to Senator Casey, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) Jon Tester (D-MT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Representatives Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), Susan Wild (D-PA-7), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA-14), Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), and Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17). The full text of the letter to the Secretary of State is below and the signed PDF can be found here. Dear Secretary Blinken: We write to you with the gravest of concerns regarding the continued detention of Marc Fogel, a U.S. citizen, native of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and international educator, and ask that you do everything in your power to bring Marc home. In furtherance of that goal, we once again urge you to designate Marc as “wrongfully detained.” We also ask that you redouble your efforts to ensure that Marc has access to the medical care and consular services he needs as his health continues to deteriorate. As you know, on August 14, 2021, Russian authorities detained Marc at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow after they found slightly more than a half ounce of medical marijuana prescribed by his doctor in his luggage. A Russian court later sentenced him to 14 years for drug smuggling, and higher courts rejected his appeals. As of today, three long and torturous years have passed with Marc imprisoned in a penal colony, separated from his family. While three years have passed since Marc’s arrest, almost two years have passed since we first wrote to you asking that you designate Marc as “wrongfully detained” under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act. We appreciate the State Department’s recent decision to focus more on Marc’s case publicly. However, the Department has not provided Marc with the “wrongfully detained” designation, even after National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan clarified that the category of “those who are held hostage or wrongfully detained around the world... includes Marc Fogel.” Circumstances of Marc’s case relevant to the Levinson factors have changed since we last wrote. It has become clearer that diplomatic engagement will be necessary to secure Marc’s release and that Russia hopes to use Marc as a bargaining chip. Additionally, if Marc were a Russian national, he would have received a prison sentence, but for significantly less time. The Russian supreme court’s upholding of Marc’s 14-year sentence is substantially due to Marc’s U.S. passport. Designating Marc as “wrongfully detained” will underscore the political nature of his continued detention by the Russian government and the failure of humanitarian and other efforts thus far to bring about Marc’s release. It will also demonstrate that the U.S. government considers his case to be of equal importance to similar cases, such as Brittney Griner, who was both designated and brought home to the United States. Finally, it will bring to the family resources, such as a Family Engagement Team, that can consistently support and communicate with Marc’s family. While efforts to bring about Marc’s release continue, we are urgently concerned about Marc’s declining health. He has lived with chronic pain for decades, having undergone three back surgeries, a spinal fusion, a hip replacement, and two knee surgeries. Without access to the medical marijuana and other specialized treatments necessary to subdue his pain, Marc’s condition has progressively worsened. While in prison, he has spent 101 days in hospitals, including a three-week stay in July. He has received over 300 injections and taken over 1,000 pills, often without knowledge of the reason for his treatment. Partly due to neuropathy in one of his feet, Marc has fallen multiple times. Every fall heightens the risk of a broken hip or other severe injury that he will struggle to recover from in prison. Unsurprisingly, his mental health has declined as well. In a recent call to his family Marc describes himself as being “in a bottomless pit” and “not even a shell of the person that [he] was.” We know that you have requested consular visits from the U.S. Embassy in Russia to check in on Marc every three months. We also know that Russia denied your most recent request to visit Marc in June. Marc needs more attention and services than younger or healthier prisoners. We urge you to resubmit a request every month to visit Marc and to use your influence to help ensure Russian officials approve those requests. We also urge you to arrange to bring a doctor on those visits to evaluate Marc’s condition and to provide the prison’s medical staff with any specialized medications Marc may require. Thank you for your swift consideration of these requests. We look forward your response. ###

Share Tweet

August 9, 2024

Casey, Duckworth, Blackburn Urge Medicare Agency to Cover Devices that Give People with Disabilities More Mobility and Independence

In bipartisan letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Senators called for the agency to provide Medicare coverage for standing elevation systems in power wheelchairs Standing elevation systems allow some people with disabilities to stand, improving health outcomes and providing greater independence Senators: “The absence of Medicare coverage for these systems leaves many beneficiaries without access to critical technology that can significantly improve their health outcomes and quality of life” Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) called on the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) extend Medicare coverage to include a device which would help some Americans with disabilities get around more easily and live healthier and more independent lives. In the bipartisan letter, the Senators urged the agency to cover standing systems embedded in power wheelchairs, which currently are not covered by Medicare. The letter comes after the Senators successfully pushed the agency to provide Medicare coverage for seated elevation systems last year. The Senators wrote: “These [standing] systems enable users to achieve a standing position, which can greatly enhance their independence, improve metabolic functions, reduce the risk of secondary complications, such as pressure sores and osteoporosis, and improve their overall physical and mental well-being. The absence of Medicare coverage for these systems leaves many beneficiaries without access to critical technology that can significantly improve their health outcomes and quality of life.” Currently, Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities are forced to pay out of pocket for standing systems in power wheelchairs—life-changing durable medical equipment that empowers users to independently conduct mobility-related activities of daily living, or outright denied access because they can’t afford such equipment out-of-pocket. Read the full letter here or below: Dear Administrator Brooks-LaSure: We write to express our gratitude for the recent decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to cover seat elevation systems in Group 3 power wheelchairs under Medicare. This is a significant step forward in improving the quality of life for Medicare beneficiaries who rely on these complex rehabilitative technology wheelchairs. However, we remain concerned that CMS has not yet initiated a National Coverage Analysis (NCA) for standing systems in these wheelchairs. As you know, standing systems in Group 3 power wheelchairs offer essential benefits to individuals with severe disabilities. These systems enable users to achieve a standing position, which can greatly enhance their independence, improve metabolic functions, reduce the risk of secondary complications, such as pressure sores and osteoporosis, and improve their overall physical and mental well-being. The absence of Medicare coverage for these systems leaves many beneficiaries without access to critical technology that can significantly improve their health outcomes and quality of life. Our previous letter, dated October 14, 2021, highlighted the necessity for CMS to consider coverage for both seat elevation and standing systems. While we commend the agency for addressing the seat elevation component, the omission of standing systems from this coverage determination falls short of fulfilling the comprehensive needs of certain patients. Given the substantial evidence supporting the medical necessity and benefits of standing systems, we urge CMS to promptly open an NCA to evaluate the inclusion of these systems under Medicare coverage. This action is crucial to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries who require these advanced wheelchair features are not left behind. We appreciate CMS's commitment to enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities through thoughtful policy decisions. Opening an NCA for standing systems in Group 3 power wheelchairs aligns with this commitment to provide equitable access to vital rehabilitative technology, as well as to support advancing the development of rehabilitative technology for Medicare beneficiaries. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to your favorable consideration and swift action to improve Medicare beneficiaries’ health and independence. Sincerely, Senator Tammy Duckworth Senator Marsha Blackburn Senator Bob Casey ###

Share Tweet

August 8, 2024

Casey, Wyden, Lummis, Brown, and Collins Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Combat the Flood of Illicit Packages into the United States, Stop Fentanyl

The FIGHTING for America Act to crack down on fentanyl smuggling and imports of products made with forced labor Senator Casey has led efforts to crack down on fentanyl producers in China and traffickers bringing drugs across the border Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Rob Wyden (D-OR), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced bipartisan legislation to crack down on illicit goods including fentanyl, counterfeits, and products made with forced labor entering the country by tightening import restrictions on packages. In recent years, shipments to consumers from foreign corporate giants have quadrupled, with these retailers abusing the customs process to avoid tariffs and inspection. The Fighting Illicit Goods, Helping Trustworthy Importers, and Netting Gains (FIGHTING) for America Act would change this loophole, help Customs and Border Protection (CPB) target shipments containing illicit goods, and help prevent fentanyl from entering the country undetected. “Far too many families across Pennsylvania have lost a loved one to the fentanyl crisis. We need to fight back against foreign corporations and traffickers that take advantage of holes in our trade laws to allow dangerous goods—including fentanyl and products made with forced labor—to enter our country undetected and free of tariffs, duties, or inspection,” Senator Casey said. “This legislation is a critical step to crack down on fentanyl crossing our borders, and I will continue to fight like hell to stop the fentanyl crisis.” “Foreign corporate giants are inundating our borders with millions of low-value packages, making it tough for customs agents to stop dangerous goods like fentanyl from falling into Americans’ hands,” Senator Wyden said. “Americans should feel confident that anything arriving on their doorstep is safe, legal, and ethically produced. Our legislation would crack down on foreign companies abusing the law and make sure they play by the rules.” “Whether through the southwest border or in packages mailed into the United States, China is using any tool available to get illicit drugs across our border,” Lummis said. “It is time for CBP to crack down on shipments from China to ensure drugs and products made using slave labor are encountered before making it into our communities.” “Countries like China are exploiting the de minimis loophole to cheat our trade laws and flood our country with packages containing fentanyl and other illicit substances,” Senator Brown said. “By cracking down on this loophole and providing law enforcement with more resources, this bipartisan legislation will begin to level the playing field for Ohio workers and Ohio manufacturers and retailers – while helping to stop the deadly flow of fentanyl into Ohio communities.” “Chinese companies continue to abuse U.S. trade laws. It is necessary that we tighten customs oversight of low-value imports entering the United States to combat these abuses of tariff-free entry procedures,” Senator Collins said. “This bipartisan bill would strengthen CBP enforcement, improve data collection, and streamline the import approval process to address unlawful imports and protect domestic industries while ensuring fair trade practices.” The FIGHTING for America Act would help CPB more effectively stop unlawful imports by tightening the rules for de minimis entry, a customs process which allows packages under $800 to enter the country tariff free and under a streamlined process. Currently, Chinese corporate giants are taking advantage of the de minimis process, to avoid paying tariffs on textiles, shoes and apparel or evade trade penalties imposed to protect U.S. manufacturers from Chinese trade cheating. The increased volume of low-value packages also increases the risk that illicit goods including fentanyl can cross our borders unnoticed. This legislation would improve the oversight of the de minimums entry process by requiring CBP to collect more information about commercial packages, increasing penalties for bad actors, and facilitating the targeting and seizure of illicit goods including fentanyl. Senator Casey has been traveling around Pennsylvania meeting with law enforcement and families of victims of fentanyl overdoses as he pushed for passage of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act and continues to push for passage of his Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. Casey’s bill would increase staffing and technology to detect and stop the flow of fentanyl coming across the southwest border. It would enable U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire more Officers and Border Patrol Agents as well as provide funding to purchase Non-Intrusive Inspection systems, which scan vehicles and cargo at the border to provide detailed images of their interiors, and create an inspection program to increase seizure of firearms, which Mexican cartels frequently purchase in the United States and use to support their fentanyl production operations and other violent criminal enterprises. Last month, Senator Casey applauded the Senate passage of the Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act, a bill that will direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate how transnational criminal organizations finance synthetic drug trafficking and help the federal government target them more effectively. Senator Casey has also consistently pushed to crack down on Chinese trade cheating. In June 2023, Senator Casey cosponsored the Import Security and Fairness Act to tighten trade laws to crack down on companies that seek to avoid import duties. Earlier this year, Senator Casey championed provisions in the Intelligence Authorization Act to stop fentanyl at the border, prevent Chinese cyberattacks, and thwart Chinese efforts to evade U.S. regulations. In March 2024, Senator Casey raised alarms about SHEIN, a Chinese corporation allegedly utilizing forced labor. He urged Wall Street executives to investigate SHEIN’s alleged unethical practices before allowing the corporation access to U.S markets. ###

Share Tweet

August 8, 2024

Casey, Warren Raise Alarms About Kroger’s Use of Digital Price Tags, Warn of Grocery Giant’s “Surge Pricing” Causing Price Gouging and Hurting Consumers

Senators raised concerns about how dynamic pricing can be used to price gouge and squeeze American families Kroger is the largest supermarket operator in the United States, boasting over 400,000 employees and nearly 3,000 stores across the country. Since fall 2023, Senator Casey has produced four reports detailing his investigations into corporate greed squeezing families’ budgets The Senators wrote: “It is outrageous that, as families continue to struggle to pay to put food on the table, grocery giants like Kroger continue to roll out surge pricing and other corporate profiteering schemes” Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) raised concerns about Kroger’s use of digital price tags, or Electronic Shelving Labels (ESLs), to surge grocery prices and exploit working families. Digital price tags allow corporations to engage in dynamic pricing–changing the prices of goods based on temporary factors including the time of day or the weather. Dynamic pricing allows corporations to price gouge and suddenly raise the cost of goods without warning. Kroger has also proposed to place facial-recognition cameras on its digital shelves that can make different offers to shoppers based on their age, gender or potentially their race and other personal characteristics. The Senators warned Kroger executives about the harms of dynamic price gouging and urged the corporation to put consumers over profits. “The increased use of dynamic pricing will drive company profits higher – leaving consumers with the bill […] It is outrageous that, as families continue to struggle to pay to put food on the table, grocery giants like Kroger continue to roll out surge pricing and other corporate profiteering schemes,” wrote the Senators. Many grocery chains, including Kroger, have rapidly expanded their use of ESLs in recent years. Kroger began using the technology in 2018 and has since expanded it to 500 stores nationwide. ESLs may help Kroger extract maximum profits from consumers at a time when Americans are dealing with the cost of grocery prices: high grocery prices are a leading concern among Americans who are concerned about inflation. Since November 2023, Senator Casey has been investigating greedflation, or corporate price gouging and other actions by big corporations that have squeezed the budgets of American families and contributed to the increase in inflation. In February, the New York Times featured Senator Casey’s investigation into shrinkflation. In June, Casey sent letters to Target, Walmart, and Amazon to demand they disclose information about how they have made pricing decisions over the last two years. In February 2024, Senator Casey expressed concern about the Wendy’s Company’s plans to switch to surge pricing. He highlighted how changing menu prices based on time of day unfairly penalized working American Families. Wendy’s subsequently backtracked on its surge pricing proposal. The same month, Casey also introduced two pieces of legislation to protect American families from greedflation and shrinkflation. The Price Gouging Prevention Act would protect American families from greedflation by banning grossly excessive price increases and cracking down on corporations that engage in price gouging. The Shrinkflation Prevention Act, would empower the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering the prices. Senator Casey has released four reports in his greedflation series. His first report, “Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families,” details how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices and rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families and laying out Senator Casey’s vision to hold greedy corporations accountable. Casey’s second report “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive," examines how the agribusiness companies that process Americans’ food have increased prices for everyday staple foods and raising questions about why those price increases are necessary, particularly during the holiday season. Casey’s third report, “Less Bang for Your Buck: Casey Releases Shrinkflation Report Exposing Big Corporations for Reducing Product Size While Keeping Prices High,” calls out household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations for reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. Casey’s fourth report, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” details how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals In April, Casey released a greedflation spotlight, “The Pink Tax: How Companies Tack Extra Costs on Women in the Age of Greedflation,” which details how corporate greed has disproportionately harmed the budgets of women. A second spotlight released in August, “A Steady Stream of Price Hikes: How Streaming Services Put Profit Over Consumers," exposes how streaming platforms increase the cost of subscriptions while decreasing the amount of content available to stream, implementing streaming restrictions, and introducing advertisements to a previously ad-free platform. Read the letter HERE. ###

Share Tweet

August 7, 2024

Casey Holds Aging Committee Field Hearing in Pittsburgh on Caregiving Crisis

The hearing examined the needs and issues affecting caregivers for children, older adults, and people with disabilities Witnesses from Pennsylvania testified about their experiences as caregivers and recipients of care, and raised issues about the cost, quality, and availability of care Casey touted his long record of leadership on caregiving in the Senate and called for federal action to provide more resources to caregivers both paid and unpaid Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, held an Aging Committee field hearing in Pittsburgh about the challenges faced by Pennsylvania caregivers. At the hearing, entitled “From Infancy to Aging: The Effects of Caregiving Across the Lifespan,” Chairman Casey heard from several Pennsylvanians about the value of caregiving and the issues they are facing, including the cost, quality, and availability of care. Casey touted his long record of leadership on caregiving in the Senate and called for federal action to invest in caregivers and ensure access to care. “For so many Pennsylvanians, caring for young children, aging parents, or family members with disabilities is more than an act of love; it’s a necessity for their loved ones,” said Chairman Casey (D-PA). “Our Nation is facing a caregiving crisis and as our witnesses testified today, we need to do much more to ensure families have the resources to care for each other and themselves. I will bring these stories of Pennsylvanians back to Washington with me as I continue to fight to invest in caregivers, expand access to caregiving, and make sure that Pennsylvanians can get the care they need.” Chairman Casey invited Linda Orndoff, a home care worker from Coal Center, to speak at the hearing. She testified, “We all know home care workers save the system, and taxpayers, tens of thousands of dollars per year caring for folks in their homes over putting them in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. And that these folks have better overall health outcomes. But we need to come up with a plan for how to get caregivers out of poverty. Otherwise, there is no way that we can build a sustainable home-care system. Because we can't take care of them if we can't take care of ourselves.” Chairman Casey also invited Heather Tomko, a Whitehall Borough resident who serves as the Outreach Coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh’s National Research and Rehabilitation Training Center on Family Support and requires care for spinal muscular atrophy, to the hearing. She testified, “While I have a patchwork system that is manageable for now, I worry every single day about what my future could look like. I’m 35 right now, and my parents are in their 60s. I’m incredibly grateful that they’re still able to lift me, and to help me with the more physical aspects of my care. But I know that this won’t be the case forever – they’re aging, and at some point in the not-so-distant future, they’re not going to be able to care for me (and my sister) like they do now. And I’m terrified what that will mean for me. If I can’t find consistent care, my only option would be to move into an assisted living facility, and leave my full and vibrant life behind.” Watch the full hearing here. ###

Share Tweet

August 7, 2024

A Steady Stream of Price Hikes: Casey Exposes Streaming Platforms for Charging More for Less Content

Streaming platforms including Netflix, Paramount, and HBO Max are increasing subscription prices and decreasing the content available for consumers While streaming companies squeezed American families with higher prices, executives reported a combined total of $170.2 million in compensation in 2023, a significant increase from the year prior Read Casey’s latest greedflation spotlight “A Steady Stream of Price Hikes: How Streaming Services Put Profit Over Consumers” HERE Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children & Families, released a study into streamflation—streaming platforms increasing the cost of subscriptions while decreasing the amount of content available to stream, implementing streaming restrictions, and introducing advertisements to a previously ad-free platform. “A Steady Stream of Price Hikes: How Streaming Services Put Profit Over Consumers” is a continuation of Senator Casey’s long-running investigation into greedflation and how corporations are using deceptive practices to squeeze working families’ budgets. “From movies to music, greedy streaming services are ripping off hardworking American families with inflated subscription fees, limited account sharing, and added advertisements. Families sign up for a service, only to have the rug pulled out from under them when they learn they’ll have to pay more to stream less,” said Senator Casey. “I’m calling out greedflation when I see it and I’m fighting back against the corporations that put profits over people.” Chairman Casey believes that no Pennsylvanian should be blindsided by increased monthly subscription charges or streaming platforms’ broken promises to never introduce advertising or restrict password sharing. While streaming services, executives, and shareholders are reporting millions in profits, American families are paying a hefty bill, only to turn on their TVs and find that their favorite shows are gone. In his report, Senator Casey exposes streaming services including Netflix, Spotify, Disney Plus, Paramount Plus, Hulu, and Max for fleecing Americans into expensive memberships to unreliable platforms. The spotlight also details how streaming services have abandoned their earlier promises to their subscribers, from shrinking content libraries to account restrictions. Since November 2023, Chairman Casey has been investigating corporate price gouging and other actions by big corporations that have squeezed the budgets of American families and contributed to the increase in inflation. In February, the New York Times featured Senator Casey’s investigation into shrinkflation. In November, Casey released the first report in his greedflation series, “Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families,” detailing how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices and rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families and laying out Senator Casey’s vision to hold greedy corporations accountable. Corporate executives claim they’ve “earned the right” to raise prices and that their products “are worth paying a little bit more for.” Ahead of Thanksgiving, Casey released his second report, “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive," examining how the agribusiness companies that process Americans’ food have increased prices for everyday staple foods and raising questions about why those price increases are necessary, particularly during the holiday season. Some of these companies have a history of engaging in price-fixing, colluding to raise prices, anti-competitive conduct, and touting their ability to raise prices without limit. Seeking answers, Senator Casey sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission and United States Department of Agriculture requesting that the agencies use all necessary resources to investigate possible unfair pricing practices of major chicken and pork processors in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission, in response, assured Senator Casey that policing potentially anticompetitive conduct in food industries continues to be a top priority for the Commission given the high stakes for American families, farmers, and the Nation’s economy. In December 2023, Casey released his third report of his greedflation series, “Less Bang for Your Buck: Casey Releases Shrinkflation Report Exposing Big Corporations for Reducing Product Size While Keeping Prices High,” calling out household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations for reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. To better protect families’ pocketbooks, Senator Casey sent letters to the trade associations representing household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations demanding answers about pricing strategies, package size practices, and how shrinkflation affects customers. In January 2024, Casey released the fourth report, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” detailing how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals. Senator Casey believes that no Pennsylvanian should be blindsided by a junk fee and that the negative impacts of hidden fees can be mitigated by: fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. In a letter to the Government Accountability Office that same month, Senator Casey pushed the government watchdog to examine the effects of corporate greed on American consumers. In February 2024, Casey introduced legislation to protect American families from greedflation by banning grossly excessive price increases and crack down on corporate price gouging. The same month, Casey also introduced the Shrinkflation Prevention Act, which empowers the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering the prices. Senator Casey sent a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra in April in support of the CFPB’s proposed rule to crack down on excessive overdraft banking penalties. Similarly, in February, Senator Casey sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan in support of FTC’s proposal to eliminate junk fees across the market. Chair Khan later joined Casey in Philadelphia to highlight their efforts to combat corporate greed. In April, Casey released a greedflation spotlight, “The Pink Tax: How Companies Tack Extra Costs on Women in the Age of Greedflation,” which details how corporate greed has disproportionately harmed the budgets of women. Read the full spotlight on “A Steady Stream of Price Hikes: How Streaming Services Put Profit Over Consumers” here. ###

Share Tweet

August 6, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio, Lee Secure $15.3 Million for Pittsburgh Public Schools, Wilkinsburg School District to Lower Energy Costs

Federal funding comes from infrastructure law grant program for K-12 public schools to make energy upgrades to decrease costs Pittsburgh Public Schools and Wilkinsburg School District to make needed energy upgrades to ensure schools remain open, energy-efficient, and safe learning environments Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and Summer Lee (D-PA-12) announced $15,300,000 in competitive grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to lower energy costs for Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) and Wilkinsburg School District (WSD). The funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) will enable the districts to upgrade and repair their school facilities to become more energy efficient, increase the availability of air conditioning in schools in disadvantaged communities, and ensure that schools can provide a safe learning environment. Thanks to this funding, schools can perform the necessary maintenance and energy upgrades required to remain open and continue serving the children of Southwestern Pennsylvania. “Everyone deserves to learn in a safe and comfortable environment. This funding will lower costs of energy and address pressing maintenance issues to ensure that Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg schools can remain open to continue educating students,” said Senator Casey. “Thanks to the infrastructure law, we are making needed upgrades to our schools and lowering energy costs while doing it.” “Investing in our schools is investing in our future, and this funding from the Department of Energy is a crucial step toward ensuring that all students in Pittsburgh have access to safe and comfortable learning environments,” said Senator Fetterman. “The backlog of repairs in these schools has been piling up since the pandemic, and this funding will help to make up for lost time. Upgrading these facilities will provide students and teachers with safe and climate-controlled classrooms while reducing energy costs for schools. This project will also bring much-needed job opportunities to our communities, creating a brighter future for our students and building a stronger, more inclusive workforce.” “This is an exciting grant that will help schools in Wilkinsburg improve facilities and maintenance, freeing up more for students,” said Congressman Deluzio. “This is especially powerful because these investments will help increase building efficiency and help schools serve students in any weather. I am proud to announce this $15.3 million job-creating federal investment in school facilities, and I will continue to support our students, teachers, and schools in every way I can.” "Our children deserve safe, comfortable, and energy-efficient schools that truly reflect our commitment to their futures. This funding is a monumental step towards ensuring that our students, teachers, and parents in Pittsburgh have the facilities they need to thrive. It's about more than just infrastructure—it's about investing in our communities, creating job opportunities, and promoting a better learning environment for our kids. We’re talking about real improvements that will make a daily difference in the lives of our students and educators. By prioritizing these improvements, we are putting our people first and paving the way for a brighter, more equitable future for all. When our schools flourish, our communities flourish, and that’s a win for everyone," said Congresswoman Lee. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize and Grant. Created by IIJA, the program is a three-phase investment to help K-12 public schools make energy upgrades that will decrease energy use and costs, improve indoor air quality, and foster healthier learning environments for students and teachers Pittsburgh Public Schools and Wilkinsburg School District were selected to receive the full grant amount available, totaling $15,300,000. This funding will support PPS and WDS efforts to repair schools with “high need for maintenance, repairs, and/or replacement of various energy infrastructure systems. Since the COVID-19 pandemic the school districts have struggled to upgrade the school to meet students’ changing needs, due to a shrinking student population and shrinking tax revenue. Thanks to this funding, Pittsburgh Public Schools and Wilkinsburg School District can mitigate the impact of lost tax revenue; ease the transition for students and families into potentially renewed and energy efficient schools; catch up on deferred maintenance to ensure schools provide an energy efficient and safe learning environment; increase the percentage of schools with air conditioning; and prepare the workforce of the future. Senator Casey has long supported investments to increase energy efficiency in schools. Last month Senator Casey urged DOE to support PPS and WDS funding request. In 2023, Casey and Fetterman successfully advocated for William Penn School District to receive a similar grant for energy efficiency projects. ###

Share Tweet

August 6, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Reschenthaler, Deluzio, Lee Urge Army Corps to Restore River Depth, Keep Monongahela River Navigable, Help Local Economy

Lock and dam removal is part of broader effort to modernize Monongahela River, key for region’s economy and community recreation Miscalculations about river depth during project have limited commercial barge traffic, costing millions per week The river must be at least nine feet deep for commercial barges to navigate it safely Members of Congress: “We […] call on USACE to prioritize the return of the nine foot draft […] Any additional delays will have steep economic costs for Southwestern Pennsylvania” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA-14), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and Summer Lee (D-PA-12) raised concerns about shallow levels at the Elizabeth Locks on the Monongahela (Mon) River. Miscalculations about the projected navigable depth during the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) ongoing project to remove the locks and dams have caused significant limitations on local boat and barge traffic. Currently, the water is too shallow for many commercial barges to navigate through the lock at full capacity, leading to reduced freight volumes and significantly costing the local economy. The Members urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to urgently act to fix the water depth issues to allow the river to continue supporting Southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy. The Members wrote, “We continue to call on USACE to prioritize the return of the nine-foot draft for commercial barge traffic and request the Corps provide ongoing updates to the regional inland waterway community. Any additional delays will have steep economic costs for Southwestern Pennsylvania. Keeping this waterway safe and navigable in the long run is critical to the region’s economy and way of life.” The removal of the Elizabeth Locks and Dam is part of a broader effort to modernize the Monongahela River, a key waterway for Southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy and community recreation. Earlier this summer, USACE began the dam removal project, with help from the U.S. Coast Guard to keep the river safe and navigable during the project. Unfortunately, due to a miscalculation about the projected depth of the water in the lock chamber, commercial barges cannot navigate the Mon River at standard capacity. Senators Casey and Fetterman and Representatives Reschenthaler, Deluzio, and Lee raised alarms to the Corps after hearing that the water levels in the Elizabeth Locks are too shallow to accommodate traditional commercial vessels. The Members urged USACE to prioritize the restoration of the nine foot draft and provide ongoing updates about the project’s status. They also reminded USACE about the steep economic costs of delaying this project. Senator Casey has fought repeatedly to improve and rehabilitate Southwestern Pennsylvania’s waterways, including securing over $857 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for the replacement of the Montgomery Locks and Dam along the Ohio River. In July, Senator Casey and Congressman Deluzio urged the U.S. Coast Guard to work with USACE to enforce a safety zone on the Monongahela River during the locks and dam removal project. Casey also successfully advocated to include the Monongahela River as part of the U.S. Marine Highway System, which created new opportunities to benefit Southwestern Pennsylvania economies. Senator Casey voted to pass critical legislation including IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that support critical infrastructure investments along Southwestern Pennsylvania’s waterways to promote clean energy investments and support economies formerly dependent on fossil fuels. Read the letter HERE or below: Dear Lieutenant General Spellmon, We write regarding our concerns with the impact of the dam removal process at Locks and Dam (LD) 3 on the Monongahela River near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. As you are aware, there was a miscalculation of the projected interim water depth in the lock following the partial demolition of the dam by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). This misestimate has resulted in significant limitations on commercial barge traffic along the Monongahela (Mon) River. The Mon River is a vital corridor for commercial barge traffic and recreational boating and the limited depth of water in the lock continues to have adverse economic impacts on local businesses and residents who rely on the river. While we understand the USACE is working to create a navigable path that can accommodate standard vessel depths, we write today to emphasize the need for USACE to act with urgency to rectify the issue on or before the Corps’ internal deadline of August 28, 2024. In 1992, Congress authorized the Lower Monongahela River Project, which includes the conversion of LD 2 (Braddock) into a gated dam, the removal of LD 3 (Elizabeth), and the new navigation lock at LD 4 (Charleroi). After years of delays and cost overruns, the project is near completion and is projected to boost our regional economy by $200 million annually. As a part of the modernization project, the USACE conducted their first controlled demolition to remove the dam on the river near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, on July 10, 2024. Following the controlled demolition, the water level in the lock was too shallow to accommodate traditional commercial vessels. This insufficient water depth required the Corps to impose navigation restrictions that have scrambled barge traffic creating delays and trapping vessels above the lock, reduced the raw amount of commodities carried on many barges that do move through the lock by 25 percent, and cost industry several millions of dollars per week by early estimates. To date, USACE has been responsive to federal officials and staff, local stakeholders, and industry partners in the aftermath of this incident. We continue to call on USACE to prioritize the return of the nine-foot draft for commercial barge traffic and request the Corps provide ongoing updates to the regional inland waterway community. Any additional delays will have steep economic costs for Southwestern Pennsylvania. Keeping this waterway safe and navigable in the long run is critical to the region’s economy and way of life. At a later date, we look forward to a candid discussion of how this and other similar problems may be prevented in the future, but at present an immediate solution is our number one priority. We trust you will continue to prioritize restoring the water to a depth that will accommodate the standard nine-foot draft on the Mon River and ask you keep our offices, industry, and other stakeholders apprised of your progress. ###

Share Tweet

August 5, 2024

Casey, Wild, Tuerk Secure $20 Million for Allentown to Tackle Barriers to Good Jobs, Economic Success

Following Casey and Wild's advocacy, City of Allentown earned highly selective federal grant to connect residents to good-paying jobs Phase 2 of Recompete Program to help City to realize goals of removing barriers to employment, connecting residents to the fast-growing industries in the Lehigh Valley Congress created the Recompete Program in CHIPS and Science Act to connect distressed communities to jobs and investment Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), U.S. Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-PA-7), and Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk secured $20,000,000 in competitive grant funding to remove barriers to employment and economic success, such as access to affordable and convenient child care, transportation, and educational opportunities. Thanks to this funding, Allentown can invest in securing jobs for Allentown residents for in-demand industries in the Lehigh Valley, including manufacturing and health care. This grant comes from Phase II of the Recompete Plan which was established by the CHIPS and Science Act. “When people have the skills and resources they need to compete for good-paying jobs, they can provide for their families, get quality health care, and improve their quality of life. For too long, Allentown residents have struggled to make ends meet due to employment barriers through no fault of their own,” said Senator Casey. “The Recompete program represents a game-changing opportunity for Allentown residents to get a fair shot at getting and keeping family sustaining jobs.” “I’m so excited that the City of Allentown was selected for this historic $20 million grant, which will allow us to expand our job market, connect each corner of the city with critical services, and support hardworking men and women looking to earn a decent living,” said Congresswoman Susan Wild. “The City’s plan is impressive and comprehensive, and I was proud to see it through to completion. Job-seekers across our community will now be able to access strong wages and good workplaces that might otherwise have been out of reach. I’ll continue pushing to bring home additional investments to our city to support the Recompete plan and tackle barriers to employment.” “Allentown and the Lehigh Valley have successfully reacted to crisis many times before, but we’re about to see how we respond to an opportunity. Leveraging existing relationships and forging new partnerships, we will have a chance to create a model for eliminating the barriers that keep talented people from getting good jobs. Investments in skills development, industrial sites, transportation, and child care will make sure that Allentown’s residents are in a position to succeed,” said Matt Tuerk, mayor of Allentown. The Recompete Pilot Program was established by the CHIPS and Science Act to make targeted investments in communities struggling with high prime-age employment gaps and reflects an increased commitment at the federal level to spurring economic development in communities that have long been left behind. After securing initial funding from Phase I of the Recompete program, Allentown was awarded an additional $20,000,000 for Phase II. Thanks to this funding, Allentown can implement its Recompete plan, create career opportunities, and reduce barriers to securing in-demand jobs. Senator Casey and Congresswoman Wild have worked repeatedly to ensure that Allentown can benefit from employment investments. After voting to establish the Recompete program in the CHIPS and Science Act, the Members of Congress advocated for Allentown to be included in the program. Casey urged the Biden Administration to support Allentown’s application for this next phase. In a letter to Assistant Secretary Alejandra Castillo of the Economic Development Agency, Congresswoman Wild pushed for the City of Allentown to receive this key grant that will address barriers to employment and expand economic opportunity for the City. In December 2023, Senator Casey, Congresswoman Wild, and Mayor Tuerk announced that they secured the Phase 1 grant. ###

Share Tweet

August 2, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio Urge Norfolk Southern to Pay its Share for Clean Public Drinking Water Initiative in Darlington Township

The Members urged Norfolk Southern to support Darlington Township’s effort to provide a permanent source of clean public water from nearby Beaver Falls, PA Since train derailment Casey, Fetterman, and Deluzio have secured resources for Darlington residents, pushed Norfolk Southern to help the community recover The Members wrote: “Given Norfolk Southern’s role in the derailment and the subsequent contamination concerns that have followed, it is imperative that the company provide funding for the project” Members continue to push for the passage of Railway Safety Act Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) called on Norfolk Southern to provide significant funding for Darlington Township’s efforts to expand access to clean public drinking water for residents. After the Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster and chemical explosion, residents expressed concerns about the long-term safety of their drinking water. The Members urged Norfolk Southern to provide at least $5,000,000 to support Darlington Township’s plan to secure a secondary clean public source by connecting to nearby Beaver Falls Municipal Authority. “Local leadership identified public drinking water access, including the installation of a public water line that would feed a publicly available fill station, as a priority in the wake of Norfolk Southern’s disastrous train derailment. […] Given Norfolk Southern’s role in the derailment and the subsequent contamination concerns that have followed, it is imperative that the company provide funding for the project,” the Members wrote. “Ensuring that a publicly accessible water option is available—should a problem ever arise—will keep residents safe for the long-term and provide much needed peace of mind for residents who fear a sudden notification of contamination could leave them without any other options for drinking water. […] Doing so will allow your company to live up to the words that you wrote in August of 2023, that Norfolk Southern is ‘in it for the long haul.’” In Darlington Township, many residents rely on private wells for drinking water, which are vulnerable to external contamination. Should anything contaminate the wells, there is no readily available backup. After last year’s derailment heightened concerns about future contamination, Darlington Township began efforts to connect the Township with clean public water from the nearby Beaver Falls Municipal Authority. This project will be critical for ensuring the community will have access to safe water, should the need arise. Since the derailment in February 2023, Senators Casey and Fetterman and Congressman Deluzio have repeatedly heard concerns from constituents about the long-term safety of their drinking water. The members have worked tirelessly to help provide alternative water options for the community. Earlier this year, they secured more than $3.6 million in community project to support Darlington’s initiative to expand access to clean public drinking water. Casey and Deluzio then visited Darlington in July to celebrate the funding and hear from Township officials on how they can continue to support the community. Those meetings made it clear that the investment required to connect Darlington Township to clean, public water from Beaver Falls is significant and the Township needs more funding to complete the project. Now, the Members are pushing Norfolk Southern to honor their commitment to helping the community recover from the derailment and urging the company to fund the clean water initiative. Senators Casey and Fetterman and Congressman Deluzio have repeatedly fought for resources for Pennsylvanians affected by the derailment and spearheaded efforts to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for endangering the wellbeing and livelihoods of Pennsylvania families and businesses in Darlington Township. This includes securing recovery aid and assistance and championing the Railway Safety Act to ensure no other American community becomes a victim of reckless behavior by big rail companies. See Senator Casey’s full record on the Norfolk Southern derailment HERE Read more about the Railway Safety Act HERE Read the letter HERE or below: Dear Mr. Shaw: We write today to request that Norfolk Southern commit to providing at least the $5 million in funding requested by the Darlington Township Board of Supervisors that is needed to construct an extension of public drinking water from Beaver Falls to Darlington Township. Local leadership identified public drinking water access, including the installation of a public water line that would feed a publicly available fill station, as a priority in the wake of Norfolk Southern’s disastrous train derailment along the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. Given Norfolk Southern’s role in the derailment and the subsequent contamination concerns that have followed, it is imperative that the company provide funding for the project. Since the derailment, we have heard repeatedly from our constituents that they are concerned about the long-term safety of their drinking water. In Darlington Township, as in many rural areas of Pennsylvania and the Nation, many residents rely on private wells for drinking water. While these private wells have long been an important source of household water, they are vulnerable to external contamination and single-point failure. Should anything contaminate the wells, there is no readily available backup. We are grateful that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, has worked diligently to test soil and water quality in the immediate radius of the derailment and across Beaver and Lawrence Counties. But while this testing may allay immediate fears about water quality, residents of Darlington Township have expressed concerns about the possibility for delayed contamination due to the shallow depth of their wells. Ensuring that a publicly accessible water option is available—should a problem ever arise—will keep residents safe for the long-term and provide much needed peace of mind for residents who fear a sudden notification of contamination could leave them without any other options for drinking water. In response to these contamination concerns, in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (PL 118-42) we secured $3,661,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending/Community Project Funding for the Beaver Falls Municipal Authority to extend public drinking water to Darlington Township. This would give residents access to a safe, public supply of drinking water, should such access be required in the future. This funding represents a significant public investment in the residents and the future of Darlington Township. Due to the size of the project, this $3.661-million award alone is insufficient to cover the full costs of extending public water service to Darlington Township. To that end, we believe that Norfolk Southern has a clear responsibility to work closely with Darlington Township and the Beaver Falls Municipal Authority throughout the project and provide the remaining funds needed to bring the project to fruition. Doing so will allow your company to live up to the words that you wrote in August of 2023, that Norfolk Southern is “in it for the long haul.” We, as well as the families of Darlington Township, appreciate your prompt consideration of this request. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this project, please do not hesitate to reach out to our respective staffs. ###

Share Tweet

August 2, 2024

Casey, Young Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Better Support Grandparent Caregivers

Casey’s bipartisan Informing Grandfamilies Act would require states to inform grandparents raising grandchildren about the resources available to them An estimated 2.7 million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends Grandfamilies face unique challenges and often are eligible for support from federal programs, but awareness of benefits is not widespread Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the bipartisan Informing Grandfamilies Act, a new bill that would ensure grandparents raising grandchildren receive the support they need and deserve. An estimated 2.7 million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends, and while so-called “grandfamilies” or “kinship families” are often eligible for federal support due to unique challenges and disproportionate risk of poverty, awareness of these benefits is often not widespread among grandparents. Casey’s Informing Grandfamilies Act would require states to provide grandfamilies with information about the resources available to them, and hire staff with the necessary expertise to guide grandfamilies and kinship families through the benefit process. “Grandparents raising grandchildren face unique challenges under difficult circumstances,” said Senator Casey (D-PA). “In recent years, the need for ensuring these families are supported has become even more dire as the opioid crisis and COVID-19 pandemic have forced more and more grandparents to take on unexpected caregiving duties. My bipartisan Informing Grandfamilies Act will ensure that grandparent caregivers know about and take advantage of the resources they need and deserve.” “More than 2.7 million children in America are being raised by grandparents or other relatives, often with few places for these caregivers to turn to for support. Our bipartisan bill would help ensure these grandfamilies are better connected to the resources that are available to them,” said Senator Young (R-IN). Senator Casey has been a strong advocate for grandfamilies and kinship families for years, with a particular focus on ensuring they are able to access the benefits and resources they need to thrive. He led the passage of the bipartisan Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, which established the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, tasked with providing recommendations to Congress on how best to support grandparent caregivers. In May 2023, he introduced the bipartisan Grandfamily Housing Act, which would finance the upkeep and retrofitting of intergenerational housing and provide supportive services for grandfamilies and kinship families. Senator Casey also introduced the Grandfamilies Act to improve the financial security of grandfamilies by expanding access to benefits. Read more about the Informing Grandfamilies Act here. ###

Share Tweet

August 1, 2024

Casey Introduces Suite of Bills to Expand Access to Savings Accounts for People with Disabilities

Casey created the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program in 2014 to allow people with disabilities to save money without losing eligibility for critical federal programs Casey’s legislative package includes three bills to expand the program even further and ensure more eligible people with disabilities are able to access program benefits Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced a package of three bills that expand access to the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program. The ABLE program, which Chairman Casey passed in 2014, allows people with disabilities to save money without risking access to federal assistance programs, such as Supplemental Security Income. Casey’s new legislative package includes three bills that will expand ABLE by increasing awareness of the program’s benefits and making it easier for people with disabilities to receive ABLE benefits while remaining in the workforce. “Over the last decade, the ABLE program has been a lifeline for thousands of people with disabilities across the Nation,” said Chairman Casey (D-PA). “However, we have a lot more work to do to ensure that every person who is eligible for an ABLE account can take advantage of the opportunity to save that the program affords them. By drawing attention to ABLE and allowing employers to contribute to the ABLE accounts of employees with disabilities, the legislative package I introduced today will continue my work to remove the barriers that people with disabilities face when trying to save.” People with disabilities are more than twice as likely to live in poverty compared to people without disabilities, yet households including a person with a disability that may limit some of their ability to work need, on average, 28 percent more income to obtain the same standard of living as people without disabilities. For a long time, people with disabilities were unable to put away significant financial savings due to asset limitations for federal assistance programs that many people with disabilities rely on. The ABLE program has helped more than 170,000 people with disabilities across the United States, who have saved an average of $11,186. Despite the program’s positive impact, only a fraction of the eight million Americans with disabilities who are ABLE-eligible have opened an account. Today, Casey introduced the ABLE Awareness Act, which will help inform people about ABLE programs by requiring federal and state agencies to inform people about the existence of the program, its eligibility requirements, and point them towards existing resources to help them open an account when they enroll in certain benefits programs. Read more about the ABLE Awareness Act here. Many employers offer 401k matching contributions to workers as a benefit of employment. However, people with disabilities can be precluded from benefiting from this option because contributions could count against the strict asset limits for federal benefits programs. People with disabilities who are working should have the same access to employee benefits as people without disabilities, including 401k matching contributions. Casey’s ABLE Employment Flexibility Act would fix this by allowing employers to contribute to an employee’s ABLE account in lieu of a 401k account so that employees with disabilities can safely save for retirement without fear of losing the federal benefits they rely on to thrive in their communities. Read more about the ABLE Employment Flexibility Act here. Also included in today’s legislative package was the ABLE Direct Deposit Act, which would affirm that direct deposits from employers or government programs can be made to ABLE accounts. As the lead sponsor of the ABLE Act, passed in 2014, Senator Casey has long been a champion of ABLE accounts and has consistently worked to improve and expand the program since its initial passage. He introduced the ABLE Age Adjustment Act to extend the eligibility of ABLE accounts from those who acquired their disability before the age of 26 to the age of 46. The bill passed in December 2022 and takes effect in 2026, when it will expand the program to 6.2 million additional Americans, including more than one million veterans. Last year, Casey introduced the ABLE Match Act, which helps people with lower incomes participate in the ABLE program by creating a federal dollar-for-dollar match for new and existing ABLE accounts held by individuals that make $28,000 annually or less. Earlier this year, Casey introduced the bipartisan Ensuring Nationwide Access to a Better Life Experience (ENABLE) Act, which would make permanent three ABLE provisions that make the program more accessible and expansive but are set to expire in 2025. ###

Share Tweet

August 1, 2024

PA Delegation Members Call for Fogel’s Inclusion in Prison Swap

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), and U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) released the following statement calling on the Biden Administration to include Marc Fogel in any prisoner swap made with Russia. Fogel, detained in Russia since August 2021, is currently serving a 14-year sentence for possession of medical marijuana used to treat his severe back injury. “As news of a potential prisoner exchange is being reported, we urge that any swap include Pennsylvania’s Marc Fogel, along with Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich,” said the lawmakers. “Marc is a Pennsylvania teacher with severe health issues who has been unjustly imprisoned in a Russian prison for three years, and as the congressional members who represent Marc and his family, we have been pushing to bring Marc home as quickly as possible. As negotiations are ongoing with the Russian Federation, we respectfully request that any potential prisoner swap include Marc Fogel.” In a December 2023 letter, members of the Pennsylvania delegation made a similar call to Secretary of State Antony Blinken that any potential prisoner swap must include Fogel, along with Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich. ###

Share Tweet

August 1, 2024

Casey Statement on Senate Republicans Blocking Bipartisan Tax Deal, Including Child Tax Credit

Temporary expansion of Child Tax Credit, passed in 2021, cut child poverty in half When given opportunity to reinstate bipartisan, expanded Child Tax Credit payments for working families, Senate Republicans voted against the bill WATCH HERE: Senator Casey urged his colleagues to support bipartisan bill on the Senate floor yesterday Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families, released the following statement after Senate Republicans killed a tax package which would have expanded the Child Tax Credit for 16 million children, provided tax support for businesses to invest in research, development, and manufacturing, and more. The bill passed the House, 357-70, with overwhelming bipartisan support in January, and was fully paid for by eliminating waste and fraud. “In 2021, Congress did something miraculous as a body: we cut child poverty in half by expanding the Child Tax Credit. This bipartisan deal would have made millions of American children more economically secure, including half a million Pennsylvanian children in or near poverty. By voting to kill this bill today, Senate Republicans have failed their most basic obligation—to support and invest in American children and families when they need help.” Senator Casey has long led efforts in the Senate to uplift America’s children and ensure they have the resources and support they need to thrive. In 2020, he released his report, Five Freedoms for America’s Children, in which he outlined “five basic freedoms that our society must guarantee to our Nation’s children”—the freedom to learn, be healthy, well fed, safe from harm and the freedom to be economically secure. Among many policy recommendations, the report called for expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC). In 2021, Casey fought to pass the American Rescue Plan, which included a Child Tax Credit expansion that temporarily reduced child poverty by more than 50%. Since the expanded Child Tax Credit expired, Casey has repeatedly advocated for its reinstatement, including by voting for this bill. As Chairman of the U.S. Subcommittee on Children and Families, Casey has also pushed to provide better economic security for American children in other ways, including the establishment of children’s savings accounts. Earlier this year, Casey introduced the 401Kids Savings Act, which would create children’s savings accounts for every single child in America, building lifelong wealth and economic self-sufficiency for kids from families with limited resources. Along with introducing the bill, Casey also released a new report called “401Kids: Building Wealth for the Next Generation,” which shows how the policy proposed in the bill is already working in states around the Nation. ###

Share Tweet

August 1, 2024

Casey Introduces Bill to Expand Care for Seniors Recovering from Substance Use Disorders

Casey’s new Residential Recovery for Seniors Act would expand access to residential recovery for older adults covered by Medicare Casey: “Substance use disorder is a crisis in every age group and in every community across our Nation, and we must respond by giving Americans who are suffering a wide range of options to begin the road to recovery” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced the Residential Recovery for Seniors Act, which would expand access to care in residential treatment facilities for seniors recovering from substance use disorders. Currently, non-hospital-based residential substance use care is not covered by traditional Medicare. Casey’s new bill would plug this gap, allowing the millions of seniors covered by Medicare to access the full continuum of care for substance use disorders. A companion bill was introduced in the House by Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14). “Despite being at higher risk for developing substance use disorders, older adults suffering from addiction are often overlooked and do not have access to the full spectrum of recovery care,” said Chairman Casey (D-PA). “The Residential Recovery for Seniors Act will provide seniors in need of help with another option for substance use treatment. Substance use disorder is a crisis in every age group and in every community across our Nation, and we must respond by giving Americans who are suffering a wide range of options to begin the road to recovery.” “Substance use disorders among seniors are on the rise, and I’ve heard from so many families who have lost older relatives to addiction,” said Representative Lauren Underwood. “This heartbreaking loss of life is preventable, and we cannot accept this as a new normal. The Residential Recovery for Seniors Act will make sure that Medicare beneficiaries are able to access high-quality addiction treatment options.” Substance use disorders (SUDs) are increasingly prevalent among older adults. For older Americans, factors like social isolation and increased exposure to psychoactive substances can contribute to the development of SUDs. Mortality from drug overdoses among people aged 65 and older more than tripled between 2000 and 2020. In 2022, approximately 1.7 million Medicare beneficiaries were estimated to have a substance use disorder, which is about 8 percent of Medicare beneficiaries 65 and older and 2 percent of beneficiaries under 65. Medicare Parts A, B, and D each cover a portion of SUD services. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) classifies four levels of care for addiction treatment based on patient needs. Previously, traditional Medicare covered only the least intensive types of treatments on the continuum (Level 1), along with the most intensive treatment types (Level 4). Starting in January 2024, intensive outpatient services (Level 2) were also included in coverage to fill the gap in the middle levels of care. While this is important progress, non-hospital-based residential SUD treatment (Level 3) is still not covered by Medicare. The Residential Recovery for Seniors Act would expand Medicare coverage for residential treatment options (Level 3) for older adults and people with disabilities by creating a new benefit under Medicare Part A. Last December, Casey held an Aging Committee hearing entitled, “Understanding a Growing Crisis: Substance Use Trends Among Older Adults,” where substance use disorder experts and older adults in recovery testified about the problems facing seniors suffering from SUDs. Several of the witnesses raised gaps in Medicare coverage of substance use treatment as a major concern. The Residential Recovery for Seniors Act would close those gaps. Fighting the opioid epidemic and providing relief to Pennsylvanians and Americans with substance use disorder is one of Chairman Casey’s top priorities in the Senate. Over the last year, he has been traveling around Pennsylvania meeting with law enforcement and families of victims of fentanyl overdoses as he pushed for passage of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act and continues to push for passage of his Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. Casey’s bill would increase staffing and technology to detect and stop the flow of fentanyl coming across the southwest border. It would enable U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire more Officers and Border Patrol Agents as well as provide funding to purchase Non-Intrusive Inspection systems, which scan vehicles and cargo at the border to provide detailed images of their interiors, and create an inspection program to increase seizure of firearms, which Mexican cartels frequently purchase in the United States and use to support their fentanyl production operations and other violent criminal enterprises. Read more about the Residential Recovery for Seniors Act here. ###

Share Tweet

July 31, 2024

Casey Applauds Confirmation of Joseph F. Saporito as U.S. District Judge for Middle District of Pennsylvania

Saporito, a former public defender, has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the Middle District since 2015 Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is announcing that the Senate has confirmed Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. to serve on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania: “For nearly four decades, Judge Saporito has served the people of Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania with a commitment to fairness and integrity,” said Senator Casey. “From his work as an Assistant Public Defender to his long tenure as a magistrate judge for the Middle District, he is exceptionally qualified to take on this new role. I was pleased to join Senators on both sides of the aisle in voting to confirm Judge Saporito and I look forward to seeing him continue to serve the people of the Middle District.” Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since 2015 and has been the Court’s Chief United States Magistrate Judge since February 2024. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Saporito served as a part-time Assistant Public Defender in the Office of the Public Defender for the County of Luzerne, Pennsylvania from 1985 to 2015, while concurrently maintaining a private legal practice at Saporito & Saporito and then Saporito, Saporito & Falcone. Judge Saporito received his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law in 1985, and his B.A. from Villanova University in 1982. ###

Share Tweet

July 31, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Push for Legislation to Protect Refinery Jobs, Energy Security in Pennsylvania

Safeguarding Domestic Energy Production and Independence Act will help small, medium, and independent refineries contend with runaway costs, protect jobs, and support the transition to renewable fuels The Members wrote: “The Safeguarding Domestic Energy Production and Independence Act is a commonsense compromise that would support the transition to renewable fuels while restoring long-term certainty for domestic refiners and protecting our energy security.” Legislation is supported by unions, business groups, and the National Wildlife Federation Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led a bipartisan group of his colleagues to urge the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and U.S. House Committees on Agriculture; Energy and Commerce; and Natural Resources to protect oil refinery union jobs and energy security by taking up the Safeguarding Domestic Energy Production and Independence Act. Casey’s legislation would bring down runaway compliance costs associated with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and ensure that Pennsylvania’s independent oil refineries can afford to continue production. The Members urged the Committees to combat volatile prices of Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credits to protect jobs and energy security. “Refineries in the Philadelphia region—including the Monroe refinery in Trainer, Pennsylvania, and PBF refineries in Delaware City, Delaware, and Paulsboro, New Jersey—are struggling under the heavy burden of RINs compliance and costs. […] Collectively, these refiners directly employ thousands of hardworking men and women in our energy industry and support the employment of tens of thousands more through the supply chain. […]The Safeguarding Domestic Energy Production and Independence Act is a commonsense compromise that would support the transition to renewable fuels while restoring long-term certainty for domestic refiners and protecting our energy security, which is why it is supported by dozens of unions, business groups, and the National Wildlife Federation,” the Members wrote. The Renewable Fuel Standard was created to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, expand the United States’s renewable fuel sector, and reduce reliance on imported oil. In his letter to the EPW Committee, the Members highlighted how the RFS compliance standards pose significant challenges to independent oil refineries in Pennsylvania and across the country. To comply with RFS, independent refiners must purchase credits known as Renewable Identification Numbers (RIN), which in recent years have sharply risen in price. Unlike large multi-national oil corporations which have the means to produce RIN credits on a massive scale, medium and independent oil refineries are forced to purchase RINs—often at a steep cost. Some refiners are even spending more on purchasing RIN credits than all other operating costs combined. Volatile costs of RIN credits threaten refineries’ ability to stay open; continue providing good-paying, union jobs; and support our Nation’s energy security. ? The Safeguarding Domestic Energy Production & Independence Act will reduce the cost of the RFS compliance for independent refiners without adversely impacting ethanol consumption. Specifically, this bill would direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue and sell “conventional biofuel waiver credits” at a low, fixed price for refiners to use for RFS compliance if they are unable to obtain RINs cost effectively in the marketplace. The program would operate similarly to EPA’s waiver credit program for cellulosic biofuel.? In addition to Senator Casey, the bipartisan letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Fetterman (D-PA), and U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), Donald Norcross (D-NJ-1), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), Michael Lawler (R-NY-17), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-At-large District). Read more about the Safeguarding Domestic Energy Production & Independence Act here. Read the letter here or below. Dear Chair and Ranking Member: We write to highlight the unintended consequences of portions of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on independent refiners and to underscore the urgent need for action to protect the livelihoods of workers at such refiners in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. In particular, we urge you to take up the Safeguarding Domestic Energy Production and Independence Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will provide relief from the runaway cost of RFS compliance for independent refiners as a result of distorted Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credit prices. The RFS was created to support U.S. production of homegrown fuels as a means to diversify our national fuel supply and reduce U.S. reliance on imported fuels from foreign nations. While the program has largely succeeded in some areas, such as driving investment in conventional biofuels, the RFS is not serving its original goals in other regards. The cost of RFS compliance for mid-sized and independent refiners has become unsustainable and is jeopardizing good-paying union jobs. To comply with the RFS, domestic refiners must purchase and submit credits known as Renewable Identification Numbers to demonstrate the amount of renewable fuel blended into the transportation fuel supply. However, mid-size refiners have limited-to-no blending capabilities and cannot generate nearly enough RINs to meet their annual RFS obligations. On the other hand, since the RFS became law, multi-national oil companies that operate in every part of the supply chain have acquired or built blending distribution terminals and retail chains, giving them outsized control in the RIN market alongside major ethanol producers and even Wall Street. As a result, the RFS unintentionally forces mid-size independent refiners to purchase RIN credits from the Nation’s largest oil companies, agribusinesses, and banks at unsustainable prices. The price of RIN credits has sharply risen in recent years. Some refiners are even spending more on purchasing RIN credits than all other operating costs combined. Because of these uncontrolled price increases, refineries on the East Coast have been closing steadily for the past 20 years, with total refinery capacity in the region decreasing by a third since 2017. High prices and volatility in the RFS program make it nearly impossible for mid-size refiners to engage in economic planning, let alone undertake long-term, major investments in the development of cleaner and more affordable fuels. Refineries in the Philadelphia region—including the Monroe refinery in Trainer, Pennsylvania, and PBF refineries in Delaware City, Delaware, and Paulsboro, New Jersey—are struggling under the heavy burden of RFS compliance and costs. These refineries are critical to supporting transportation and commerce through the Philadelphia International Airport, the Ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington, and the entire Northeast corridor. Collectively, these refiners directly employ thousands of hardworking men and women in our energy industry and support the employment of tens of thousands more through the supply chain. The Safeguarding Domestic Energy Production and Independence Act is a targeted solution that will address the specific market failures of the current RFS structure. This bill would help contain some of the extreme volatility and high prices that refiners pay for RIN credits without impacting ethanol consumption. The bill allows the Environmental Protection Agency to sell RIN credits at a stable and reasonable price to refiners only if they cannot obtain RIN credits cost effectively in the marketplace. Furthermore, the revenue generated from the sale of these credits will go to refiners to help them make investments in advanced biofuels, to farmers to support investments in biofuel crops, and to the Habitat and Wildlife Restoration Fund to restore ecosystems where land has been depleted by biofuel crops. The Safeguarding Domestic Energy Production and Independence Act is a commonsense compromise that would support the transition to renewable fuels while restoring long-term certainty for domestic refiners and protecting our energy security, which is why it is supported by dozens of unions, business groups, and the National Wildlife Federation. Therefore, we respectfully request that you raise this bill for consideration by the Committee. Furthermore, should related policies such as changes to E15 fuel sales be considered by the Committee, we request that this measure be considered in tandem. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to working with you and your staff on advancing this important priority on behalf of our Nation’s energy workers and energy security. ###

Share Tweet

July 31, 2024

Casey Secures Wins for Pennsylvania Seniors, Families in Senate Committee Reauthorization of Older Americans Act

The Older Americans Act funds critical programs like Meals on Wheels, senior community centers, and home and community-based services Casey fought to ensure reauthorized bill strengthens advocacy for long-term care facility residents, provides new support for grandparents raising grandchildren, and makes it easier for low-income seniors to access nutritious meals Casey: “Our Nation’s older adults have fought in our wars, raised our families, and built our communities—they deserve our support as they age” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging and senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, applauded the passage of the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act out of the HELP Committee. The Older Americans Act, originally enacted in 1965, funds a number of critical programs for older adults such as Meals on Wheels, senior community centers, and home- and community-based services. As a lead negotiator of the reauthorization bill, Senator Casey fought to include provisions that will strengthen advocacy for long-term care facility residents, provide new support for grandparents raising grandchildren, and make it easier for low-income seniors to access nutritious meals. “Since its passage, the Older Americans Act has served as the foundation for community social services for older adults—from funding Meals on Wheels to local senior centers to home and community-based caregiving,” said Chairman Casey. “While this OAA reauthorization could have gone farther to support older Americans, it is an important, bipartisan bill that sustains vital programs, and strengthens support for long-term care residents, grandparents raising grandchildren, and low-income seniors. Our Nation’s older adults have fought in our wars, raised our families, and built our communities—they deserve our support as they age.” Senator Casey secured a number of key provisions in the Older Americans Act reauthorization, including: Strengthening Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents Casey fought to include provisions from his Strengthening Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents Act, which will bolster the Long-Term Care Ombudsmen program. Long-Term Care Ombudsmen advocate for long-term care residents and monitor conditions and care within long-term care facilities. The provisions included in the bill strengthen the program by reinstating a National Director, improving volunteer recruitment, and commissioning a study on the needs of older adults overseen by the program. Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Casey ensured the reauthorization bill included provisions to expand support for grandparents raising grandchildren, who face unique and difficult challenges stepping in when parents are no longer able to care for their children. The bill will expand federal support for grandfamilies to grandparents caring children up to age 22, should the child be enrolled in education; previously, families were only eligible to receive support for children up to age 18. Other provisions will extend the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Advisory Council, with a particular focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and opioid crisis on grandfamilies. The Advisory Council was originally authorized through Casey’s bipartisan Supporting Grandfamilies Raising Grandchildren Act, which he fought to pass in 2018. Improving Access to Nutritious Meals for Seniors Casey voted to include provisions in the reauthorization bill that promote providing meals that are medically tailored to seniors’ unique needs, and allow for more flexibility in meal delivery by expanding grab-and-go meal options. Grab-and-go meals were an innovation developed during the COVID-19 public health emergency and provided local service providers with the flexibility to meet their communities’ needs. ###

Share Tweet

July 31, 2024

Casey Statement on Sale of Regional, Moses Taylor, and Wilkes-Barre Hospitals

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released a statement following the announcement of Woodbridge Healthcare’s purchase of Regional and Moses Taylor Hospitals in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in Wilkes-Barre: “Northeastern Pennsylvanians rely on Regional, Moses Taylor, and Wilkes-Barre Hospitals for their care and they deserve health centers that are putting their patients over profits. I will be monitoring this deal closely to see if new ownership will prioritize re-establishing trust within the community by offering safe, affordable, and accessible care for its patients and fair treatment and compensation for its workers.” Senator Casey has repeatedly fought to keep hospitals open and ensure that Pennsylvanians have reliable access to health care. Last year, Casey led the charge to prevent funding cuts to rural hospitals across the country. He also introduced Rural Hospital Support Act, which seeks to permanently extend two key Medicare rural hospital programs and establish a new rebasing year – preventing closures that would disrupt access to care for individuals in rural communities. Last Friday, he sent a letter to Community Health Systems, the current owner of Regional Moses Taylor, and Wilkes-Barre Hospitals, expressing concerns about the company’s business practices, which often prioritize profit over quality of care, and calling on the company to ensure that patients can continue accessing quality care at the facilities. ###

Share Tweet

July 31, 2024

Casey Introduces Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Reduce Mental Health Care Costs for Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families

The bipartisan, bicameral Stop Copay Overpay Act would make mental health care visits cost no more than a regular doctors’ visit Across TRICARE plans, copay costs for mental health visits increased by at least 250% since 2017 Servicemembers and veterans are more likely than civilians to experience mental health conditions Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Stop Copay Overpay Act to make mental and behavioral health care affordable and accessible to military servicemembers, veterans, and their families through TRICARE. As military servicemembers and their families grapple with the stress or trauma that military service may inflict, Senator Casey is fighting to make sure they have access to the mental health treatment they need. This legislation would make mental health care visits cost no more than a visit to a primary healthcare provider across all TRICARE plans. U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06) and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA-14) included the House version of this legislation as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). “We can never fully repay our servicemembers and their families for their sacrifice, but we can, and we must, ensure that they get the health care they deserve. This bill will ensure that members of the military, veterans, and their families pay the same amount for mental health care as they do for any other doctor’s visit,” said Senator Casey. “Military servicemembers paid the price to defend our Nation; now we must make sure that they can take care of their health and wellbeing.” “As a veteran, I’ve seen too many brave men and women struggle to access the mental health care they need and deserve. It’s not right. Mental health care is health care, and creating cost parity between primary care visits and behavioral and mental health visits would be one giant leap forward in ending the stigma to seek treatment,” said Representative Houlahan. “I’m proud to partner with fellow Pennsylvanians Rep. Reschenthaler, a veteran, and Senator Casey, a longtime champion for Pennsylvania’s veterans, to introduce our Stop Copay Overpay Act. This bipartisan bill will ensure that our military families under TRICARE can access affordable mental health care. After all they have done for this nation, they deserve nothing less.” After learning from Pennsylvania veterans and service families that copays for mental and behavioral health visits have disproportionately increased since 2017, Senator Casey introduced the Stop Copay Overpay Act. The Stop Copay Overpay Act would reduce financial barriers to those seeking mental and behavioral health care by establishing pay parity—capping copays at a level equal to those for normal primary care visits. Mental health issues affect millions of Americans each year, but servicemembers and veterans are even more likely to experience mental health conditions that compromise their quality of life. These conditions can lead to substance use disorder, homelessness, and suicide. High copay costs for mental and behavioral health visits may prevent servicemembers and their families from seeking the care they critically need. This legislation would reduce TRICARE copay costs for military families without reducing reimbursement for mental health providers by shifting the cost of care to the Department of Defense (DoD). Senator Casey has consistently fought to expand health care for Pennsylvania veterans and their families. In 2022, Senator Casey championed the passage of the Honoring our PACT Act—the largest veterans’ health care bill in decades to expand U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) health care to more than 3.5 million veterans. Honoring our PACT Act was the culmination of Senator Casey’s long record of fighting to improve health care for veterans. Senator Casey also pressed the VA to swiftly address challenges facing Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) in January and May. The Stop Copay Overpay Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Peter Welch (D-VT). Read more about the Stop Copay Overpay Act here. ###

Share Tweet

July 30, 2024

After Casey Push, Pennsylvanians Can Now File Taxes Directly, For Free

Senator Casey urged IRS to expand free Direct Filing tax options to PA Direct File is a new online platform offered by IRS to allow free, secure, and easy to use tax filing Casey voted for law that created Direct File program, pushed for it to be made available to as many Americans as possible Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced the permanent expansion of the Direct File tax program to Pennsylvania. This will give Pennsylvanians the option to file their taxes directly with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) online for free, as opposed to filing through a third party that often charges fees. Senator Casey called for the program’s permanent implementation and expansion after the IRS successfully launched the Direct File Pilot Program in 12 states. The program could save Pennsylvanians a total of $630 million in combined annual tax filing fees and additional tax credits claimed directly from the IRS. “The numbers don’t lie: Direct File is a game-changing, commonsense program that enables Americans to do their taxes easily, securely, and affordably. Thanks to this program, Americans can confidently file their taxes and keep more of their hard-earned dollars,” said Senator Casey. “I fought to expand Direct File to our state to put more dollars back in Pennsylvanians’ pockets and to lower costs for Pennsylvania families.” Senator Casey has long pushed for the IRS to make tax filing easy, simple, and secure for all Pennsylvania taxpayers, including by voting for the Direct File program and pushing for it to be implemented. In 2022, Senator Casey voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which provided the IRS with funding to improve customer service and study and implement this Direct File Pilot Program. Casey applauded the announcement of the Direct File program, and pushed for it to be implemented as soon as possible. The program was successfully piloted in 12 states and saw 140,000 taxpayers claim more than $90 million in refunds and save an estimated $5.6 million in filing costs. A survey of 11,000 users found that 90 percent ranked their experience with Direct File as “Excellent” or “Above Average,” and 90 percent of survey respondents who used customer service similarly found the experience “Excellent” or “Above Average.” After seeing the success of the Direct File Pilot Program, Senator Casey urged the IRS to expand the program to Pennsylvania. Casey joined 130 of his congressional colleagues to call on the Biden Administration to make Direct File permanent and expand its functionality to all 50 states. Direct File is a tax filing option that allows taxpayers to file their taxes directly to the IRS through a free, secure, and easy to use online portal. The IRS has long allowed Americans to file their taxes for free using paper forms, but has not previously offered an online, modern tax filing portal like is available for other financial products and services. The Direct File program could save Pennsylvanians up to $311 million annually in tax filing fees and help claim taxpayers up to $319 million in additional tax credits. Direct Filing will be available to all taxpayers with simple returns in the 12 pilot states, plus additional states like Pennsylvania for the 2025 tax season. ###

Share Tweet

July 29, 2024

Casey Introduces Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Resolve Local Prosecutor Hiring and Retention Issues

Helping Improve Recruitment and Retention Efforts for Prosecutors Act would establish a competitive grant program to help hire, train, and retain local prosecutors Despite 93% of prosecutors reporting high job satisfaction, inadequate pay and heavy caseloads drive prosecutor shortage and low retention rates Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Helping Improve Recruitment and Retention Efforts for (HIRRE) Prosecutors Act to better support, hire, train, and retain local prosecutors critical to protecting public safety. This legislation would create a federal competitive grant program to provide district attorneys with the staff and resources they need to prosecute cases and protect the rule of law. U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Jim Baird (R-IN-4), Don Bacon (R-NE-2) and Joe Neguse (D-CO-2) introduced companion legislation in the House. “In order to protect public safety and the rule of law, it is critical that we have enough well-trained prosecutors who seek justice when crimes are committed. This bill supports local district attorney offices to ensure they have the resources needed to better attract and retain talented attorneys to prosecute local crime,” said Senator Casey. “I will always fight for Pennsylvania communities, and investing in local prosecutors is vital to keeping our Commonwealth safe.” “For far too long, our local district attorneys’ offices have had to compete with private, better-paying law firms for talented attorneys, which often leads to limited personnel to effectively prosecute local crime,” said Representative Panetta. “The HIRRE Prosecutors Act would create a first-of-its-kind federal grant program to invest in the legal talent needed to work as prosecutors, better prosecute cases, and hold people accountable. With these types of federal grants, the federal government can play its part to help our local prosecutors properly seek truth and justice and help provide public safety.” "The National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) strongly supports the HIRRE Prosecutors Act for its immediate, transformative impact on prosecutors' offices nationwide. This Act addresses critical issues seen in jurisdictions of all sizes like understaffing, heavy caseloads, and high turnover by establishing a federal grant program to fund hiring, training, and retention. Prosecutors are vital to our justice system and public safety, and this legislation will ensure they have the necessary resources to protect our communities effectively,” said Nelson Bunn, Executive Director of the National District Attorneys Association. “Prosecutors are needed to ensure the safety of their communities and seek justice for crime victims,” said David A. Strouse, Clinton County District Attorney and President of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association (PDAA). “However, district attorneys are finding it more and more difficult to fill job vacancies in their offices. This puts a strain on their dedicated staff who work daily to enhance public safety.” Strouse added: “PDAA supports legislation that will help district attorneys recruit and retain prosecutors. It is vital that we have the experienced prosecutors needed to ensure that crime victims are served, offenders are held accountable, and communities are safe.” “Prosecutors’ offices across the country, mine included, have experienced significant issues in hiring and retaining lawyers to do the very important work of holding criminals accountable in court. Research has repeatedly shown that prosecutors leave these jobs that they love for more money at private firms. District Attorneys’ offices simply can’t compete with private-sector wages,” said Montgomery County PA District Attorney Kevin R. Steele. “This HIRRE legislation will be a game-changer by providing much-needed resources in the form of grants to hire and keep talented prosecutors. If we can retain experienced prosecutors, it’s a win for everyone in the system.” Senator Casey sponsored the HIRRE Prosecutors Act after hearing repeated concerns from Pennsylvania prosecutors about hiring challenges. The HIRRE Prosecutors Act would create a program that establishes $10 million per year in competitive grants help district attorney offices hire, retain, and train state and local prosecutors. Since the pandemic, there has been a growing hiring crisis for prosecutors across the Nation, with some offices experiencing vacancies as high as 33 percent. In Pennsylvania, while most district attorneys report high job satisfaction they also report that the three most significant factors that would make them leave their jobs are: better pay, lower caseloads, and personal well-being. Unlike police departments, local prosecutors have little federal assistance with hiring and retaining staff. The grant program established by the HIRRE Prosecutors Act would be modeled after the COPS Hiring Program, a successful initiative to hire and train local law enforcement. This legislation would help district attorney offices ensure they have enough prosecutors on staff and incentivize them to stay. The HIRRE Prosecutors Act is cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Jim Baird (R-IN-4), Joe Neguse (D-CO-2), Don Bacon (R-NE-2), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), David Scott (D-GA-13), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), Mike Thompson (D-CA-4), Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10), Jeff Jackson (D-NC-14). The bill was endorsed by: National District Attorneys Association; Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association. Read more about the HIRRE Prosecutors Act here. ###

Share Tweet

July 26, 2024

Casey Cosponsors Bill to Find and Clean Up Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells, Create Good-Paying Jobs

Pennsylvania has at least 27,000 documented abandoned wells including “orphan” wells Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act would improve well detection and documentation practices and measure effects of well pollution on the environment Millions of Americans live within just one mile from an abandoned coal mine or an orphaned oil and gas well Casey has secured $109.2 million from infrastructure law for orphan well remediation in PA Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) cosponsored the bipartisan Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act (AWRRDA) to advance methods for detecting and remediating abandoned oil and gas wells, which put Pennsylvania’s environment and communities at risk. This legislation would establish a research program at the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) to develop improved ways to identify abandoned wells and understand the impact of their pollution on the environment and on Americans’ health and safety. Identifying and plugging abandoned wells will create good-paying jobs and protect the Commonwealth’s beauty and natural resources for generations to come. “The only way to protect our Commonwealth from abandoned wells’ dangerous methane emissions is to make sure that we can find and plug all the wells. This legislation will help us to locate more wells and better understand their impact on our communities,” said Senator Casey. “I won’t stop fighting to protect Pennsylvania’s natural resources until these hazards are cleaned up.” The Abandoned Well Remediation, Research, and Development Act would support DOE efforts to develop efficient, economical, and sustainable methods to identify and plug abandoned wells. This legislation would create an abandoned well research program at DOE that focuses on a range of key technology areas to further understand methane emission rates, low carbon lightweight cement, technology to improve remote plugging, ways to repurpose wells for geothermal power, and technology to understand impacts of abandoned wells on groundwater. Through AWRRDA, the Commonwealth would have access to new resources to plug wells, protect the environment from dangerous methane emissions, better understand how to manage abandoned well pollution, and create good, stable jobs. Senator Casey has long pushed to find and plug the thousands of orphan and abandoned wells across the Commonwealth. Senator Casey voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which passed with an Orphan Wells Program provision to address legacy pollution, including methane emissions and water contamination. While Pennsylvania has at least 27,000 documented abandoned wells, the true number of undocumented wells is estimated to be three to five times that figure. Little is known about how many abandoned wells remain undocumented, how much methane they leak, and how much they pollute other natural resources. Additionally, the current funding offered through the infrastructure law for well plugging provides little support for detection, mapping, and improving well-plugging operations. AWRRDA would authorize new funding to support well detection so that the full scope of the abandoned well problem is understood. This legislation would also help experts and lawmakers understand the true impacts of abandoned wells’ methane pollution and help direct future well documenting and plugging initiatives. Senator Casey has consistently delivered funding to Pennsylvania to plug orphaned wells throughout the Commonwealth. In January 2022, Senator Casey secured $104 million from IIJA to create jobs plugging orphaned oil and gas wells. In June 2023, Casey delivered more than $5.2 million from the Department of the Interior (DOI) to plug approximately 48 orphaned oil and gas wells in Allegheny National Forest. The Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK). Read more about the Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act here. ###

Share Tweet

July 26, 2024

Casey Pushes Scranton-Area Hospital Owner to Ensure Care Remains Accessible

In letter to Community Health Systems, Casey expressed concerns about the company’s business practices amidst efforts to sell Scranton hospitals Company owns Moses Taylor Hospital and Regional Hospital in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in Wilkes-Barre Casey: “It is [the company’s] responsibility to find a trustworthy buyer who has a strong record and experience in running hospitals in order to provide a pathway to safe, affordable, and accessible care for their patients and to the Northeastern Pennsylvania community” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, sent a letter to Community Health Systems (CHS) expressing concerns about the company’s business practices, which often prioritize profit over quality of care, and calling on the company to ensure that patients can continue accessing quality care at its three hospitals in Northeastern Pennsylvania. In the letter to CHS, which owns Moses Taylor Hospital and Regional Hospital in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, Casey pointed to community concerns about CHS practices that have undermined the quality and access to care at these facilities, particularly in the midst of recent efforts by the company to sell its two Scranton hospitals. “Community Health Services has repeatedly forgone efforts to invest in their Pennsylvania facilities and risked the quality and accessibility of care for Pennsylvanians in the pursuit of profit for their shareholders and executives,” wrote Chairman Casey (D-PA). “It is CHS’ responsibility to find a trustworthy buyer who has a strong record and experience in running hospitals in order to provide a pathway to safe, affordable, and accessible care for their patients and to the Northeastern Pennsylvania community.” Chairman Casey has repeatedly fought to keep hospitals open and ensure that Pennsylvanians have reliable access to health care. Last year, Casey led the charge to prevent funding cuts to rural hospitals across the country. He also introduced Rural Hospital Support Act, which seeks to permanently extend two key Medicare rural hospital programs and establish a new rebasing year – preventing closures that would disrupt access to care for individuals in rural communities. Read the full letter HERE or below: Mr. Tim L. Hingtgen Chief Executive Officer Community Health Systems 4000 Meridian Boulevard Franklin, Tennessee, 37067 Dear Mr. Hingtgen: I write to express my ongoing concerns regarding Community Health Systems’ (CHS) business practices and their impact on hospitals and patients in Pennsylvania. As you know, CHS currently owns three hospitals in Pennsylvania, Moses Taylor Hospital and Regional Hospital in Scranton, PA, and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The Northeastern Pennsylvania community has become increasingly concerned about CHS practices that undermine quality care and limit health care access, particularly given recent efforts for CHS to sell its two Scranton hospitals. CHS has repeatedly forgone efforts to invest in their Pennsylvania facilities and risked the quality and accessibility of care for Pennsylvanians in the pursuit of profit for their shareholders and executives. I therefore ask for assurances that CHS will prioritize quality, affordable care for Pennsylvanians and ensure a smooth transition for patients and the hospitals’ workforce to any future hospital leadership. CHS has a history of buying hospitals and health systems and then selling them shortly thereafter. In 2014, CHS was the country’s largest for-profit hospital company, owning more than 200 hospitals across the Nation. Ten years later, CHS owns just 71 hospitals. Stakeholders in Pennsylvania have noted that CHS bought more than a dozen hospitals in Pennsylvania with the promise to invest in them. Unfortunately, CHS has not fulfilled its promises, failing to invest in needed infrastructure and equipment and closing critical services, like emergency department and labor and delivery units, leaving communities in a vulnerable position. CHS regularly makes business and care decisions that undermine patient and provider safety and security. The company has repeatedly been penalized for improperly billing government health programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. In August 2014, CHS paid $98.15 million to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to resolve multiple lawsuits regarding these claims. In 2015, CHS paid over $85 million to the DOJ to resolve various allegations related to the False Claims Act., CHS claims that they “help people get well and live healthier by providing safe, quality healthcare, building enduring relationships with our patients, and providing value for the people and communities we serve.” However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, CHS sued approximately 19,000 patients for unpaid medical bills. In 2020, while CHS was suing patients during a global pandemic that had dire economic effects, they made $511 million in net income and provided their then-CEO $7.8 million in compensation., These earnings and compensation packages were buoyed by taxpayer dollars. CHS received nearly $250 million in grants through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and received over $1 billion in Medicare accelerated payments. Over the course of its ownership of hospitals in Pennsylvania, CHS has been described as “the troubled hospital operator” and “trying to get its head above water,” with a 2017 article stating “CHS is struggling, having lost $1.7 billion in 2016.” CHS’s operation of hospitals has resulted in specialists leaving Scranton hospitals and left Moses Taylor Hospital without an emergency department. Amidst rumors about planned sales of the hospitals, my staff attended a meeting last month between CHS leadership, community stakeholders, and elected officials regarding CHS’ plans for Regional Hospital and Moses Taylor Hospital. At this meeting, CHS leadership expressed that both facilities had been experiencing negative cash flow and that CHS was looking to sell both hospitals. The company executives shared plans to close one or both hospitals if they are unable to find a buyer in the next few months. I worry that CHS’ focus on turning profits has and will continue to result in limited access to health care for my constituents in Pennsylvania. It is CHS’ responsibility to find a trustworthy buyer who has a strong record and experience in running hospitals in order to provide a pathway to safe, affordable, and accessible care for their patients and to the Northeastern Pennsylvania community. To that end, I ask that CHS provide regular updates to me and my staff on any anticipated changes in care at or ownership of its Pennsylvania hospitals. Thank you for your attention to this request. Sincerely, Senator Bob Casey ###

Share Tweet

July 25, 2024

Casey, Braun Introduce Bill to Expand Access to Comprehensive Care for People with Complex Medical Needs

The PACE program provides thousands of lower-income seniors and people with disabilities with comprehensive care New bipartisan PACE Anytime Act will make it easier for eligible individuals to enroll and access PACE programs Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mike Braun (R-IN), Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced the bipartisan PACE Anytime Act. The bill will expand access to the PACE program, which provides thousands of lower-income seniors and people with disabilities with comprehensive care. PACE is a fully integrated care model that provides care through an interdisciplinary team, including medical and dental care, meals and nutritional counseling, occupational and physical therapy, prescription drugs, social services, and transportation. PACE programs provide services primarily in adult day health centers, allowing individuals to stay in their homes and communities. Currently, eligible older adults and people with disabilities can only enroll in a PACE program on the first of every month—the PACE Anytime Act remove enrollment barriers by allowing eligible individuals to enroll anytime during the month. “PACE programs allow seniors and people with disabilities to receive all of their essential care while remaining in their communities,” said Chairman Casey. “While the PACE program provides high-quality, comprehensive care, limited opportunities to enroll have made the program unnecessarily difficult to access. My new bill will make it much easier to enroll in the PACE program and give seniors and people with disabilities the flexibility to receive the care they need.” “Older Americans should be able to receive the care they need in their communities without cumbersome barriers,” said Ranking Member Braun. “The PACE Anytime Act would increase flexibility for low-income seniors and people with disabilities to enroll in the PACE Program.” “No older adult should have to wait until the first of the month to begin receiving care and services from PACE," said Shawn Bloom, president and CEO of the National PACE Association (NPA). "Given the rapidly rising numbers of older Americans and their clear desire to age in place, it is imperative for our nation to encourage ready access to PACE-- a holistic model of care well equipped to meet individuals' complex care needs at home and in the community rather than a nursing facility." The PACE program provides comprehensive care for low-income seniors and people with disabilities ages 55 and up by integrating Medicare coverage and Medicaid long-term care. PACE’s interdisciplinary approach and wrap-around care enables nearly 70,000 Americans across 32 states and the District of Columbia to remain in their homes, which is overwhelmingly where they prefer to live. PACE programs provide health care and supportive services, like adult day services, transportation, and medication management, for some of the most medically complex Americans. Enrollment in a PACE program has been shown to result in fewer hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room as well as reduced caregiver burden for family members. Chairman Casey has long championed long term care services, especially those that allow individuals to remain in their homes and communities. Casey has fought to increase access to home and community based services and recently introduced the Long Term Care Workforce Support Act to address workforce shortages. These efforts allow older Americans to age in place. The PACE Anytime Act also builds on Casey’s work to better serve individuals that are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. In March 2024, Casey introduced the Helping States Integrate Medicare and Medicaid Act, which would provide funding to states to better integrate these two programs. Read more about the PACE Anytime Act here. ###

Share Tweet

July 25, 2024

Casey Applauds Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Investigate Illicit Fentanyl Financing

Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act will investigate how transnational criminal organizations finance synthetic drug trafficking Legislation now heads to President’s desk to become law PA Senior Senator has led efforts to crack down on fentanyl producers in China and traffickers bringing drugs across the southwest border Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded Senate passage of the Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act, a bill that will direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate how transnational criminal organizations finance synthetic drug trafficking and help the federal government target them more effectively. The bipartisan legislation passed the Senate unanimously and now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk to become law. This is the latest effort to stop the flow of fentanyl and its precursors from China and Mexico into the United States, after Casey worked to pass the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act earlier this year. “As I’ve traveled across Pennsylvania, I’ve heard from too many families who have lost a loved one to the fentanyl crisis. No legislation will bring their daughters, sons, parents, relatives, and friends back, but we are taking steps to prevent the scourge of fentanyl from claiming more lives,” said Senator Casey. “Like the FEND Off Fentanyl Act we passed this year, this bill will help us crack down on the cartels and Chinese chemical suppliers that are behind the fentanyl crisis—and it will save lives.” Senator Casey has been traveling around Pennsylvania meeting with law enforcement and families of victims of fentanyl overdoses as he pushed for passage of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act and continues to push for passage of his Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. Casey’s bill would increase staffing and technology to detect and stop the flow of fentanyl coming across the southwest border. It would enable U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire more Officers and Border Patrol Agents as well as provide funding to purchase Non-Intrusive Inspection systems, which scan vehicles and cargo at the border to provide detailed images of their interiors, and create an inspection program to increase seizure of firearms, which Mexican cartels frequently purchase in the United States and use to support their fentanyl production operations and other violent criminal enterprises. The Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act, introduced by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), would direct the Comptroller General of the United States to study the illicit financing associated with synthetic drug trafficking and detail for Congress the business model of these organizations, how they move and hide their illicit earnings, and what the U.S. government can do to better prevent fentanyl money laundering. The GAO is required to submit its report to Congress no later than one year after enactment of the legislation. Read the Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act here. ###

Share Tweet

July 24, 2024

Casey Urges Bureau of Prisons to Pay FCC Allenwood Employees Fairly, Resolve Low Staff Issue

Allenwood federal corrections officers report that low pay, staffing shortages put them at risk on the job Senator Casey pushed BOP to request special pay rate to pay Allenwood Corrections Complex employees fairly, increase employee retention incentives In February, Senator Casey introduced the Pay Our Corrections Officers Fairly Act to improve working conditions at correctional facilities across the Nation Senator Casey wrote: “Allenwood […] is only staffed to about 72% of its correctional officer authorization. [...] The current situation [...] is untenable and requires your immediate attention and action” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) raised concerns about dangerous understaffing and low pay rates at Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Allenwood in Lycoming and Union Counties. At the end of June, FCC Allenwood correctional officers were only staffed to 72% capacity, creating dangerous environments for staff and inmates. Senator Casey urged the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to use all tools available to resolve FCC staffing issues, pay workers fairly, increase employee retention rates, and recruit enough correctional officers to ensure that the complex is safe. “Across the entire complex, Allenwood had 115 correctional officer vacancies at the end of June, which means that it is only staffed to about 72% of its correctional officer authorization. This is unacceptable and unfortunately, reflective of the broader staffing crisis faced in BOP facilities across the Nation […] The current situation at Allenwood is untenable and requires your immediate attention and action. That is why I am urging you to immediately request, at minimum, a special pay rate from the Office of Personnel Management to address the correctional officer shortage at FCC Allenwood,” wrote Senator Casey. FCC Allenwood is a three-facility complex consisting of low, medium, and high security facilities. After learning about dangerous understaffing across the complex—especially at FCC Allenwood’s high-security penitentiary which only staffed to 64% of its correctional officer authorization—Senator Casey demanded that BOP take immediate steps to increase recruitment and retention efforts by increasing staff pay. In a letter to BOP, Senator Casey highlighted how higher pay and employee retention rates at other nearby prisons have contributed to the FCC Allenwood understaffing crisis. Senator Casey called on BOP to implement temporary measures so that FCC Allenwood could better match working conditions and pay rates of other facilities. These measures include requesting a special pay rate from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and implementing retention bonuses to increase long-term employment at the facility. Senator Casey also pressed BOP to conduct a comprehensive review of all BOP facilities in Pennsylvania to determine if they too would benefit from temporary measures to address staffing issues. Senator Casey has long worked to implement permanent solutions to improve working conditions for BOP officers and ensure the safety of staff and inmates. In February, Casey introduced the Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act to ensure that BOP employees are paid fairly—especially in rural areas. The legislation would address staffing shortages by allowing for competitive pay that reflects the cost of living, commute times, alternative careers, and the hard work and dedication of BOP employees. In 2016, after the brutal murder of USP Canaan Corrections officer Eric Williams by an inmate Casey sponsored the bipartisan Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act, requiring BOP to provide pepper spray to all correctional workers in medium and high security facilities. Senator Casey has also consistently fought to resolve the prevailing understaffing issue in prisons. In April 2019, Casey raised concerns to Attorney General William Barr about BOP’s risky staffing practices, including hiring an insufficient number of correctional officers and the use of staff augmentation, using employees such as nurses and teachers to guard inmates. Moreover, in April 2023, Casey urged the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies’ Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill to include increased funding to maintain the 122 Federal prisons across the country and to improve their number of hires and retention rate. Read the full letter HERE or below: Dear Director Peters, I write today regarding the concerning staffing situation at Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Allenwood. As you know, FCC Allenwood consists of three separate facilities: FCI Allenwood Low, a low-security facility; FCI Allenwood Medium, a medium-security facility; and USP Allenwood, a high-security penitentiary. Recent reports have highlighted the unfortunate pay discrepancies and challenges related to recruiting and retaining staff at Allenwood. I urge you to use all tools at your disposable to help address the staffing concerns at FCC Allenwood, including requesting a special pay rate for correctional officers and implementing a higher retention bonus across FCC Allenwood. Furthermore, I request that you conduct a comprehensive review of all Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities in Pennsylvania to determine if any would stand to benefit from similar measures to address ongoing staffing deficits. Currently, I understand that across all three facilities, Allenwood is authorized for 411 correctional officer positions. The high-security penitentiary is authorized for over half of those positions, but as of its June 29 staffing report, it has only been able to fill approximately 64% of its authorized amount. Across the entire complex, Allenwood had 115 correctional officer vacancies at the end of June, which means that it is only staffed to about 72% of its correctional officer authorization. This is unacceptable and unfortunately, reflective of the broader staffing crisis faced in BOP facilities across the Nation. However, due to its rural character and other competition in the region, FCC Allenwood has a number of particularly challenging hurdles to overcome related to staffing. Allenwood employees have highlighted that they are in constant competition with the state prison system and state police, both of which pay and retain employees better than FCC Allenwood, as well as new competition between federal prisons in Pennsylvania. I have been informed that historically, FCC Allenwood has recruited candidates from similar geographic locations as other federal prisons in Pennsylvania, including USP Canaan and FCI Schuylkill. However, after recent changes to locality pay areas, both of those facilities are now paying some of their employees 12-20% more than what FCC Allenwood can offer. While I have been a strong proponent for increasing locality pay, particularly for USP Canaan, we cannot allow progress at some institutions to be at the expense of others. For that reason, I introduced the bipartisan Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act in February 2024 to ensure fair pay across BOP facilities by placing each facility across the Nation in a more competitive locality pay area, and I will continue to fight to pass this piece of legislation to help combat the ongoing staffing crisis in BOP. In the immediate term, however, we must also ensure that we are taking steps to address the staffing crises at individual facilities. The current situation at Allenwood is untenable and requires your immediate attention and action. That is why I am urging you to immediately request, at minimum, a special pay rate from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to address the correctional officer shortage at FCC Allenwood. As you know, OPM may “establish higher rates of basic pay—special rates—for a group or category of General Schedule (GS) positions in one or more geographic areas to address existing or likely significant handicaps in recruiting or retaining well-qualified employees.” OPM has broad discretion in establishing a special pay rate, but will specifically consider implementing a special pay rate based on several factors that appear to be particularly relevant for FCC Allenwood: (1) whether there is significantly higher non-Federal pay rates than those payable by the Federal Government within the area, location, or occupational group involved; (2) the remoteness of the area or location involved; and (3) the undesirability of the working conditions or nature of the work involved. In fact, there is longstanding precedent for establishing a special pay rate at Allenwood because since 2010, psychologists at Allenwood have already been covered by a special pay table. It seems clear that correctional officers at FCC Allenwood would also qualify for a special pay rate. Furthermore, I am aware that retention bonuses have, in the past, been used to provide targeted relief for correctional workers working in BOP facilities across the Nation. While these bonuses are not sustainable or long-term solutions to BOP’s staffing issues, they are a critical tool in BOP’s toolbox to help enhance staff morale and minimize the exodus of staff. Furthermore, unlike a special pay rate, which requires OPM approval, an agency is authorized to provide incentive bonuses up to 25% on its own. Currently, I understand that staff at FCC Allenwood have received a 10% retention bonus, but the effect of such a bonus seems to have been minimal. As you explore a possible pay request to OPM, I urge you to consider instituting a 25% incentive bonus for staff at FCC Allenwood to help improve morale and stem any further staff departures. The lack of adequate staffing is not merely a safety issue for our correctional officers, but also for those incarcerated and the broader community. Throughout my tenure in the Senate, I have worked hard to improve the working conditions for BOP staff and those incarcerated in Pennsylvania and throughout the Nation. After the tragic murder of Senior Officer Eric Williams at USP Canaan, I was proud to partner with my former colleague, Senator Pat Toomey, to introduce and pass the Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act, which required BOP to provide pepper spray to all correctional workers in medium and high security facilities. I have also consistently fought to combat the persistent understaffing, augmentation, and low pay at BOP facilities, while also working to cut red tape to improve hiring practices across the agency. I will continue to fight to pass legislation, such as my Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act, and work to ensure that BOP receives the funding it needs to fully staff its facilities, but in the interim, we must do more to help the facilities struggling the most. To that end, I also request that you conduct a comprehensive review of all BOP facilities in Pennsylvania, particularly the facilities currently located in the “Rest of U.S.” locality pay area, to determine if they would also stand to benefit from interim measures, including special pay rates or increased retention bonuses, to address staffing deficits. I thank you for your attention to the concerns at FCC Allenwood and across Pennsylvania. I respectfully request that you provide a response to my requests above no later than August 9, 2024. Should you have any further questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact my office. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, Bob Casey United States Senator

Share Tweet

July 24, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Make Federal Technology More Accessible for People with Disabilities

Casey’s new Section 508 Refresh Act would require federal agencies take several steps to ensure people with disabilities can use federal technology, including websites While Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal technology to be accessible for people with disabilities, a 2022 Casey investigation found that agency technology still falls short Casey: “We would not ask someone using a wheelchair to walk up the courthouse steps, but we are doing something similar when we ask people with disabilities to use federal website, apps, kiosks, and other technologies that are not accessible” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, John Fetterman (D-PA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced the Section 508 Refresh Act, a new bill that would require federal agencies to take a series of steps to ensure people with disabilities can use the federal government’s technology. While Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires agencies to make federal technology accessible, a 2022 Senate Aging Committee investigation by Chairman Casey found that department and agency technology, particularly within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is often out of compliance. In the investigation, Casey showed how these accessibility failures were creating barriers for people with disabilities who rely on federal technology for essential services, including health care, employment services, and Social Security benefits. Casey’s new bill will make the first significant changes to Section 508 since 1998, putting in place a framework that will hold agencies accountable for accessibility requirements. “The federal government has an obligation to ensure that its services are accessible to people with disabilities, including its websites and technology,” said Chairman Casey. “We would not ask someone using a wheelchair to walk up the courthouse steps, but we are doing something similar when we ask people with disabilities to use federal websites, apps, kiosks, and other technologies that are not accessible. I’m introducing the Section 508 Refresh Act to compel federal agencies to make their technology accessible and ensure people with disabilities are not locked out of essential government services and resources.” “Technology can’t serve as a tool to make life easier if people can’t access it in the first place,” said Senator Wyden. “Federal agencies shouldn’t be asking people with disabilities to move mountains in order to participate in everyday life for matters as basic as employment and health care. The federal government has a responsibility to serve the public by making sure that everyone can access and benefit from these technologies.” “It's clear that the federal government is not doing enough to ensure services are accessible to people with disabilities,” said Senator Fetterman. “People with disabilities deserve better. By updating Section 508, this bill would enact long overdue requirements to ensure people with disabilities have equitable access to federal government services. I’m proud to cosponsor it.” “So many Americans rely on programs and services provided by the federal government—and yet, too many federal websites and apps remain nearly impossible to use by Americans with disabilities, preventing them from accessing vital information and resources,” said Senator Duckworth. “I’m proud to help Senator Casey introduce this legislation that would help ensure federal websites and technology are more accessible for all users and make sure the disability community is not left behind in an increasingly digital world.” Congress last made significant changes to Section 508 in 1998, when many federal agencies were just starting to use the internet, post online content, and have all government workers use computers. The Section 508 Refresh Act will enact long overdue updates to the law. Specifically, bill will: Require federal departments and agencies to include people with disabilities who consume government services and information or work as government employees in the acquisition and accessibility testing of federal technology. Reform the complaint process for Section 508 and establish a new process for deciding what federal technology is purchased – with rigorous accountability requirements for ensuring the technology is accessible. Mandate regular testing to ensure technology being used by federal departments and agencies is accessible to federal workers and all Americans using federal programs and information. Direct each federal department and agency to appoint qualified, dedicated Section 508 compliance officers to ensure the technology purchased and used by their departments and agencies is accessible. Chairman Casey has led the charge to improve the accessibility of government websites and other technology. In a report issued in December 2022 entitled Unlocking the Virtual Front Door, Chairman Casey found that inaccessible federal technology creates barriers for people with disabilities to access essential services, including VA benefits, health care, employment, Social Security, and more. In 2020, Chairman Casey passed the VA Website Accessibility Act that required VA to report on the accessibility of the Department’s websites and kiosks. VA’s report to Congress, released in 2021, found that only 10 percent of VA’s websites were fully accessible. In response, Chairman Casey led a bipartisan push for VA to do better. To further advance accessibility at VA, Chairman Casey last year introduced the bipartisan Veterans Accessibility Act, which is supported by 15 veterans service organizations and disability groups. The legislation would establish a Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access at VA that issues regular reports on VA’s compliance with federal disability laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. Read more about the Section 508 Refresh Act here. ###

Share Tweet

July 24, 2024

Casey Introduces Bill to Help Small Businesses Better Compete for Federal Contracts

Ensuring Efficiency and Fairness in Federal Subcontracting Act would help small businesses, including women, minority, and veteran-owned small businesses, access federal subcontracting opportunities Casey has long pushed for minority business development through federal subcontracting Federal subcontractors support the government by offering specialized skills, providing diverse available goods and services, and creating jobs Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Ensuring Efficiency and Fairness in Federal Subcontracting Act to support small business development through federal subcontracts. By serving as subcontractors, small businesses create jobs, provide specialized skills to projects, and diversify the available goods and services for government contracts. This legislation will address obstacles that prevent small businesses—particularly those that are minority, women and veteran-owned—from securing federal subcontracts. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. This bill will help to ensure that small businesses—especially women, minority, and veteran-owned businesses—can compete for federal contract opportunities on a level playing field,” said Senator Casey. “I have always fought to support Pennsylvania’s small businesses and I will keep working to make sure that the Nation can benefit from all they have to offer. Federal subcontracting offers a unique pathway for the federal government to invest directly in small businesses. After hearing from Pennsylvania businesses owners that the process to secure these subcontracts is unclear, inefficient, and even unfair to some minority, women, and veteran-owned small businesses, Senator Casey introduced the Ensuring Efficiency and Fairness in Federal Subcontracting Act. Small businesses face obstacles that prevent them from securing government subcontracts including unclear guidance on how subcontracts are awarded; lack of regulation to ensure contractors are giving all businesses the fair opportunity to subcontract; and limited opportunities to become aware of or exposed to subcontracting opportunities. This legislation would improve the federal subcontracting process for small businesses by making the process more transparent, penalizing contractors acting in bad faith, and increasing outreach events to spread awareness of federal subcontracting opportunities. Nearly 46% of Pennsylvania’s workforce is employed by the over 1.1 million small businesses throughout the Commonwealth. Supporting these small businesses is critical to the Commonwealth’s economy. Senator Casey has long fought to help small businesses through federal subcontracting. In 2010 Casey introduced legislation that would prevent contractors from making unfulfilled promises to deliver subcontracting work to women and minority-owned businesses. Senator Casey reintroduced the legislation in 2011, emphasizing the importance of small business development in the Commonwealth. Later that year, Senator Casey introduced legislation to ensure that minority and women-owned small businesses were awarded the federal subcontracts they were promised. Read more about the Ensuring Efficiency and Fairness in Federal Subcontracting Act HERE ###

Share Tweet

July 23, 2024

Casey, Kaine Introduce Bill to Strengthen Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents

The Strengthening Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents Act would bolster the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program Long-Term Care Ombudsmen advocate for long-term care residents and monitor conditions and care within long-term care facilities Casey has long been one of the Senate’s leading advocates for long-term care residents Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced the Strengthening Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents Act to improve the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, which was established under the Older Americans Act. Local Ombudsman programs designate staff and trained volunteers as representatives to advocate for residents of nursing homes and other long-term care (LTC) facilities, providing residents and their families with confidential information and assistance and monitoring conditions and care within a facility. With a growing number of older adults residing in long-term care facilities, Ombudsman program staff and volunteers face challenges to ensuring residents receive the care they deserve and have their rights protected. “Long-term care ombudsmen are vital to ensuring that residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have advocates who can represent their interests and can push for better care and conditions,” said Senator Casey. “Senator Kaine and I are introducing this bill to strengthen the Ombudsman Program and ensure that it has the resources, leadership, and personnel to continue its critical work safeguarding the Nation’s residents of long-term care facilities.” “Older Americans deserve to age with dignity, but sadly, we continue to see reports of abuses at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities,” said Senator Kaine. “I’m introducing this legislation to strengthen the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program and help ensure that older Virginians and people with disabilities living in long-term care facilities continue to have trained professionals able to advocate for them, address their complaints, and help ensure they have access to safe, quality care.” In 2023, nearly 5,400 Ombudsman program staff and volunteers conducted over 340,000 visits to long-term care facilities, assisting over 500,000 residents and their families. The Strengthening Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents Act would improve the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program by: Instructing the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to establish categories of duties for volunteers and appropriate training requirements for volunteers based on those categories. Training guidelines should reflect the diversity of volunteer contributions to the Ombudsman program. This will make it easier to recruit and retain more Ombudsman program volunteers and continue to ensure volunteers have the appropriate training they need. Reaffirming Congress’ intent that the Ombudsman program should be led by a full-time National Director. In 2019, reorganization under the Trump Administration resulted in the loss of this position. State and local ombudsmen have reported that the lack of a National Director impedes coordination and distracts from the mission of the program. Requiring the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) to study and issue a report with a recommendation for the number of ombudsmen per LTC facility bed. This would give states and ACL better insight into the current needs of the program. In 1995, the Institute of Medicine (now part of NASEM) released a report recommending a staffing ratio of one ombudsman per 2,000 beds for the Ombudsman program. This staffing ratio has not been updated in the nearly 30 years since and current data indicates that caseloads far exceed that threshold. Senator Casey has long been one of the Senate’s strongest advocates for Americans in long-term care facilities. Earlier this Congress, Senator Casey released a report entitled, Uninspected and Neglected, which demonstrated the critical role Ombudsman program staff play in safeguarding nursing home residents. In addition, Senator Casey introduced the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act, a landmark piece of legislation that would invest billions of dollars in bolstering the LTC workforce, thus ensuring those providing care are fairly compensated and supported in the workplace. Senator Casey is also leading the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act this year and held a hearing in May 2024 to discuss reauthorization priorities, which include bolstering the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. The Connecticut State Ombudsman served as a witness at the hearing. Read more about the Strengthening Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents Act here. ###

Share Tweet

July 22, 2024

Casey Delivers $396 Million to Reduce Carbon Emissions in Manufacturing

Funding from Inflation Reduction Act will be used to support diverse industrial decarbonization projects statewide RISE PA initiative to promote manufacturing of low-carbon materials, decarbonize carbon-intensive industries, create jobs, help disadvantaged communities With demand growing for low-carbon goods, the investment will help Pennsylvanian manufacturers remain globally competitive Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced $396 million in new competitive grant funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to help Pennsylvania manufacturers lead the way in clean manufacturing. The program will create good jobs, benefit historically disadvantaged communities, and ensure that Pennsylvania manufacturing continues to create in-demand goods for the American and global markets. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding comes from the IRA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, which supports industrial decarbonization projects. “Nobody is more equipped to lead the next generation of industry and manufacturing than Pennsylvanians. This grant is a game-changing investment that will support greenhouse gas-reducing projects, create good jobs, and bolster economies across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Casey. “I will keep fighting for investments that secure the Commonwealth as our Nation’s industrial backbone.” The CPRG grant funding will go towards the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) initiative. RISE PA supports industrial and manufacturing projects that reduce carbon emissions and benefit the health, safety, and economies of surrounding communities. Senator Casey has long fought to ensure that the Commonwealth remains an industrial and manufacturing powerhouse. After learning that RISE PA could reduce 9,176,810 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050 and infuse tens of billions of dollars into Pennsylvania economies, Senator Casey urged EPA Administrator Michael Regan to fund the initiative. RISE PA will support industrial decarbonization projects on a tiered basis, allowing for a diverse array of projects to be eligible for funding. These projects, including low-emission steel production, will not only bolster Pennsylvania’s historically robust industrial economy, but will cement the Commonwealth’s role as a clean industrial manufacturing leader worldwide. Senator Casey has fought relentlessly to ensure that Pennsylvania can benefit from investments in American industrial and manufacturing initiatives. Casey fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which included tax credits for individuals and companies manufacturing or deploying clean energy technologies to help lower costs and secure our energy independence. The landmark legislation created clean industrial jobs, apprenticeships, and opportunities for economies across the Nation to benefit from clean industrial and manufacturing initiatives. ###

Share Tweet

July 18, 2024

Casey Secures $207.6 Million to Make PA Drinking Water Safer, Improve Water Infrastructure

Infrastructure law has sent more than $800 million to Pennsylvania for clean drinking water upgrades Funding to support drinking water, wastewater, and environmental decontamination projects across the Commonwealth Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) approved $207,618,615 worth of projects across the Commonwealth that will help communities access clean, safe drinking water; remove or replace hazardous contaminated pipes; and collect and treat wastewater. All of the selected projects are receiving full or partial funding from the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (DWSRF), Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF), or the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA). “Pennsylvania’s state constitution affords the right to safe, pure water for every community in our Commonwealth, but for too long Pennsylvania communities lacked the funding to guarantee that right. Thanks to the infrastructure law we’re making investments to stop water contamination and ensure that homes and businesses have clean, safe drinking water,” said Senator Casey. Included in this round of funding is more than $112.6 million for drinking water projects including removing and replacing hazardous contaminated lead pipes and addressing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination. The funding also supports more than $93.8 million in wastewater projects and more than $1.1 million for non-point source decontamination projects. The funding will serve 11 counties across the Commonwealth, including Bucks County, where Senator Casey has long fought to help communities clean up PFAS contamination. In April, Casey announced the selection of $73 million worth of IIJA-funded projects to make Pennsylvania’s drinking water safer by removing lead water lines, upgrading wastewater facilities, replacing water pump stations, and remediating PFAS contamination in communities. In January, Senator Casey announced $78 million in IIJA funding for drinking water and wastewater projects. In April 2023, Casey touted $266 million in funding from IIJA to remove contaminants—like PFAS—from Pennsylvania’s water supply and improve water infrastructure by replacing lead pipes. In September 2022, Casey championed $240 million in federal funding to repair aging pipes, collect and treat wastewater, and build resiliency in the face of extreme weather events.? See below for a list of project recipients: List of project recipients County Recipient Grant Amount Loan Amount Total Funding Project Type Funding Type Allegheny Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority $15,154,200 N/A $15,154,200 Lead Pipe Removal IIJA Blair Frankstown Township N/A $5,850,000 $5,850,000 Wastewater System Improvements CWSRF Bucks Doylestown Township Municipal Authority $4,415,435 N/A $4,415,435 Treat PFAS- contaminated wells IIJA Butler Township of Cranberry N/A $35,960,000 $35,960,000 Wastewater Treatment Plant Updates IIJA Chester Aqua Pennsylvania Inc. N/A $77,500,000 $77,500,000 Water main replacement DWSRF Elk Johnsonburg Municipal Authority $5,586,470 N/A $5,586,470 Extend Water Service DWSRF Luzerne Luzerne Conservation District $1,108,910 N/A $1,108,910 Upgrade Cattle Farm Nutrient Management and Stormwater Controls CWSRF Philadelphia City of Philadelphia $4,817,625 $5,157,375 $9,975,000 Lead and Steel Pipe Removal IIJA Potter Shinglehouse Borough $15,739,141 $112,859 $15,492,000 Wastewater treatment upgrades IIJA Somerset Winber Area Authority $8,500,000 $6,076,600 $14,576,600 Upgrade Sewage Treatment Plant IIJA Venango General Authority of the City of Franklin $16,715,542 $5,284,458 $22,000,000 Upgrade Sewer System CWSRF ###

Share Tweet

July 17, 2024

Casey Delivers $500 Million to Fund Critical I-83 Bridge Replacement

Funding from infrastructure law will be used to replace the high-traffic Harrisburg bridge rated in poor condition by PennDOT Casey has led Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation in fighting for bridge replacement funding Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is announcing $500,000,000 in new competitive grant funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to replace the Interstate 83 John Harris Memorial Bridge, also known as the I-83 South Bridge. The bridge, which connects Dauphin and Cumberland counties across the Susquehanna River network, is currently rated in “poor condition” by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). Thanks to this funding from the Bridge Investment Program (BIP), which Senator Casey fought to include in the infrastructure law, PennDOT can begin the critical effort to replace the I-83 South Bridge. “This grant to replace the I-83 South Bridge is a game-changing victory for all who live, work, and travel through South Central Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “I pushed for this $500 million in funding from the infrastructure law because I know how important it is that this bridge remains safe and reliable for the many Pennsylvanians who count on it. Today, we’re celebrating a truly generational investment in our infrastructure, our safety, our supply chains, and our communities.” “When the Biden-Harris Administration took office in 2021, America faced a serious and worsening problem when it came to the condition of its bridges. Now we are seeing rapid progress in improving the condition of America’s bridges, thanks largely to President Biden’s historic infrastructure law.” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The number of bridges in good condition versus poor condition has already improved substantially under President Biden’s leadership, and today I’m thrilled to be in Pennsylvania to announce funding to repair or replace 13 of America's largest and economically significant bridges, including the I-83 South Bridge right here in Harrisburg.” “I’m proud to announce that thanks to our partnership with the Biden Administration, Pennsylvania has been awarded $500 million for the replacement of the I-83 bridge over the Susquehanna River. This is the largest federal grant for a single transportation project in Pennsylvania history – and it’s a huge investment in this community and our Commonwealth,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “I-83 is a vital artery in central Pennsylvania that connects our communities on each side of the river, helping 125,000 Pennsylvanians get to their jobs, medical appointments, and grocery stores every day. For a year and a half, I have bothered the President and Secretary Buttigieg about this bridge – and because they listened to the good people of Pennsylvania, we will get this job done under the leadership of Secretary Carroll to connect our communities and grow our economy for decades to come.” The award is from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Bridge Investment Program (BIP), a competitive grant established by IIJA to repair or replace existing bridges in poor condition, or at risk of falling into poor condition. In 2021, Casey cosponsored the Bridge Investment Act, which created the BIP through IIJA. Since PennDOT rated the I-83 South Bridge in “poor” condition, Senator Casey has fought to fund the I-83 South bridge through the BIP. According to PennDOT, the bridge has developed severe cracks so dangerous that weight limits may need to be imposed on the bridge, limiting movement of freight, and creating significant congestion on other routes. With over 125,000 vehicles using the I-83 South Bridge daily, replacing the bridge is PennDOT’s number one priority. The cracks have also prompted safety concerns, particularly in light of the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse in Pittsburgh in 2022. Senator Casey led all 18 of his colleagues in the Pennsylvania congressional delegation to call for DOT to support the I-83 replacement project in October 2023. The delegation emphasized the critical nature of replacing the bridge, not just in South Central Pennsylvania, but for the broader Commonwealth. The delegation continued to advocate for the I-83 South Bridge replacement April 2024 when Casey led a bipartisan, bicameral push for the project to be federally funded through BIP. The delegation emphasized the bridge’s importance and highlighted that the project remained the largest unfunded transportation priority in the state. The grant is not only a victory for the I-83 South Bridge, but for all infrastructure projects in the Commonwealth. With the bridge’s replacement costs estimated between $1.1 and $1.3 billion, this federal funding will benefit infrastructure projects across the Commonwealth because the federal funding prevents PennDOT from needing to divert funding from other important projects. Thanks to Senator Casey’s advocacy, PennDOT can address its number one priority without diminishing the infrastructure law’s impact across Pennsylvania. In addition to this discretionary funding, IIJA is set to deliver a total $1.6 billion in federal formula funding to replace or repair bridges throughout the Commonwealth. ###

Share Tweet

July 16, 2024

Following Altoona-Area Derailment, Casey, Fetterman Press Norfolk Southern on Safety and Labor Practices

Letter comes after December 2023 derailment outside of Altoona where company failed to share critical safety information with local officials Senators also pressed company on potential changes that could endanger jobs and safety of Altoona-area railroad workers Senators: “[Norfolk Southern’s] importance does not supplant the company’s obligation to be a responsible member of the community and treat its workers with fairness” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) wrote a letter to Norfolk Southern expressing concerns about the company’s safety and labor practices and their impact on workers and residents in Altoona, PA, the home to the company’s Juniata Locomotive Shop. The letter comes after a December 20, 2023 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in Logan Township, just outside of Altoona. While fortunately no one was injured and no hazardous materials spilled as a result of the derailment, local leaders, including the Mayor of Altoona and the Altoona Fire Chief, report that Norfolk Southern’s information sharing was insufficient, raising concerns about what might happen in the event of a more serious derailment. In the letter, Casey and Fetterman pressed the company to answer several questions about why it failed to notify local leaders about the derailment and how the company would improve community outreach in the future. “Norfolk Southern may feel that less damaging derailments are not worth flagging for area leaders but developing and maintaining trust between railroads and local communities is critical. To some residents of Altoona and other Pennsylvania communities like it, any derailment creates a sense of fear that what happened in East Palestine, Ohio and Darlington Township, Pennsylvania may happen to them and their families,” wrote the Senators. The letter also pressed the company to answer questions about its labor practices as it prepares to pursue a new scheduling operation entitled “Precision Scheduled Railroading 2.0.” When Norfolk Southern first pursued Precision Scheduled Railroading in 2019, the result was that more than 300 workers at the Juniata Shop in Altoona were laid off in just over two years. The Senators continued, “Norfolk Southern plays an important role in the economy of the City of Altoona and the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, creating jobs for skilled workers and moving the goods that power our economy. However, that importance does not supplant the company’s obligation to be a responsible member of the community and treat its workers with fairness.” In the wake of the devastating Norfolk Southern train derailment near Darlington, PA in February 2023, Senators Casey and Fetterman have worked tirelessly to hold the company accountable and protect workers and Pennsylvania residents from future derailments. In March 2023, he introduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act, which would take key steps to improve rail safety protocols and reduce the possibility of derailments. In May 2023, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed a version of the legislation on a 16-11 vote. This bill also included provisions based on Casey’s Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act to set aside funds—paid for by companies that ship and carry hazardous materials—to provide emergency responders, firefighters, and law enforcement with the financial resources needed to replace equipment, pay workers overtime, and address other urgent costs in the event of a serious derailment. Casey and Fetterman have also repeatedly urged the Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern to take steps to strengthen safety protocols and decrease the likelihood of future derailments. See Senator Casey’s full record on the 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment HERE. Read the full letter HERE or below: Dear Mr. Shaw, We write today with several questions about Norfolk Southern’s safety and labor practices, specifically how they will impact residents in Altoona, Pennsylvania and the hundreds of skilled workers in your nearby Juniata Locomotive Shop. We appreciate your prompt attention to these questions. On December 20, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Logan Township, just outside the City of Altoona. Fortunately, no one was injured and no hazardous materials spilled as a result of the derailment. However, we have heard from local leadership, including the Mayor of Altoona and the Altoona Fire Chief, that Norfolk Southern’s information sharing was insufficient, raising concerns about what might happen in the event of a more serious derailment. Norfolk Southern may feel that less damaging derailments are not worth flagging for area leaders but developing and maintaining trust between railroads and local communities is critical. To some residents of Altoona and other Pennsylvania communities like it, any derailment creates a sense of fear that what happened in East Palestine, Ohio and Darlington Township, Pennsylvania may happen to them and their families. Additionally, we have been told by Altoona area leadership that communication with Norfolk Southern has not always been an issue. We understand that Norfolk Southern used to have an employee based in Altoona whose job included communicating with local leadership, but that position has since been eliminated. To that end, we would like to receive answers to the following questions: How does Norfolk Southern determine when or if to notify area officials about a derailment? How does Norfolk Southern determine which area officials to notify? Does Norfolk Southern plan to re-hire someone based in Altoona to facilitate better community outreach? How has Norfolk Southern improved its community-based outreach, particularly surrounding derailments, since the East Palestine derailment? We also have serious concerns about safety protections in and around the Altoona Locomotive Shop. The recent profit-driven operational changes made under the banner of “precision scheduled railroading” (PSR) have translated to longer trains and fewer staff, raising concerns about both safety of rail workers and the quality of service for the companies that depend on railroads to move their products. Even after the derailment, your company has continued to pursue “Precision Scheduled Railroading 2.0” or “PSR 2.0,” turning a blind eye to the harmful impacts to safety and to workers from the first round of PSR. The first iteration of PSR had devastating impacts on rail workers throughout the country, and workers in Altoona felt it acutely. In May of 2019, Norfolk Southern laid off 50 workers at the Juniata Locomotive Shop. Then, in September, the company laid off 100 more workers, and only two months after that, Norfolk Southern laid off yet another 95 workers to “streamline operations.” Two years later, in July of 2021, Norfolk Southern continued these harsh cuts, laying off 86 more workers at the Juniata shop. That is at least 331 workers laid off in just over two years. While we are told that some of these workers have been brought back, the total number of workers at the Juniata Locomotive Shop is still far below where it was before PSR began. Additionally, we take serious issue with this practice of hiring, firing, and re-hiring workers rather than maintaining a consistent workforce. Skilled rail workers are not pawns in Norfolk Southern’s perpetual quest to maximize profits - they are people with families who deserve fairness and stability. In addition to the devastating impacts to these rail workers and their families, we have grave concerns about what further cuts under PSR 2.0 might mean for safety along our Nation’s railroads. We are worried that fewer workers at the Juniata Locomotive Shop and others like it will mean more work piled onto the shoulders of the remaining employees. From conversations with rail workers, we understand that the first round of PSR has already led to Norfolk Southern putting pressure on workers to cut corners, which has jeopardized safety. For example, we have heard that management has given critical repair work intended for one craft of workers to another, undercutting established work agreements that ensure work is performed by those with the proper training to do that work safely. This includes having machinists do welding work that is supposed to go to boilermakers under established work agreements. Therefore, we ask that you clarify: What staffing changes do you intend to make at the Juniata Locomotive Shop, whether under PSR 2.0 or otherwise? Will you ensure that repair and mechanical work at the Juniata Locomotive Shop and other locomotive shops is given to the proper workers with training in that specific craft? If yes, how will you do so? Will Norfolk Southern provide an opportunity for worker input on decisions about operational changes that involve tradeoffs between safety and efficiency? If yes, how will you do so? Norfolk Southern plays an important role in the economy of the City of Altoona and the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, creating jobs for skilled workers and moving the goods that power our economy. However, that importance does not supplant the company’s obligation to be a responsible member of the community and treat its workers with fairness. Thank you for your timely response to these questions. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our staff. Sincerely, Bob Casey United States Senator John Fetterman United States Senator ###

Share Tweet

July 11, 2024

Casey Holds Hearing on Lowering Health Care Costs

At Aging Committee hearing, Casey touted his Capping Prescription Costs Act Casey’s new bill would lower prescription drug costs for millions of Americans Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, held a hearing highlighting his efforts to lower health care costs for American patients. At the hearing, entitled “Health Care Transparency: Lowering Costs and Empowering Patients,” Senator Casey touted his new Capping Prescription Costs Act, which would bring down prescription costs for millions of Americans. “Prescription drug costs are like a bag of rocks tied around the necks of millions of Americans, weighing them down every single day, and Congress has a responsibility to lessen that weight,” said Chairman Casey (D-PA). “We have made a lot of progress on health care costs over the last few years, particularly by passing the Inflation Reduction Act, which is capping prescription drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. My new bill will extend those savings to the millions of Americans who have private insurance.” Chairman Casey has long been a leader in the Senate’s efforts to bring down prescription drug costs. In August 2022, Casey fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to lower health care and prescription drug costs for older adults, people with disabilities, and families across the Nation. Starting in January 2023, the IRA capped the cost of insulin for Medicare Part D beneficiaries at $35 a month for certain covered insulin products. The law also will limit Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 per year beginning in 2025. Casey’s new bill will extend that out-of-pocket cost cap to the commercial health care market. The new $2,000 cap on cost-sharing for individuals and $4,000 for families will apply to all of the 173 million Americans who have private health insurance. Read more about the Capping Prescription Costs Act here.

Share Tweet

July 11, 2024

Casey, Warnock Introduce Bill to Lower Prescription Costs for Millions of Americans

The Capping Prescription Costs Act would cap annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families Casey’s bill builds on the success of the Inflation Reduction Act, extends out-of-pocket caps to commercial health care market Casey introduces bill ahead of today’s Aging Committee hearing on lowering health care costs Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act, which would lower prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. The bill would place annual caps on out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs—$2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families. Casey’s bill builds on the success of the Inflation Reduction Act, which capped prescription drug cost-sharing for Medicare Part D beneficiaries, extending the savings to the commercial health care market. “Prescription drug costs are like a bag of rocks tied around the necks of millions of Americans, weighing them down every single day,” said Chairman Casey. “My new bill will place a cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Americans with private insurance, building on the success of the Inflation Reduction Act and lightening the load that has been weighing down Americans for far too long.” “Long before I came to the U.S. Senate, I was fighting to make health care more affordable and accessible. Struggling families shouldn’t have to skip refills, ration prescriptions, and risk their health just to afford the medications they need to survive,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “In a nation as rich and powerful as the United States that should never be the case, so I’m proud to join Senator Casey to introduce the Capping Prescription Costs Act that will help families afford the prescriptions they need to live healthy, full, independent lives.” Over 60 percent of American adults take at least one prescription drug, with 25 percent of adults taking four or more. Yet Americans often pay more for the same prescription drugs than people in other countries, and due to the cost burden, American patients often cannot afford their medications as prescribed. This results in patients skipping doses, cutting doses in half, or taking over-the-counter medications instead of their prescriptions. One study found that 31 percent of patients did not take their medications as prescribed due to cost. Chairman Casey has long been a leader in the Senate’s efforts to bring down prescription drug costs. In August 2022, Casey fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to lower health care and prescription drug costs for older adults, people with disabilities, and families across the Nation. Starting in January 2023, the IRA capped the cost of insulin for Medicare Part D beneficiaries at $35 a month for certain covered insulin products. The law also will limit Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 per year beginning in 2025. Casey’s new bill will extend that out-of-pocket cost cap to the commercial health care market. The new $2,000 cap on cost-sharing for individuals and $4,000 for families will apply to all of the 173 million Americans who have private health insurance. Read more about the Capping Prescription Costs Act here. ###

Share Tweet

July 11, 2024

Casey Secures $4 Million for Pennsylvania College of Technology to Expand Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program

Funding will go towards Penn College’s MIDAS program, which prepares Pennsylvanians for jobs across high-demand manufacturing industries Investment is part of $244 million Department of Labor investment in Registered Apprenticeships across the Nation Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) secured $4 million in funding for Pennsylvania College of Technology to expand Registered Apprenticeship programs that will prepare workers for jobs in high-demand advanced manufacturing industries. The funding will support the College’s Modular, Industry-Driven Apprenticeship Strategies (MIDAS) program, which enables Registered Apprenticeship programs to train job seekers with the skills they need for high-tech jobs. The award is from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) Grant Program and is part of a new Biden Administration’s $244 million investment in Registered Apprenticeships Nationwide. “Registered Apprenticeships allow Pennsylvanians to earn a living while learning the skills that will allow them to excel in advanced, high-paying jobs,” said Senator Casey. “This funding will create more opportunities for people across Pennsylvania to learn a variety of high-tech skills and join the workforce in the industries that power our Nation.” The funding from the ABA Grant Program is part of the Biden Administration’s initiative to help modernize, diversify, and expand the Registered Apprenticeship system in growing U.S. industries. Senator Casey has long supported Registered Apprenticeships. In 2010, he secured $916,000 for PCT to provide green job training for local workers in energy efficiency and weatherization. Two years later, he celebrated $14.9 million for a Marcellus Shale workforce development program at the Pennsylvania College of Technology and Westmoreland County Community College. Senator Casey has also supported investment in unions for apprenticeships and workforce development, including $92,000 for the IBEW Local 163’s Advanced Technology Center in Luzerne County and $322,000 for the Steamfitters Local Union No 449 in Butler County to provide direct training services to improve the local workforce. Senator Casey has a long record of securing federal investment in the future of Pennsylvania’s workforce. He fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which included tax credits for individuals and companies manufacturing or deploying clean energy technologies to help lower costs and secure our energy independence. The IRA passed with a Casey-led provision to provide a “domestic content” bonus credit for companies that use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods. Casey also championed the CHIPS and Sciences Act to invest in American technology, innovation and manufacturing, particularly in the semiconductor industry. Producing chips in the United States will also benefit the workers in industries that rely on semiconductors from autoworkers to health care workers. ###

Share Tweet

July 11, 2024

Casey Secures $208 Million for Volvo Mack Trucks to Manufacture Zero-Emissions Vehicles, Create 295 New Union Jobs

Funding to support five-year project to transition Volvo Mack Trucks plants to zero-emissions vehicle manufacturing facilities Funding comes from Domestic Manufacturing Conversion grant, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act Volvo Mack Trucks’ zero-emissions vehicle transition project is supported by United Auto Workers Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) delivered $208 million from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to support Volvo Mack Trucks’ zero-emissions vehicle manufacturing, including at the Lehigh Valley Operations facility in Macungie, PA. This funding will support Volvo Mack Trucks’ five-year plan to transition its plants and employees to new, clean energy vehicle technologies. The funding will also create 295 new union jobs. “Pennsylvania manufacturing has always formed the backbone of our Nation. This funding will boost Volvo Mack Trucks’ Lehigh Valley production, create good-paying, union jobs, and pave the way for our clean energy future,” said Senator Casey. “I fought to bring clean energy investments to Pennsylvania, and I will keep fighting to make sure we keep these investments coming.” The funding comes from the Domestic Manufacturing Conversion (DMC) grant program made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to support domestic production of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs). Senator Casey urged the U.S. Departments of Energy and Treasury to support Volvo Mack Trucks’ goal to be 100 percent fossil fuel free by 2040. The funding from the DMC grant will support the investment necessary to transition Volvo Mack Trucks facilities to ZEV manufacturing plants and will create 295 new union jobs. Thanks to Senator Casey’s advocacy for funding from the DOE, Volvo Mack Trucks can move towards mixed model assembly, which will allow for the scalability and flexibility required to meet market demands for ZEVs. The project is supported by local United Auto Workers (UAW) and will help sustain the 7,900 union jobs at the manufacturing facilities in addition to the new jobs created. Senator Casey has long supported Volvo Mack Trucks’ electric vehicle production initiatives. In February 2024, Senator Casey urged the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the DOE to grant Volvo Mack Trucks eligibility for clean vehicle manufacturing tax credits outlined in the IRA. In August 2022, Senator Casey visited the Lehigh Valley Operations facility to highlight how the IRA and the CHIPS and Science Act support emissions reductions, domestic manufacturing, and Pennsylvania jobs. In July, 2021 Senator Casey pushed the DOE to include Volvo Mack Trucks in the DOE’s SuperTruck III program, citing Volvo’s leadership in the ZEV manufacturing sector. Senator Casey fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which included tax credits for individuals and companies manufacturing or deploying clean energy technologies to help lower costs and secure our energy independence. The IRA passed with a Casey-led provision to provide a “domestic content” bonus credit for companies that use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods. ###

Share Tweet

July 10, 2024

After Pressure from Casey, Biden Administration to Crack Down on Steel Dumping to Protect PA Workers, Jobs, Manufacturers

U.S., Mexico to prevent China, other countries from surging steel into U.S. market in violation of 2019 trade agreement, a practice that threatens American steel industry jobs, has contributed to plant closures PA Senior Senator has long pushed Administration to stop trade cheats from hurting PA steel workers and manufacturers Earlier this year, Casey successfully pushed Administration to investigate China’s unfair trade practices that harm American shipbuilding, raise tariffs on China to protect critical industries Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) announcement that the U.S. has reached an agreement with Mexico to prevent the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and other countries from illegally dumping steel into the U.S. market, which threatens the jobs of steelworkers in Pennsylvania and the Nation. Casey has pushed the Biden Administration to stop the unsustainable increase in Mexican steel imports since last year and introduced the Stop Mexico’s Steel Surge Act, which gave the USTR leverage to stipulate additional requirements for steel products imported from Mexico. “This announcement is a victory for Pennsylvania workers and our Nation’s steel industry,” said Senator Casey. “I’ve pushed multiple administrations to make Mexico play by the rules so our workers can compete on a level playing field. I’m going to keep fighting like hell against China’s trade cheating.” In a bipartisan push in December 2023, Casey demanded the Administration set a clear deadline to enforce its 2019 agreement with Mexico and urged the Administration to take aggressive action to counter the increase in Mexican steel imports if the country refuses to comply. Casey previously pushed the Trump Administration to protect the American steel industry from trade cheats. The Stop Mexico’s Steel Surge Act would reinstate 25 percent Section 232 tariffs on Mexican steel imports for no less than one year and empower the president to impose quotas or tariff rate quotas on specific goods where there have been major surges. The administration may only lift these tariffs once the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative certify that Mexico has adopted policies bringing it into compliance with the 2019 agreement and are confident that Mexico will maintain these policies. Senator Casey is a staunch supporter of Buy America standards, as well as legislation to develop American manufacturing capacity. In November, he?sent?a letter to President Biden sharing his serious concerns about potential reductions of Section 232 and 301 tariffs previously imposed on China on national security grounds.?That month, he also?voted against a resolution?to effectively remove Buy American standards for electric vehicle (EV) chargers and force the United States to continue relying on China for products critical to the next generation of clean vehicle infrastructure. He fought to pass the?Build America, Buy America Act?as a part of the?Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which?requires that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in infrastructure projects are produced in the United States. Casey also fought to pass the?Inflation Reduction Act, which included tax credits for individuals and companies?manufacturing or deploying clean energy technologies to help lower costs and secure our energy independence, as well as?his provision?to provide a “domestic content” bonus credit for companies that use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods. In April 2024, Casey and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) successfully pushed the Biden Administration to investigate unfair trade practices by the CCP that undercut American shipbuilding, threaten our national security, and hurt American workers. Further, Casey called on President Biden to maintain Section 301 tariffs, a call the Administration heeded by raising tariffs on 12 key sectors including steel and aluminum, semiconductors, and batteries. ###

Share Tweet

July 10, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Change Proposed Hydrogen Production Tax Credit

Casey criticized original tax credit proposal, continues to push administration to change course Hydrogen energy poised to bring news jobs, economic development to communities across PA Senators: “The 45V credit offers the United States an irreplaceable opportunity to boost our economic and international competitiveness. ... We have one more chance to get this right” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and 12 of his Senate colleagues urged U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to update guidance on the proposed 45V tax credit so that more Pennsylvania businesses can compete to be the energy leaders of the future. The Senators called on the Biden Administration to expand sources of hydrogen energy that are eligible for the 45V tax credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). After hearing repeated concerns from Pennsylvania workers and companies about the original hydrogen tax credit proposal, Casey and his colleagues are pushing for Treasury to change its proposed rule to ensure that Pennsylvania’s workers and communities will be included in hydrogen investments. “The 45V credit offers the United States an irreplaceable opportunity to boost our economic and international competitiveness. … We have one more chance to get this right. Without significant changes to the draft guidance that align with the parameters provided in statute, one of the most powerful job creation and emission reduction tools in the IRA will likely be hamstrung by future court challenges, Congressional opposition, and unfulfilled private sector investment. Getting it right means capitalizing on this opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions faster and enhance our energy security, while strengthening our economy, creating thousands of jobs, and combating the climate crisis,” wrote the Senators. The 45V Clean Hydrogen Production tax credit, created by the Inflation Reduction Act, was intended to spur the production of hydrogen fuel, a potent energy source that can power American manufacturing, transportation, and heavy industries sustainably. The proposed guidance for the 45V tax credit does not properly reflect the reality of Pennsylvania’s economies and would exclude many of the communities that have been historic leaders in energy. Unless revised, the guidance would jeopardize billions of dollars of investments in clean hydrogen projects and undermine efforts to create an enduring clean hydrogen industry. The Senators urged Treasury to update and finalize guidance to clearly include diverse Pennsylvanian projects so the Commonwealth can continue to bolster its economy through clean energy investments. The proposed updates to the tax credit guidance reflect industry and labor needs as well as decarbonization efforts that are already underway. If implemented, the updated guidance would result in significant overall emissions reductions. Senator Casey has worked relentlessly to ensure that Pennsylvania can benefit from investment in American manufacturing and energy initiatives. The Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022 with Casey-led provisions to promote manufacturing investments in communities that have traditionally had a high percentage of energy-related jobs and to ensure that new investments rely on American made materials such as steel and iron. The landmark legislation created clean energy jobs and opportunities for economies across the Nation to benefit from clean energy initiatives. In October 2023, Casey announced the launch of the two hydrogen hubs, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2), based in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. These hubs will bring jobs, economic growth, and energy innovation to the Mid-Atlantic and the Appalachian Basin. Additionally, Casey announced The Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG) Rapid Response Team. This team will assist Pennsylvania organizations, businesses, and local governments in coordinating federal resources they need to position the Commonwealth as a national leader in next-generation energy and train workers. In December, Casey criticized the Biden Administration’s initial 45V proposal and has pushed the Administration ever since. In May, Senator Casey pressed President Biden to expand the array of hydrogen sources that are eligible for a tax credit. Pennsylvania is the only state in the Nation to earn two highly competitive Hydrogen Hubs, making it poised for economic growth from hydrogen production. Senator Casey led the letter with Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). Read the full letter HERE or below: Dear Secretary Yellen: We are writing to express our serious concerns about the burdensome and unnecessary restrictions prescribed in the Department of the Treasury’s proposed requirements for implementation of the Section 45V Credit for Production of Clean Hydrogen (hereinafter the “45V credit”). As the primary Congressional authors of the 45V credit, we are discouraged that the proposed guidance is inconsistent with the intent and requirements of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). In order to preserve our legislative intent, we offer several recommendations that we view as essential for a workable final rule. We share and fully support the Administration’s aim to ensure that the 45V credit catalyzes innovation and capital investment without inadvertently causing higher greenhouse gas emissions. However, Treasury’s guidance would jeopardize billions of dollars of investment in clean hydrogen projects, render the cleanest forms of hydrogen uneconomical, and imperil efforts to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors of our economy. Simply put, unless revised according to the suggestions below, the proposed guidance will undermine our shared goal of creating an enduring domestic clean hydrogen industry capable of significantly reducing economy-wide carbon emissions. Legacy hydrogen producers, clean energy entrepreneurs, and the many and diverse partnerships that have earned the promise of government support through the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hydrogen Hubs program have all expressed the same concerns. Their success is key to achieving the Administration’s goals for cost-competitive clean hydrogen production as detailed in DOE’s “U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap.” As the leaders of the hubs wrote to you on February 26, 2024, “These investments and jobs will not fully materialize unless Treasury's guidance, in its current form, is significantly revised, as many of the projects generating these investments and supporting jobs will no longer be economically viable…[T]he proposed guidance poses a significant risk to the ability of the U.S. to be a global leader in the hydrogen economy.” If completed, the hubs will also reduce emissions by 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide according to DOE’s calculations – and we do not want to lose that opportunity to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors. To avoid the disadvantages of implementing an overly stringent “three-pillars” approach, we urge you to incorporate the following improvements to the final 45V credit guidance that we are confident would result in significant overall emissions reductions. We request that Treasury modify its proposed requirements for Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) by offering alternative compliance pathways for each of the three pillars as specified below. Incrementality. While the incrementality requirement as proposed may marginally limit induced grid emissions in the short term, it is also likely to have the effect of prolonging the carbon intensity of the grid in the long-term. Devoting future potential clean energy sources to hydrogen production rather than to electricity generation carries its own indirect emissions impact which has not been adequately quantified. Moreover, Treasury acknowledges that there are alternative approaches that would not result in significant induced grid emissions. We also believe that strict incrementality requirements will unnecessarily limit the production of clean hydrogen that should qualify for the highest tier of the 45V credit. The result of Treasury’s approach would be a diminished potential for hydrogen production to improve grid efficiency, reliability, and resiliency. This is especially true where state energy policies already mandate clean energy additions to the grid and where lagging investment in transmission and delays in interconnection of clean electricity projects are driving increasing clean energy curtailments. In view of these deficiencies, Treasury should not impose the incrementality requirements in certain circumstances. For example, generation facilities that are located in a state with enforceable clean energy mandates, that are located in a grid region with significant rates of curtailment (demonstrated through a facility’s operational history), or that demonstrate retirement risk should not be forced to meet any incrementality requirements. In addition, all generation from hydroelectric and nuclear facilities issued license extensions following promulgation of the final 45V rule should likewise be exempt from incrementality. In addition to the cases described above, Treasury should offer an allowance for owners of existing, minimally emitting sources of electricity to provide their power to clean hydrogen producers. An allowance could also account for situations in which clean energy generation would otherwise be curtailed or those in which the operational characteristics of specific generating facilities do not result in significant induced grid emissions. The energy required for large electrolyzers – vital to scaling cost-competitive clean hydrogen – can easily exceed a facility-level allowance. Thus, the allowance must be applied at the ownership level rather than to individual facilities. The allowance must also be of sufficient magnitude to give generation owners – including federal, state and tribally owned facilities – the needed flexibility to manage their fleets. A 10 percent allowance would strike an appropriate balance between enabling clean hydrogen production and minimizing any induced short-term grid emissions. Temporal Matching. Treasury must also provide a workable alternative to its stringent and problematic temporal matching proposal in order to provide the clean hydrogen industry with predictability and certainty. The draft guidance would force a transition from annual to hourly matching, which would especially harm early projects. As the comprehensive April 2023 analysis by Energy and Environmental Economics and the American Council on Renewable Energy concluded, “An hourly matching requirement results in significantly higher costs for hydrogen production than an annual matching requirement with the same GHG intensity across a wide range of renewable energy and wholesale electricity market assumptions.” The analysis further found that “An hourly matching requirement does not ensure lower GHG emissions relative to an annual matching requirement, and in many cases is less effective at eliminating carbon emissions than annual matching.” A similar finding, shared with Treasury in comments submitted about 45V, is reflected in modeling performed by the Open Energy Outlook Initiative of Carnegie Mellon in partnership with North Carolina State University. For these reasons, investment and design decisions for new facilities must reflect assumptions about how the facility will operate after the required shift to different matching requirements. This means that projects must conform to any temporal matching scheme on their first day of operation regardless of whether they come online prior to the transition date. Meeting overly burdensome matching requirements leads to significantly higher capital costs for projects and higher operations and maintenance costs for electrolyzers over the long-term. Furthermore, first-mover projects will be required to spend additional capital to procure significantly more clean power in order to meet unworkable matching requirements, needlessly wasting clean energy that could otherwise be used to decarbonize the grid. To address these inefficiencies and uncertainties, Treasury should employ a commence-construction standard, a commonly used tool for other energy tax credits, and forgo temporal matching requirements for any projects that begin construction prior to January 1, 2028. Also, Treasury should establish monthly matching requirements for any projects that begin construction after January 1, 2028 and before December 31, 2032. Deliverability. Finally, any three-pillars-based approach must recognize those grid constraints that limit access to renewable energy for certain geographic regions of the country. Utility-scale renewable generation facilities tend to concentrate in areas where abundant resources exist, meaning that areas lacking favorable conditions for renewable energy development face a constrained supply of clean energy to power hydrogen production projects. Therefore, Treasury’s proposed deliverability maps should be revised to better reflect real-world grid operations. While the National Transmission Needs Study provides a useful tool for transmission planning purposes, its application in this context does not account for differences in electricity market structures across regions. Therefore, in regions with insufficient clean energy resources, project sponsors should receive an allowance when they need to access clean power for hydrogen production beyond Treasury’s proposed geographic boundaries. Providing this allowance will also provide near-term relief from persistent interconnection backlogs and from the long lead times required to build new transmission infrastructure. Treasury must also permit project sponsors to apply the GREET model consistent with Congress’ direction and the language in the statute, and it should allow project sponsors the option to rely on the more accurate, project-specific data in their GREET calculations. For example, project sponsors should be able to provide data from modeled assessments of induced grid emissions or upstream methane emissions rather than the background assumptions included in the corresponding 45VH2-GREET models. Accurate models can better reflect regional variations in grid carbon intensity while accounting for state and regional clean energy mandates and the curtailment of clean energy resources. Treasury’s claim – through reference to DOE’s 45V White Paper – that “modeling is not currently a practical, primary solution for lifecycle GHG assessment within 45VH2-GREET for the purpose of 45V [because] such models are complex and require many important assumptions” does not relieve the Department from needing to develop the analytical tools necessary to implement the credit as intended by law. To address this deficiency, Treasury must work with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy as it does for other IRA clean energy tax credits, like the 45Q credit for carbon sequestration or the 48C Advanced Energy Project Credit. Treasury can then implement the tax credit as Congress directed, incentivizing hydrogen producers to provide the necessary assurances that their projects will not create significant indirect emissions. Additionally, the potential for subsequent updates to the 45VH2-GREET model, after a facility has been constructed and its initial determination of eligibility for the credit has been made, creates unnecessary instability in the market. The value of the credit a project receives should only change if a project is modified following initial operation, rather than due to changes in subsequent versions of the GREET model. We are also concerned that requiring the carbon intensity of all hydrogen produced at a given facility to be averaged across a taxable year will further restrict access to the 45V credit for otherwise-qualified clean hydrogen facilities. Again, Treasury introduces additional complexity and uncertainty, which contradicts the plain language of the law and is unlikely to withstand legal challenge. We strongly urge Treasury to allow project sponsors to claim partial credits for clean hydrogen produced within a taxable year. Hydrogen produced with the lowest carbon intensity should qualify for the highest credit, regardless of when it was produced or whether the same facility produced hydrogen with higher carbon intensities. Lastly, we encourage Treasury to include in the final rule clear guidance for hydrogen production pathways that use renewable natural gas (RNG) and other fugitive methane sources. In constructing its guidance, Treasury should adopt similar flexibilities for pathways that encourage mitigation of fugitive sources of methane, which include the capture and beneficial use of coal mine methane, methane leakage from oil and gas operations, and biogas from organic waste and other agricultural sources as RNG. These pathways must also incorporate indirect book accounting factors, also known as a book-and-claim system, which verify that greenhouse gas emissions reductions have occurred. The 45V credit offers the United States an irreplaceable opportunity to boost our economic and international competitiveness. At this critical juncture for the expansion of domestic clean hydrogen production, it is important that Treasury apply a workable tax treatment of new projects to spur investment, attract customers, and promote new clean energy jobs. Treasury must also pursue timely completion of the rulemaking process as a paramount objective given the billions of dollars of private-sector investment waiting on the sidelines for Treasury to act. We therefore strongly urge Treasury to issue final guidance that adheres to the recommendations above by August 16, 2024, one year after the deadline required in the IRA. We have one more chance to get this right. Without significant changes to the draft guidance that align with the parameters provided in statute, one of the most powerful job creation and emission reduction tools in the IRA will likely be hamstrung by future court challenges, Congressional opposition, and unfulfilled private sector investment. Getting it right means capitalizing on this opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions faster and enhance our energy security, while strengthening our economy, creating thousands of jobs, and combating the climate crisis. Sincerely, Robert P. Casey Jr. United States Senator Thomas R. Carper United States Senator Maria Cantwell United States Senator Sherrod Brown United States Senator Christopher A. Coons United States Senator Tammy Duckworth United States Senator Richard J. Durbin United States Senator John Fetterman United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand United States Senator John Hickenlooper United States Senator Amy Klobuchar United States Senator Patty Murray United States Senator Alex Padilla United States Senator ###

Share Tweet

July 9, 2024

Greedflation: Casey Holds Subcommittee Hearing Revealing How Corporate Greed is Hurting Pennsylvania Families’ Budgets

Senator Casey has produced four reports detailing his investigations into corporate greed squeezing families’ budgets According to data compiled in Casey’s greedflation series, from June 2020 through June 2022, inflation rose by 14 percent while corporate profits rose by more than 74 percent Senator Casey continues to push for passage of Price Gouging Prevention Act and Shrinkflation Reduction Act Washington, DC – Today, at a U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Children and Families Subcommittee hearing, Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) highlighted how greedflation places unfair burdens on American children and families. In the hearing, Casey spotlighted four reports that he has released detailing how corporate greed led to higher prices and record corporate profits while American families struggle to pay for their everyday necessities. He also invited two Pennsylvanians to testify on their experiences with higher costs and how greedflation is hurting their budgets. “While families struggled, corporations took in record profits, using inflation as a cover to artificially inflate their prices. I’m calling it greedflation, and I am fighting back,” said Chairman Casey. “Pennsylvanians, and all Americans, deserve to pay fair prices—and we must hold corporations accountable for all the ways in which they take advantage of consumers. Chairman Casey invited Mrs. Erin Wiggle, a veteran, animal rescue non-profit owner, mom of 11, and a foster parent who has cared for upwards of 50 children, to testify about how high costs have impact her business and family. “Between our business and children, we incur many expenses, from diapers and food to gas and vet costs. This is particularly true given the medical needs of some of our children with special needs. […] These costs add up—and have become more burdensome since the pandemic. For example, yogurt used to be 4 for $1, now they are $1 each. American cheese went from $4.99 to $9.99,” said Mrs. Wiggle. Chairman Casey also invited Daniel Lee, an army veteran and Philadelphia restaurant owner, to testify about how rising prices have strained his business and how delivery apps impose fees on restaurants. “The fees that these apps [Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats] charge the consumer are significant—and strain the consumers’ ability to shop at my store. To offset the fee these companies charge, we raise our prices for the apps and run the risk of alienating our customers—even the loyal ones—because they can’t afford the higher price in addition to the extra fees. […] It’s a vicious cycle—we raise the prices to maintain revenue, higher prices cause me to lose business and lose money—and eventually restaurants like mine must shut down,” said Mr. Lee. The hearing shone a light on how corporations are fleecing Americans and about what can be done to protect the Nation’s children and families. Since November 2023, Chairman Casey has been investigating corporate price gouging and other actions by big corporations that have squeezed the budgets of American families and contributed to the increase in inflation. In November, Chairman Casey released the first report in his greedflation series, “Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families,” detailing how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices and rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families and laying out Senator Casey’s vision to hold greedy corporations accountable. Corporate executives claim they’ve “earned the right” to raise prices and that their products “are worth paying a little bit more for.” Ahead of Thanksgiving, Casey released his second report, “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive," examining how the agribusiness companies that process Americans’ food have increased prices for everyday staple foods and raising questions about why those price increases are necessary, particularly during the holiday season. Some of these companies have a history of engaging in price-fixing, colluding to raise prices, anti-competitive conduct, and touting their ability to raise prices without limit. Seeking answers, Senator Casey sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission and United States Department of Agriculture requesting that the agencies use all necessary resources to investigate possible unfair pricing practices of major chicken and pork processors in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission, in response, assured Senator Casey that policing potentially anticompetitive conduct in food industries continues to be a top priority for the Commission given the high stakes for American families, farmers, and the Nation’s economy. In December 2023, Casey released his third report of his greedflation series, “Less Bang for Your Buck: Casey Releases Shrinkflation Report Exposing Big Corporations for Reducing Product Size While Keeping Prices High,” calling out household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations for reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. To better protect families’ pocketbooks, Senator Casey sent letters to the trade associations representing household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations demanding answers about pricing strategies, package size practices, and how shrinkflation affects customers. In January 2024, Casey released his fourth report of his greedflation series, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” detailing how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals. Senator Casey believes that no Pennsylvanian should be blindsided by a junk fee and that the negative impacts of hidden fees can be mitigated by: fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. In a letter to the Government Accountability Office that same month, Senator Casey pushed the government watchdog to examine the effects of corporate greed on American consumers. In February 2024, Casey introduced legislation to protect American families from greedflation by banning grossly excessive price increases and crack down on corporate price gouging. The same month, Casey also introduced the Shrinkflation Prevention Act, which empowers the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering the prices. Senator Casey also sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan in support of FTC’s proposal to eliminate junk fees across the market. In April 2024, Casey sent a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra in support of the CFPB’s proposed rule to crack down on excessive overdraft banking penalties. In June 2024, Casey linked Target, Walmart, and Amazon—the Nation’s largest, second largest, and sixth largest retailers— to greedflation. Senator Casey demanded that Target, Walmart and Amazon explain their pricing decisions, including how inflation impacts their decision making, the duration of the recently announced price changes, the corporations’ use of shrinkflation, and how they work with brands sold in store to monitor price changes and package changes. ###

Share Tweet

July 3, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Applaud Nomination of Gail Weilheimer as U.S. District Judge for Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced that President Joe Biden has nominated Judge Gail A. Weilheimer to serve on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators play an essential role in recommending to the White House U.S. District Court judge candidates with the commitment to equal justice, legal experience, and integrity necessary to serve the Commonwealth. “Judge Weilheimer has served the people of Southeastern Pennsylvania for decades, bringing to the table a wealth of experience ranging from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office to Abington Township Commissioner to the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas,” said Senator Casey. “She is a committed public servant with the skill, character, and integrity to serve the people of the Eastern District. I look forward to voting to confirm her swiftly.” “Judge Weilheimer has served our commonwealth with distinction as a judge on the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas for more than a decade, where she has demonstrated a rock-solid commitment to the rule of law and the pursuit of justice for all Pennsylvanians. I am particularly proud of her attention and dedication to helping address the needs of Pennsylvanians dealing with mental health challenges who become involved with the justice system. A former prosecutor, Judge Weilheimer has dedicated her career to public service, and I applaud President Biden for nominating her to continue her service as a judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” said Senator Fetterman. Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators have a longstanding tradition of working together to recommend and confirm nominees to the federal bench. Senator Casey previously worked with then-Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Pat Toomey (R-PA), with whom he confirmed 37 District Court Judges for Pennsylvania on a bipartisan basis from 2007-2022. Casey and Fetterman have continued this practice, most recently working together to recommend and confirm Judge Julia Munley and Judge Karoline Mehalchick in the Middle District. Judge Gail A. Weilheimer has been a judge on the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in Norristown, Pennsylvania since 2014. Previously, Judge Weilheimer worked as a senior counsel at Wisler Pearlstine, LLP in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania from 2006 to 2013 and as a litigation associate at Frank & Rosen LLP in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2006. From 2004 to 2008, Judge Weilheimer served as an elected Commissioner for Abington Township, Pennsylvania. In 2002, Judge Weilheimer worked as an associate at Abrahams, Loewenstein and Bushman, P.C. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Before that, she served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office from 1995 to 2002. Judge Weilheimer received her J.D. in 1995 and her B.A. in 1992, both from Hofstra University. ###

Share Tweet

July 2, 2024

Casey, Houlahan Announce Helicopter Remanufacturing Program, New Jobs in Chester County

Casey, Houlahan have fought for years to keep the plant open and to bring new work to the facility Members wrote to Air Force opposing Navy divestment in CH-46 and urging exploration of new work in the aircraft Arrival of four CH-46 in Coatesville for modernization could lead to up to 200 additional jobs at the Coatesville plant Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6) announced the arrival of four CH-46 helicopters at the Coatesville Piasecki Aircraft facility through Piasecki’s helicopter remanufacturing program. The arrival of these four CH-46 helicopters represents an entirely new line of work for the manufacturing facility—resetting helicopters. Over time, the remanufacturing project could create as many as 200 new jobs maintaining, servicing, and supporting the modernization of the fleet. Piasecki’s plant in Coatesville has employed generations of Chester County workers, creating world-class aircrafts critical to American commercial and military operations around the world. “For generations, Pennsylvanians have served their country and supported their families by manufacturing military helicopters at this Coatesville facility. I fought to support Piasecki’s helicopter remanufacturing because nobody is more up to the task of maintaining our Nation’s military aircrafts than the workers here in Southeastern Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “This is a new chapter for Coatesville and I’ll keep fighting to make sure these jobs are here to stay.” "Piasecki, with its state-of-the-art manufacturing and robust tech workforce, is a driving force of revitalization in Coatesville," said Representative Houlahan. "Now, with the announcement of the production of CH-46 helicopters and additional jobs being created, our region will continue to lead the way in domestic aviation manufacturing. I look forward to seeing Piasecki grow and will continue to do everything I can to support that." These 200 new jobs include engineering, manufacturing, flight test, delivery, maintenance, and support to convert civilian Model 107-II and excess military CH-46 helicopters into Model 107-III helicopters for, respectively, commercial customers and partnered and allied nations. Senator Casey and Representative Houlahan have repeatedly fought to keep aircraft manufacturing and maintenance jobs in Coatesville. When President Trump failed to deliver on his promise to keep open Coatesville plant (formerly known as the Sikorsky helicopter plant) in 2019, Casey and Houlahan took swift action to ensure that the plant could keep the 465 workers whose jobs were at risk and fought for long term solutions. Thanks to the members’ staunch advocacy, Lockheed Martin was able to keep the Coatesville facility open for three additional years. When the plant ultimately closed in August 2022, the members championed Piasecki’s takeover, securing $23 million in federal funding to support the company’s work in Chester County over the past five fiscal years. Since, Senator Casey and Representative Houlahan have worked tirelessly to ensure that the plant can remain a reliable source of good jobs in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The new CH-46 remanufacturing program is another step to ensure that Coatesville will remain a reliable source of aircraft manufacturing and maintenance jobs. Senator Casey pushed for these Coatesville jobs by advocating for the Department of the Navy to pause their divestment and instead potentially reset and sell these CH-46 helicopters to allied and partner nations. The induction of the CH-46 helicopters and implementation of Piasecki’s helicopter remanufacturing program continues Coatesville’s legacy as a premier helicopter manufacturing site by promoting new jobs to Southeastern Pennsylvania. ###

Share Tweet

July 2, 2024

Casey Unveils New Report Detailing the Heartbreaking Effects of Hoarding Disorder on Older Americans

Aging Committee Majority Staff report details the damage caused by hoarding disorder, which affects as many as 14 million Americans In report, Casey examines the effects of the condition and issues recommendations for how federal government can help older adults and their communities Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, unveiled a new Aging Committee Majority Staff report shedding new light on the heartbreaking effect that hoarding disorder has on older Americans and their communities. The report, entitled “The Consequences of Clutter: How Hoarding Disorder Affects America’s Older Adults, First Responders, and Their Communities,” details the results of an Aging Committee investigation into hoarding disorder, a condition that leads people to accumulate more objects than their homes can accommodate and affects as many as 14 million people in the United States, disproportionately older adults. The investigation examined the factors that lead to hoarding disorder among older adults and the effects that it has on older adults and their families as well as local governments and first responders. In the report, Casey also issued a series of recommendations for how federal agencies can better respond to hoarding disorder and support affected older adults and their communities. “Hoarding disorder is a heartbreaking condition that is posing challenges to older adults, their families, and their communities across the country,” Chairman Casey (D-PA). “My new report demonstrates the scope and severity of these challenges and offers a path forward for how we can help people, communities, and local governments contend with this condition. The federal government has an obligation to ensure that Americans can age with dignity, and this report makes clear that obligation must include doing more to address hoarding disorder.” Hoarding disorder is a serious mental health condition that causes people to accumulate more objects than they need. The disorder impacts roughly two percent of the general population, while it affects about six percent of those over the age of 70. Chairman Casey’s report found that hoarding disorder has serious consequences for older adults and communities around the Nation. For older adults, those consequences include health and safety risks, social isolation, eviction, and homelessness. For communities, those consequences include public health concerns, increased risk of fire, and dangers to emergency responders. Local communities throughout the United States are already working to address cases of hoarding disorder, including through the formation of hoarding task forces to coordinate response efforts. Unfortunately, the resources available for local responses often do not correspond with the level of challenge communities are facing. Chairman Casey’s report issued a series of recommendations for how the federal government can increase support to communities that are contending with hoarding disorder, including expanding access to treatment for the condition, providing local officials with more extensive guidance and training to support afflicted individuals, and expanding the scope of tracking and research about how hoarding disorder is affecting individuals and communities Nationwide. Read Chairman Casey’s full report HERE. ###

Share Tweet

July 1, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio Urge Coast Guard to Support Efforts to Keep Monongahela River Safe and Navigable During Lock and Dam Removal Project

Lock and dam removal is part of broader effort to modernize Monongahela River, key for region’s economy and community recreation Members of Congress: “Keeping this waterway safe and navigable in the long run is critical to the region’s economy and way of life.” Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) urged the U.S. Coast Guard (USGC) to ensure that the Monongahela River can remain safe, for local commercial and recreational vessels during the upcoming removal of the Elizabeth Locks and Dam. Casey, a longtime champion of Southwestern Pennsylvania waterways, pressed the USCG support the Army Corps and enforce safety zones that would keep the Monongahela River safe during a key period of work. The members wrote, “Keeping this waterway safe and navigable in the long run is critical to the region’s economy and way of life. For decades, the Monongahela River has moved important materials that have helped build our infrastructure and power our economy, such as coal and steel. The river has also brought generations of families and loved ones together for recreational boating and fishing close to home. The Coast Guard is a valued partner on waterways projects, and their continued collaboration and support will be key to the success of the removal of Elizabeth Locks and Dam and the broader efforts to modernize the Monongahela.” Removal of the Elizabeth Locks is a part of a broader effort to modernize the Monongahela River, a key waterway for Southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy and community recreation. Starting in July, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will begin a multi-step process to the Elizabeth Locks and Dam to create a 30-mile stretch of continuous waterway that will reduce travel times for commercial and recreational vessels. USACE and the Coast Guard collaborate on inland waterways safety matters, with the Coast Guard providing a critical safety enforcement for Corps projects. After hearing that the locks and dam removal project would temporarily create dangerous conditions for commercial and recreational vessels, Senator Casey urged the USCG to continue collaborating with the Corps enforce a safety zone, which will deter any commercial or recreational vessels from approaching the locks and dam during the period of highest danger. Senator Casey has fought repeatedly to improve and rehabilitate Southwestern Pennsylvania’s waterways. Casey successfully advocated to include the Monongahela River as part of the U.S. Marine Highway System, which created new opportunities to benefit Southwestern Pennsylvania economies. Senator Casey voted to pass critical legislation including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that support critical infrastructure investments along Southwestern Pennsylvania’s waterways to promote clean energy investments and support economies formerly dependent on fossil fuels. Read the full letter HERE or below: Dear Admiral Fagan: We write today regarding the impending removal of the Monongahela Locks and Dam 3 (“Elizabeth Locks and Dam”) in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, specifically to encourage the Coast Guard to continue its engagement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and provide whatever assistance it can to ensure safety along the river throughout the process of removing the locks and dam. We appreciate your partnership on this matter. The Elizabeth Locks and Dam have been an integral component of the inland waterways system in Southwestern Pennsylvania for more than 100 years. However, the facility is prone to flooding which leads to shutdowns during high-water events. Removal of the Elizabeth Locks is part of a broader effort to modernize the river and will create a 30-mile-long stretch of continuously navigable waterway between Charleroi and Braddock, thereby reducing travel times for commercial and recreational vessels alike throughout the region. Keeping this waterway safe and navigable in the long run is critical to the region’s economy and way of life. For decades, the Monongahela River has moved important materials that have helped build our infrastructure and power our economy, such as coal and steel. The river has also brought generations of families and loved ones together for recreational boating and fishing close to home. The Coast Guard is a valued partner on waterways projects, and their continued collaboration and support will be key to the success of the removal of the Elizabeth Locks and Dam and the broader efforts to modernize the Monongahela. Starting in July, USACE will begin the lengthy process of removing the Elizabeth Locks and Dam. From conversations with USACE staff, we understand that the removal of the dam will take place between July and December, and that, after the first blast to remove an initial 50-foot section of the dam, water levels along the Monongahela River will fluctuate significantly for anywhere from 3 to 12 days. USACE staff have made it clear to us that the lock chamber will be closed during that period, and that it will be extremely dangerous for vessels to try to pass over the dam. As such, it will be critical to establish a robust enforcement presence along the river during that time frame to deter any commercial or recreational vessels from approaching the locks and dam. As part of our concern for boaters and commercial vessel safety, we are also aware that in this section of river the Aids to Navigation (ATON) are in need of the Coast Guard’s immediate attention, particularly those that are not drafting properly and need to be repositioned. We understand and appreciate that the Coast Guard has expressed a willingness to enforce a “safety zone” near the blast site during that 3-to-12-day window. We know that with the Coast Guard facing staffing and recruitment challenges, moving boats and Coast Guard members to the Monongahela River will require detailed planning and coordination to ensure adequate coverage in other parts of the Nation. We recognize these challenges and encourage the Coast Guard to continue productive conversations with USACE, Pittsburgh District, to assure the safety of the public as the Elizabeth Locks and Dam removal is initiated and proceeds to completion. Additionally, it is our understanding that the Coast Guard anticipates needing 11 Coast Guard members to provide proper enforcement of the safety zone, which it anticipates being able to cover with funding already appropriated. However, should the Coast Guard encounter any budgetary issues that prevent it from deploying members or performing work on the Monongahela River for this safety zone, please alert us and our staffs as soon as you are able. Thank you again for your assistance on this issue. Should you have any additional questions, comments, or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to us or our staffs. Sincerely, Robert P. Casey Jr United States Senator John Fetterman United States Senator Chris Deluzio Member of Congress ###

Share Tweet

June 26, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Brown Urge Biden Administration to Block U.S. Steel Acquisition, Protect Trade Enforcement and American Workers

In letter, the Senators express concern about how pending sale of U.S. Steel could threaten trade enforcement Senators advocate to protect domestic steel industry Since announcement of proposed sale, Senators have pressed Nippon for answers and advocated for workers Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) John Fetterman (D-PA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) raised the alarm that Nippon’s proposed purchase of U.S. Steel would destabilize America’s trade enforcement system—and in the process threaten American industry, workers, and national security. The Senators wrote, “Nippon’s acquisition of U.S. Steel poses a grave threat to the international trade system that seeks to protect American manufacturers and workers from those who would unfairly dump steel into the American market. Given the clear and present threats that a Nippon Steel acquisition poses to American workers and a critical industry, we believe executive action to block this deal is urgent.” In a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Casey, Fetterman, and Brown warn that Nippon Steel’s well-documented record of dumping steel products in the U.S. presents a clear conflict with our ability to continue to defend our domestic steel industry—and call on the Biden Administration to urgently block the deal. The Senators raised several concerns about the pending sale, including how Nippon could use U.S. Steel’s status as an American company to destabilize the trade enforcement system. The sale could not only impact domestic steel prices and cost Americans their jobs, but could potentially grant foreign steelmakers unprecedented and unchecked access to the U.S. market. Senators Casey, Fetterman, and Brown have raised concerns about Nippon Steel’s proposed purchase of U.S. Steel since it was announced. Citing national security concerns, the Senators immediately pressed the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to block the sale. Casey and Fetterman voiced their concern about how the acquisition may harm Pennsylvania workers and demanded Nippon to declare the company’s commitment to Pennsylvania. Casey and Fetterman also have pressed Nippon on their commitments to Pennsylvania workers and families who could be negatively impacted by the sale. The Senators also pushed the Biden Administration to oppose the acquisition, and applauded President Biden’s opposition of the sale. ###

Share Tweet

June 25, 2024

After Release of Final Norfolk Southern Derailment Report, Casey Pushes for Railway Safety Act, Lauds Final Rule to Protect Train Derailment First Responders

Senator Casey continues to push for passage of the Railway Safety Act Legislation would take action to prevent future, man-made rail disasters like Norfolk Southern’s 2023 derailment In July 2023, the Senator urged DOT to advance proposed rule Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHSMA) final rule to require railroads to proactively provide first responders with real-time, electronic information about rail hazmat shipments involving hazardous materials as soon as the railroad is aware that an accident or incident has occurred. After Senator Casey urged the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to advance the rule to protect first responders, the Biden Administration finalized the rule this week. In the wake of the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) final meeting in East Palestine, OH and the release of part of the agency’s forthcoming report on Norfolk Southern’s disaster, Senator Casey continues to push for the bipartisan Railway Safety Act to prevent future train disasters like the derailment that devastated Darlington Township, PA. “Norfolk Southern’s information-sharing failure placed Pennsylvania first responders in needless, irresponsible danger. This final rule is an important step to protect our first responders, but we need to pass legislation that protects our communities from train derailments.” said Senator Casey. “I will keep fighting for the Railway Safety Act for as long as it takes so we can ensure that no community suffers through the devastation Darlington experienced.” The final rule requires all railroads to generate, in hard copy and electronic versions, real-time train consist information for shipments containing hazardous materials as soon as an accident or incident has occurred. Required information includes the quantity and position of the hazardous materials on the train, the train’s origin and destination, emergency response information, and a designated emergency point of contact at the railroad. Since the Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster in February 2023, Senator Casey has consistently fought to support the first responders on the front lines of train derailments. Senator Casey introduced the Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act to support first responders on the front lines of hazardous train derailments. In July 2023, Casey urged DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg and PHSMA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown to support the rule. In addition to fighting for the safety of first responders, Senator Casey has repeatedly pushed to for legislation that would prevent man-made disasters like the Norfolk Southern train derailment from happening again. In March 2023, Casey introduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act. In addition to requiring advanced notification to emergency response officials about hazardous materials being transported, the Railway Safety Act includes several requirements to enhance overall railway safety, support communities impacted by rail disasters, and force rail carriers to face heightened fines for wrongdoing. Casey successfully included key provisions of his Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act in the Railway Safety Act. See Senator Casey’s full record on the Norfolk Southern derailment HERE Read more about the Railway Safety Act HERE ###

Share Tweet

June 24, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Announce $25 Million for rabbittransit Bus Depot in Harrisburg

Grant will construct a new bus transfer center and new maintenance and operations facility New center will include 16 bus berths, real-time passenger information, seating and weather protection, and more for passengers Funding comes from RAISE grants, thanks to the infrastructure law Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced $25 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for a new bus transfer center and new maintenance and operations facility in Harrisburg for rabbittransit. The funding comes from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity (RAISE) Grant, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). “Because of the infrastructure law, we are improving and modernizing public transportation across Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “I fought for this funding to better connect Capital region residents with resources and opportunities in their community and beyond. I’ll keep working to deliver funding to make the region more livable for all who call it home.” “Any day that we can announce more federal dollars heading to Pennsylvania is a good day,” said Senator Fetterman. “Countless Pennsylvanians rely on public transit to get to work and school– investing in it is critical. This funding will support the construction of a new bus facility to replace the current 120-year-old, outdated facility. I’m proud to have fought for this funding alongside Senator Casey that will ensure that SRTA can continue to provide good, reliable service to Capital region residents.” “This funding is a significant step forward in enhancing our transit infrastructure and improving mobility for residents throughout the Capitol region,” said Richard Farr, executive director of rabbittransit. “Rabbittransit extends its deepest gratitude to Senator Casey and Senator Fetterman for their unwavering support and commitment to our community. Their advocacy and dedication have been instrumental in securing this grant to replace the 120-year-old facility, which will enable us to provide more efficient, reliable, and sustainable transit services. This new facility will not only streamline our operations and maintenance, but will also serve as a vital hub for transit connections, benefiting countless commuters and residents. By improving our transit capabilities, we are fostering greater accessibility and convenience, which are essential for the growth and prosperity of our region. This project will construct a new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-compliant maintenance and operations transit facility for the Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority, better known as rabbittransit. The project will also construct a new transfer center that includes approximately 16 bus berths; ticket and pass sale booths; real-time passenger information; and canopies, seating, and weather protection for passengers. With this new funding, Senator Casey has now secured more than $40 million for rabbittransit through the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act. To see more federal investments Senator Casey has delivered to the Capital region and the Commonwealth, click here. ###

Share Tweet

June 24, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Announce $15 Million for Codorus Greenway in York

Grant will construct a mile of waterfront trail along Codorus Creek to create pedestrian and bike paths for residents and visitors Project also includes flood control infrastructure along the creek Funding comes from RAISE grants, thanks to the infrastructure law Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced $15 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to support the Codorus Greenway Project along Codorus Creek in York. The Codorus Greenway will be a waterfront trail along the creek for York residents and visitors. The funding comes from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity (RAISE) Grant, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). “When we passed the infrastructure law, I fought to ensure we were making our communities better places to live for Pennsylvanians,” said Senator Casey. “With the creation of the Codorus Greenway, York residents and visitors will be able to walk and bike along Codorus Creek in the heart of the city. This is a transformational project for the City of York that Pennsylvanians will be able to enjoy for generations to come.” “Any day that we can announce more federal dollars heading to Pennsylvania is a good day,” said Senator Fetterman. “President Biden’s infrastructure law, and the RAISE program in particular, was designed to invest in cities and towns with big ideas for how to make their community more livable. By developing pedestrian and bike paths along the Codorus Creek, the Codorus Greenway Project will transform the area, improve public access to the creek, and bring more economic opportunities to the people of York. I’m proud to have fought alongside Senator Casey for this funding.” “This award is a transformative investment in the Codorus Greenway, the largest green infrastructure project in York County's history. Through this award, we will return the waterfront to its natural park-like environs, providing public access through beautification of the city's primary natural resource,” said Kevin Schreiber, CEO of the York County Economic Alliance. These funds will also provide stormwater and sediment reduction supporting water quality goals for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and ultimately propel environmental and economic justice, multiple modes of pedestrian transportation, recreation, and an historic waterfront transformation that will have an exponential return on investment for our community and region.” This project will construct approximately one mile of waterfront trail as a part of the Codorus Greenway Project and includes upgrades to flood control infrastructure along Codorus Creek. The Codorus Greenway Project will provide a designated pedestrian and bike path that connects to the region’s mass transit through the York Transfer Center, job opportunities and essential services located in downtown York City, and to the York County Heritage Rail Trail which provides an accessible recreational amenity that spans 27 miles. ###

Share Tweet

June 24, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio announce $25 million for Sharpsburg infrastructure project

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) along with Representative Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) today announced a nearly $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to support the Borough of Sharpsburg’s “Reconnecting the Allegheny Riverfront to Economic Opportunity Project.” This significant investment is part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Discretionary Grant Program, which awarded a total of $90 million this year to transportation, transit, and trail projects in Pennsylvania. This grant will support construction of a multimodal transportation network critical to the future of Allegheny Shores, a 52-acre waterfront brownfield located five miles outside the City of Pittsburgh. The project includes the planning, design, and construction of a bridge over the Conemaugh rail line, roadways connecting the community to the riverfront district, multi-use trails along the river’s shoreline, and improvements to six bus stops along Main Street. With this infrastructure investment, Sharpsburg will be able to use this formerly blighted site for new development along the waterfront (including affordable and workforce housing), connect residents to walking, biking, and transit options, complete gaps in the regional trail network, and bring new jobs to the community. “This federal funding is a massive win for the people of Sharpsburg,” said Senator Fetterman. “This project will allow the community to turn a blighted former rail yard into an engine for economic revitalization, and the benefits will be felt for generations. Securing this level of funding for a smaller community like Sharpsburg is no small feat – I’m grateful to the Biden Administration, who in our conversations understood the need for these infrastructure investments so that communities like this have a fair shot at a new future. When I ran for this seat, I promised to fight for real results for forgotten communities all across Pennsylvania, just like Sharpsburg – this grant is proof that we’re doing just that.” “When we passed the infrastructure law, I fought to ensure we were making our communities better places to live for Pennsylvanians,” said Senator Casey. “By reconnecting Sharpsburg to the riverfront and expanding transportation options for residents, we are investing in the long-term economic growth of the borough and its residents. This is a transformational grant for the people of Sharpsburg and I will keep working to deliver funding for Southwestern Pennsylvania.” “I am so proud that we are delivering this $25 million dollar federal investment in Sharpsburg,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio. “This transformational investment can shape a community for generations to come, spurring growth and getting folks connected to the beautiful Allegheny River. I am thrilled to be a part of this historic moment and will always fight to bring home more investments like this one to Western Pennsylvania.” “This grant represents a monumental opportunity for our historic river town, with potential impacts that are truly unprecedented,” said Sharpsburg Borough Manager Christine DeRunk. “We deeply appreciate the unwavering support of our federal, state, and county officials, and the leadership and tireless advocacy of Senators Casey and Fetterman, and Congressman Deluzio. We cannot emphasize enough how much these funds will help transform our community andimprove quality of life, catalyze economic development, enhance recreation and promote environmental stewardship.” Sharpsburg, a small community along the northern bank of the Allegheny River, is home to approximately 3,500 residents. With a rich industrial history, including its role in the early days of the H.J. Heinz Company, Sharpsburg has experienced economic decline in recent decades. The Allegheny Shores brownfield, accounting for nearly 12% of the borough’s area, has remained blighted due to insufficient transportation infrastructure. The RAISE award will enable Sharpsburg to leverage economic development through an integrated multimodal transportation network, transforming the Allegheny Shores into a vibrant hub for alternative transportation, jobs, affordable housing, and greenways. This redevelopment promises lasting benefits for the Pittsburgh region and positions Sharpsburg for a brighter future.

Share Tweet

June 24, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Evans Announce $21 Million for Philadelphia Housing Authority’s Westpark Redevelopment

Grant to connect Westpark Redevelopment to park, SEPTA station Funding comes from RAISE grants, thanks to the infrastructure law Members have secured highly competitive RAISE grants for Philadelphia for four consecutive years—each year since infrastructure law passed Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) announced $21,395,555 from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA). The grant will support the creation of a new of street grid and pedestrian infrastructure to facilitate the redevelopment of the Westpark Apartments in West Philly. The funding comes from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity (RAISE) Grant, funded by the Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act (IIJA). “From visiting housing developments across Philadelphia, I’ve seen firsthand the transformational work PHA does to not only provide safe, affordable housing, but build vibrant communities,” said Senator Casey. “I fought for this funding to better connect Westpark residents with resources and opportunities in their community and beyond. I’ll keep working to deliver funding to make Philadelphia more livable for all who call the city home.” “Any day that we can announce more federal dollars heading to Pennsylvania is a good day,” said Senator Fetterman. “This RAISE grant will support the infrastructure needed to create the new Westpark housing development and connect the campus to transit and green space. This is a smart, thoughtful project that will greatly improve the lives of the people who will live at the redeveloped Westpark Apartments. It exemplifies that values of PHA and is a stellar example of the critical work they do. I’m proud to have fought alongside Senator Casey and Congressman Evans for this funding.” “This is great news for West Philadelphia and another way that the Biden Infrastructure and Jobs Act I voted for continues to deliver for Philadelphia and the region. I thank Senators Casey and Fetterman for their continued partnership as we work together to deliver for our shared constituents,” said Congressman Evans. “We at PHA are extremely grateful to Senator Casey, Senator Fetterman, Congressman Evans, and all our federal partners for this exciting news,” said PHA President and CEO Kelvin A. Jeremiah. “The grant marks a tremendous milestone in the redevelopment of Westpark. It will ensure that once the project is complete, residents will have ready access to SEPTA and to public parkland. Senator Casey, who advocated for this grant, proves once again that he is a true champion for expanding housing opportunities in Philadelphia and across the state. And I’m confident that Westpark will serve as a national model for a 21st century public housing and affordable housing development.” This project will construct an extension of the existing street grid in West Philadelphia in order to create new space for housing and connect the Westpark Apartments campus to SEPTA’s 46th Street station. It will support a new network of shared streets, sidewalks, and bike infrastructure that will create the roads necessary to integrate new, forthcoming housing more seamlessly into the neighborhood. 2024 marks the fourth consecutive year the Members of Congress have secured highly competitive RAISE grants for infrastructure projects in Philadelphia. Last year, SEPTA received $25 million to modernize trolleys and the City received the same amount for the North Philadelphia School Zone Traffic Safety Project. In 2022, the “Great Streets PHL” project was awarded $25 million to make safety improvements to high-crash corridors in historically disadvantaged communities and areas of persistent poverty. In 2021, shortly following passage of IIJA, SEPTA won $15 million to renovate the 19th and 37th Street Trolley Subway Stations and make them accessible for people with disabilities. To see more federal investments Senator Casey has delivered to Philadelphia and the Commonwealth, click here. ###

Share Tweet

June 21, 2024

Casey Announces Thousands of Bakers and Confectioners Pensions Saved by the American Rescue Plan

More than 6,700 Pennsylvania workers and retirees’ pensions will be protected Pension plan serves bakery and confectionery workers President Biden credited Casey’s work to protect pensions American Rescue Plan has saved the pensions of more than 52,000 workers and retirees in PA-based plans Hershey, PA – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined White House American Rescue Plan Coordinator Gene Sperling and Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) President Anthony Shelton and workers and retirees from BCTGM Locals 464 and 6 to announce that that the pensions of more than 6,700 Pennsylvania workers and retirees will be protected, thanks to the American Rescue Plan. Casey voted to pass the American Rescue Plan, which has saved the pensions of more than 52,000 Pennsylvanians to date. Without this fix, these workers and retirees would have faced steep 45 percent cuts in their pensions. The plan includes workers from Philadelphia, Hershey, Lancaster, and Muncy. “Millions of workers rely on the pensions they’ve earned, but before we passed the American Rescue Plan, too many retirees faced devastating cuts to their plans,” said Senator Casey. “I fought for this fix because I know how integral pensions are to the futures of thousands of Pennsylvania families, and how scary it was for those families to face the possibility of the rug being pulled out from underneath them. Now, more than 6,700 workers and retirees will have the peace of mind of knowing their hard-earned benefits are theirs to keep.” Prior to passage of the American Rescue Plan, the Bakery and Confectionery Union and Industry International Pension Fund was one of the largest financially distressed multiemployer pension plans in the nation. Workers in this plan include manufacturing, production, maintenance and sanitation workers in the baking, confectionery, tobacco, and grain milling industries. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) announced $3.2 billion in relief to BCTGM. This is the seventh Pennsylvania-based pension plan that has received relief; others include the Western Pennsylvania Teamsters and Employers Pension Fund, the Carpenters Industrial Council Eastern PA Pension Plan, the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia Pension Plan, IUE-CWA Pension Plan, and the National Integrated Group Pension Plan, which includes United Steelworkers and United Auto Workers. The funding comes from the PBGC’s Special Financial Assistance program, which was created by the American Rescue Plan. The American Rescue Plan passed the Senate by a vote of 50-49, and the House of Representatives by a vote of 220-211. No Republican Member of Congress voted in support of the law. ###

Share Tweet

June 21, 2024

Casey, Rubio to Panama: Stop Iran’s Illegal Oil Transport on Panamanian-flagged Ships

At senators’ urging, the Panama Maritime Authority opened investigation into “ghost fleet” transporting Iranian oil in violation of U.S. sanctions Since then, Panama has removed at least 32 vessels suspected of transporting Iranian oil Investigation enforces U.S.-imposed sanctions on Iranian oil; Iran funds terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas with oil revenue Now, senators are calling for greater transparency to help eradicate the ghost fleet across major shipping states Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) led a bipartisan group of their colleagues to urge the President of Panama to close a critical information-sharing gap in the country’s efforts to prevent Iran from transporting oil, in violation of U.S. sanctions, under the Panamanian flag. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Iranian oil in 2018 and 2019 to cut off a significant source of revenue it uses to fund terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas, cartel activity, nuclear proliferation, and other nefarious activity in the Middle East and the Western Hemisphere. At Casey and Rubio’s urging, the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) made progress by opening investigations earlier this year into all ships suspected of transporting Iranian oil and has since removed at least 32 vessels from its registry. “This additional step will help put a stop to Iran’s ghost fleet, which has allowed it to export hundreds of millions of barrels of Iranian oil in recent years and which ultimately funds the regime’s continued human rights violations, proxy forces, and nuclear proliferation program. Iran consistently works in opposition to peace, stability, democracy, and shared American values and interests across the Middle East,” the Senators wrote. Using open-source data, the nonprofit United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) identified 383 suspected “ghost fleet” vessels, including 189 Panamanian-flagged vessels (49% of all vessels) as of January 2024. Since Senators Casey and Rubio pushed Panama to investigate and de-flag vessels of concern based on UANI’s notifications, the AMP has removed more than 32 ships. Greater information-sharing from Panama about ships that requested their own cancellation would further help to reduce the number of vessels transporting Iranian oil, which would limit Iran’s revenue. Senator Rubio introduced and Senator Casey cosponsored the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act, which will impose sanctions on Iranian oil purchases, after passing as part of the recent national security supplemental package. In addition to Casey and Rubio, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Angus King (I-ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS). Read the full letter here or below: The Honorable Laurentino Cortizo Cohen President of the Republic of Panama Panama City, Panama Dear President Cortizo: We write to thank you for your continued response with regard to Iranian shipping sanctions and the Panama Maritime Authority’s ship registry—specifically, the Panama Maritime Authority’s (AMP) focus on vessels suspected of carrying Iranian oil. It is our understanding that you intend to increase transparency and international compliance across the shipping industry to help cut into Iran’s illicit revenues, laying the groundwork to better address similar situations in the future. We sincerely appreciate your work in combating Iran and view your efforts as a significant strengthening of the partnership that our countries have shared for many years. We understand that Panama, and other like-minded states, created the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) partly to prevent ships cancelled in one jurisdiction from easily registering in a different jurisdiction. We also have been made aware that ships requested to leave the AMP’s registry before the AMP had them officially cancelled. Therefore, we urge Panama and other RISC states to work toward addressing this information sharing gap by also sharing information about ships that requested their own cancellation. Although not determinative of these vessels’ guilt, such a move may merit additional vetting before another RISC member state chooses to allow such a ship to register under their own flag. This additional step will help put a stop to Iran’s ghost fleet, which has allowed it to export hundreds of millions of barrels of Iranian oil in recent years and which ultimately funds the regime’s continued human rights violations, proxy forces, and nuclear proliferation program. Iran consistently works in opposition to peace, stability, democracy, and shared American values and interests across the Middle East. We appreciate the Panamanian government’s commitment to safeguarding our region from the threat posed by Iran, including by working closely with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. It is our hope that we continue to communicate on these important matters and further strengthen our relationship. ###

Share Tweet

June 21, 2024

Casey Statement on Admin’s Proposed Rule to Screen U.S. National Security Investments in China

Proposed rule comes at urging of Senator Casey, lead sponsor of Outbound Investment Transparency Act Casey is leading voice in Congress to screen U.S. investments in national security sectors in countries like China Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the Department of Treasury releasing a proposed rule on U.S. investments in national security sectors that are made in countries of concern, including the People’s Republic of China. As a lead sponsor of the bipartisan Outbound Investment Transparency Act, Casey has been pushing for congressional and executive action so the U.S. can better understand the risks of allowing foreign competitors to gain access to technology and know-how in national security sectors. “This proposed rule is an important step to protect U.S. technology and expertise from falling into the hands of the Chinese Community Party. When we allow American companies to invest in sectors like AI and semiconductors in China, we’re putting our national security and our economic future at risk,” said Senator Casey. “The Administration’s proposed rule is a good start, but I will keep pushing to pass my bipartisan legislation to make permanent an outbound investment screening program.” Senator Casey is one of the leading voices in Congress on the risks posed by U.S. national security investments in China. Along with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), he first introduced outbound investment screening legislation, the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act, in May 2021. Senators Casey and Cornyn have been working to garner bipartisan and bicameral support for their bill. The bill passed as amendment to National Defense Authorization Act by vote of 91-6 in July 2023, but House Republican leadership ultimately dropped the Casey’s bill from the final NDAA legislation. Treasury’s proposed rule implements the President’s executive order, issued in August 2023, at Senator Casey’s urging. Senator Casey also secured funding in the FY23 federal spending bill for the Department of Commerce and the Department of the Treasury to implement this rule and establish an outbound investment screening program. The proposed rule would prohibit U.S. investments in sectors critical to national security, including artificial intelligence and certain quantum computing and semiconductor technologies. Additionally, the proposed rule requires notification of other U.S. investments that may contribute to national security.

Share Tweet

June 20, 2024

Casey Announces 2024 Pennsylvania Appointees to Service Academies

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that 21 Pennsylvania students have accepted appointments to the United States service academies. “For generations, our U.S. service academies have endowed cadets with the lessons and skills essential to a career in our Nation’s military,” said Senator Casey. “It was my honor to recommend these young Pennsylvanians who have distinguished themselves in their classrooms and their communities across our state. I have no doubt they will continue Pennsylvania’s extensive history of exceptional contributions to our Nation’s military.” The students were nominated by Senator Casey following an extensive application and interview process before the academies made the final selection for appointments. The academies, which include the U.S. Air Force, Merchant Marine, Military, and Naval Academies, offer qualified applicants a rare opportunity to obtain a first-rate college education, as well as the chance to serve our country as a commissioned officer in the United States Military. All nominees are selected on merit, with consideration given to character, leadership potential, extracurricular activities, and academic ability. The following Pennsylvania students have received appointments: Air Force Audrey Hart, Somerset County Elisha Rhoades, Erie County Katelyn Butsavage, Lehigh County Michael Ulery, Allegheny County Reva Kalbhor, Butler County Merchant Marine Jack Gibson, Montour County Julian Lopez, Lancaster County Lauren Enterline, Dauphin County Jayna McIntyre, Lackawanna County Military Cecelia Crowley, Butler County Heera Kalidindi, Bucks County Samuel Harvey, Warren County Hubert Dixon, Luzerne County Nicholas Jones, Allegheny County Naval Dylan Nauhaus, Allegheny County Gineva Reese, Lackawanna County Eric Clark, Centre County James Dougherty, Perry County Mary Matyasovsky, Lawrence County Samuel Magallanes, Lehigh County Sienna McMenamin, Montgomery County For additional information on Senator Casey’s service academy nomination process, please visit his website at casey.senate.gov. ###

Share Tweet

June 20, 2024

Casey, Mullin Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Spur Development of New Drugs to Treat Rare Childhood Diseases

Legislation would extend key FDA program that incentivizes development of new treatments for rare pediatric conditions including cancers Casey pushed for program’s creation in 2012, has reauthorized it in the years since Since 2012, the program has awarded 53 vouchers for 39 rare pediatric diseases that have led to innovations benefitting over 200,000 patients Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children and Families, and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), member of the Subcommittee, introduced the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act to ensure that pharmaceutical companies continue to develop drugs to treat rare diseases affecting children, including types of cancer. The bipartisan legislation would extend the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher (PRV) program, which incentivizes drugmakers to create these novel treatments by bringing them on the market on an expedited timeline. “Too many children suffer from rare diseases with few treatment options,” said Senator Casey. “Our bipartisan bill will keep this critical voucher program going so drug companies don’t stop innovating new treatments to help sick kids. This is an investment in finding treatments and cures for rare diseases so that children get the care they need.” “Over the past decade, the Rare Pediatric Disease (RPD) Priority Review Voucher (PRV) program has successfully helped incentivize and expedite the development of new treatments and cures for young children with rare conditions including pediatric cancer and rare genetic disorders,” said Senator Mullin. “Our commonsense bill will reauthorize and extend the PRV to provide greater stability and fuel innovation to benefit a far greater number of pediatric patients living with rare diseases. One in ten Americans are living with a rare disease, but less than 10 percent of all rare diseases have an approved treatment option. It is important we do all we can to improve access to innovative health care options — especially for children. Thank you to Sen. Casey for joining me on this important legislation.” The PRV program has been a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of children living with rare medical conditions. Since Senator Casey pushed for its creation in 2012, this program has awarded 53 vouchers for 39 rare pediatric diseases that have led to innovations benefitting over 200,000 patients. 36 of those rare diseases had no previously approved therapies on the market at the time of approval. The Creating Hope Reauthorization Act would extend the PRV program through September 30, 2030, a longer period than previous reauthorizations. This will provide greater stability to innovators, encourage investment, and spur innovation in rare and neglected diseases that disproportionately impact children. In addition to Casey and Mullin, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Susan Collins (R-ME). This legislation is endorsed by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases, Haystack Project, Kids v Cancer, Life Sciences Pennsylvania, National Organization for Rare Disorders, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, and the Rare Disease Company Coalition. Read more about the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act here. ###

Share Tweet

June 18, 2024

Casey Demands Major Assisted Living Facility Referral Service ‘A Place for Mom’ Address Concerns About Deceptive Marketing Practices

In letter, Casey raises concerns that A Place for Mom, which markets itself as an unbiased and no-cost referral service for assisted living facilities, is misleading older adults and their families Casey points to evidence that company’s recommendations are not objective, not safe, and not truly free Casey pushes company for more information so families can better understand what A Place for Mom’s recommendations mean Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, sent a letter pushing one of the Nation’s largest assisted living referral services to disclose more information about its potentially deceptive business practices that are putting older adults and their families at risk. Casey sent the letter to A Place for Mom, which is misleading older adults and their families by claiming that it is an unbiased and no-cost recommendation and referral service for people in search of assisted living facilities. In the letter, Casey references company materials and recent reporting showing that the company’s recommendations are not objective, not safe, and not truly free. “Rather than offering an unbiased assessment of the best options out of the full set of facilities older adults and their families are choosing from, A Place for Mom only refers to facilities that pay the company a commission. Additionally, recent reporting suggests that some of A Place for Mom’s top-rated facilities actually have records of substandard or dangerous care and that the company may overstate the degree to which its services save families money,” wrote Chairman Casey (D-PA). “I therefore ask A Place for Mom to provide documents and responses regarding the company’s advertising and business practices, so families can have a better understanding of what the company’s recommendations mean while trying to make decisions about assisted living for themselves and their loved ones.” While A Place for Mom markets itself as unbiased and free referral service for anyone exploring assisted living options, these claims are undermined by the company’s own materials, as well as advice from former company employees and recent reporting. The company’s own materials show that the listings families are shown are limited to facilities from which it receives a commission, leaving out more than half of available assisted living options Nationwide. Recent reporting also shows that facilities that were top rated by the company have been cited for neglect or substandard care in the last two years. The letter to A Place for Mom is just the latest step Chairman Casey has taken to expose the troubling conditions across the American assisted living landscape. In January, Casey sent letters to the three largest corporate owners of assisted living facilities, demanding the companies address significant concerns about workforce shortages and expensive and inadequate care in their facilities. He also held an Aging Committee hearing entitled “Assisted Living Facilities: Understanding Long-Term Care Options for Older Adults,” where he heard from patient advocates and experts about the conditions in American assisted living facilities, and issued a public call for families to share their experiences navigating the assisted living landscape with the Aging Committee. Read the full letter HERE or below: June 17, 2024 Ms. Tatyana Zlotsky Chief Executive Officer A Place for Mom 530 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10036 Dear Ms. Zlotsky: I write to better understand A Place for Mom’s services and its role in advising older adults and their families around placement in assisted living facilities. A Place for Mom markets itself as an unbiased and no cost referral service for families in search of assisted living facilities, claiming its “interests are aligned to provide the best outcome for your family.” In reality, A Place for Mom’s own marketing and materials, as well as recent reporting, contradict the company’s claims. Rather than offering an unbiased assessment of the best options out of the full set of facilities older adults and their families are choosing from, A Place for Mom only refers to facilities that pay the company a commission. Additionally, recent reporting suggests that some of A Place for Mom’s top-rated facilities actually have records of substandard or dangerous care and that the company may overstate the degree to which its services save families money. I therefore ask A Place for Mom to provide documents and responses regarding the company’s advertising and business practices, so families can have a better understanding of what the company’s recommendations mean while trying to make decisions about assisted living for themselves and their loved ones. A Place for Mom’s claims that it is unbiased are undermined by its own materials, as well as expert advice from former company employees, given that the listings families are shown by A Place for Mom are limited to facilities from which it receives a commission. Families seeking information from A Place for Mom see offerings from less than half of available options nationwide. According to its homepage, A Place for Mom’s network includes approximately 14,000 facilities; there are approximately 30,600 total facilities in the country. Additionally, the company’s Terms of Use further notes that it maintains relationships with “contracted communities,” also dubbed “Participating Communities,” and shares information with interested families only about those facilities. As the former Chief Marketing Officer for A Place for Mom recently cautioned, “Many advisors online and in your local community are very knowledgeable about provider options—but only those they contract with. As a business, they naturally only present or recommend senior living communities that agree to pay them a commission.” He further added that referral services, like A Place for Mom, may refer to facilities that confer the greater financial benefit to A Place for Mom. Families searching for facilities on A Place for Mom do not see information about the financial relationship between A Place for Mom and a facility, including how much an individual facility has paid A Place for Mom. As such, families may not understand the extent to which a Place for Mom’s referrals are potentially influenced by the amount paid by a facility. It is therefore false and misleading for A Place for Mom to suggest a lack of bias among the options listed on its website. A Place for Mom’s claims to be a free service for families similarly ignores a central component of the company’s business model. According to A Place for Mom’s website, upon move-in to a facility, “the community only pays for first month’s rent and care” to A Place for Mom. In reality, facilities pass those costs along to residents and their families who pay significant fees for assisted living. Nationwide data showed the median single month’s rent in an assisted living facility is $5,350, but costs can be much higher. Brookdale, the largest assisted living facility operator, operates facilities with monthly fees over $16,000 per month. And assisted living costs have increased nearly 20 percent. The former A Place for Mom Chief Marketing Officer noted: Many senior referral agencies are well-funded, privately held organizations. As these for-profit services gain greater market share and pricing power – often through aggressive online marketing practices – they raise commission costs. Those higher costs are ultimately passed on to consumers down the line as [monthly rent and care] costs continually increase. Further, A Place for Mom encourages families to spend above their initial budgets. In a blog post, an A Place for Mom employee wrote, “We have found that a senior’s initial budget does not always disclose the full amount that the family is willing and able to pay to move their loved one into their new home.” According to A Place for Mom data, nearly 40 percent of assisted living referrals paid above the upper limit of the budget range of families, with that figure rising to 55 percent for memory care referrals. A Place for Mom touted these data in a FAQ for facilities questioning why A Place for Mom referred families with budgets lower than individual facility’s rent, responding that “38% of the time families who moved to assisted living paid on average $987/month over the upper limit of their budget range.” It is clear A Place for Mom is upselling families, and the company ultimately benefits from families spending beyond their means. By their own admission, A Place for Mom endeavors to avoid referring any families seeking Medicaid coverage for assisted living costs. In response to a FAQ about placement of Medicaid recipients, A Place for Mom writes, “[Senior Living Advisors] do their best to ensure that no federally funded family is referred to your community.” Almost 20 percent of assist living residents across 46 states receive Medicaid assistance for some daily services. In declining to serve this population, A Place for Mom is again contradicting its own promises. A Place for Mom’s ownership by some of the largest private equity firms underscores its own profit seeking motives. Over the last several decades, private equity has increasingly invested in the broader senior living landscape, with a focus on short-term profits at the expense of long-term support for older adults and workers. From 2010 to 2017, A Place for Mom was owned by Warburg Pincus, recently ranked the tenth largest private equity firm in the world. At the time, Warburg Pincus was also invested in assisted living facilities that it ultimately sold for a $450 million profit. In 2017, Warburg Pincus sold A Place for Mom to Silver Lake and General Atlantic, both among the largest global private equity firms. Starting in 2019, A Place for Mom undertook a two year “reinvention”, with plans to secure substantial new investments; the company raised $175 million by 2022. Finally, A Place for Mom also has a record of placing referred residents in jeopardy. A recent investigation revealed that facilities that received A Place for Mom’s “Best of Senior Living” awards had been cited for neglect or substandard care in the last two years. Reports dating to 2010 also raised concerns about the danger of referral services, including A Place for Mom, recommending substandard facilities. A Place for Mom attempts to avoid responsibility, noting in its Terms of Use that it does “not vouch for the accuracy or completeness of any of the information posted by and/or for the Participating Community on the Sites, and do not take any responsibility or assume any liability for any actions you may take as a result of reading the information posted by and/or for the Participating Community on the Sites.” My purpose for this letter is to clarify how A Place for Mom operates and the accuracy of the information and marketing it shares with families that are looking for support during times of great stress. I therefore ask that A Place for Mom provide the following information and documents no later than July 11, 2024: Please provide the following information regarding A Place for Mom’s revenue and referrals: A Place for Mom’s total revenue for each of the last three years; The 100 facilities from which A Place for Mom received the highest revenue across the last three years; and The 100 facilities to which A Place for Mom referred the most potential residents across the last three years. Please provide a sample contract and/or partnership agreement between A Place for Mom and a potential participating community. Please ensure the sample document details fee structures, terms of the agreement, and mechanism to terminate the agreement. Please provide the following information regarding A Place for Mom’s referrals and fees: The minimum and maximum first month fees received from facilities by A Place for Mom during 2023 by state; The mean first month fee received from facilities by A Place for Mom during 2023 by state; The total number of move-in fees paid to A Place for Mom in 2023. Please provide information on the training required of A Place for Mom’s Senior Living Advisors regarding decision-making around long-term care, financial education, and familiarity with regional assisted living facilities (including conducting their own facility tours). Please provide information on the process by which A Place for Mom reviews licensing, inspection, audit, complaint, and other safety and regulatory data of facilities prior to listing a facility on its website, as well as the frequency with which A Place for Mom reviews such data for listed offerings. If A Place for Mom identifies significant safety violations for a listed facility to which it has referred families, does A Place for Mom notify those families? Thank you for your attention to this inquiry. If you or your staff has questions, please contact the Aging Committee Majority Staff at 202-224-5364. Sincerely, Bob Casey Chairman Senate Special Committee on Aging ###

Share Tweet

June 14, 2024

Casey to Biden Administration: Help PA Energy Communities Access Bonus Tax Credit

Casey secured tax credits in Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy investments made in “energy communities,” places with economies dependent on coal, oil, or natural gas Casey pushes Administration to fix loophole could exclude many former fossil fuel sites from clean energy development bonus tax credit Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) urged U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to clarify guidance for clean energy bonus tax credit to ensure that all of Pennsylvania energy communities rightfully benefit from the bonus tax credit. Senator Casey fought to include this bonus credit in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), to encourage clean energy deployment and manufacturing in “energy communities,” areas whose economies and jobs are or were dependent on the coal, oil or natural gas energy sectors. At present, unclear guidance from the Department of Treasury about bonus tax credit eligibility effectively excludes certain energy communities. Casey’s letter urged the Departments to issue clarified and more inclusive guidance so that Pennsylvania’s numerous energy communities can stand to benefit from the investment and jobs this credit will bring. “If Treasury does not issue these clarifications, our economy risks missing out on potential investments and job creation in the communities that need it the most and out climate stands to miss out on clean energy development. Energy communities in my home state of Pennsylvania have powered our Nation for generations. Issuing clarifications will enable them to continue this legacy,” wrote Senator Casey. Clarifying guidance for bonus tax credit eligibility to not unintentionally exclude former fossil fuel energy plants will allow the bonus tax credit to be allocated according to the bill’s original intent. As fossil fuel sites continue to retire and become optimal sites for clean energy redevelopment, clarifying bonus tax credit guidance will the increase opportunities for energy communities’ economies to be supported by clean energy investments. Casey has consistently fought for new federal initiatives to support economic revitalization and workforce development for Pennsylvania energy communities and workers. In 2021, Casey worked to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring billions of dollars to Pennsylvania to build out clean energy infrastructure, improve roads and bridges, expand high-speed internet access, and more, all while creating good-paying jobs. Passed in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act also made major investments in new energy manufacturing, including solar panels, wind turbines, and clean battery systems. Casey fought to include strict domestic content standards to ensure projects use 100 percent American-made steel and iron. Notably, this is not the first time Senator Casey has called on the Treasury Department to put out guidance prioritizing American workers and manufacturing. In March 2023, Casey urged the Treasury Department to swiftly implement guidance for clean energy tax credits in the IRA that incentivize companies to use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods when building new energy projects. Following his advocacy, the Treasury Department issued guidance regarding these tax credits. In June 2023, Senator Casey delivered a rousing speech to union workers and business leaders in Pittsburgh to outline his vision for the United States to take control of its economic future by investing in American workers and manufacturing, as well as stopping investments in national security sectors from going to countries of concern, including China. In July, the Senate overwhelmingly passed Senator Casey’s legislation to screen American investments in foreign countries of concern, like China, by a vote of 91-6. Building on Casey’s efforts, the Biden Administration issued an executive order addressing the issue weeks later. In October 2023, Casey announced the launch of the two hydrogen hubs, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2), based in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. These hubs will bring jobs, economic growth, and energy innovation to the Mid-Atlantic and the Appalachian Basin. Additionally, Casey announced The Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG) Rapid Response Team. This team will assist Pennsylvania organizations, businesses, and local governments in coordinating federal resources they need to position the Commonwealth as a national leader in next-generation energy and train workers. A 2023 report shows that, since the passage of the IRA, energy communities are leading the Nation in new clean energy investment. A full map of areas in Pennsylvania that may be eligible for the Energy Communities Bonus Credit can be found here. Full text of the letter is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE Dear Secretary Yellen and Secretary Granholm: I write to you today regarding the implementation of key tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to ensure that forthcoming guidance supports the communities and workers that have powered our Nation. Congress intended the energy communities bonus credit for the clean energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Production Tax Credit (PTC) to give private clean energy developers an incentive to locate their new clean energy investments in energy communities and at former fossil fuel energy sites. So called “brownfield sites” that were formerly dedicated to fossil fuel production or power generation and which may require remediation are ideal sites for new renewable energy projects, such as wind, solar, and battery storage, because of their pre-existing connections to the power grid and existing workforce and infrastructure. However, I am concerned that the guidance Treasury is adopting will result in some former natural gas plants sites not qualifying for the energy communities bonus as intended. As one of the primary authors of the energy communities bonus tax credit, it was my and the Finance Committee’s intention to allow former fossil fuel power generation sites to be redeveloped using the energy communities bonus credit as an incentive. However, as currently proposed, the rule would prevent this. The Inflation Reduction Act relies on the definition of a brownfield under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA; 42 U.S.C. § 9601(39)) to provide categorical eligibility for energy community bonus credits. However, in its rule interpreting the IRA energy community credits, Treasury provides for some exemptions to this eligibility in order to prevent bad actors and polluters from accessing federal tax dollars, just as the exemptions function under CERCLA. While I agree that it is appropriate to prevent bad actors from accessing federal tax dollars, I believe there may be some situations where clean energy developers not party to site contamination and who are committed to purchasing and remediating a site should be eligible to access energy communities credit. Developers considering site acquisition and development need clarity from Treasury prior to site acquisition that they will be able to access energy communities bonus credits once the required remediation work is approved. Situations such as this provide a double benefit by first undertaking environmental cleanup and subsequently investing in the community and I ask that Treasury provide guidance clarifying their eligibility in this regard and under such circumstances. The Environmental Protection Agency has issued guidance with similar nuances that may help inform IRS guidance. In addition, the Treasury Department should consider the impacts of the exclusions and how they interact with a site’s brownfield designation. For example, EPA has recognized that the breadth of the exclusory language may result in unintended ineligibility of certain sites that should be eligible for brownfield funding and has interpreted the language to allow for such eligibility, particularly with respect to certain sites permitted under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, and the Clean Water Act. Virtually all operating natural gas power generation facilities have permits under the aforementioned laws to enable their operations. Yet, by cross-referencing CERCLA exemptions, Treasury potentially excludes otherwise eligible sites from the brownfield designation. Where environmental remediation and development are possible, Treasury should ensure eligible brownfields are not excluded based on their permitting needs under the aforementioned laws. According to the Energy Information Administration, coal and natural gas plants account for 98 percent of the 15.6 gigawatts of U.S. electricity capacity retirements in 2023. This leaves a sizable gap in our energy-generation capacity and a hole in the economies that depended on these plants for jobs and tax revenue. The energy communities bonus credit is the mechanism by which we may fill these gaps with good-paying, clean energy jobs. To that end, I urge the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to issue guidance allowing developers and operators committed to brownfield site remediation and development and those seeking to redevelop retired and retiring natural gas power plants to access IRA energy community bonus credits. If Treasury does not issue these clarifications, our economy risks missing out on potential investments and job creation in the communities that need it the most and our climate stands to miss out on clean energy development. Energy communities in my home state of Pennsylvania have powered our Nation for generations. Issuing clarifications will enable them to continue this legacy. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to working with you to meet our climate goals while protecting and supporting the workers and communities that powered our Nation through industrialization. ###

Share Tweet

June 13, 2024

Casey, Schmitt Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Savings Accounts for People with Disabilities

Casey created the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program in 2014 to allow people with disabilities to save money without losing eligibility for critical federal programs Three ABLE provisions that make the program more accessible and expansive are set to expire in 2025 The bipartisan ENABLE Act would enshrine those provisions in law permanently Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) introduced the Ensuring Nationwide Access to a Better Life Experience (ENABLE) Act, to extend three key provisions of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program. ABLE, created by Senator Casey in 2014, allows people with disabilities and their families to save and invest through tax-free savings accounts without losing eligibility for federal programs like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Three provisions that make the program accessible to more people with disabilities and make it easier for those in the program to save are set to expire in 2025. The bipartisan ENABLE Act would enshrine these provisions into law permanently. “For years, people with disabilities were barred from saving for the future, meaning they couldn’t save for a home, purchase needed assistive technology, or save for an accessible car. I worked to create the ABLE program to knock down those barriers, and ever since I’ve been working across the aisle to make sure the program is as effective as it can be,” said Chairman Casey. “I’m grateful to have worked with Senator Schmitt on this new bipartisan bill, which will prevent some key ABLE provisions from expiring and ensure that as many people with disabilities as possible across the country can continue to benefit from opening ABLE accounts.” "My son, Stephen, was my inspiration to run for office in the first place, and since that first day, I have been a staunch advocate for standing up and making life better for those with disabilities,” said Senator Schmitt. “The ENABLE Act is a fantastic bipartisan opportunity to protect access to federal programs for those with disabilities while safeguarding their ability to invest and save. I’m grateful for the support of Senators Casey, Boozman, Welch, Kaine, Van Hollen, Tuberville, and Klobuchar, and look forward to pushing this bill across the finish line.” People with disabilities are more than twice as likely to live in poverty compared to people without disabilities, yet households including a person with a work-limiting disability need, on average, 28 percent more income to obtain the same standard of living as people without disabilities. For a long time, this intersection of disability and poverty was made worse by asset limitations for federal assistance programs that many people with disabilities rely on. Senator Casey created the ABLE program to provide a work around for this problem for more than 162,000 people with disabilities across the United States, who have saved more than $1.74 billion since the program was created. Three key ABLE provisions are set to expire in 2025: ABLE to Work: An individual with a disability who is employed can contribute an additional amount to his or her ABLE account. This additional contribution cannot be greater than either: the prior year’s federal poverty level for a one-person household ($15,060 in 2024), or the beneficiary’s yearly compensation. ABLE Saver’s Credit: An individual with a disability who makes qualified contributions to their ABLE account can qualify for a nonrefundable saver’s credit of up to $1,000. 529 to ABLE rollover: An individual with a disability may rollover from a 529 education savings account to an ABLE account funds that are less than or equal to the annual ABLE contribution limit are not subject to income taxation. The ENABLE Act would make all three provisions permanent, enshrining expanded access to the ABLE program. The bipartisan bill was co-sponsored by Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK). As the lead sponsor of the ABLE Act, passed in 2014, Senator Casey has long been a champion of ABLE accounts. He introduced the ABLE Age Adjustment Act to extend the eligibility of ABLE accounts from those who acquired their disability before the age of 26 to the age of 46. At an Aging Committee field hearing in August 2022, Senator Casey uplifted the success of the ABLE program and pushed for his bill to expand the program to 6.2 million additional Americans, including more than one million veterans. Senator Casey’s bill passed in December 2022 and takes effect in 2026. ###

Share Tweet

June 12, 2024

Casey Urges DOT and FAA to Swiftly Implement Bipartisan Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act, Calls on Administration to Act on Legislation that Prevents Airplane Hijacking

Casey passed bill named after Bucks County pilot last month Casey calls for swift implementation of FAA ruling to implement Saracini Enhanced Aviation Act guidance Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) urged U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Whitaker to swiftly implement the bipartisan, bicameral Saracini Enhanced Aviation Act, which was signed into law as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act. “Over two decades have passed since September 11th, 2001, and nearly thirteen years since the policy requiring secondary cockpit barriers was introduced in Congress,” said Casey and Fitzpatrick. “The families of 9/11 victims have waited far too long for their government to act on requiring these lifesaving barriers. Alongside the indomitable Ellen Saracini, we have fought tirelessly to safeguard our skies and ensure the horrific events of 9/11 are never able to happen again. While we celebrate the monumental achievement of the Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act finally being signed into law, our resolve to secure its swift and effective implementation remains unwavering. The time to act is now; we cannot afford any further delay.” "I applaud Representative Fitzpatrick and Senator Casey for their efforts to ensure families like my own, directly affected by the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, have a seat at the table where recommendations for a rule on the installation of secondary cockpit barriers will be made,” said Ellen Saracini, widow of Captain Victor Saracini of United Flight 175. “Our voices deserve to be heard and the FAA Administrator now has the authority to guarantee that we are not left out of the decision-making process. I hope that Administrator Whitaker heeds this call from our bipartisan champions in Congress to keep those impacted the most by 9/11 at the forefront of this rulemaking process.” For years, Senator Casey has led the Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act to mandate installation of secondary barriers between cabin and cockpit on all major commercial passenger planes in the United States, not only new ones. Senator Casey secured a provision in the FAA legislation in 2018 to mandate secondary barriers in new planes. However, objections from the aviation industry prevented retrofitting planes already in service with secondary barriers. The bill passed in May finishes the job, and now requires a retrofit of older planes with secondary barriers to protect the pilots from hijackers. Data shows that secondary barriers significantly decrease the threat of hijackings. This pivotal bipartisan, bicameral legislation was signed into law by President Biden on May 16th, 2024, as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. Read the full text of the letter here. ###

Share Tweet

June 12, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Introduce Legislation to Combat Student Hunger, Expand Access to Free or Reduced-Price School Meals

Bills would address child food insecurity by expanding access to free or reduced-price school meals Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced two bills that would expand access to free or reduced-price meals for millions of American children. When children experience food insecurity, they face unique barriers that affect their ability to do well in school. The bills expand criteria for individual students to receive free or reduced-price school meals, lower the threshold required for districts to offer free school meals for all students, and increase reimbursements for schools to cover meal costs without compromising students’ access to meals. “Children should be able to focus on learning without worrying about where their next meal is going to come from. Senator Fetterman and I are introducing these bills to fight for the 13 million children in our Nation who lack consistent access to food,” said Senator Casey. “I will keep pushing to ensure that all children have enough to eat.” “Ensuring that our children have enough to eat is one of the most fundamental responsibilities we have,” said Senator Fetterman. “It’s simply unacceptable that children in our nation suffer from food insecurity because of excessive red tape and petty political games in Washington. We must do more to cut through bureaucratic hurdles and improve our nutrition programs. Both of these bills would go a long way to create a healthier, more equitable future for all of our children. I’m proud to partner with Senator Casey on this critical issue.” The School Hunger Elimination Act would expand student access to free or reduced-price school meals on both the individual and district levels. Direct certification—a process used to identify and enroll students in free or reduced-price meal programs—would expand so that a broader number of students could qualify. The bill would also work on a district level by amending the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)—a tool that allows schools in high-need communities to provide free school meals to all students. For a district to qualify for CEP, a certain percentage of the student population must be individually eligible for direct certification. The bill would also require that districts that adopt CEPs be reimbursed at a higher rate to help schools cover the costs of free meals. The Nutrition Red Tape Reduction Act would reduce the threshold for districts to qualify for CEP from 50% of student participation in the district to 25%. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ruled to expand the CEP to 25% in 2023. This bill would put the USDA’s ruling into law and increase the number of schools who are eligible to provide free meals to all students. Both bills work together to address the critical child hunger issue by expanding access to free or reduced-price meals while also providing districts with sufficient reimbursement to cover costs of providing more meals at a reduced rate. Read more about the School Hunger Elimination Act here Read more about the Nutrition Red Tape Reduction Act here ###

Share Tweet

June 7, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Host Tree of Life Exhibit in Congress to Honor Memories of Synagogue Victims, Educate Against Antisemitism

Tree of Life to become living memorial to lives lost to antisemitism Casey secured $1 million in community project funding to help Tree of Life develop an educational hub to combat antisemitism Casey and Fetterman’s bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act passed the House of Representatives, awaits Senate vote Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) hosted the exhibit, REMEMBER REBUILD RENEW: LIGHTING THE PATH FORWARD, in the Russell Senate Office Building Rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The exhibit honored the 11 lives lost during the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue—the deadliest antisemitic attack in the history of the United States. The exhibit also depicted the community’s response to the tragedy and presented the next phase of the congregation’s story. REMEMBER REBUILD RENEW: LIGHTING THE PATH FORWARD featured artifacts from the synagogue, on display for the first time, as well as educational posters about the legacy of antisemitism in America. “With reports of antisemitism at an all time high in this country, this exhibit serves as an important reminder that the dark, cold evil of antisemitism is no match for the bright light of education that inspires compassionate communities,” said Senator Casey. “We must always honor the memories of the 11 worshipers who lost their lives six years ago: Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younger. Antisemitism is not a Jewish problem; it is an American problem, and I will keep fighting until we root it out. “In the aftermath of the horrific and hateful act of violence in 2018, it’s incumbent on all of us to stand together, vocally and across party lines, to declare that antisemitism has no place in our country or beyond. Today’s political climate sadly underscores that need. I want to commend The Tree of Life congregation and community at large for their tireless work on the path to recovery. It is an honor to help them share their story here in the Senate,” said Senator Fetterman. In the wake of the 2018 tragedy, Tree of Life has pledged to be a leader in the national fight against antisemitism. Both Senators Casey and Fetterman have worked tirelessly with Tree of life to advance its mission of eliminating antisemitism through remembrance and education. Tree of Life is collaborating with diverse partners to preserve its historic Pittsburgh synagogue while also establishing a memorial to commemorate the lives of the 11 worshipers killed in the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, constructing an education hub that shares the history of antisemitism and its manifestations in the United States, and developing national educational programs to fight hatred in all its forms. See Senator Casey’s full record with Tree of Life and on combatting antisemitism HERE. ###

Share Tweet

June 6, 2024

Casey, Cárdenas Introduce Legislation to Limit Youth Incarceration for Minor, Non-Criminal Offenses

Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29) introduced the Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act to keep more children out of detention facilities when they commit minor offenses. Every year, thousands of kids are incarcerated for “status offenses”—acts would not even be considered crimes if they were committed by an adult—like truancy, breaking curfew, or running away from home. This incarceration is allowed through the use of the “valid court order” (VCO) exception. The Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act would phase out and then prohibit the use of the VCO exception to prevent states from detaining youth for status offenses in favor of responses that better support youth. “Far too many children are locked up every year for minor offenses like skipping school and running away from home. Putting our kids behind bars for these actions does nothing but introduce them to the very thing we want to steer them away from: the criminal justice system,” said Senator Casey. “With this legislation, we can change the trajectories of young lives, create safer communities, and better support young people going through a difficult time.” “Growing up in Pacoima, I’ve seen firsthand how overincarceration and unnecessary confinement have wrecked the lives of young people” said Congressman Cárdenas. “That's why I am proud to partner with Senator Casey to introduce the Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act, which would prohibit states from detaining young people for acts that, if they were an adult, would not be considered crimes. These cases disproportionately impact our nation's youth of color, who deserve equal opportunity to thrive. We must always strive to better support our youth by uplifting them – and not treat them like criminals.” In 1980, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act was amended to allow judges to issue detention orders in status offense cases if the offense violated a valid court order from the judge. Since this amendment, the VCO exception has been used to institutionalize thousands of children each year. This exception has had a disproportionate impact on young people of color, who comprise a higher rate of petitioned status offenses case relative to their population size. Senator Casey and Congressman Cárdenas have been long-time champions of closing the VCO loophole, and were able to secure provisions in the 2018 juvenile justice reauthorization that, among other things, limited the time that a status offender could be held in a secure facility to only seven days. The Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act would finally close this loophole for good and work to reverse the impact this exception has inflicted. Further, this bill would help root out some of the conditions that led to the “Kids for Cash” scandal in Pennsylvania. In addition to being co-sponsored by Senator Casey and Congressman Cárdenas, the bill is endorsed by Act4JJ, Association for Children’s Residential & Community Services (ACRC), Coalition for Juvenile Justice, and Juvenile Law Center. Learn more about the Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act here. ###

Share Tweet

June 5, 2024

Casey Statement on Failed Right to Contraception Act Vote

Casey: “Once again, Republican politicians are showing that they are too extreme and cannot be trusted when it comes to women’s reproductive health.” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the failed Senate vote on the Right to Contraception Act. Following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, several states have restricted access to some forms of contraception. The Right to Contraception Act would protect and guarantee the right for people to obtain and use contraception nationwide. “Since the fall of Roe, women’s reproductive rights have been under attack, including access to contraception and IVF. The need for this bill is not hypothetical. Women around the Nation deserve to know that their right to access birth control cannot be ripped away by the whims of state legislators. Once again, Republican politicians are showing that they are too extreme and cannot be trusted when it comes to women’s reproductive health.”

Share Tweet

June 5, 2024

Casey Bipartisan Resolution Calling for the Release of PA Teacher Wrongfully Detained in Russia Passes Senate

Marc Fogel, a Pennsylvania resident, was given a disproportionate 14-year sentence in Russia despite low-level offense Resolution pushes Biden Administration to press for Fogel’s release Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded the Senate’s passage of a bipartisan concurrent resolution calling for the immediate release of Marc Fogel. Fogel, a Butler County native and Allegheny County resident, is a U.S. citizen and career educator who has been imprisoned by Russia since August 2021 for carrying less than an ounce of medical marijuana, which was legally prescribed to him in Pennsylvania to treat severe medical conditions. The resolution urges the Biden Administration to prioritize securing the release of Mr. Fogel and all other U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are wrongfully detained by Russia. Casey introduced the resolution last July alongside U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Chris Coons (D-DE). “Marc Fogel has devoted his life to educating students around the world, from Pittsburgh to Oman to Venezuela to Moscow,” said Senator Casey. “After nearly three years of captivity, Marc’s health is rapidly declining and his life is in danger. I urge President Biden and his administration to do everything possible to bring Marc home.” “The passage of this resolution sends a very clear message: it’s time to bring Marc Fogel home,” said Senator Fetterman. “Anyone who knows Marc—his family, friends, and students—will tell you about his infectious positivity and the countless lives he has changed in his 35 years of teaching. Marc and his family deserve to see each other again. We’ve seen the incredible work of the Biden Administration in bringing Brittney Griner and Trevor Reed home. Now let’s bring Marc home.” “Marc Fogel’s imprisonment is unjust and unacceptable, and it has continued for far too long,” said Senator Tester. “I’m glad to see our bipartisan resolution demanding his release pass the Senate, and I will continue pushing the Administration and using every tool at my disposal to secure his return and ensure this innocent American is finally reunited with his loved ones.” “I applaud the passage of this resolution reaffirming the United States’ commitment to bringing Marc Vogel home,” said Senator Tillis. “For nearly three years, Marc has been wrongfully detained by Russian authorities following his arrest while working as a school teacher in Moscow. We owe it to Marc’s family to do everything we can to ensure he is released and returns home safely.” “Marc Fogel was wrongfully sentenced to 14 years at a labor camp in Russia, joining other Americans like Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan who have been torn away from their homes by Moscow,” said Senator Coons. “Marc is a human being with a family, not a political tool. I’m glad our resolution calling for Marc’s immediate release unanimously passed the Senate, and I’m praying for his swift return home.” The resolution is just the latest step Senator Casey has taken to push the Biden Administration to prioritize Marc Fogel’s case. In August 2022, he sent a letter to Secretary Blinken urging the State Department to designate Mr. Fogel as “wrongfully detained,” so his case can get the appropriate level of support from U.S. officials. Senator Casey followed up in October of that year urging immediate action by the State Department. Senator Casey has also helped the Fogel family set up meetings with other Congressional offices and administration officials to help bring attention to Mr. Fogel’s case and garner support to bring him home. Casey introduced this resolution with his colleagues last July and it passed this week with unanimous consent. Casey spoke on the Senate floor today to applaud the resolution and call for the administration to bring Mr. Fogel home. Interested press should reach out to Misha_Linnehan@casey.senate.gov for video of the Senator’s floor remarks. ###

Share Tweet

June 5, 2024

At Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio’s Urging, IRS Exempts Victims from the Norfolk Southern Derailment From Being Taxed on Reimbursements

IRS deems certain payments made by Norfolk Southern to derailment victims to be tax-exempt, disaster-related assistance In April, Casey urged IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel to provide tax relief to Norfolk Southern derailment victims Casey, Fetterman, and Deluzio have repeatedly fought for resources for Pennsylvanians affected by the derailment, working to help the community recover Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) announced that most payments made to victims of the Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster will be tax exempt. After being urged by Senator Casey, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recognized the Norfolk Southern derailment as “of “catastrophic nature” and exempted individuals and families from being taxed on reimbursements for reasonable post-disaster needs including shelter, food, and clothing. “Victims of the Norfolk Southern disaster deserved to be compensated for the hell they have been through, and these payments should never be taxed as income. Today, the IRS took the critical step to support these families. We must continue providing these communities with the relief and support they need and ensure that catastrophes like this never happen again,” said Senator Casey. “People affected by the disaster in East Palestine have already dealt with enough, they shouldn’t have to face a huge tax bill on relief payments. Now, thanks to the Biden administration, they finally have clarity from the IRS that means many relief payments are fully tax-free. I urge Pennsylvanians impacted by the derailment to file amended returns ASAP to get the tax relief they deserve,” said Senator Fetterman. “The East Palestine derailment was a disaster for a lot of families in Beaver County, and it is ridiculous that folks hurt by this train derailment in their backyard would have to pay taxes on Norfolk Southern’s payments to them,” said Rep. Deluzio. “I knew we had to make this right, and after successfully moving a bill through the House to waive taxes from these payments, I’m glad that the Biden Administration is taking action to help. Soon, the IRS will exempt these payments from federal taxes—just like we do for natural disasters. Next, we have to keep up the work to make freight rail safer and pass my bill, the Railway Safety Act.” See Senator Casey’s full record on the Norfolk Southern derailment HERE. ###

Share Tweet

June 5, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio, Lee Announce More Than $20.6 Million for Pittsburgh International Airport

Funding will help improve and reconstruct terminal building Airport Infrastructure Grant comes from infrastructure law funding from previous fiscal years Additionally, Allegheny County Airport to receive $851,000 to rehabilitate taxiway Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and Summer Lee (D-PA-12) announced that Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) has received $20,608,374 from the infrastructure law for the ongoing terminal improvement project. In addition, Allegheny County Airport (AGC) has received $851,000 for taxiway rehabilitation. This Airport Infrastructure Grant funding was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and has been allocated to support critical airport development projects. “As Southwestern Pennsylvania’s airports grow to serve this vibrant region, it’s critical that we improve the passenger experience, make our airports more efficient, and help keep passengers and workers safe,” said Senator Casey. “This investment from the infrastructure law will help strengthen Southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy and keep our region and our Commonwealth moving.” “PIT has been tirelessly working to transform the airport into a world-class facility, and this funding will go a long way in supporting their effort. Any investment in the commonwealth is good news, and this project will stimulate our tourism economy and improve the travel experience for everyone flying into PIT and AGC,” said Senator Fetterman. “I am thrilled that Pittsburgh International Airport is locking in more than $20 million to improve and update the terminal,” said Congressman Deluzio. “We know that our airport is not only a critical portal in and out of our community—but also a huge job creator. I am excited to see how this next phase of Infrastructure Law investments helps continue creating good, solid jobs for the construction, and ongoing work, at our airport.” “Securing this funding is a major step forward in our commitment to providing a safe and efficient travel experience for all passengers. The reconstruction of the terminal will not only streamline the movement of passengers and baggage but also significantly enhance energy efficiency and modernize aging infrastructure. This investment will ensure that our airports meet the highest standards of comfort and functionality, benefitting everyone who passes through our gates,” said Congresswoman Lee. The funding for Pittsburgh International Airport will support terminal building reconstruction to allow for more efficient movement of passengers and baggage, increase energy efficiencies, and replace aging infrastructure including the gate seating areas at 30 gates. The funding for Allegheny County Airport will support ongoing projects to improve airport taxiways. Since the infrastructure law was passed, millions of dollars have been allocated to PIT. In February 2024, Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio and Lee announced $5.3 million in new infrastructure funding to fund a component of the 700,000 square foot landslide terminal construction. PIT has received a total of $123,706,728 since the start of 2021. Allegheny County Airport has received $12,384,997 during the same period. ###

Share Tweet

June 4, 2024

Casey Announces More Than $28 Million for Abandoned Mine Revitalization in PA

One-third of the Nation’s abandoned mine land is in Pennsylvania, affecting 43 of PA’s 67 counties and as many as 1.4 million residents Pennsylvania is eligible to receive more than $3 billion over the next 15 years from the infrastructure law to clean up abandoned mine land Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is announcing that Pennsylvania will receive $28.67 million from the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program from the U.S. Department of the Interior. This funding will help further develop previously reclaimed abandoned mine land to make it viable for recreation, business, or energy projects. One-third of the Nation’s abandoned mine land (AML) is in Pennsylvania, with approximately 43 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties affected by abandoned coal mines. “Too many Pennsylvania communities still face the environmental hazards of abandoned mine land — polluted waterways, property damage, and underground mine fire. Thanks to this funding, we can keep cleaning up this land, protecting our environment, and delivering a boost to Pennsylvania local economies with new, good-paying jobs,” said Senator Casey. “I have always fought for the health and safety of Pennsylvania communities and I will continue to advocate for investments that ensure we can clean up legacy mining sites. Senator Casey has been a strong advocate for AML cleanup. He has delivered a total of $488 million to reclaim abandoned mine land in Pennsylvania from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Casey secured $26.6 million in May 2022 to revitalize AML through the AMLER Program. After hearing from Pennsylvania communities about the lack of flexibility to use IIJA AML funding to clean up water polluted by acid mine drainage (AMD), Senator Casey pushed Secretary of the Interior Deb Holland and introduced and passed the STREAM Act. The STEAM Act allows states more flexibility to use infrastructure law funding to clean up acid mine drainage, which pollutes Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams, and address other long-term impacts of abandoned mine land. In addition to voting to pass the infrastructure law, in April 2021, Casey introduced legislation to extend AML cleanup funding and to provide a boost for coal reclamation projects that provide economic development and growth in communities impacted by the downturn in the coal industry. Senator Casey also fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which included his provision to provide a tax credit for clean energy projects built in energy communities like those in Pennsylvania. A 2023 report shows that, since the passage of the IRA, energy communities are leading the Nation in new clean energy investment. Senator Casey is also fighting for specific projects in PA coal communities including Clearfield County’s Mineral Basin solar project. In March 2024, Senator Casey delivered $900 million from the infrastructure law to build solar facilities on former mine lands in Clearfield County. This project is expected to produce enough energy to power 70,000 homes per year. ###

Share Tweet

May 24, 2024

Casey Announces $8 Million for Pittsburgh Regional Transit to Improve Accessibility for Riders with Disabilities

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is announcing $8 million in competitive grant funding to allow Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) to improve ten stations along the Red Line Corridor and make the entire Red Line fully accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. The funding, administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), was made possible by a provision Casey worked to include in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). “Inaccessible public transportation means seniors and people with disabilities can’t always get to work or the doctor’s office or grocery store,” said Senator Casey. “This funding from the infrastructure law will make all stations along Pittsburgh’s Red Line accessible and bring us one step closer to granting all Pennsylvanians the transportation access they deserve.” Senator Casey has consistently fought to expand transportation access to people with disabilities along the Red Line Corridor. The Red Line runs through Pittsburgh’s Southside, Downtown, and North Shore neighborhoods, including the region’s central business district, top cultural attractions, and academic institutions. In February 2024, Senator Casey advocated to then FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez on behalf of PRT’s application to receive federal funding. He emphasized how ensuring accessibility would reduce barriers for seniors and people with disabilities and reinforced the City of Pittsburgh’s goals to connect communities along the Red Line corridor. As Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, Senator Casey has worked tirelessly to expand transportation access for people with disabilities. In 2022, Casey pushed to include the All Station Accessibility Program (ASAP) Act, into the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). ASAP is a competitive grant program created by the infrastructure law that aims to ensure the Nation’s oldest transit systems are accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. Senator Casey has also introduced legislation to make public transportation more accessible for college students. In 2022, PRT received FTA funding to improve four stations along the Red Line to be accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. Improvements to these additional ten stations— Palm Garden, Dawn, Hampshire, Stevenson, Poplar, Arlington, Smith Road, Casswell, Highland, and Dorchester — will complete PRT’s goal of making the entire Red Line fully accessible to passengers with disabilities. ###

Share Tweet

May 24, 2024

Casey Pushes for Changes to Proposed Hydrogen Production Tax Credit

Casey criticized original tax credit proposal, continues to push administration to change course Hydrogen energy poised to bring news jobs, economic development to communities across PA Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to President Biden urging his administration to expand the array of hydrogen sources that are eligible for a tax credit so that more Pennsylvania businesses can compete to be the energy leaders of tomorrow. After hearing concerns from Pennsylvania workers and companies about the original hydrogen tax credit proposal, Casey is pushing Biden Administration to change its proposed rule before it is finalized. “Pennsylvania companies, utilities, labor unions, and communities have been enthusiastically preparing for the new jobs, economic growth, and decarbonization opportunities that will accompany the new hydrogen economy. However, they were alarmed by the Administration’s initial guidance for the hydrogen production tax credit, which called into question whether various pathways to produce clean hydrogen will be eligible for the tax credit,” Senator Casey wrote. The 45V Clean Hydrogen Production tax credit, created by the Inflation Reduction Act, was intended to spur the production of hydrogen fuel, a potent energy source that can power American manufacturing, transportation, and heavy industries sustainably. In December, Casey criticized the administration’s initial 45V proposal and has pushed the Administration ever since. Pennsylvania is the only state in the Nation to earn two highly competitive Hydrogen Hubs, making it poised for economic growth from hydrogen production. Full text the letter is below and the PDF can be found HERE. May 24, 2024 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden President of the United States 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC Dear President Biden, I write you today about a matter of urgent importance to Pennsylvania’s economy and U.S. energy security. The 45V Clean Hydrogen Production tax credit is meant to spur the production of hydrogen fuel, a potent energy source that can power American manufacturing, transportation, and heavy industries sustainably into the future. I urge your administration to change course from its initial approach to the hydrogen tax credit, which has confused and dismayed the clean energy industry upon which the success of the U.S. hydrogen economy depends. Leaders of business and labor, especially in southwestern Pennsylvania, are concerned that this once-in-a-generation opportunity will be lost. The United States has made it a national priority and taken significant steps to become the world leader in next-generation hydrogen fuel production. Our resolve was exemplified by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s creation of the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program and the Inflation Reduction Act’s creation of the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit. I am proud that Pennsylvania is the only state in the Nation to earn two highly competitive Hydrogen Hubs, both the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2). Pennsylvania companies, utilities, labor unions, and communities have been enthusiastically preparing for the new jobs, economic growth, and decarbonization opportunities that will accompany the new hydrogen economy. However, they were alarmed by the Administration’s initial guidance for the hydrogen production tax credit, which called into question whether various pathways to produce clean hydrogen will be eligible for the tax credit. Following that announcement, several major participants of the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs placed their investments on hold. As your Administration continues to work on final guidance on the 45V credit, I urge your administration to heed the voices in labor and the hydrogen industry who are asking your administration to correct its approach to the hydrogen production tax credit, please ensure that the full hydrogen tax credit will be available for hydrogen produced from coal mine methane, nuclear power, and natural gas processes that can prove low carbon intensity. To that end, I recommend the following changes to the Department of the Treasury’s guidance for the 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit. First, I urge Treasury to create an easily useable pathway for producers to use coal mine methane to create hydrogen and qualify for the tax credit. Pennsylvania is home to many energy communities that powered our Nation for generations. The Commonwealth contains many coal mines that are now leaking methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. That methane can be harnessed to produce hydrogen, but the initial guidance does not contain a specified pathway for producers to use coal mine methane and qualify for the credit. Second, the rules for the 45V tax credit should recognize that some sources of natural gas are cleaner than others and fix the credit’s modeling so that producers are encouraged to further innovate and achieve emissions reductions. Natural gas derived from the Marcellus Shale is among the cleanest and least-methane intensive in the country and gas producers are constantly innovating ways to deliver gas in a cleaner manner for hydrogen production. However, instead of encouraging production to be done in the cleanest manner possible, the current 45V rules use a fixed “background” data assumption that assumes all natural gas is produced with the same level of carbon intensity. This assumption penalizes the cleanest producers while rewarding the dirtiest producers. It also disincentivizes the work that must be done to clean up natural gas production. Future guidance should do the opposite by allowing producers to use “foreground” data that accurately measures their emissions. There are many verifiable methodologies currently being used by industry and the U.S. government to measure methane emissions upon which Treasury can rely. Finally, Treasury should clarify that each relicensed nuclear power plant counts as “additional” power for the purposes of 45V. Nuclear power is the single largest source of zero carbon energy in the United States.3 Pennsylvania is home to four nuclear power plants which provide a third of our power generation. Nuclear power must remain a strong portion of our Nation’s energy mix in order to achieve the Biden Administration’s carbon-emissions reduction goals, but many current nuclear plants may be closed over the next two decades instead of being relicensed. Unfortunately, the current 45V guidance heavily penalizes hydrogen producers that use nuclear energy. Instead, Treasury’s rules should acknowledge that avoiding the decommissioning of current carbon-free energy is just as important as bringing new clean energy generation online. Your Administration faces several crucial choices in designing this tax credit. I urge the Administration to hew close to the expressed Congressional intent to make the United States the world leader in hydrogen production. Maximizing hydrogen production is a sure path to a future of good jobs, abundant energy, and a clean environment. I will continue to work with your Administration to ensure that Pennsylvania workers and businesses will benefit substantially from this clean energy opportunity.

Share Tweet

May 23, 2024

Casey Holds Hearing on Local Impact of the Older Americans Act

Pennsylvanians testified at hearing about the importance of programs like Meals on Wheels, senior community centers, and home- and community-based services, which are funded by the Older Americans Act At hearing, Casey committed to fighting to keep these programs authorized and fully funded Watch full hearing video here Washington, D.C. - Today, at a U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) highlighted how programs funded by the Older Americans Act (OAA), such as Meals On Wheels, senior community centers, and home- and community-based services, play a critical role in keeping American seniors active, healthy, and connected to their communities. Older Americans experience disproportionate levels of loneliness, isolation, and difficulty accessing meals and health care services, and OAA-funded programs provide a lifeline for seniors struggling to meet these needs. The hearing, entitled “The Older Americans Act: The Local Impact of the Law and the Upcoming Reauthorization,” featured testimony from experts and Pennsylvanian beneficiaries about the importance of ensuring full funding for these vital programs. At the hearing, which comes as the Senate prepares to reauthorize the OAA, Chairman Casey laid out his top priorities for reauthorization, which include supporting states in long-term planning for senior services, substantially increasing funding for long-term care ombudsmen, who ensure the safety of nursing home residents, and increasing investments in nutrition programs. “Since its passage, the Older Americans Act has served as the foundation for community social services for older adults—from funding Meals on Wheels to local senior centers to home and community-based caregiving,” said Chairman Casey. “These programs are vital for older adults across Pennsylvania and the Nation, and as we prepare to reauthorize the OAA, I am going to fight to ensure they get the full amount of funding that our seniors need and deserve. Our Nation’s older adults have fought in our wars, raised our children and grandchildren, and built our communities—they deserve our support as they age.” Chairman Casey invited Janet Billotte, a resident of West Decatur, PA, and a recipient of home-delivered meals and other services from her county Area Agency on Aging. She testified about how the services provided to her by OAA-funded programs have improved her life, saying, “Last year, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer and I was also caring for my husband who had been sick with many issues for a long time…Many days, I didn’t feel well and it was very helpful to have these meals delivered to us…I’m very grateful to be receiving these services, and…I know many older adults who receive Meals on Wheels are thankful like I am. I also understand that there are many more older adults on the waiting list for these services. I ask you to please help more people get into the program and be able to receive these great services.” Watch the full hearing here. ###

Share Tweet

May 23, 2024

Senate Committee Advances Bipartisan Casey Bill to Monitor Health of Norfolk Southern Derailment Victims

Casey voted with HELP Committee 19-2 to move the bill forward for full Senate consideration Legislation would establish a public health study in Darlington and East Palestine to monitor potential long-term health impacts of the derailment Casey has repeatedly fought for resources for Pennsylvanians affected by the derailment, working to help the community recover Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA,) Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children and Families, led his colleagues on the HELP Committee to advance his bipartisan East Palestine Health Impact Monitoring Act. The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration. This legislation would establish a five-year-long public health study with required annual reports for local experts to monitor potential long-term human health impacts in Pennsylvania and Ohio from the 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment. In addition to Casey, the bill was co-sponsored by U.S. Senators J.D. Vance (R-OH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and John Fetterman (D-PA). “The people of Darlington and East Palestine are still reeling from the disaster caused by Norfolk Southern’s train derailment. This bill will help give these communities the answers they deserve about the potential long-term impact of the derailment on their health,” Senator Casey said. “I am going to keep supporting Darlington families’ efforts to rebuild their lives for as long as it takes.” The East Palestine Health Impact Monitoring Act will direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to fund a study that measures the ongoing health of residents in Darlington, PA and East Palestine, OH. With the long-term physical effects of chemical exposures from the derailment still unknown, it is critical that long-term studies be conducted to monitor for potential health changes among members of the community. Since the Norfolk Southern train derailment in February 2023, Senator Casey has worked tirelessly to protect the health of Darlington residents. He has repeatedly pushed for the federal government to devote significant resources to expand access to clean public drinking water and increase health assistance and monitoring in the region. In March 2024, Casey delivered over $3.66 million in funding for Darlington to expand access to clean public drinking water. Senator Casey has also fought to ensure victims of the disaster receive the resources, reimbursement, and support they need to recover. Casey has led numerous efforts to press Norfolk Southern to meet its obligation to compensate the residents of Darlington and play a significant role in the clean-up and damage remediation process. He has also pushed the federal government to hold Norfolk Southern accountable to that obligation. In total, Casey has pushed Norfolk Southern to provide $1.2 million in funding for Darlington Township. Senator Casey has also urged the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to recognize the Norfolk Southern derailment as “of a catastrophic nature” and exempt families from being taxed on reimbursements for reasonable post-disaster necessities, such as shelter, food, and clothing. In April 2024, Casey urged IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to deliver tax relief to victims of this disaster and secured a commitment from Commissioner Werfel that the IRS will do everything in its power to help. Casey has also made preventing future derailments a major legislative focus in the wake of the Darlington derailment. In March 2023, he introduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act, which would take key steps to improve rail safety protocols and reduce the possibility of derailments. In May 2023, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed a version of the legislation on a 16-11 vote. This bill also included provisions based on Casey’s Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act to set aside funds—paid for by companies that ship and carry hazardous materials—to provide emergency responders, firefighters, and law enforcement with the financial resources needed to replace equipment, pay workers overtime, and address other urgent costs in the event of a serious derailment. Casey has also repeatedly urged the Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern to take steps to strengthen safety protocols and decrease the likelihood of future derailments. See Senator Casey’s full record on the Norfolk Southern derailment HERE. ###

Share Tweet

May 23, 2024

Casey Statement on Environmental Protection Agency Settlement with Norfolk Southern

Casey: “We must do more to…ensure Pennsylvanians are never forced to go through this hell again” Washington, D.C. - Today, after the announcement that the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice have reached a $310 million settlement with Norfolk Southern for damage caused by the 2023 train derailment, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement: “Today’s settlement is a critical step towards providing a measure of justice for the families who are still suffering in the wake of the derailment and holding Norfolk Southern accountable for the reckless failure that imperiled the lives of so many Pennsylvanians. However, we must do more to provide relief and care for the communities that were devastated by this catastrophe, and to prevent future derailments and ensure Pennsylvanians are never forced to go through this hell again.” Under today’s settlement, Norfolk Southern has agreed to: Spend an estimated $235 million for all past and future costs, so that cleanup efforts can continue and the company, rather than taxpayers, covers the cost. Change a number of processes to increase rail safety, including decreasing the distance between sensors that determine if a train is reaching dangerous temperatures and ensuring that trains that reach a dangerous temperature are required to stop and be inspected. Pay a $15 million civil penalty to resolve violations of the Clean Water Act. Pay $25 million for a 20-year community health program that includes medical monitoring for qualified individuals and mental health services for individuals residing in affected counties – including those in Pennsylvania – as well as first responders who worked at the site, and a community facilitation plan to assist community members in using the benefits of the program. Spend approximately $15 million to implement long-term monitoring of groundwater and surface water for a period of 10 years. Pay $15 million for a private drinking water monitoring fund that will continue the existing private drinking water well monitoring program for 10 years. Implement a “waterways remediation plan,” with an estimated budget of $6 million, for projects in Leslie Run and Sulphur Run that will prioritize addressing historical pollution, reducing non-point source pollution through infrastructure upgrades and stormwater management projects, and restoring aquatic and riparian habitat. Today’s settlement follows a complaint filed by the United States against Norfolk Southern in March 2023 for unlawful discharges of pollutants and hazardous substances caused by the train derailment. In February 2023, EPA issued a unilateral administrative order, holding Norfolk Southern accountable for the damage done to the community, required cleanup of spilled substances and impacted soils. In total, Norfolk Southern estimates that it will spend more than $1 billion to address the contamination caused by the East Palestine derailment and improve rail safety and operations, which includes this settlement with the United States valued at over $310 million, as well as around $780 million in environmental response costs incurred by Norfolk Southern. Norfolk Southern has estimated its costs since the derailment will exceed $200 million in rail safety enhancements, including those required by this settlement. Since the Norfolk Southern train derailment in February 2023, Senator Casey has been fighting relentlessly to ensure victims of the disaster receive the resources, reimbursement, and support they need to recover. On numerous occasions, Casey has pressed Norfolk Southern to meet its obligation to compensate the residents of Darlington and play a significant role in the clean-up and damage remediation process, pushing Norfolk Southern to provide $1.2 million in total funding for Darlington Township. He has also led efforts to protect the health of Darlington residents, repeatedly advocating for the federal government to devote significant resources to expand access to clean public drinking water and increase health assistance and monitoring in the region. Casey has also made preventing future derailments a major legislative focus in the wake of the Darlington derailment. In March 2023, he introduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act, which would take key steps to improve rail safety protocols and reduce the possibility of derailments. He has also repeatedly pushed the Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern to take steps to strengthen safety protocols and decrease the likelihood of future derailments. See Senator Casey’s full record on the Norfolk Southern derailment HERE. ###

Share Tweet

May 22, 2024

Casey Provisions to Stop Fentanyl, Protect U.S Ports from Chinese Cyberattacks Approved by Senate Intelligence Committee

Casey’s Secure Smartports Act, which protects American ports from the threat of cyberattacks by the Chinese Communist Party, included in Senate intelligence package Package also includes Casey provision to stop the flow of fentanyl in U.S. Washington, D.C. - Today, a U.S. Senate committee approved several vital provisions advanced by U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) to stop fentanyl at the border, protect U.S ports from Chinese cybersecurity threats, and thwart Chinese efforts to evade U.S. regulations and access American technology. The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, of which Casey is a member, voted to include the provisions in the Intelligence Authorization Act of 2024, which now moves to the Senate floor. “Our Nation is faced with serious threats from abroad, from the flow of fentanyl across our border and into our communities or the Chinese Community Party evading our laws and compromising our supply chains and infrastructure,” said Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “I fought to ensure this year’s intelligence package includes vital provisions to neutralize these threats and keep Americans families and communities safe.” The Intelligence Authorization Act of 2024 includes several provisions that Senator Casey advanced, including: Casey’s Secure Smartports Act, which directs the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s (ODNI) National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) to develop and implement a plan to help companies and port systems safeguard against the risks of using Chinese technology that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could use to spy on, and potentially take control of our critical infrastructure and supply chains. A provision directing intelligence agencies to increase intelligence sharing DEA and DHS to help prevent the flow of fentanyl across the border. Preventing the spread of fentanyl into American communities is a top priority for Senator Casey, who introduced the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act and fought to pass the FEND Off Fentanyl Act earlier this year. A provision to direct ODNI to submit a report to Congress on efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to evade export controls and other regulations designed to create transparency on CCP technology theft. Casey advanced this provision after the Senate passed his bipartisan Outbound Investment Transparency Act in 2023, which would give the U.S. visibility into vulnerabilities and risks posed when the Chinese government has access to American technology and know-how in national security sectors.

Share Tweet

May 22, 2024

Casey Pushes for Black Lung Legislation in Senate Hearing on Mine Safety

Casey bill would ensure every coal miner who suffers from black lung disease receives the benefits they are entitled to Since 1968, more than 76,000 people have died from as a result of ‘black lung’ disease In Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing, Casey highlighted the struggles of miners, families fighting for health care, benefits they need Casey: “There are few diseases where every breath you take, you can feel it… one of the many reasons we need to pass the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act.” Watch full recording of hearing here and Casey’s questions here. Washington, D.C. - Today, a U.S. Senate hearing highlighted U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA)’s Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act to help miners who have suffered from ‘black lung’ disease and their survivors access the workers compensation they are entitled to receive under the Black Lung Benefits Program. During the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety hearing, Casey, a senior member of HELP, questioned experts on the hurdles mineworkers and their families face to getting care and benefits for black lung and why it is critically important to ease this burden. Casey also spoke about his grandfather’s experience working in the coal mines of Northeastern Pennsylvania. “Our Nation has long relied on coal miners, so many of whom have risked their lives and their long-term health to do the job of powering years of prosperity,” said Senator Casey. “My bill will ensure that every coal miner who is suffering from black lung disease receives the benefits that they and their families are entitled to. With the most serious black lung cases still on the rise, we owe it to our miners to make damn sure they get the care and benefits they’ve earned.” Senator Casey has been a consistent fighter for miners’ benefits, pushing for protections for miners’ pensions health care and Black Lung Benefits amid widespread coal company bankruptcies which led to him securing a permanent health care fix for retired coal miners and their families. In 2023, Casey urged the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate the adequacy of black lung benefits to ensure they meet the income and health care needs of disabled miners and their families. Since 2014, Casey has led the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act, legislation to make needed updates to the Black Lung Benefits Act to ensure Congress is fulfilling its commitment to the nation’s coal miners. To help fulfill those promises, in August of 2022, Congress approved a permanent extension of the black lung excise tax to fund the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund that provides health insurance and a living stipend for those impacted by black lung as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Casey successfully pushed the Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to amend current federal standards to better protect the nation’s miners from health hazards related to exposure to respirable crystalline silica, or silica dust. The rule was finalized in April 2024. Prior to the announcement of the proposal, Casey sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young, seeking additional information on the delayed announcement of a new silica standard for miners across America and urging prompt promulgation. In July 2023, Casey introduced the Relief for Survivors of Miners Act to make it easier for miners’ survivors to successfully claim benefits. Later that year, Casey introduced the latest iteration of the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act at the United Mineworkers District 2 headquarters in Uniontown, PA. Read more about the bill here. Watch the full hearing here. ###

Share Tweet

May 21, 2024

Casey, Kelly Introduce Bill to Protect U.S. Ports from Chinese Cyberattacks

New bill would require key intelligence agency to raise alarm on this emerging threat, help ports safeguard against it Casey, Intelligence Committee member, has long led congressional action to confront threats posed by Chinese government Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee members Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced legislation to protect American port infrastructure from cybersecurity threats posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), including espionage. The Secure Smartports Act would require the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) to develop and implement a plan to help companies and port systems safeguard against the risks of using Chinese technology that the PRC could use to spy on, and potentially take control of our critical infrastructure and supply chains. “Every day we don’t understand the risks of relying on Chinese technology is a day when the Chinese Communist Party can compromise the ports and infrastructure we need to move essential goods throughout our Nation,” said Senator Casey. “This bill will ring the alarm on Chinese cyber threats and help protect our critical shipping infrastructure.” “With oceans on either side of us, America has always been an oceangoing country with an economy that’s fueled by trade,” said Senator Kelly. “This bill takes critical steps to protect our ports and maritime system from cyber vulnerabilities presented by Chinese-government backed technology that could threaten our economy and our security.” The United States’ integrated network of ports, terminals, vessels, waterways, and land-side connections that constitute the Nation’s Marine Transportation System (MTS) relies on digital systems to enable their operations, including ship navigation, the movement of cargo, engineering, safety, and security monitoring. These systems have revolutionized the maritime shipping industry and American supply chains by enhancing the speed and efficiency of moving goods to market, but the increasing digital interconnectedness of our economy and supply chains have also introduced vulnerabilities that, if exploited, could have cascading impacts on America’s ports, the economy, and everyday hard-working Americans. This legislation would direct NCSC to alert the U.S. port and shipping industry to the threat of PRC-backed shipping and logistics infrastructure, technology, and software to U.S. supply chains to help protect against them. As the agency whose mission is to “provide counterintelligence outreach to U.S. private sector entities at risk of foreign intelligence penetration,” it’s critical to our national and economic security that NCSC work with ports and shipping companies to understand the risks of using Chinese technology. ###

Share Tweet

May 21, 2024

Senate Finance Committee Holds Hearing on Casey’s Bill to Provide Economic Opportunity to Every Child in America

As families across the Nation grapple with high costs, the 401Kids Savings Act would create children’s savings accounts for every American child Casey introduced bill in January alongside report detailing how 401Kids works and why we need it Outside analysis says 401Kids delivers $2.61 in benefits for every $1 invested, from increased income later in life, improved health, additional tax revenues, and lower crime Senate hearing examined how the legislation would provide economic opportunity for every American family Watch full recording of hearing here Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA)’s 401Kids Saving Act was highlighted at a Senate Finance Committee hearing. At the hearing, Casey touted how the bill would establish children’s savings accounts for every American child, creating economic opportunity for families across Pennsylvania and the Nation. Casey questioned experts on child savings account programs about the 5.8 million American kids, including 546,000 Pennsylvania kids, who have a children’s savings account in their name and the impact the accounts have had on their lives and their futures. “Every child should have a place where their family, their community, and the government can invest in their future,” said Senator Casey (D-PA). “The 401 Kids Savings Act will enable children, when they reach adulthood, to have the money saved to pay for college, or to start a small business, to buy their first home, or to save for retirement. Based on local models around the Nation, the 401Kids Savings Act would create children’s savings accounts that would be built on state 529 college savings platforms and managed by state Treasurers. Once the accounts are established for all newborns and kids under age 18, families, non-profits, employers, foundations, and others could contribute to a 401Kids Account which, starting at age 18, could be used for post-secondary education and training, a small business, a first home or retirement security. While all families could contribute up to $2,500 per year to the accounts, only lower- and moderate-incomes families would receive direct federal support. Casey introduced the bill in January alongside a report called “401Kids: Building Wealth for the Next Generation,” which delves into the proposal and examples of how CSAs are already working for kids in several states. According to outside analysis by José Diaz, Chief Economist at the Constellation Fund, for every dollar invested in 401Kids, society would receive at least $2.61 in benefits associated with increased income, improved health, additional tax revenues, and savings to other government sectors. Senator Casey has long led efforts in the Senate to uplift America’s children and ensure they have the resources and support they need to thrive. In 2021, he released his report, Five Freedoms for America’s Children, in which he outlined “five basic freedoms that our society must guarantee to our Nation’s children”—the freedom to learn, be healthy, well fed, safe from harm and—the subject of this bill—the freedom to be economically secure. In addition to endorsing the permanent expansion of the Child Tax Credit—the temporary expansion of which, in 2021, led to a historic reduction in child poverty—the “freedom to be economically secure” called for the automation creation of CSAs for every child in America. The 401Kids Savings Act affirms Casey’s commitment to that call. Watch the full hearing here. ###

Share Tweet

May 21, 2024

Casey Introduces Bills to Make Higher Education More Accessible for Students with Disabilities

Casey continues fighting to reduce barriers to higher education faced by students with disabilities Casey: “Students with disabilities deserve as fair a shot as anyone at pursuing higher education” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced two bills that would make American higher education far more accessible for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities currently face unique, challenging, and often unnecessary barriers to enrolling in and completing higher education programs. Chairman Casey’s bills remove some of these barriers and provide additional funding to ensure that students with disabilities have a fair shot at pursuing higher education. “Students with disabilities deserve as fair a shot as anyone at pursuing higher education, but too often face disproportionate and unnecessary barriers throughout the process,” Chairman Casey (D-PA). “Today, I’m introducing bills that would take down some of those barriers and invest in programs that make sure students with disabilities can achieve their educational goals and realize their full potential.” Casey’s new Higher Education Grant Flexibility Act, would allow many students with disabilities who are taking a reduced course load as an approved disability accommodation to receive the same federal financial aid as other full-time students Right now, many students with disabilities with reduced course loads are required to prorate their financial aid, which threatens their Pell Grants and other federal aid programs, and forces students to choose between the accommodations they need and the full amount of financial aid they were awarded. Casey’s bill would make it possible for students with disabilities to utilize the disability accommodations they are entitled to by law without financial consequences. Chairman Casey’s Expanding Disability Access to Higher Education Act, would provide federal programs aimed at helping first-generation and low-income students pursue higher education through TRIO programs with $50 million to enroll and support eligible students with disabilities. TRIO programs include Upward Bound, Student Support Services, and the McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, and provide eligible students with support such as mentoring, career development services, and preparation for postsecondary education. Eligible students with disabilities would benefit greatly from these programs, but the resources and skills needed to support their unique needs are often not present. Casey’s bill will help TRIO programs obtain those resources and capacities. Chairman Casey has long been a champion in the Senate for students with disabilities. Last March, he introduced three bills to make education more accessible for students with disabilities and to help ensure their safety at school. Those bills would make transitions to postsecondary education smoother, campus emergency procedures more accurate, accessible, and inclusive of students with disabilities, improve training for school security and staff, and develop stronger federal oversight and support. Read more about the Higher Education Grant Flexibility Act here. Read more about the Expanding Disability Access to Higher Education Act here. ###

Share Tweet

May 17, 2024

Casey Joins Colleagues to Tout Success of IRS Free Direct File Program, Urge Biden Administration to Make It Permanent

Taxpayers gave Direct File rave reviews, with 90 percent rating their experience positively and 86 percent saying it increased their trust in the IRS Casey voted for law that created Direct File program, and pushed for it to be made available to as many Americans as possible Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined more than 130 of his colleagues in the House and the Senate to send a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel, applauding the successful pilot of the Direct File program, and urging them to make it permanent and expand its functionality and scope to states like Pennsylvania. The letter follows the conclusion of the 2024 tax season and implementation of the IRS Direct File program in 12 pilot states which allowed taxpayers to file their returns for free, directly with the IRS. “Taxpayers want and deserve a free and easy filing option, and thanks to this year’s pilot, taxpayers used Direct File to claim over $90 million in tax refunds and save $5.6 million in estimated filing fees,” wrote the lawmakers. “We applaud your leadership and Direct File’s incredible success this year, and we call on you to make Direct File a permanent program, expanding it and improving it further next year and in the years to come.” The Biden administration announced in May of last year that they would be launching a Direct File pilot in 2024. The IRS has long allowed Americans to file their taxes for free using paper forms, but has not previously offered an online, modern tax filing portal like is available for other financial products and services. A survey of 11,000 users found that 90 percent ranked their experience with Direct File as “Excellent” or “Above Average,” and 90 percent of survey respondents who used customer service similarly found the experience “Excellent” or “Above Average.” Senator Casey has long pushed for the IRS to make tax filing easy, simple, and secure for all Pennsylvania taxpayers, including by voting for the Direct File program and pushing for it to be implemented. In 2022, Casey voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which provided the IRS with funding to improve customer service and study and implement this Direct File pilot program. Casey applauded the announcement of the Direct File program, and pushed for it to be implemented as soon as possible. You can read the full text of the letter HERE or below: Dear Secretary Yellen and Commissioner Werfel, With the 2024 tax filing season at its end, we write to commend you on the historic and resoundingly successful launch of Direct File, the first free, public, electronic federal tax filing tool in U.S. history. Taxpayers want and deserve a free and easy filing option, and thanks to this year’s pilot, taxpayers used Direct File to claim over $90 million in tax refunds and save $5.6 million in estimated filing fees, with 90 percent of surveyed users rating their experience positively and 86 percent saying their experience with the tool increased their trust in the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). We applaud your leadership and Direct File’s incredible success this year, and we call on you to make Direct File a permanent program, expanding it and improving it further next year and in the years to come. In May 2023, the IRS and Treasury Department announced plans to pilot a Direct File tool in 2024, noting that the pilot would allow “the IRS to test functionality for some taxpayers, evaluate success, and use lessons learned to inform the growth of the tool.” At the time, many of us wrote to you in support of Direct File. This filing season, the tool launched as a phased, limited-scope rollout in line with tech industry best practices. The Direct File pilot has been a clear and resounding success. Over 140,000 taxpayers used the tool across the 12 pilot states, with a survey of 11,000 users finding that 90 percent ranked their experience with Direct File as “Excellent” or “Above Average,” and 90 percent of survey respondents who used customer service similarly found the experience “Excellent” or “Above Average.” Other surveys found 96 percent of users were satisfied with integrated state filing, 82 to 87 percent would recommend Direct File, and 74 to 93 percent prefer it to the previous filing method they used. Individual users also raved about the time and money they saved and the quality of the service they received: “I don’t want to call myself a dummy, but this is taxes for dummies right here,” said the first Direct File user, an HR specialist in Texas who saved nearly $400 in tax prep fees. “I just see it being helpful for so many millions of people.” “It was the fastest I’ve ever done my taxes,” said one taxpayer in California. “I didn’t have to worry about someone upselling me.” “There were no random ads, like ‘What am I clicking on?’” said another taxpayer in Texas, who saved the $80 she typically spends to file her taxes. “I finished this and I was like, wait, I?m done? That was so easy,” reported a New York filer. “It?s not just that you?re saving, you know, 80 bucks on TurboTax or whatever. It?s so much less of a stressful thing.” “It was one of the greatest experiences I have had doing [my taxes],” said an Arizonan. “It was the most convenient way I’ve ever filed my taxes,” said a taxpayer in Washington State. “I got to be honest, it surprised me how simple it was.” “It was a walk in the park,” said another Californian, who “basically did my taxes on my lunch break” and saved $100 that he would have otherwise spent to file his taxes. The IRS’s delivery of this new, wildly successful filing tool less than 18 months after receiving significant new funds from the Inflation Reduction Act demonstrates the huge returns from investing in the IRS and in government technology in general. As the Atlantic wrote: “That Direct File exists at all is shocking. That it’s pretty good is borderline miraculous… It’s a glimpse of a world where government tech benefits millions of Americans.” Direct File’s success is even more notable given the failures of the U.S. tax filing system to date. The average American spends $150 and nine hours to file their taxes each year. Free File – the IRS’s partnership with private tax preparation companies to offer free online filing – has fallen far short of expectations, reaching only 2% of taxpayers while 70% qualify. Meanwhile, Intuit (the owner of TurboTax) and H&R Block have misled taxpayers into paying for tax preparation services they are supposed to receive for free, according to the Federal Trade Commission. A recent analysis also found paid preparers targeting low-income Black and Brown communities, often making costly errors and marketing predatory payday lending products. This broken filing system blocks millions of families from accessing critical tax benefits enacted by Congress like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). We now call on you to make Direct File a permanent program and to expand its functionality and scope, eventually making it available to most taxpayers, further increasing its impact. Specifically, we hope Direct File will support additional sources of income, integrate with more states, offer more flexible identity verification procedures, and accommodate additional tax benefits, with a focus on refundable credits available to low- and middle-income families. Direct File should also continue streamlining the filing process by using taxpayer data that the IRS already has. As Secretary Yellen recently said: “If [taxpayers] like [Direct File], it would be very natural to continue to build on it… One day we hope, for example, information that taxpayers receive – W-2s and other things – could be used to pre-populate the program, making it even more usable and friendly.” The pilot has already shown the value of this approach, with an April 8th update to Direct File that allowed users to import previous-year adjusted gross income data required to validate their current year returns. Such expansions will turbocharge Direct File’s usefulness. In fact, a recent report by the Economic Security Project finds that a fully-fledged Direct File – including the functionality referenced by Secretary Yellen – could save taxpayers $11 billion per year, while also delivering up to $12 billion a year in unclaimed benefits, generating over $100 of value for taxpayers for every dollar spent. Again, we congratulate you on the success of the Direct File pilot and stand ready to work with you on making the program permanent and expanding it. We believe that the IRS can offer free and easy tax filing to every American taxpayer who wants it — and that, with Direct File, it will. We also applaud your broader efforts to invest funding that we passed in the Inflation Reduction Act to improve taxpayer services and to ensure the wealthy and large corporations pay what they owe, and we will continue to fight to protect the funding that makes this progress possible. ###

Share Tweet

May 16, 2024

Casey Announces Assistant Secretary of Defense Taylor-Kale as Showcase for Commerce Keynote Speaker

The Honorable Dr. Laura D. Taylor-Kale serves as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy at Pentagon Senator Casey has long history of working with Department of Defense to involve high-ranking military officials in Johnstown’s annual Showcase Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that Dr. Laura D. Taylor-Kale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy at the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), has accepted his invitation to provide the keynote address at the Government Acquisition Leaders Luncheon at the 33rd Annual Showcase for Commerce on Thursday, May 30, 2024. “Each year, Showcase for Commerce puts Johnstown’s indispensable contributions to our national security and defense on display for the Nation,” said Senator Casey. “I am grateful for Assistant Secretary Taylor-Kale’s participation and look forward to seeing this year’s innovations.” Showcase for Commerce is a nationally renowned business and industry trade show and defense contracting exhibition in Johnstown, PA. Dr. Taylor-Kale’s biography can be found here. ###

Share Tweet

May 16, 2024

Casey Unveils Actions to Prevent and Treat Substance Use Disorders Among Older Adults

New Casey bill will help improve prevention and treatment options for the growing number of older adults suffering from substance abuse disorders Casey also sent letter to federal agency responsible for addressing substance use disorders advocating for improved data collection on older adults Actions follow December Aging Committee hearing exposing the growing crisis of seniors facing substance use disorder issues Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, unveiled a series of actions to prevent and treat substance use disorders (SUDs) among older adults. As part of the package, Casey introduced the Preventing and Treating Substance Use Disorders Among Older Adults Act, a bill that will help provide the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) with the resources it needs to improve treatment and prevention services for older adults with SUDs. Casey also sent a letter to SAMHSA urging the agency to improve its collection of data about the prevalence of older adults with substance use disorders to facilitate better treatment and prevention. “Despite being more susceptible to developing substance use disorders, older Americans are often overlooked for typical screenings and prevention efforts,” said Chairman Casey (D-PA). “Today, I’m taking action to ensure that the rise in substance use disorders among older adults is a subject of national attention, and to improve the availability and accessibility of potentially life-saving treatment options.” The rates of substance use disorders among older adults over the age of 65 have increased in recent years, with nearly four million older adults reporting an SUD in 2022. The number of older adults needing SUD treatment has tripled from 1.7 million in 2000 to 5.7 million in 2020. Unfortunately, older adults are often overlooked when developing screening, prevention, and treatment strategies. These challenges are compounded by a lack of data available to promote understanding of how to best care for older adults with SUDs. Senator Casey’s new bill, the Preventing and Treating Substance Use Disorders Among Older Adults Act, will establish a grant program at SAMHSA to improve understanding as well as treatment and prevention services for older adults with SUDs. The program will award grants to eligible entities, particularly those located in areas of high need, to improve SUD treatment and prevention services for older adults, including those that seek to improve comprehensive care coordination and integrated care, data collection, and collaboration with older adults and their loved ones. Casey also sent a letter to SAMHSA urging the agency to improve data collection in three areas: (1) the scope of substance use disorders among older adults, (2) the extent to which older adults are able to access integrated physical and mental health care, and (3) the extent to which older adults are able to access wraparound and other social supports to meet their unique needs. This data would facilitate improved treatment and prevention of SUDs among older adults. Chairman Casey’s actions follow an Aging Committee hearing held last December entitled, “Understanding a Growing Crisis: Substance Use Trends Among Older Adults.” At the hearing, Casey heard from a number of subject matter experts and older adults about the growing crisis, including the scope of the challenge, gaps in coverage and access to treatment and recovery, and limits in research that might be obscuring the problem. Today’s bill and letter address the concerns raised at the December hearing. Read more about the Preventing and Treating Substance Use Disorders Among Older Adults Act here. Read the full text of Chairman Casey’s letter to SAMHSA here. ###

Share Tweet

May 14, 2024

Following Casey Push, Biden Administration to Boost Tariffs on China to Protect PA Workers, Jobs, Manufacturers

Administration to raise tariffs on 12 key sectors including steel and aluminum, semiconductors, and batteries PA Senior Senator urged President repeatedly to keep domestic market protections in place Casey: “When we hold trade cheats accountable, we put American workers in the best position to outcompete anyone in the world” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) announcement that the U.S. will maintain and increase Section 301 tariffs to combat China’s unfair, anticompetitive practices. As the Biden Administration reviewed these tariffs, Casey repeatedly warned that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to cheat on trade and any reduction in tariffs would undermine American workers, jobs, and manufacturers in Pennsylvania and nationwide. “When we hold trade cheats accountable, we put American workers in the best position to outcompete anyone in the world,” said Senator Casey. “I have urged presidents of both parties to maintain and increase Section 301 tariffs to level the playing field for Pennsylvania workers and protect our jobs and our national security.” Senator Casey is a staunch supporter of Buy America standards, as well as legislation to develop American manufacturing capacity. In November, he sent a letter to President Biden sharing his serious concerns about potential reductions of Section 232 and 301 tariffs previously imposed on China on national security grounds. That month, he also voted against a resolution to effectively remove Buy American standards for electric vehicle (EV) chargers and force the United States to continue relying on China for products critical to the next generation of clean vehicle infrastructure. He fought to pass the Build America, Buy America Act as a part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which requires that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in infrastructure projects are produced in the United States. Casey also fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which included tax credits for individuals and companies manufacturing or deploying clean energy technologies to help lower costs and secure our energy independence, as well as his provision to provide a “domestic content” bonus credit for companies that use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods. In April 2024, Casey and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) successfully pushed the Biden Administration to investigate unfair trade practices by the CCP that undercut American shipbuilding, threaten our national security, and hurt American workers. Most recently, Casey called on President Biden to maintain Section 301 tariffs, a call the Administration heeded. ###

Share Tweet

May 10, 2024

Ahead of Mother’s Day, Casey Urges Review of How Women’s Unpaid Labor Contributes to American Economy

From caring for children and older adults to domestic work like cooking and cleaning, unpaid work plays an essential role in our society and is predominantly performed by women These contributions to U.S. economy are often omitted from calculations of economic output In letter to Government Accountability Office, Casey requests inquiry that will show the importance of women’s unpaid work Casey: “Without a formal accounting of unpaid work, it remains invisible and undervalued” Washington, D.C. – Today, ahead of Mother’s Day weekend, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families, sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting that the agency conduct an inquiry about the contributions women’s unpaid care and domestic and reproductive work make to the national economy. From caring for children and older adults to domestic work like cooking and cleaning, unpaid work plays an essential role in our society and is predominantly performed by women. Despite the critical importance of unpaid work, these contributions are omitted from most calculations of our Nation’s economic output. Chairman Casey’s letter asks GAO to undertake an effort to quantify women’s unpaid contributions to the American economy. In the letter, Chairman Casey wrote, “Without a formal accounting of unpaid work, it remains invisible and undervalued. Although such work is critical to supporting the Nation’s children, older adults, and people with disabilities, it is often downplayed and undercut. Attributing value to care, domestic, and reproductive work can help recognize this work as important contributions to households and the economy.” Chairman Casey has led efforts in the Senate to support both paid and unpaid caregivers. In January 2023, Chairman Casey introduced the Better Care Better Jobs Act, with 41 co-sponsors, to enhance Medicaid funding for home care services for older adults, people with disabilities, and injured workers. In March 2023, Chairman Casey held a hearing to draw attention to the caregiving crisis and examine the economic benefit of investing in Medicaid home and community-based services. Last month, alongside Senators Kaine and Baldwin, he introduced the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act, which would tackle the caregiving crisis by reprioritizing long-term caregivers and supporting their work based on the value they bring to families across the Nation. The signed PDF of the letter can be found HERE. ###

Share Tweet

May 10, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Evans, Dean, Houlahan Secure $37.5 Million to Clean Up PA Drinking Water

Infrastructure law has sent more than $800 million to Pennsylvania for clean drinking water upgrades Funding will enable PA to remove ‘forever chemicals’ like PFAS from drinking water Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6) delivered $37,543,000 from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act to make Pennsylvania’s drinking water safer and cleaner. The funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will remove contaminants—like Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from drinking water in Pennsylvania communities hit hard by these ‘forever chemicals.’ “Thanks to the infrastructure law, Pennsylvania is finally able to tackle the scourge of ‘forever chemicals’ in our drinking water,” said Senator Casey. “This investment brings us one step closer to realizing the promise of our state constitution: that all Pennsylvanians have a right to pure water.” “This landmark funding will help us tackle water contamination head-on in Pennsylvania by implementing vital testing projects to identify and rectify PFAS and other harmful substances from breaching Pennsylvania households,” said Senator Fetterman. “Everyone deserves access to safe and clean water. We have to make sure no community is left behind. This isn't just about infrastructure, it's about equity and environmental justice. Together with Senator Casey, we're securing resources to protect our public water systems, particularly in small and disadvantaged communities across the commonwealth. " “This federal funding will be helpful in meeting the new federal standards on clean water and PFAS, and I’m pleased to see the Biden Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that I voted for once again delivering tens of millions of dollars in federal funding for Pennsylvania,” said Congressman Evans. “The Pennsylvania Constitution guarantees our right to clean water, and as lawmakers, we have an obligation to fulfill that promise across our commonwealth—that includes combatting PFAS,” Rep. Dean said. “For too long ‘forever chemicals’ have harmed communities in Pennsylvania, like mine. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a major step in environmental justice and in protecting the health and safety of Pennsylvanians.” In February 2023, Senators Casey and Fetterman announced over $75 million from the Environmental Protection Agency for testing and treatment to address contaminants like PFAS in Pennsylvania’s drinking water. In April of that year, Casey and Fetterman secured $266 million from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act to remove contaminants like PFAS from Pennsylvania’s water supply and upgrade Pennsylvania’s water infrastructure. In July, the senators introduced the Veterans Exposed to Toxic (VET) PFAS Act to provide health care services and disability benefits to veterans exposed to these chemicals at military installations. In the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, Casey and Fetterman included multiple provisions to advance a path towards remediation of toxic exposure to PFAS. In January, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) approved $78 million worth of projects across Pennsylvania, funded by the infrastructure law. In April, PENNVEST approved $73 million for additional projects to make drinking water safer and cleaner across the Commonwealth. ###

Share Tweet

May 9, 2024

Casey Bill Named After Bucks County Pilot to Prevent Airplane Hijacking Included in Senate Aviation Package

Bill also includes provisions to ban airline junk fees, strengthen consumer protections for passengers Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that provisions from his Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act, which honors the memory of United Flight 195 Victor Saracini by taking additional steps to prevent airplane hijacking, advanced through the Senate as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. The aviation package also included provisions banning airline junk fees and bolstering consumer protections for passengers. “Congress has an obligation to make air transportation safer, more efficient, and more accessible for all passengers and airline workers,” said Senator Casey (D-PA). “In this legislation, we have taken an important step to improve airline safety by honoring the memory of Captain Saracini and approving my measure to prevent airplane hijacking. We’ve also made important progress to bolster consumer protections for passengers and remove pesky airline junk fees.” For years, Senator Casey has led the Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act to mandate installation of secondary barriers between cabin and cockpit on all major commercial passenger planes in the United States, not only new ones. Senator Casey secured a provision in the last FAA legislation in 2018 to mandate secondary barriers in new planes. However, objections from the aviation industry prevented retrofitting planes already in service with secondary barriers. The bill passed today finishes the job, and now requires a retrofit of older planes with secondary barriers to protect the pilots from hijackers. Data shows that secondary barriers significantly decrease the threat of hijackings. In addition to including provisions from Casey’s bill to prevent airline hijackings, the package included a number of provisions which mark key victories for Pennsylvanians, including: Banning Junk Fees and Bolstering Consumer Protections for Passengers: The bill implements a number of consumer protection improvements, including removing junk airline fees and establishing a right to refunds on delayed or cancelled flights within the United States, requiring airlines have customer service agents available 24/7, establishing standards for airline reimbursement credits, and requiring rules that ensure children under the age of 14 can sit next to parents or guardians for no extra fee. It also includes a provision from the Improved Transportation Consumer Protection Act—cosponsored by Senator Casey—which creates an Office of Aviation Consumer Protection within the Department of Transportation, led by a new “Assistant Secretary for Aviation Consumer Protection.” Investing and Preserving Critical Airport Infrastructure: The bill increases the annual authorization for the Airport Improvement Program, the main federal funding stream for airport infrastructure, by more than $600 million. This program supports improvements at airports in Pennsylvania and across the Nation. The bill also authorizes an increase in funding for the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which subsidizes air service to several rural communities in Pennsylvania. It also includes protections that will keep airport service available in rural communities. Supporting the Airline Workforce: The bill includes a provision from the bipartisan Air Traffic Controllers Hiring Act—which Senator Casey co-sponsored—to increase the FAA’s hiring target for new air traffic controllers and address air traffic controller shortages. Following advocacy by Senator Casey to the Commerce Committee, the package also keeps the mandatory pilot retirement age at 65, rather than increasing it to 67. Accommodating Passengers with Disabilities: The package includes several provisions to better accommodate airline passengers with disabilities. These include establishing training standards for employees who assist passengers with disabilities, updating standards for aircraft boarding and deplaning to improve accessibility, and requiring the Department of Transportation (DOT) to investigate complaints of discrimination against people with disabilities in a timely manner. The bill also includes a provision instructing DOT to ensure in-flight entertainment is accessible, which Casey pushed for in his Airline Safety Information and Entertainment Access Act. ###

Share Tweet

May 9, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Ban Deadly Water Beads and Protect Kids

Water beads are often designed, intended, or marketed as a toy for children, but can pose deadly risks Esther’s Law is named after a 10-month-old child who died after ingesting a water bead Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families, joined Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) to introduce “Esther’s Law,” bipartisan legislation to ban the sale of water beads designed, intended, or marketed as a toy, educational material, art material or sensory tool for children. The bill is named after 10-month-old Esther Jo Bethard, who lost her life after she swallowed a stray water bead that an older sibling had played with months earlier. Harper Reese from Biglerville, Pennsylvania was hospitalized on her first birthday in 2023 after she swallowed two water beads that were purchased for an older sibling as a sensory toy. Reese is still recovering from severe symptoms as a result of water bead ingestion. “Too many families have faced terrifying hours in the emergency room, worrying about whether their child will survive after swallowing a water bead, a product that is often marketed as a toy,” said Senator Casey (D-PA). “With thousands of children hospitalized in just the last few years, it is clear that this product has no place in the hands of children. This bill will keep kids out of the hospital and prevent more families from facing the nightmare of water bead ingestion.” “Parents buy toys and educational materials for their kids with the understanding those products are safe for their children. Sadly, with water beads that is just not the case. We need to do more to prevent kids from ingesting these dangerous products and give parents the confidence they deserve that the toys they buy are safe,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to introduce this legislation in Esther’s memory to ensure no parent has to go through the pain of losing their child because companies were allowed to market water beads as toys.” “The problems associated with water beads were brought to my attention by the mother of a baby girl from Berwick, Maine, who was hospitalized at 9 months old with a life-threatening obstruction after accidentally consuming a single water bead,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill will keep children safe by establishing common sense guidelines for labelling these potentially dangerous toys that have led to more than 7,800 emergency room admissions since 2016.” “No family should have to figure out how to explain the death of a child to their siblings, or how to have holidays and birthdays without them. Ever. But especially not because of a toy. Esther's Law will help ensure that other families do not have to endure the same senseless tragedy,” said Taylor Bethard, Esther’s Mom. “Rather than holding Esther each day, I’m left holding onto her tiny shoes, a ring with her perfect curls, while fighting to give her a voice. A voice that shouts our children deserve better. Families deserve better. Thank you for hearing Esther’s voice.” Esther’s Law will protect children and pets by limiting children’s access to water beads. Specifically, it would: Direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish a ban on water beads products marketed to children as toys, educational materials, sensory tools, or art materials; Direct CPSC to consider regulations on the colors of other water beads that pose an ingestion hazard to limit their attractiveness to children; and Direct CPSC to require warning labels on packages of water beads that are used for other purposes. Senator Casey has a long record of fighting to protect children from dangerous and defective products. Casey fought for years to pass the STURDY Act, which prevents deadly furniture tip-overs by requiring furniture companies to ensure their products meet safety and stability requirements before being sold. The law was finally passed into law in 2022, and went into effect in the summer of 2023. Esther’s Law is supported by parent advocates through That Water Bead Lady; Amazon; American Academy of Pediatrics; American Association of People with Disabilities; Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN); Autism Society of America; Autism Speaks; Center for Pet Safety; Children’s Hospital Association; Consumer Federation of America; Consumer Reports; Early Care & Education Consortium; Etsy; Kids in Danger (KID); Michaels; National Center for Health Research; National Health Law Project; National Retail Federation; North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN); Public Citizen; Public Interest Research Group (PIRG); Reese’s Purpose; Safe Infant Sleep; Safe Kids Worldwide; Target; Walmart. You can read more about Esther’s Law here.

Share Tweet

May 9, 2024

Casey, Heinrich Lead Push to Increase Funding for Border Security and Anti-Drug Trafficking

Senators push for more border security officers, surveillance technology to detect drugs coming in and guns going out in FY25 spending bill Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) led 15 of their colleagues in a letter to Senate Appropriators urging them to provide the United States with the tools to combat the fentanyl crisis by continuing robust funding for border security and drug interdiction initiatives. In their letter, the Senators push for funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to hire additional agents and purchase more surveillance technology for official ports of entry along the southern border, where illicit drugs are being smuggled in and firearms and currency are being trafficked out of the U.S. to be used by Mexican cartels. The Senators also request more funding for U.S. law enforcement to investigate trafficking crimes and the transnational organizations, including Mexican cartels, perpetuating the fentanyl crisis in the United States. “We ask you to build upon past bipartisan investments to ensure that law enforcement officers at our Nation’s borders are equipped to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. We also ask you to provide robust funding to support the law enforcement agencies that are investigating smuggling and trafficking crimes and working to disrupt the transnational criminal networks that threaten our country and our communities,” the Senators wrote. Senator Casey has led recent efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis by securing the southern border. Alongside Senator Kelly (D-AZ), he introduced the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act and pushed President Biden to request additional border security funding in his FY25 government spending request to Congress. Senator Heinrich has secured a number of new investments to combat the opioid epidemic and protect communities from illicit fentanyl, while helping those struggling with addiction. Most recently, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Heinrich secured substantial federal funding to combat the fentanyl crisis, as well as report language to establish the creation of a comprehensive fentanyl tracking system and to remove barriers to access for opioid use disorder medications. Full text of the letter is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE. Dear Chair Murray and Vice Chair Collins: As you develop the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, the FY 2025 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, and the FY 2025 Financial Services and General Government bill, we write to respectfully request your continued support for robust funding for border security and drug interdiction initiatives. We ask you to build upon past bipartisan investments to ensure that law enforcement officers at our Nation’s borders are equipped to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. We also ask you to provide robust funding to support the law enforcement agencies that are investigating smuggling and trafficking crimes and working to disrupt the transnational criminal networks that threaten our country and our communities. Substance use disorder and overdose deaths are public health crises in the United States that are being severely exacerbated by the widespread availability of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that between October 2022 and October 2023, over 111,000 people died of a drug overdose, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl involved in the vast majority of these deaths. A key factor in this crisis is that, due to its widespread availability and low cost, fentanyl is being mixed with other illicit drugs to increase their potency, often without the knowledge of the user. These include illegal pills, mass-produced by cartels, made to look like legitimate prescription opioids like OxyContin and Xanax. In 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than 78 million fentanyl-laced fake pills and estimated that 70 percent contained a lethal dose of fentanyl, up from 60 percent in 2022 and 40 percent in 2021. The proliferation of fentanyl and associated overdose deaths are being driven in part by trafficking activities at our borders. Data indicates that most of the fentanyl entering the U.S. is trafficked through official ports of entry, and between February 2023 and February 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 1.3 billion doses of fentanyl at official ports of entry. It is imperative that officers at ports of entry are equipped with sufficient resources to continue fighting against fentanyl while also managing the flow of lawful trade and travel. As you develop the FY 2025 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, we urge you to prioritize all funding streams for the Department of Homeland Security that will improve general operations and drug interdiction capabilities along the U.S. border and at ports of entry, particularly funding for CBP’s Office of Field Operations for personnel and technology at ports of entry. This includes funding to support personnel costs, such as hiring additional CBP officers and support staff, expanding training programs for employees, and increasing wages and bonuses for employees. This also includes funding for advanced technology at ports of entry, such as for continued procurement and deployment of non-intrusive inspection systems that scan vehicles to provide detailed images of their interiors, for continued development of anomaly detection algorithms that can analyze these images, and for all other technology needs associated with this effort. To meaningfully address fentanyl trafficking at our borders, we must also address the illegal trafficking of firearms and currency, which flow out of our country to enrich and empower dangerous transnational criminal organizations. We ask you to include robust funding for CBP’s Office of Field Operations for outbound inspections projects at ports of entry to ensure that law enforcement officers at the border can thoroughly and safely inspect vehicles leaving the U.S. and seize illegal contraband. We must ensure that CBP has sufficient funding for non-intrusive inspection technology for outbound inspections, along with funding for infrastructure projects such as dedicated outbound inspection lanes and traffic calming measures to keep CBP officers safe from approaching vehicles when they conduct outbound inspections. We also ask you to support CBP in setting up a formal outbound inspections program within the Office of Field Operations headquarters by providing any funding that is necessary for this effort. In addition to providing increased resources to law enforcement officers at our Nation’s borders, we must also support and expand broader governmental efforts to investigate trafficking crimes and transnational criminal organizations, along with the illicit financial networks that sustain them. We ask you to support funding for personnel for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the arm of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement that focuses on transnational criminal organizations, along with any other funding needs of HSI related to their recent Strategy for Combatting Illicit Opioids. We also ask you to support these investigative efforts as you develop the FY 2025 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill by making strong investments into the Department of Justice programs and agencies that conduct these investigations, such as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Program, which conducts long-term investigations of transnational criminal organizations at the enterprise level. Finally, as you develop the FY 2025 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill, we ask you to support robust funding for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, which provides funding to law enforcement agencies operating in critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. We have long supported increased funding and new policies to address the complex challenges at our borders. To respond to the deadly and growing plague of fentanyl entering the United States, we urge you to support strong investments in border security measures and investigations of transnational criminal organizations. These efforts will enhance operations along our borders and enable law enforcement officers to keep our Nation safe. Thank you for your attention to our request and these critical funding needs. Thank you for your consideration. ###

Share Tweet

May 9, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Address Maternal Health Crisis, Expand Coverage of Doula Care

The Mamas First Act would expand Medicaid to cover doula care and midwifery Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Mamas First Act, legislation that directly and meaningfully addresses the maternal mortality crisis by expanding Medicaid to include doula and midwifery care. A House companion bill was also introduced today by Representatives Gwen Moore (D-WI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Alma Adam (D-NC), and Debbie Dingell (D-NC). “Every mother deserves support and care before, during, and after birth,” said Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “This legislation will help address the maternal health crisis in this country by ensuring that Medicaid covers the full spectrum of care that mothers and infants need.” “The United States has a terrible track record when it comes to maternal mortality, and it’s costing women their lives,” said Senator Warren (D-MA). “Now is the time to use all available tools to combat the maternal health crisis, including by expanding Medicaid to cover access to doulas, midwives, and tribal midwives. The Mama’s First Act will take care of our mommas and babies, and will help us root out the deep disparities and systemic racism in our health care system.” “Expanding Medicaid to include doula and midwifery care is imperative to combating the maternal mortality crisis disproportionately impacting Black and indigenous mothers,” said Senator Booker (D-NJ). “Doula-assisted mothers are less likely to experience complications at birth, and midwife-led care is associated with healthier outcomes for mothers and their babies. All mothers deserve support and care throughout their pregnancy and postpartum journeys, and this legislation is a critical step toward ensuring more equitable access to quality maternal health care.” “America’s ongoing maternal health crisis magnifies the need for federal interventions that can save lives. The Mamas First Act is an important effort because it will expand access to providers who can offer emotional and physical support during and after the birthing process – comprehensive beyond the hospital setting where nearly all U.S. births occur. Our legislation is an opportunity to empower more mothers with doulas and midwives – perinatal professionals who advocate for a mother’s needs. I am thrilled to join my amazing House and Senate maternal health champions in re-introducing this vital legislation,” said Congresswoman Gwen Moore. “As we’re seeing today at the state level in North Carolina, Medicaid expansion continues to improve outcomes for mothers, babies, and all Americans,” said Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D., co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus. “That’s why I’m proud to support the reintroduction of Congresswoman Moore’s Mamas First Act. Maternal mortality remains significantly higher in the United States than in other comparable countries, especially for Black mothers. This legislation addresses the maternal mortality crisis by expanding Medicaid to include doula and midwifery care, because having trusted partners in the birthing process saves lives. Mothers are less than half of the population, but we give birth to 100% of it - Congress needs to put Mamas First because our Mamas can’t wait.” America is facing a maternal mortality crisis, with the highest maternal mortality rate among similar nations. According to a study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), maternal mortality rates have doubled between the years of 1999 and 2019 while decreasing in other similar nations. Black and Native mothers have maternal mortality rates that are two to three times the rate of white mothers. There is also a lack of access to maternity health care providers in communities across the country, also called maternity care deserts, impacting nearly 7 million women and nearly 500,000 births nationwide. The Mamas First Act amends the Social Security Act to allow doulas, midwives, and tribal midwives to be reimbursed by Medicaid. Allowing Medicaid reimbursement for doula care and midwife access would significantly improve health outcomes for mothers and babies. This legislation would improve access to care before, during, and after pregnancy to under-served and under-resourced communities as both doulas and midwives have been proven to reduce the rates of C-sections, decrease maternal anxiety, and improve communication between pregnant women and their health care providers. Expanding access to these health care professionals will allow all communities to access these critical services, increase the focus on culturally competency, and patient-centered care while improving health outcomes. Senator Casey has a long record of leading the fight for maternal health. Casey spent more than a decade fighting to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The law was finally passed into law in 2022, and went into effect in the summer of 2023. In 2023, he secured almost $1 million in federal funding for a pilot workforce development program in Delaware County to train perinatal community health care workers and doulas to slash racial disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. ###

Share Tweet

May 8, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Applaud Nomination of Joseph F. Saporito as U.S. District Judge for Middle District of Pennsylvania

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced that President Joe Biden has nominated Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. to serve on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators play an essential role in recommending to the White House U.S. District Court judge candidates with the commitment to equal justice, legal experience, and integrity necessary to serve the Commonwealth. “Judge Saporito has served the people of Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania for nearly four decades, from his time as an Assistant Public Defender to his work as a magistrate judge,” said Senator Casey. “His diversity of professional experience, deep commitment to service, and unquestioned integrity will serve him and the people of the Middle District well in this new role. I look forward to voting to swiftly confirm him.” “Judge Saporito’s nomination to serve as a District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is a testament to his remarkable qualifications,” said Senator Fetterman. “With more than four decades of dedicated service in the Luzerne County Public Defender's office, his commitment to public service shines through. His extensive experience makes him well-prepared to serve as a District Court Judge. It's my privilege to support his nomination, and I look forward to voting to confirm him.” Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators have a longstanding tradition of working together to recommend and confirm nominees to the federal bench. Senator Casey previously worked with then-Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Pat Toomey (R-PA), with whom he confirmed 37 District Court Judges for Pennsylvania on a bipartisan basis from 2007-2022. Casey and Fetterman have continued this practice, most recently working together to recommend and confirm Judge Julia Munley and Judge Karoline Mehalchick in the Middle District. Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since 2015 and has been the Court’s Chief United States Magistrate Judge since February 2024. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Saporito served as a part-time Assistant Public Defender in the Office of the Public Defender for the County of Luzerne, Pennsylvania from 1985 to 2015, while concurrently maintaining a private legal practice at Saporito & Saporito and then Saporito, Saporito & Falcone. Judge Saporito received his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law in 1985, and his B.A. from Villanova University in 1982. ###

Share Tweet

May 8, 2024

Casey Introduces Bill to Promote Alternatives to Guardianship

Unnecessary guardianship arrangements, which strip older adults and people with disabilities of their independence, have often led to abuse Less restrictive options to guardianship can reduce the potential for abuse, but public awareness of these alternatives is limited Casey’s bill provides resources to ensure greater awareness of alternatives to guardianship, such as supported decision-making and advance directives Casey has long record of promoting alternatives to guardianship and protecting older adults and people with disabilities from abuse Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced the Alternatives to Guardianship Education Act, which would protect older adults and people with disabilities from abuse by helping educators, health care providers, court workers, and family member learn about alternatives to guardianship. Guardianships are legal relationships created when a court determines that a person is incapable of making important decisions on their own. While unnecessary guardianship arrangements—which can strip older adults and people with disabilities of their independence—have often led to abuse, public awareness of potential alternatives is limited. Chairman Casey’s new bill would invest in educating people who frequently interact with older adults and people with disabilities about alternatives to guardianship, such as supported decision-making and advance directives, which may reduce the potential for abuse. “While celebrity cases may have shone the national spotlight onto guardianships and the potential for abuse that they pose, we have a lot more work to do to increase public awareness of the alternative options that exist,” said Chairman Casey (D-PA). “My legislation would provide resources for a public education campaign that ensures people know about alternatives to guardianship that protect Americans’ civil rights while getting them the support they need.” Chairman Casey’s new bill is just the latest step he has taken to promote alternatives to guardianship and protect older adults from abuse. In July 2021, Chairman Casey and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra requesting information on what data efforts are in place to determine the status of guardianships across the country and what efforts the Department was making to promote alternatives to guardianships. In October 2021, Chairman Casey introduced the Guardianship Accountability Act, which would provide accountability and oversight into guardianships, promote best practices, and provide funding and training to spot abuse. He also published an Op-Ed in BuzzFeed News about how Britney Spears’ conservatorship case helped shed light on broader issues surrounding guardianships and conservatorships for seniors and people with disabilities. In 2023, Casey held an Aging Committee hearing entitled, “Guardianship and Alternatives: Protection and Empowerment,” which examined a litany of the issues facing older adults and people with disabilities in guardianships. At the hearing, he introduced the Guardianship Bill of Rights Act, which would promote alternative arrangements to guardianships and create standards that would protect the civil rights of people living under guardianships. Read more about Casey’s new bill, the Alternatives to Guardianship Education Act, here. ###

Share Tweet

May 8, 2024

Casey, Brown, Cortez Masto Introduce Legislation to Keep Call Center Jobs in U.S., Protect Consumers’ Personal Data

Bill would penalize companies that outsource call centers overseas by withholding federal grants and contracts Call centers employ more than 3 million workers in the U.S. Moving call centers abroad puts Americans’ data at risk Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced the United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act to protect American call center jobs from being outsourced overseas. In recent years, many call center operators have shifted operations overseas and shut down or downsized their U.S. operations. This alarming trend not only harms American workers, but American consumers whose data could be at risk under the control of foreign companies and governments. “When Pennsylvanians call for customer service help, they should not have to fear that their personal data may be at risk,” said Senator Casey. “This legislation will help safeguard your personal data and keep jobs here in the U.S. rather than shipping them overseas.” “The threat of outsourcing hangs over Ohio call center workers constantly. Companies can’t function without these workers, and Ohioans should have the option to support American jobs and talk with workers based in the U.S. This bill holds corporations accountable for shipping these jobs overseas, and encourages companies to keep their customer service where it belongs: in America,” said Senator Brown. “We shouldn't reward call center companies that outsource Nevada jobs and put consumers’ personal data at risk,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This legislation helps hold companies accountable and encourages businesses to remain in the U.S. I will keep fighting to keep American jobs here and stand up for our working families in Nevada.” “CWA strongly endorses the Call Center Worker and Consumer Worker and Consumer Protection Act. As the union representing the largest number of workers in the call center industry, we understand how devastating call center offshoring is to U.S. workers, consumers, and communities. Our taxpayer dollars shouldn't reward companies for offshoring their customer service work so they can skirt U.S. labor law and exploit low wage workers in other countries,” said Dan Mauer, Director of Government Affairs, Communications Workers of America (CWA). “U.S. workers and communities rely on these good paying jobs and consumers rely on our data privacy laws to keep their personal identifiable information protection. We applaud the introduction of the bill and urge Congress to pass this legislation!” The United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act would protect jobs and families by restricting and penalizing businesses that relocate call centers or redirect customer service calls to locations outside the United States. The bill would: Make companies that ship call centers overseas ineligible for federal grants and subsidized loans; Require that all call center work performed on federal contracts be done in the U.S. and that the federal government give preference to companies that do not offshore jobs when awarding contracts; Require U.S. companies to identify the location of the call center and allow the customer to be transferred to a call center located in the US, if asked; and Require companies to report to the Department of Labor (DOL) when moving call center operations outside of the U.S. In addition to Casey, Brown, and Cortez Masto, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). The United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act is supported by the Communications Workers of America (CWA). Read more about the United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act here. ###

Share Tweet

May 3, 2024

At Casey & Fetterman’s Urging, Defense Officials Abandon Plan to Endanger PA Wilds

Air Force proposal would have allowed pilots to fly as low as 100 feet above major recreational areas in Pennsylvania Casey and Fetterman pushed for years to protect the PA Wilds The 13-county Pennsylvania Wilds region contains the greatest concentration of public lands in PA and account for $1.8 billion in tourism Casey: “I will always fight to preserve the PA Wilds and the rest of the natural resources that make our Commonwealth so beautiful” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced that the Air Force and National Guard Bureau has rescinded their proposal to create a low-flying training zone Duke Military Operating Area (MOA), which would allow pilots to fly as low as 100 feet above ground level. After hearing concerns from North Central Pennsylvania organizations and residents about the possible dangers this plan would pose to the Pennsylvania Wilds region’s economy, environment, and quality of life, Casey and Fetterman have repeatedly pushed the Air Force to abandon the plan. “From the moment the Air Force’s proposal was announced, I’ve been deeply concerned about how low, loud, and frequent flights could disrupt livelihoods in a tranquil region that has built its identify on outdoor recreation,” said Senator Casey (D-PA). “After years of pushing the Air Force to abandon this plan, I’m glad that they are respecting the wishes of the people of North Central Pennsylvania. I will always fight to preserve the PA Wilds and the rest of the natural resources that make our Commonwealth so beautiful.” “This decision is a huge win not just for the beloved natural resources in the Pennsylvania Wilds, but also for the many Pennsylvanians who call this region home,” said Senator Fetterman (D-PA). “I’m proud to have fought and delivered for these too often forgotten North Central Pennsylvania communities alongside Senator Casey. I’m also committed to working with our partners in the Air Force and National Guard to ensure our military remains strong and prepared—and I know we can do this while making sure Pennsylvanians’ voices are heard.” Since its initial proposal, the Duke MOA low-flying training zone has faced strong opposition from Pennsylvania state officials, local leaders, conservation groups, and community members, who highlighted the potential negative impacts on local economies, public health and safety, and outdoor recreation. After hearing constituent concerns, Senators Casey and Fetterman have advocated fiercely to stop the Air Force from adopting this plan. In December 2021, Casey sent a letter to the Maryland Air National Guard expressing concern about the proposal and its effects on economic growth and quality of life in the region. In May of last year, Senators Casey and Fetterman sent a letter to the Maryland Air National Guard and the Air National Guard Readiness Center once again expressing grave concerns with the plan and demanding the agencies examine the potential environmental impact of the proposal. The Senators also met with the Air Force on several occasions to request a reconsideration of the plan, and have worked with federal, state, and local officials to bring the proposal to a halt. ###

Share Tweet

May 3, 2024

Casey Bill to Support Rural Communities Included in New Farm Bill Package

Casey’s bill would help rural communities secure much needed federal funding and resources Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that his bill to advance economic opportunities in rural Pennsylvania has been adopted in a new farm package from the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee. Casey’s bipartisan Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act will allow rural communities to address urgent needs like affordable child care, housing, and job training; provide guidance to help rural communities navigate existing federal funding opportunities and ensure they’re getting their fair share of private and federal investment; and improve supportive services offered by the federal government to rural communities. Casey first introduced the bill in November 2023 and has worked to secure bipartisan support from rural leaders across Pennsylvania. “I have worked for years to ensure that Pennsylvania farmers, families, and rural areas get a fair shot,” said Senator Casey. “My bill will make it easier for rural communities to grow their economies and provide opportunities for their residents. I fought to include this in the farm bill because uplifting our rural communities is good for all of Pennsylvania, and I’ll keep fighting until we get this done.” The farm bill package also includes a number of bills Senator Casey has introduced to fight food insecurity. Those include the Senior Hunger Prevention Act and Senior Nutrition Task Force Act, which set up programs to prevent hunger among seniors, and the Farmers Feeding America Act, Farm to Food Bank Reauthorization Act and Healthy Food Financing Initiative Reauthorization Act, which would increase access to food in underserved communities. ###

Share Tweet

May 2, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Push Administration to Keep Tariffs in Place on Chinese Imports

As Administration reviews Section 301 tariffs, senators warn any reduction would jeopardize American jobs Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) joined a group of Senate colleagues to call on President Biden to maintain Section 301 tariffs, which are currently under interagency review by the Biden Administration. The U.S. created domestic protections with Section 301 tariffs in 2018, following an investigation by the United States Trade Representative (USTR), to combat China’s unfair anticompetitive policies. In a letter, the senators warn that China’s cheating remains as pervasive as ever, and that any reduction in the size or scope of the tariffs would undermine American producers and their workers. “Generations of free trade agreements that prioritize multinational corporations have devastated our communities, harmed our economy, and crippled our job market. Keeping the 301 tariffs in place and increasing the tariffs where necessary maintains a critical piece of a pro-worker trade agenda,” wrote the senators. “Any reduction in the 301 tariffs allows China to gain a competitive advantage over hardworking Americans. American workers can compete with anyone if they have a level playing field, and now is not the time to roll back support. We strongly urge you to maintain or increase the 301 tariffs to stand with American workers and hold China accountable.” Casey and Fetterman were joined by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). Senator Casey is a staunch supporter of Buy America standards, as well as legislation to develop American manufacturing capacity. In November, he sent a letter to President Biden sharing his serious concerns about potential reductions of Section 232 and 301 tariffs previously imposed on China on national security grounds. That month, he also voted against a resolution to effectively remove Buy American standards for electric vehicle (EV) chargers and force the United States to continue relying on China for products critical to the next generation of clean vehicle infrastructure. He fought to pass the Build America, Buy America Act as a part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which requires that all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in infrastructure projects are produced in the United States. Casey also fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which included tax credits for individuals and companies manufacturing or deploying clean energy technologies to help lower costs and secure our energy independence, as well as his provision to provide a “domestic content” bonus credit for companies that use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods. The full letter is available HERE and below: Dear President Biden and Ambassador Tai: As the Administration continues its interagency review of Section 301 tariffs, we write to express the critical need to maintain or increase the tariffs to address China’s continued actions to cheat and undermine our national security. Maintaining the scope and impact of these tariffs benefits American workers, manufacturers, and their communities, and holds China accountable for the country's continued anti-competitive practices. We welcome your diligence to protect American steel from China’s cheating and urge you to apply the same diligence to all 301 tariffs. Section 301 tariffs were imposed in 2018 after an investigation by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to address China’s implementation of a policy agenda that was, and remains, detrimental to the United States. China’s policies regarding intellectual property, technology transfer, and innovation discriminate against the United States, creating trade barriers that negatively impact American commerce. Tariffs are an important tool to level the playing field and combat anti-competitive practices from non-market economies and trade cheats, and they must remain in place. China has continued to cheat, circumvent, and manipulate to artificially strengthen its economy and harm the United States. Across sectors like steel, solar products, and electric vehicles, China employs tactics to distort markets and create artificially low prices by illegally subsidizing its industries and producing to overcapacity. These practices disrupt global product demand and supply chains and threaten the goals of the United States’ industrial policy. Our communities are left reeling from the impact. Generations of free trade agreements that prioritize multinational corporations have devastated our communities, harmed our economy, and crippled our job market. Keeping the 301 tariffs in place and increasing the tariffs where necessary maintains a critical piece of a pro-worker trade agenda. Any reduction in the 301 tariffs allows China to gain a competitive advantage over hardworking Americans. American workers can compete with anyone if they have a level playing field, and now is not the time to roll back support. We strongly urge you to maintain or increase the 301 tariffs to stand with American workers and hold China accountable. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. ###

Share Tweet

May 1, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio, Lee Urge VA Secretary to Push Pittsburgh Veterans’ Health System to Address Concerns, Improve Health Care

Letter comes months after the members urged Pittsburgh VA system to address problems with staffing, quality of care Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and Summer Lee (D-PA-12) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough calling on the Secretary to push the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Health System (VAPHS) to address a number of challenges facing the health system and its standard of care. The letter comes several months after the Members of Congress questioned VAPHS about problems including chronic staffing shortages, the lowest possible rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and a patient suicide onsite last year. In today’s letter, the members express frustration to VAPHS’s response to their inquiry, and push Secretary McDonough to help ensure these challenges are addressed. The members wrote, “Though we can never fully repay our veterans for the sacrifices they make serving our Nation, when they return home, the least we can do is ensure they have world-class health care. We are increasingly concerned that VAPHS may be failing to consistently deliver that standard of care for veterans in Southwestern Pennsylvania.” In the letter, the members ask Secretary McDonough to address three major issues: (1) whether VAPHS is hiring and retaining a workforce sufficiently robust to meet the growing needs of veterans newly enrolled under PACT Act authorities; (2) whether strong relationships between VAPHS management and workers, including the union, are being fostered and maintained in good faith; and (3) the lack of urgency in response to the concerns that have been expressed. Read the full letter HERE or below: Dear Secretary McDonough, We write today to request your assistance with ongoing challenges at the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Health System (VAPHS). Though we can never fully repay our veterans for the sacrifices they make serving our Nation, when they return home, the least we can do is ensure they have world-class health care. We are increasingly concerned that VAPHS may be failing to consistently deliver that standard of care for veterans in Southwestern Pennsylvania. We believe there are three major issues that require your attention and that of your Central Office leadership team: (1) whether VAPHS is hiring and retaining a workforce sufficiently robust to meet the growing needs of veterans newly enrolled under PACT Act authorities; (2) whether strong relationships between VAPHS management and workers, including the union, are being fostered and maintained in good faith; and (3) the lack of urgency in response to the concerns that we and our staff have expressed. We outline each of these concerns in more detail below. First, in late in 2023, we heard from VAPHS employees about staffing shortages with significant potential consequences for patient care. Employees reported having to cover the responsibilities of multiple positions for extended periods of time. We were told that health care facility employees were unable to call off sick because there would be no one to do their jobs, and that certain departments’ phones would continue to ring unanswered, even if veterans or internal staff were calling. On January 16, 2024, we wrote to VAPHS Director Donald Koenig asking him to tackle hiring shortages across key disciplines, including registered nursing, behavioral health, medical support assistance (MSA), and housekeeping. We asked that Director Koenig take several measures aimed at meeting staffing needs to improve VAPHS’s care to veterans. Director Koenig responded to us by writing, “I assure you that VA Pittsburgh is not chronically understaffed,” while pointing to national recruitment and retention shortages for key positions, including those identified in our initial letter. He also provided our offices with certain statistics, including comparisons of VAPHS to average VA and private sector facilities as well as vacancy rates for MSA (23 percent) and housekeeping positions (25 percent) at VAPHS. VAPHS’s response created more questions than it answered. If VAPHS “is not chronically understaffed,” why do approximately a quarter of MSA and housekeeping positions remain unfilled? If there are no shortages of employees at VAPHS, why did VAPHS justify such shortages in its response letter by pointing to “[national labor force] shortages and competition?” Further, VAPHS’s response did not specifically address our explicit requests to identify the causes of remaining talent shortfalls and to develop a system to track the time between VAPHS management’s awareness of a talent need and the posting of a position to address that need. A subsequent meeting between VAPHS and our staff on February 2 left us with even more questions. To address these questions, on February 16, our offices requested a significant amount of data on matters related to hiring, retention, and vacancy rates at VAPHS. We hoped that this data would help us better understand the challenges faced by VAPHS on these staffing issues and, ultimately, help VAPHS improve its care to veterans. As of the date of this letter, VAPHS’s only response has been a forwarded email from the Director, dated April 8, announcing that, “VAPHS will implement a temporary hiring freeze, effective immediately.” The email later states that licensed care professionals in roles not directly providing patient care “will be asked to help us whenever a staffing shortage presents an opportunity to avoid reducing beds or clinic slots,” similar to what VAPHS “implemented during the COVID pandemic.” We find this step unacceptable and antithetical to our concerns. Instead of providing responses to our questions and working collaboratively to address talent shortages, VAPHS told us after the fact that it had implemented a hiring freeze. A hiring freeze is counterintuitive to solving VAPHS’s staffing vacancies. Additionally, the PACT Act created new authorities for health systems like VAPHS to compete in the labor market with increased incentives for mission-critical positions. All indications are that VAPHS is not utilizing these new authorities to meet its hiring needs. By failing to take advantage of these tools, it appears that VAPHS is missing an opportunity to improve access to care and quality of care for our veterans. VAPHS’s call for volunteers to perform multiple jobs is not a substitute for hiring new VA workers to fill vacancies. As our staff previously expressed to VAPHS on February 2, long-unfilled vacancies have already forced VAPHS employees to cover the responsibilities of multiple positions for extended periods of time. We are no longer facing a pandemic, and the emergency measures implemented during the pandemic—pushing heroic health care professionals to brink of exhaustion—have contributed to the shortages of health care professionals across the country today. Without answers to our questions, we find it difficult to conclude that VAPHS’s best possible course of action to providing quality care for southwestern Pennsylvania veterans is to resort to pandemic-era emergency measures. Please provide us with a comprehensive update on VAPHS’ staffing guidance as informed by Veterans Health Administration and VA Central Office guidance, information on the use of PACT Act and other hiring incentives for in-demand positions, and other efforts to fill vacancies. Second, our offices have consistently heard of the severely strained relationship between VAPHS management and the health system’s union representing its workers, AFGE Local 2028. As noted in our January 16 letter, the quality of the relationships between management, service line leadership, and labor has not improved significantly over the current Director’s tenure. Collaborative and trusting relationships and open lines of communication between management and labor are critical to providing high-quality care to our veterans. Although these relationships can present challenges to every VA facility, we have found VAPHS Director Koenig’s responses to his workers’ concerns particularly troubling. For example, in our January 16 letter we requested that VAPHS restart its Labor Management Forums (LMFs). In response to our letter, VAPHS rejected our calls for LMFs by arguing that a different monthly meeting between VAPHS management, human resources, and labor already serves the function of an LMF. This other monthly meeting addresses specific issues about individual employees and, notably, does not include service line leaders, who are critical to the success of LMFs because they have expertise in and control of their departments’ day-to-day operations. We asked VAPHS for the return of LMFs because existing meetings have failed to address the root causes of VAPHS’s management-labor relationship strain. Arguing as VAPHS did that, “we [already] hold [a meeting] which serves as our LMF,” and that, “the relationship between VAPHS leadership and our employees has never been stronger,” denies the existence of a problem. These arguments do not reflect reality: On the same day we received VAPHS’s response, we heard concerns from AFGE Local 2028 that employee morale and the management-labor relationship were at an all-time low over the last 20 years. After VAPHS’s lack of acknowledgment of the management-labor problem, our offices requested a detailed justification for VAPHS’s statements. The next we heard about VAPHS’s management-labor relationship was on February 27, when VAPHS Director Koenig placed two members of AFGE Local 2028’s leadership on administrative leave and telework pending the completion of an investigation into alleged property damage. On March 4, 2024, AFGE Local 2028 leaders received notification that the investigation was a criminal matter. In response, AFGE Local 2028 hired a criminal defense firm at a significant expense to their organization. On March 26, AFGE Local 2028 learned that an administrative investigation board was also chartered. Please provide us with a clarification of the scope and focus of this investigation and when you expect it to be complete. We do not presume to be privy to these investigations. However, regardless of the investigations’ outcome, we have concerns that they will further strain management-labor relationships at VAPHS. In light of the investigations and the continued deterioration of management-labor relationships, we ask that you closely consider whether the VA Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection should initiate an investigation into the conduct of VAPHS leadership in relation to VAPHS employees and any retaliation for raising legitimate workplace concerns. Third and finally, we are wholly dissatisfied with VAPHS’s slow and incomplete responses to our significant and valid concerns. We expect that any congressional inquiry be responded to in both a timely manner and in good faith. While we appreciated VAPHS’s February 2 response to our January 16 letter, it left many of our questions unanswered, without indicating an intent to provide more substantive answers. On February 16 we requested a significant amount of data from VAPHS to answer our follow-on questions. Instead of taking the opportunity to demonstrate its responsiveness, as of this letter, VAPHS has yet to provide us with more than an acknowledgment of this request’s receipt after more than two months. Certainly not all our questions require over two months to answer, yet we have not received even a partial response. Thank you for your work serving our Nation’s veterans and leading VA health care systems like VAPHS to improve their care. We appreciate your attention to our concerns and requests and look forward to your timely and substantive response to this letter. Sincerely, Robert P. Casey, Jr. United States Senator John Fetterman United States Senator Chris Deluzio Member of Congress Summer Lee Member of Congress ###

Share Tweet

April 25, 2024

Casey Secures $73 Million to Make PA Drinking Water Safer, Improve Water Infrastructure

Infrastructure law has sent more than $800 million to Pennsylvania for clean drinking water upgrades Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) approved $73 million worth of projects across the Commonwealth that will help communities access safe, clean water; remove and replace contaminated and hazardous pipes; and collect and treat wastewater. The selected projects are all receiving funding from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act. “Pennsylvania’s state constitution affords the right to safe, pure water to every community in our Commonwealth. Thanks to the infrastructure law, we’re protecting people and the environment from water contamination and ensuring clean, safe drinking water for homes and businesses,” Senator Casey said. Projects included in this round of funding will remove lead water lines, upgrade wastewater facilities, replace water pump stations, and address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination in communities across the Commonwealth. In January of this year, Senator Casey announced significant funding from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act for drinking water and wastewater projects. In April 2023, Casey announced $266 million to remove contaminants—like PFAS—from Pennsylvania’s water supply and improve water infrastructure by replacing lead pipes. And in September 2022, Casey announced $240 million from to repair aging pipes, collect and treat wastewater and build resiliency in the face of extreme weather events.? See below for list of project recipients of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding: Project recipients of IIJA Funding County Recipient Grant Amount Loan Amount Total Funding Project Type Bucks Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc. $6,770,000 $0 $6,770,000 PFAS Mitigation Erie Erie City Water Authority $238,205 $471,795 $710,000 Lead Service Line Removal Lawrence Wampum Borough $1,600,000 $0 $1,600,000 Lead Service Line Removal Dauphin Derry Township Municipal Authority $4,191,077 $10,193,923 $14,385,000 PFAS Mitigation Luzerne Conyngham-Sugarloaf Joint Municipal Authority $0 $12,750,000 $12,750,000 Wastewater Montour Danville Municipal Authority $6,453,604 $10,408,396 $16,862,000 Wastewater Schuylkill Tamaqua Borough Authority $12,207,701 $7,792,299 $20,000,000 Wastewater

Share Tweet

April 24, 2024

Casey to Biden Administration: Keep Investing in Allentown

Following Casey’s advocacy, City of Allentown earned highly selective federal grant to break down economic barriers Phase 2 of Recompete Program would help City to realize goals of removing barriers to employment, connecting residents to the fast-growing industries in the Lehigh Valley Congress created the Recompete Program in CHIPS and Science Act to connect distressed communities to jobs and investment Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in support of the City of Allentown’s application to the second phase of the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, created by the CHIPS and Science Act. After being selected for Phase 1 last year at Casey’s urging, Allentown is competing for more federal funding to implement plans to tackle locally-specific barriers to prime age employment, such as access to affordable and convenient child care, transportation, and educational opportunities. “This program is about more than just placing people into jobs. When folks have the skills and the resources they need to compete for good-paying jobs, they can provide for their families, get quality health care, and improve their quality of life. That makes our communities stronger,” Casey wrote. “With its unique challenges and access to a wealth of assets, the City is well positioned to carry out the mission of Phase 2 of the Recompete Pilot Program.” After voting to establish the Recompete program in the CHIPS and Science Act, Senator Casey advocated to ensure that Allentown would be included in the program. In October 2023, he urged Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to advance Allentown’s application to the program. In December, Casey, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), and Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-PA-07) announced that they secured the Phase 1 grant. The Recompete Pilot Program makes targeted investments in communities struggling with high prime-age employment gaps and reflects an increased commitment at the federal level to spurring economic development in communities that have long been left behind. By making large, place-based investments, the program allows persistently distressed communities to address the barriers to employment most prevalent in their own regions. Full text of the letter is below and the PDF can be found HERE. April 24, 2024 Dear Secretary Raimondo, I write to you in support of the City of Allentown’s application for Phase 2 of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA’s) Recompete Pilot Program. The City of Allentown is well positioned to receive funding through the Recompete Pilot Program as a diverse community with great potential yet persistent economic distress. As EDA proceeds with awarding Phase 2 of the Recompete Pilot Program funding, I urge them to give the City’s proposal full and fair consideration. The Recompete Pilot Program represents the realization of a shared goal amongst my colleagues and myself: reinvigorating communities struggling to overcome persistent economic distress. By infusing funding for long-term, place-based strategies, the Recompete Pilot Program will support sustainable and equitable economic revitalization in communities that have experienced disinvestment despite an abundance of potential. One such community is the City of Allentown, which has faced longstanding barriers to reducing its prime-age employment gap (PAEG) but is also seeing emerging economic growth and opportunities in the region to advance economic prosperity equitably for its residents. This program is about more than just placing people into jobs. When folks have the skills and the resources they need to compete for good-paying jobs, they can provide for their families, get quality health care, and improve their quality of life. That makes our communities stronger. With its unique challenges and access to a wealth of assets, the City is well positioned to carry out the mission of Phase 2 of the Recompete Pilot Program. The City of Allentown has shared with me the promising work occurring in the Lehigh Valley in key sectors like manufacturing and health care. However, I understand that much of the City’s population has been locked out of these opportunities to contribute to the area’s robust economic activity as a result of several key barriers examined through Phase 1 of the Recompete Pilot Program. As the Lehigh Valley continues to grow quickly, it is imperative that underserved areas of the City of Allentown do not continue to be left behind. I understand that the City has an ambitious plan of slashing its PAEG by identifying and targeting its most diverse and disadvantaged neighborhoods and removing barriers to employment while connecting residents to the fast-growing industries in the region. I am told that they have identified a series of component projects, including creating a continuum of career readiness, growing careers in advanced manufacturing and other high-demand professions, aligning job training provided to people reentering the workforce after incarceration with critical regional industries, expanding access to affordable, flexible childcare options, investing in transit systems to advance job access, investing in site development, and developing health care career pathways to align with local needs. During my time representing the Commonwealth, I have worked with many community leaders who have had the tools and expertise to identify barriers to local growth yet often lack sufficient resources to implement comprehensive and meaningful economic strategies that can transform the lives of working families. Recent investments like the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 offer a critical opportunity to provide these resources and deliver a fair shot for every community. As EDA prepares its first round of Recompete Pilot Program implementation funding, I am hopeful that investments can reach places like the City of Allentown that are ready and capable of maximizing this once-in-a-generation investment. Thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration. Please include this letter in the official record of the application. Consistent with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, I also respectfully request that you keep me informed of the status of this grant application. Finally, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me or my staff at (202) 224-6324. ###

Share Tweet

April 24, 2024

After Casey’s Urging, President Signs into Law FEND Off Fentanyl Act to Crack Down on Fentanyl Manufacturers and Traffickers

New law will combat the opioid crisis by targeting the fentanyl supply chain, from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs from Mexico Since bill was introduced last April, Casey has traveled across Pennsylvania pushing for its passage Casey: “The transnational criminals responsible for the fentanyl crisis will finally be held accountable for their devastation” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded the President signing into law the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act after the Senate passed it last evening. This new law will combat the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania by targeting the fentanyl supply chain, from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs from Mexico. Casey championed the bill since its introduction, and over the last several months has traveled across Pennsylvania advocating for its passage. The Senate originally passed this bill in July 2023, and again in February 2024, but the House of Representatives finally voted to pass it last week. “In passing the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, we are finally cracking down on the Chinese criminal organizations and Mexican cartels who manufacture and traffic fentanyl into the United States,” said Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “As I travel across Pennsylvania, I’ve heard from far too many families who have lost a loved one to the fentanyl crisis, and I carry their stories with me to Washington as I’ve pushed to get this bill passed. While we’ll never be able to bring their loved ones back, I hope this brings a measure of justice to these families knowing that the transnational criminals responsible for the fentanyl crisis will finally be held accountable for their devastation.” The United States is facing the worst drug crisis in history. Accidental drug overdoses were the number one cause of death for Pennsylvanians under 40, and a total of 5,200 Pennsylvanians died from drug overdoses in 2022. In 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration seized over 379 million deadly doses of fentanyl enough to supply a lethal dose to every American. The FEND Off Fentanyl Act is a sanctions and anti-money laundering bill to help combat the country’s fentanyl crisis by targeting opioid traffickers devastating America’s communities. The bill will enhance current law so U.S. government agencies can more effectively disrupt illicit opioid supply chains and penalize those facilitating the trafficking of fentanyl. It also ensures that sanctions are imposed not only on those engaged in the illicit drug trade, but also in the money laundering that makes it profitable. Prior to passage, the bill earned support from a number of law enforcement organizations, including the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Officers, the National Sheriff’s Association, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association. Since the bill’s introduction, Senator Casey has traveled across Pennsylvania and met with law enforcement, opioid treatment providers, and the families of fentanyl victims to underscore the importance of passing the bill. He made stops to discuss the FEND OFF Fentanyl Act and push for its passage in Allentown, Erie, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Scranton. Senator Casey has made fighting the fentanyl crisis one of his top priorities. In January, he introduced the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act, which increases staffing capacity and technology to detect illicit drugs and other contraband being smuggled through ports of entry along the border. Casey has also pushed President Biden to prioritize additional resources to strengthen the security at the southwest border to stop the flow of illicit drugs like fentanyl through ports of entry along the border. In addition, Casey has also introduced bills to support grandparents raising grandchildren, many of whom have been impacted by the opioid crisis, and to eliminate the cost of opioid treatment and recovery support services for those who need it. A full timeline of Senator Casey’s work to combat the opioid crisis can be found here. ###

Share Tweet

April 23, 2024

Casey: National Security Bill “Sends Clear Message to Our Adversaries”

National security bill includes aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, as well as humanitarian aid to Gaza Package also includes FEND Off Fentanyl Act, to crack down on fentanyl manufacturers and traffickers Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded the passage of a national security funding bill that provides support to Ukraine and Israel and much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza. The bill also includes the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which Senator Casey has championed, to crack down on fentanyl manufacturers. Senator Casey released the following statement: “This critical national security funding bill sends a clear message to our adversaries that the United States will always push back against authoritarians, terrorists, cartels, and those who threaten democracy and freedom. With this overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, Ukraine and Israel will get the military support they need, Palestinians caught in the crosshairs of the Israel-Hamas war will receive humanitarian aid, and Taiwan and our allies in the Indo-Pacific will be able to deter aggression from the Chinese Communist Party. “In passing the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, we are finally cracking down on the Chinese criminal organizations and Mexican cartels who manufacture and traffic fentanyl into the United States. As I travel across Pennsylvania, I’ve heard from far too many families who have lost a loved one to the fentanyl crisis, and I carry their stories with me to Washington as I’ve pushed to get this bill passed. While we’ll never be able to bring their loved ones back, I hope this brings a measure of justice to these families knowing that the transnational criminals responsible for the fentanyl crisis will finally be held accountable for their devastation.” The national security supplemental includes much-needed support to Ukraine as it fights back against Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion and assistance to Israel in its war against the terrorist group Hamas. Additionally, it provides much needed humanitarian assistance to provide food, water, shelter, medical care, and other essential services to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine, and others caught in conflict zones around the world. The bill includes aid to U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific to deter aggression by the Chinese government. The package also includes the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which targets, sanctions, and blocks the financial assets of transnational criminal organizations, from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs from Mexico. Casey has been traveling around Pennsylvania meeting with law enforcement and families of victims of fentanyl overdoses as he pushes for passage of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act. The Senate originally passed this bill back in February, but the House of Representatives finally voted to pass it last week.

Share Tweet

April 22, 2024

Casey Urges IRS to Exempt Victims of the Norfolk Southern Train Derailment From Being Taxed on Reimbursements

During an April 16 Finance committee hearing, Casey secured IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel commitment to deliver tax relief to Norfolk Southern derailment victims In new letter, Casey follows up on commitment made earlier this week by IRS Commissioner to do everything in its power to provide relief to Darlington residents Casey has repeatedly fought for resources for Pennsylvanians affected by the derailment, working to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for the necessary cleanup and aid to help the community recover Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Danny Werfel and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urging them to recognize the Norfolk Southern derailment as “of a catastrophic nature” and exempt families from being taxed on reimbursements for reasonable post-disaster necessities, such as shelter, food, and clothing. This letter follows Senator Casey’s questioning of Werfel during an April 16 Senate Committee on Finance hearing where Casey secured a commitment from Commissioner Werfel that the IRS will do everything in its power to deliver tax relief to victims of this disaster. “Impacted individuals and families faced great hardships and disruption during this period and were forced to deal with sudden unexpected evacuations and school closures with little access to their belongings or homes…The Pennsylvania victims of this disaster should not be forced to pay tax on reimbursements for the hardship they endured and the losses they suffered. These payments were not income, and the Treasury and IRS should use their authority and not recognize them as such,” wrote Senator Casey. Since the Norfolk Southern train derailment in February 2023, Senator Casey has been fighting relentlessly to ensure victims of the disaster receive the resources, reimbursement, and support they need to recover. On numerous occasions, Casey has pressed Norfolk Southern to meet its obligation to compensate the residents of Darlington and play a significant role in the clean-up and damage remediation process. He has also pushed the federal government to hold Norfolk Southern accountable to that obligation. In total, Casey has pushed Norfolk Southern to provide $1.2 million in funding for Darlington Township. Senator Casey has also led efforts to protect the health of Darlington residents. He has repeatedly pushed for the federal government to devote significant resources to expand access to clean public drinking water and increase health assistance and monitoring in the region. Casey has also made preventing future derailments a major legislative focus in the wake of the Darlington derailment. In March 2023, he introduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act, which would take key steps to improve rail safety protocols and reduce the possibility of derailments. In May 2023, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed a version of the legislation on a 16-11 vote. This bill also included provisions based on Casey’s Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act to set aside funds—paid for by companies that ship and carry hazardous materials—to provide emergency responders, firefighters, and law enforcement with the financial resources needed to replace equipment, pay workers overtime, and address other urgent costs in the event of a serious derailment. Casey has also repeatedly pushed the Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern to take steps to strengthen safety protocols and decrease the likelihood of future derailments. See Senator Casey’s full record on the Norfolk Southern derailment HERE. Read the full letter HERE or below: April 16, 2024 Dear Secretary Yellen and Commissioner Werfel: On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, less than 1,000 feet from the border with Darlington Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. The train caught fire and burned through the weekend. On Monday, February 6, following a mandatory evacuation of Ohio and Pennsylvania residents, Norfolk Southern conducted a vent-and-burn of five tanker cars carrying vinyl chloride on the grounds that doing so would mitigate concerns of a more serious explosion. The vent-and-burn decision by Norfolk Southern—the scientific support for which NTSB Chair Homendy has called into question—had a tremendous impact on communities in Pennsylvania, with at least 135 households in Beaver County, PA forced to evacuate their homes for a prolonged period to avoid further toxic exposure. Impacted individuals and families faced great hardships and disruption during this period and were forced to deal with sudden unexpected evacuations and school closures with little access to their belongings or homes. In response to the frightening and chaotic disarray Norfolk Southern caused, and public pressure, the company opened a Family Assistance Center in New Waterford, Ohio, a neighboring town requiring almost 20 minutes travel time from Darlington Township. Families needed to transport themselves to the Center to show proof that they were evacuated so they could qualify for a $1,000 inconvenience payment. In addition, the company started to allow individuals to present evidence of receipts for shelter, food, and clothing to qualify for reimbursements. Norfolk Southern made payments to many of the affected families and also reimbursed those who had expenses due to needing to flee their homes to escape the health hazards caused by the derailment and the subsequent burning of the spilled chemicals. These payments were subsequently reported to the IRS by Norfolk Southern and sent to the affected individuals using Form 1099. Unfortunately, the affected Pennsylvanians will now have to pay taxes on these reimbursements as if they were income, rather than a reimbursement for the reasonable and necessary costs incurred by families due to this catastrophic disaster. Therefore, I call on the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service to invoke your authority under Section §139 of the Internal Revenue Code and recognize that the Norfolk Southern accident was “of a catastrophic nature” and that therefore the reasonable and necessary payments made to these families are exempt from tax. Congress gave this authority to you for a situation such as what occurred following the Norfolk Southern derailment disaster. The Pennsylvania victims of this disaster should not be forced to pay tax on reimbursements for the hardship they endured and the losses they suffered. These payments were not income, and the Treasury and IRS should use their authority and not recognize them as such. Thank you for your consideration. I appreciate your efforts to serve the American people and to implement a fair and just tax system. ###

Share Tweet

April 22, 2024

Casey Applauds Finalized Rule Promoting Safety of Nursing Home Residents

Casey has been urging the Biden Administration to adopt staffing minimums for more than a year Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, applauded today’s announcement that the Biden Administration is finalizing a new rule to establish nursing home staffing minimums and take additional steps to protect the safety of nursing home residents: “Our Nation’s 1.2 million nursing home residents expect and deserve high quality care that prioritizes health, safety, and human dignity,” said Chairman Casey. “But for too long, many nursing homes have not met this threshold due to understaffing and inadequate enforcement. This rule, which both establishes staffing minimums and improves enforcement of nursing home violations, is an important step towards ensuring that all nursing homes are providing the care that all residents need and deserve.” Senator Casey has spent his career fighting to improve the safety of nursing homes for their residents. He called on the Biden Administration to implement minimum staffing standards in nursing homes in February 2023. Senator Casey released a report in May 2023 detailing the a crisis in nursing home oversight due to severe staffing shortages at state survey agencies. He has previously introduced the Nursing Home Improvement and Accountability Act, which would require nursing homes to meet minimum staffing standards, ensure a registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, require a full-time infection control and prevention specialist, and provide additional resources through Medicaid to support these care and staffing improvements and raise wages. Last November, he sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services calling on the agency to finalize and implement the staffing standard rule. Chairman Casey has also championed efforts to improve pay, benefits, and working conditions for nursing home and other long-term care workers. Last week, he introduced the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act, which would ensure caregiving can be a sustainable, lifelong career by providing substantial new funding to support workers in every part of the long-term care industry. After introducing the bill, Casey held a hearing on the caregiving crisis and highlighted his new bill as a comprehensive way to tackle the challenges facing long-term care workers.

Share Tweet

April 20, 2024

Casey Statement on National Security Surveillance Bill Reauthorization

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement on the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. “As a Member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, I am acutely aware of the national security threats we face and how critical FISA is to keeping Americans safe. FISA has helped prevent terrorist attacks, expose drug trafficking rings, protect U.S. troops, and track foreign spies. By reauthorizing this critical intelligence law, we are arming ourselves to thwart future attacks on our Nation.” ###

Share Tweet

April 19, 2024

What Others Are Saying: Casey’s Long-Term Caregiving Bill Is “Historic,” “Bold” Step Forward

Bill is cosponsored by 26 Senators and endorsed by 50 organizations Washington, D.C. - This week, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced the Long Term Care Workforce Support Act. This comprehensive bill would ensure caregiving can be a sustainable, lifelong career by providing substantial new funding to support workers in every part of the long-term care industry, from nursing homes to home-care to assisted living facilities. The bill comes as the Nation faces a caregiving crisis marked by widespread worker shortages due to low pay and long hours across the essential industry. The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act is supported by a wide swath of organizations working on behalf of care workers, older adults, and people with disabilities who rely on care to live with health and dignity. See below what they are saying about how this legislation will transform the caregiving workforce and the availability and accessibility of high-quality care: Ai-Jen Poo, CEO and President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance: “Our care workers need and deserve good jobs, including better pay, benefits, and access to paid leave. As the foundation of our entire workforce, these essential workers provide life-giving care that enables our families and communities to thrive — but without greater public investment, they remain trapped in cycles of poverty. The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act is an important step forward in strengthening our long-undervalued and underfunded care workforce. We applaud Senator Bob Casey for his leadership on this issue.” Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union: “Direct care workers form the backbone of the long-term care system, and the growing workforce crisis limits access to crucial services, preventing elders and people with disabilities from receiving high quality, person-centered care in the setting that’s best for them and their families. This crisis is exacerbated by low pay, poor job quality and a lack of respect for the workforce, which consists largely of women of color. The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act will make important new investments across the long-term care workforce, raising wages, expanding access to training and opportunities for professional advancement, and helping to ensure that care jobs are good jobs.” Joe Macbeth, CEO and President of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals: “For decades, the long-term supports and services system has failed to adequately address its workforce challenges. These issues have been researched, documented and shared with policy makers at the state and federal levels on a regular basis. We know that building a competent and stable workforce is a key lynchpin to the success of the Long-Term Supports and Services and the millions of Americans who rely on it. The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals thanks Senator Casey for introducing the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act that takes a bold step to finally invest the financial recourses and worker protections into building and strengthening the most important element of long-term care – the direct support workforce.” Edwin S. Jayne, Director of Federal Government Affairs, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees: “The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act is a crucial step toward building a more equitable, sustainable and compassionate care economy…This crucial legislation not only underscores the importance of protecting the health and well-being of our nation’s aging population and individuals with disabilities, but also represents a vital step in bolstering the care economy by recognizing the indispensable contributions of direct care workers.” Kenneth Hobby, President, and Maynard Friesz, Vice President of Policy of Cure SMA (Spinal Muscular Dystrophy): “Cure SMA is pleased to support the Long-term Care Workforce Support Act. Your legislation would help address the caregiving crisis faced by individuals with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and other disabilities by investing in public-private strategies to expand caregiving services and strengthen the long-term care workforce…Cure SMA and the entire SMA community appreciate your leadership and efforts to expand caregiving services and strengthen the long-term care workforce for individuals with SMA and other disabilities.” Amy Robins, Senior Director of Policy, PHI National: “This is a historic piece of legislation designed to systematically improve direct care job quality and address the workforce crisis in long-term care. PHI has enthusiastically endorsed this comprehensive bill.” The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act is endorsed by 50 organizations, including Domestic Workers Alliance, SEIU, AFSCME, Caring Across Generations, National Coalition on Aging (NCOA), Justice in Aging, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), and the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN).

Share Tweet

April 18, 2024

Casey Announces $204 Million to Close Digital Divide, Expand Internet Access in Pennsylvania

Funding from American Rescue Plan will provide affordable, high-speed internet access to more than 40,000 homes and businesses Since 2021, Casey has delivered more than $2 billion in funding to expand internet access in the Commonwealth Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority has approved $204.1 million in grant awards to expand high-speed internet access in currently underserved areas across Pennsylvania. Senator Casey secured this funding in April 2023 from the Capitol Projects Fund established under the American Rescue Plan. It will be matched by more than $200 million in private investment, bringing this total investment for Pennsylvania broadband projects to more than $400 million, which will provide affordable internet access for more than 40,000 homes and businesses. “Too many Pennsylvanians don’t have the high-speed internet they need to do their homework, support their small business, or stay connected with loved ones. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, we’re changing that,” said U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “This funding will help close the digital divide in Pennsylvania communities that need it most, rural and urban areas alike.” Senator Casey has consistently fought to close the digital divide and make sure that every single Pennsylvanian has high-speed internet access in their home. During the Biden administration, Casey has delivered more than $2 billion to Pennsylvania for high-speed internet. That includes $1.16 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring high-speed internet to high-cost, unserved and underserved communities, over $430 million through the Affordable Connectivity Program, and $20 million specifically for the Southern Alleghenies region. In total, the Capital Projects Fund, established under the American Rescue Plan provided nearly $265 million to Pennsylvania for reliable, affordable broadband infrastructure. These programs are helping to deploy high-speed internet to those without access, lower costs for those who cannot afford it, and ensure that businesses stay competitive in a changing economy. ###

Share Tweet

April 18, 2024

Casey, Capito Introduce Legislation to Revitalize Communities by Eliminating Blighted Property

Bill will support acquisition and remediation of blighted properties with new grant programs Land banks have rapidly become a key economic development tool over the last decade Over 300 land banks are located throughout the country, including more than 35 in Pennsylvania Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act to help public land banks acquire blighted properties which can then be repurposed for commercial, residential, or recreational use that improves the quality of living in communities and local economies across the United States. This bill would additionally invest in increasing expertise and research in the field of land banking through the Blighted Property Remediation Fellowship Program. “Land banks help turn blighted properties into community assets by stepping in to acquire and repurpose the vacant or deteriorating properties that too often stand in the way of neighborhood revitalization,” said Senator Casey. “The Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act will invest in the land banks dedicating their services to rehabilitating blighted and vacant land, making it easier for communities to maximize their potential while creating a cleaner, safer place to live.” “Removal of blighted, vacant, and abandoned properties is an important step in community revitalization efforts, and land banks serve a critical role in acquiring and encouraging reuse and redevelopment of these properties,” Senator Capito said. “I’m proud to introduce the Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act, which will play a key role in helping continue the success of land banks in West Virginia.” “We thank Senator Casey and Senator Capito for recognizing the unique and varied challenges that vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties pose to communities in rural, urban, and suburban communities, for acknowledging the critical role of land banks serving these communities, and for developing targeted federal solutions through this important federal legislation,” said Kathleen J. Guillaume-Delemar, President and CEO of the Center for Community Progress, the only national nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing widespread vacancy and abandonment. “The Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act will support and scale up the innovative and impactful work that land banks around the country are already doing despite scarce resources, and will drive further innovation, expand critical data gathering, and build capacity in disinvested communities most in need of revitalization. It is particularly powerful that the champions of this bill are from Pennsylvania and West Virginia, two states with growing land bank movements making positive change possible across rural communities, small cities, and large metro areas alike.” The Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act would: Support community planning by investing in local property condition data. The proposed bill would establish a new grant program for land banks and other eligible entities to receive $10,000 annually to support their efforts monitoring property conditions and developing a database for tracking vacant properties. Enabling land banks to map blighted properties in their communities can help them attain a better grasp of the scale of the work needed in their neighborhoods, develop a community revitalization plan, and outline the need case for establishing a land bank in jurisdictions that currently lack one. Establish grants for revitalization planning and implementation. The bill would establish a planning grant to aid land banks in creating a list of blighted properties to target for revitalization, as well as establish an implementation grant provided to the land banks to implement these revitalization plans over a 5-year period, including through efforts such as property maintenance, site preparation, remediation, property acquisition and disposition, demolition, deconstruction, and property rehabilitation. Create a Blighted Property Remediation Fellowship Program. This fellowship program would advance the land banking field through research and the development of expertise within the workforce. Provide direct support to new or under resourced land banks: The legislation would also establish a system through which land banks could receive technical assistance from subject matter experts as they develop strategies to revitalize their communities. Land banks have been rapidly growing as an economic development tool over the last decade, with over 300 land banks located throughout the country, including more than 35 in Pennsylvania. However, these land banks often suffer from a lack of funding and resources. The Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act will create new federal grant programs under the Department of Housing and Urban Development for land banks to utilize as they work to revitalize communities. The bill is endorsed by the National Association of Counties, National League of Cities, Center for Community Progress, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Grounded Solutions Network, American Planning Association, National NeighborWorks Association, Community Opportunity Alliance (formerly NACEDA), National Community Reinvestment Coalition, National Brownfields Coalition, National Community Stabilization Trust, Habitat for Humanity International, National Apartment Association, National Council on Independent Living, LOCUS: Responsible Real Estate Developers and Investors, Smart Growth America, Tri-COG Land Bank, Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, Pottstown Land Bank, Housing Authority of Northumberland County, Westmoreland Land Bank, Redevelopment Authority of the County of Westmoreland, Pittsburgh Land Bank, Montgomery County, Georgia Association of Land Bank Authorities, Ohio Land Bank Association, Long Island Housing Services, Inc., New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association, and the Erie County Land Bank. Read more about the Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act here. ###

Share Tweet

April 18, 2024

Casey, Collins Call for the End to Wage Disparities Among Federal Workers at Army and Navy Installations

Casey, Collins Call for the End to Wage Disparities Among Federal Workers at Army and Navy Installations Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) sent a letter to U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to implement a policy to end the persistent wage disparities for federal workers, including those at the Tobyhanna Army Depot and Letterkenny Army Depot in Pennsylvania and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine. Currently, salaried employees at these critical national security facilities are included in higher paying locality pay areas than their hourly employee counterparts. “The [Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee’s] recommended regulation will enhance military readiness during a time of global turmoil and establish fairness for the federal workforce, overcoming years of division that has undermined the sense of fairness and equity between the two major pay systems. We urge you to swiftly accept the recommended regulation,” the Senators wrote. Senators Casey and Collins have continually advocated for the harmonization of locality pay areas for hourly and salaried workers to lift a financial burden that has impacted federal workers for many years. In addition to Senators Casey and Collins, the letter was signed by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Katie Britt (R-AL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angus King (I-ME), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ed Markey (D-MA). Full text of the letter can be found below and the signed PDF can be found HERE. April 17, 2024 Dear Director Ahuja, We write to you urging swift action on the regulatory recommendation agreed to by the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC) at its December 21, 2023, meeting to harmonize locality pay areas for hourly and salaried federal workers. As you know, for over 15 years, FPRAC has grappled with the issue of inconsistent locality boundaries between the Federal Wage System (FWS), which determines the pay of hourly Wage Grade (WG) employees, and the General Schedule (GS) pay scale, which determines the pay of salaried GS employees. We recognize and commend FPRAC’s recent work to align the FWS method of determining local labor market boundaries with the GS method. FPRAC's 9-1 vote, backed by representatives of both federal labor and management, to recommend this updated regulation would resolve an issue that many of us have been pushing OPM to adopt for years. Despite strong support for the proposed regulation, three months have passed and OPM has not yet formally accepted the FPRAC recommendation. We ask that you act swiftly to accept the recommendation and begin to move the proposed regulation through the rulemaking process. Revising 5 CFR § 532.211 will enable the federal government to compete with the private sector for the skilled tradesmen and women serving in critical government functions all across the country. FPRAC’s recommended regulation will enhance military readiness during a time of global turmoil and establish fairness for the federal workforce, overcoming years of division that has undermined the sense of fairness and equity between the two major pay systems. Thank you for your consideration of our concerns, and for OPM’s continued work supporting the federal government’s most valuable resource—its people. ###

Share Tweet

April 17, 2024

Casey, Baldwin Successfully Push Biden Administration to Investigate Unfair Chinese Trade Practices in Shipbuilding

Casey, Baldwin pressed Administration to crack down on Chinese trade cheats, stand up for American workers WATCH: Senators joined United Steelworkers for press conference on American shipbuilding and China’s anti-competitive behavior Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced they successfully pushed the Biden Administration to investigate unfair trade practices by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that undercut American shipbuilding, threaten our national security, and hurt American workers. Senators Casey and Baldwin have led their colleagues in support of the United Steelworkers’ (USW) effort to press the Biden Administration to initiate a full investigation into the PRC’s unfair trade practices in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. Today, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai announced they are heeding that call. “Senator Baldwin and I pushed the Biden Administration to investigate the Chinese Communist Party’s shipbuilding industry to protect the American workers and manufacturers who have already paid the price for China’s cheating in this critical sector,” said Senator Casey. “I’ll continue pressing the Administration to hold this predatory regime accountable by imposing tariffs. If we do not take on the CCP, American workers will only pay a higher cost.” “China has been cheating the rules and it’s hurting American workers and putting our national security on the line. I am glad to see the Biden Administration heed our calls and launch this investigation to hold China accountable, helping protect America’s shipbuilding industry and American workers,” said Senator Baldwin. “Wisconsin’s manufacturing workers keep our country safe, provide for their families, and keep our economy moving forward – and I won’t let China undermine them and jeopardize that.” Today, Trade Representative Tai announced that USTR accepted USW’s petition and will launch an investigation of China under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. Public comments will be accepted through May 22, 2024, and a public hearing will take place on May 29, 2024. In March, USW filed a petition under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to call on USTR to initiate a full investigation into the PRC’s unfair trade practices in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. Senators Casey and Baldwin joined USW and other labor leaders in support of the petition for a press conference and also sent a letter to Trade Representative Tai to conduct a full investigation. Over the last 20 years, the United States has lost industrial shipbuilding capacity as a result of China’s increasingly aggressive subsidization of their shipbuilding. Chinese state-owned enterprises and other facilities in China are now capable of producing over 1,000 ocean-going vessels a year, while the United States currently produces fewer than ten. While shipbuilding capacity, suppliers, and shipyards remain vital to the U.S. economy and national security, uncompetitive trade practices have led to 25,000 domestic shipbuilding suppliers leaving the U.S. market over the past 20 years. Senator Casey is a staunch supporter of Buy America standards, as well as legislation to develop American manufacturing capacity. In November, he sent a letter to President Biden sharing their serious concerns about potential reductions of Section 232 and 301 tariffs previously imposed on China on national security grounds. That month, he also voted against a resolution to effectively remove Buy American standards for electric vehicle (EV) chargers and force the United States to continue relying on China for products critical to the next generation of clean vehicle infrastructure. He fought to pass the Build America, Buy America Act as a part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which requires that all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in infrastructure projects are produced in the United States. Casey also fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which included tax credits for individuals and companies manufacturing or deploying clean energy technologies to help lower costs and secure our energy independence, as well as his provision to provide a “domestic content” bonus credit for companies that use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods. ###

Share Tweet

April 17, 2024

Senate Committee Advances Casey Legislation Calling for Immediate Release of PA Teacher Marc Fogel From Unjust Criminal Sentence in Russia

Marc Fogel, an Allegheny County resident, was given a disproportionate 14-year sentence in Russia despite low-level offense In July 2023, Casey introduced a bipartisan resolution calling for Fogel’s immediate release In December 2023, Casey sent a letter to Secretary Blinken calling for the release of Fogel from Russian custody Washington, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations voted in favor of U.S. Senator Bob Casey’s (D-PA) bipartisan concurrent resolution calling for the immediate release of Marc Fogel from Russian detention. Fogel is a United States citizen and teacher who has been subject to an unjust and disproportionate criminal sentence by the Russian government since August 2021. Fogel was detained in the Sheremetyevo Airport for carrying about half an ounce of medical marijuana which was prescribed to him by his doctor in Pennsylvania to treat severe medical conditions. The resolution, which now heads to the full Senate for consideration, urges the Biden Administration to prioritize securing the release of Mr. Fogel—a Butler County native and Allegheny County resident—and all other U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are wrongfully detained by Russia, including Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Ksenia Khavana, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza. “This resolution sends a clear, bipartisan message to Vladimir Putin and dictators like him that the United States won’t stand for the imprisonment of Americans like Marc Fogel,” said Senator Casey. “Marc is a loving father and schoolteacher who’s devoted his life to educating students around the world. The United States must do everything possible to bring Marc home and show our enemies that Americans aren’t to be used in their political games.” Over the last two years, Senator Casey has been pushing the Biden Administration to prioritize Marc Fogel’s case. In August 2022, Casey led a bipartisan coalition of his colleagues in a letter to Secretary Blinken urging the State Department to designate Fogel as “wrongfully detained,” so that his case would get the appropriate attention from U.S. officials. He followed up in October 2022 urging immediate action by the State Department. In July 2023, Senator Casey led this bipartisan, bicameral resolution calling for Fogel’s immediate release. In December 2023, Casey again pressed Blinken, calling for the release of Fogel from Russian custody. Senator Casey has helped the Fogel family set up meetings with other Congressional offices and Administration officials to help bring attention to Mr. Fogel’s case and garner support to bring him home. ###

Share Tweet

April 16, 2024

Casey Holds Hearing on Supporting Long-Term Care Workforce

At hearing, Casey touted his new Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act Casey heard testimony from long-term care workers about the caregiving crisis and the need for federal support Watch full hearing video here Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) held a hearing entitled, “The Long-Term Care Workforce: Addressing Shortages and Improving the Profession.” The hearing examined the challenges currently facing American long-term care workers, who are often underpaid and overworked, leading to widespread worker shortages that threaten the availability of care for those who need it. At the hearing, Casey touted his new Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act, which will tackle the caregiving crisis by significantly bolstering the long-term care workforce, providing resources to ensure that caregiving can be a sustainable, lifelong career. “Today’s hearing showed that we have a crisis of caregiving in this country, and it’s a crisis that stems largely from a lack of support for and investment in our caregiving workforce,” said Chairman Casey. “We cannot say we are the greatest country in the world if we do not have the greatest caregiving in the world. My bill will make the investments that these workers, and the recipients of their care, need and deserve.” Chairman Casey invited Nicholas Smith, a Philadelphia resident who has worked in the long-term care industry for more than 25 years, to testify. Smith serves as a direct support professional at SPIN, an organization that provides lifespan services for over 3,000 people with intellectual disabilities and autism in Pennsylvania. Smith testified about the challenges faced by long-term care workers, saying, “I work nearly 65-70 hours a week…due to my work, I have missed family events, nieces’ and nephews’ recitals, and school functions…A lot of people are leaving this field to make more money. The national average for direct service professional wages is only $15.43 in long-term care. We spend time training new hires only to lose them because they cannot make a living wage. Other industries are offering more money, and while people want to stay in this field, they cannot make ends meet. Pennsylvania has a long waitlist for home and community-based services, and this is due to the workforce crisis.” Watch the full hearing here. Read more about the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act here. ###

Share Tweet

April 16, 2024

Casey, Scott Introduce Bill to Take On Antisemitism on College Campuses

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced the Antisemitism Awareness Act. The bill will help address antisemitic sentiment and action on college campuses—which has been rising across the Nation for years and spiked in the wake of Hamas’ terrorist attack on October 7, 2023—by requiring the U.S. Department of Education to consider the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism when enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws. “Hamas’ horrific terrorist attack on October 7 led to a dramatic increase in antisemitism on college campuses,” said Senator Casey. “Amidst this appalling increase, we must do everything we can to protect Jewish students on college campuses. This bill will make sure that going forward, the Education Department will take action against all forms of antisemitic discrimination.” “Our nation’s institutions of higher learning have become hotbeds of antisemitism, especially in the wake of the brutal attacks against Israel and innocent civilians by Hamas and Iran,” said Senator Scott. “It’s critical the Department of Education has the tools and resources it needs to investigate antisemitism and root out this vile hatred wherever it rears its ugly head.” The Antisemitism Awareness Act would make permanent the Department of Education’s usage of the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism, which is a vital tool helping to clarify and identify the various manifestations of antisemitism. Since 2018, the Department of Education has used the IHRA definition when investigating violations of title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This definition is supported by President Biden’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, was included in President Biden’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, and has been used by the State Department since the Obama Administration. In addition to Senators Casey and Scott, the Antisemitism Awareness Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), James Lankford (R-OK), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Rick Scott (R-FL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), John Boozman (R-AR), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Katie Britt (R-AL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Barrasso (R-WY), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Cornyn (R-TX), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). ###

Share Tweet

April 16, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Manchin, Brown, Warner, Kaine Statement On Dol Final Rule To Reduce Silica Dust Exposure

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement on the Department of Labor (DOL) Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) finalizing its proposal to amend current federal standards to better protect America’s miners from health hazards related to exposure to respirable crystalline silica, or silica dust. “We applaud the Mine Safety and Health Administration for finalizing its rule to better protect our nation’s coal miners from exposure to silica dust. This rule will play an essential role in safeguarding miners from cancers, silicosis and black lung disease, especially in Appalachia where black lung cases have been rapidly increasing in recent years. For generations, our brave coal miners have risked their lives to power our nation to greatness, and we will continue working together in the Senate to advance commonsense rules like this one to protect the health and welfare of these heroes,” the Senators said. “We're grateful for the Agency's initiative in implementing a rule to tackle the increasing incidence of silica-related lung diseases among both coal and metal non-metal miners. The resurgence of these diseases, particularly affecting younger miners in their 30s and 40s, underscores the urgency of this issue. This measure is vital for safeguarding miners' well-being not only in the short term but throughout their careers. The UMWA’s focus now shifts to ensuring mining companies are held accountable,” said United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts. Last June, the Senators released a statement applauding the proposed rule and calling for its swift implementation. ###

Share Tweet

April 15, 2024

Amidst Caregiving Crisis, Casey, Kaine, Baldwin Introduce Bill to Revitalize Nation’s Long-Term Care Workforce

Despite greater need for caregiving than ever before, care workers across the Nation are overworked and underpaid, resulting in a severe workforce shortage The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act would provide the support workers need to make caregiving a lifelong career New bill continues Casey’s leadership on calling out and addressing the Nation’s caregiving crisis Casey: “We cannot claim to be the greatest country in the world if we do not have the greatest caregiving in the world” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation to tackle the caregiving crisis by reprioritizing long-term caregivers and supporting their work based on the value they bring to families across the Nation. Millions of families with aging loved ones and people with disabilities require skilled care to live, but many caregivers today work long hours for low pay, resulting in some workers being forced the leave their field for higher paying jobs. This instability has resulted in widespread worker shortages for those in need of essential care. The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act would ensure that caregiving can be a sustainable, lifelong career by providing substantial new funding to support workers in every part of the long-term care industry, from nursing homes to home-care to assisted living facilities. By improving caregiver compensation, benefits, and support systems, the bill would ensure the Nation has a strong, qualified pipeline of workers to provide desperately needed care for older adults and people with disabilities. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI-6). “We have a crisis of caregiving in this country, and it’s a crisis that stems largely from a lack of support for and investment in our caregiving workforce,” said Chairman Casey (D-PA). “We cannot claim to be the greatest country in the world if we do not have the greatest caregiving in the world. We need to invest in these workers not just to ensure that caregiving can be a sustainable, lifelong career, but to improve the quality and availability of care for all who need it.” “Every American, regardless of where they live, deserves access to quality, affordable care throughout their lives,” said Senator Kaine. “But too often, direct care workers in long-term care settings are overworked and underpaid, resulting in significant workforce shortages – especially in our rural communities. I’m proud to co-lead this legislation to help address the root causes of shortages in our care system, including by improving compensation and by providing pathways to enter the field. This will lead to healthier communities, and improved quality of life for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers.” “Having served as my grandmother’s primary caregiver as she aged, I know the hard work that goes into caregiving and the world of difference high-quality care makes for our loved ones,” said Senator Baldwin. “Right now, we're facing a desperate shortage in our long-term care workforce and sadly, it’s no surprise: many caregivers are forced to be on the clock for long hours, get low pay, and work in tough conditions. We owe it to caregivers who devote their lives to helping others to invest in the caregiving workforce, giving these compassionate workers the respect they deserve, attracting fresh talent, and ensuring our loved ones get high-quality care.” “Caregiving is the foundation of our economy. It allows for all other work to be possible. No care worker should have to live below the poverty line to do this work that millions of Americans depend on. As many know, this is deeply personal for me – I was lucky to have my husband John receive care at home, but many others do not have the same opportunity,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “This legislation will make much needed investments in our care infrastructure and workforce, including family caregivers, to ensure they have the support they need, are paid a living wage, and are able to continue doing their critical jobs.” Caregiving is in crisis across the United States. Caregivers are widely underpaid, earning a median wage of $15.43 an hour and often living in poverty. The result is caregivers are in short supply—a recent survey revealed 92% of nursing home respondents and nearly 70% of assisted living facilities reported significant or severe workforce shortages. Another recent survey of home and community-based services (HCBS) providers showed all 50 states experiencing home care worker shortages, and 43 states reported that some HCBS providers have closed due to worker shortages. The Long Term Care Workforce Support Act will address this crisis by stabilizing, growing, and supporting the direct care professional workforce. Specifically, the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act will: Increase the number of direct care professionals, including in rural communities; Provide pathways to enter and be supported in the workforce for women, people of color, and people with disabilities; Improve compensation for direct care professionals to reduce vacancies and turnover; Ensure that direct care professionals are treated with respect, provided with a safe working environment, protected from exploitation, and provided fair compensation; Improve access and quality of long-term care for families; Document the need for long-term care, identify effective recruitment and training strategies, and promote practices that help retain direct care professionals. Strengthen the direct care professional workforce in order to support the 53,000,000 unpaid family caregivers who are providing complex services to their loved ones in the home and across long-term care settings. Chairman Casey has led the Senate in calling out and fighting for solutions to the Nation’s caregiving crisis. In January 2023, alongside Senators Kaine and Baldwin, Chairman Casey introduced the Better Care Better Jobs Act, with 41 co-sponsors, to enhance Medicaid funding for home care services for older adults, people with disabilities, and injured workers. In March 2023, Chairman Casey held a hearing to draw attention to the caregiving crisis and examine the economic benefit of investing in Medicaid home and community-based services. During the hearing, Casey joined Kaine and Baldwin to introduce the HCBS Access Act to address lengthy waiting lists, that sometimes last years and even decades, for home care services as the majority of older adults and people with disabilities contend with being forced to live in an institutional setting to access the services they need due to long wait lists, despite a preference for receiving care at home. In October 2023, the Senators introduced the HCBS Relief Act, to provide support for state programs that fund home care services. The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act is endorsed by 44 organizations, including Caring Across Generations, the Long Term Care Community Coalition (LTCCC), PHI, the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN). The bill is co-sponsored in the Senate, including U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Angus King (I-ME), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Fetterman (D-PA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Peter Welch (D-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Ed Markey (D-MA). Read more about the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act here. ###

Share Tweet

April 11, 2024

Scammed then Taxed: Casey Unveils New Report Showing How Republican Tax Law Further Devastated Scam Victims

2017 Republican tax law repealed tax deduction for victims of frauds and scams to pay for corporate tax breaks New Casey report shows how the change hiked taxes on many older adults Report includes accounts from ten victims, including three from Pennsylvania Casey: “Congress ought to be protecting victims of fraud and scams—not adding insult to injury by forcing them to pay taxes on their stolen savings to offset fat cat tax breaks.” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, unveiled a new report, entitled “Scammed then Taxed: How the Republican Tax Bill Hiked Taxes on Fraud Victims,” detailing the results of a months-long investigation into how the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs penalized scam victims. The report examines how the removal of the casualty and theft loss tax deduction—repealed by Republicans in the 2017 tax law to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and big corporations—has devastated many American fraud victims. For a century, the theft loss deduction allowed taxpayers who experienced theft to receive a tax deduction to offset their losses. The repeal of this provision has meant that fraud victims are now often obligated to pay taxes on money that has been stolen. Chairman Casey’s new report details how some older adults—who lose the most to frauds and scams—are now facing huge tax bills on top of losing all their assets, leading them to feel as though they have been victimized twice. “This report is yet another example of how, in their rush to cut taxes for the Nation’s wealthiest people and largest corporations, Republicans left working families and seniors out in the cold,” said Chairman Casey (D-PA). “Congress ought to be protecting victims of fraud and scams—not adding insult to injury by forcing them to pay taxes on their stolen savings to offset fat cat tax breaks. I hope the devastation unveiled in this report helps ensure that we never make these mistakes again, and instead use the tax code to uplift working families and those in need.” In addition to analyzing data from various federal agencies and featuring statements from various tax experts, stakeholders, and low-income tax clinics, the report includes ten stories from older adults who lost their life’s savings to scams, then were taxed on money they no longer had. For many scam victims the change in law has been devastating: Larry’s retirement savings were stolen, and he then found he owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal taxes. He said, “After over 50 years in the workforce, my retirement dreams, and any legacy to pass on to my children have been stolen. … I think almost daily about what I should have done to prevent this from happening. I will probably continue to replay this event in my mind for the rest of my life.” Helen lost nearly all her life’s savings to scammers and then faced a $60,000 federal tax bill. Helen’s son shared, “She lost most of her life’s savings to the criminals and suffered significant financial and emotional distress as a result. She has entered a downward health spiral, and the emotional harm will affect her for the rest of her life.” Robert faces tax bills on retirement funds he’ll never get to use. He said, “My life is now changed forever, and my finances are in ruins. The peace of mind one hopes for and treasures in their golden years had vanished in an instant. I now live in the moment and [am] unable to make long-term plans. I battle against thoughts of despair, constant budget worries, and lack of self-worth.” The report also details a series of policy recommendations, including reinstating the casualty and theft loss deduction through passage of the Tax Relief for Victims of Crime, Scams, and Disasters Act. Casey’s report follows a letter he sent to the IRS in December 2023 requesting information about how fraud victims are being affected by the repeal of the casualty and theft losses deduction. Casey is a leader of efforts in the Senate to protect older Americans from frauds and scams. As Chairman of the Aging Committee, each year he releases a Fraud Book, which helps alert older Americans to the most common scams reported in the previous calendar year. In November, he held a hearing entitled, “Modern Scams: How Scammers Are Using Artificial Intelligence & How We Can Fight Back,” which examined how Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) can be utilized by scammers to deploy scams and convince targets of their veracity, and how A.I. technology is being deployed to enhance the next generation of fraud detection systems. Following the hearing, he called on the Federal Trade Commission to step up its efforts to track A.I. Scams. Read the full report here.

Share Tweet

April 11, 2024

Amidst Record Rainfall, Casey, Fetterman, Lee, Deluzio Secure $6.6 Million for Pittsburgh’s Parkway East Floodwall

Additional funding follows recent flooding that closed the critical route The Members secured $142.34 million for the highly congested thoroughfare in December 2023 100,000 daily travelers on the two arteries will see upgrades including bridge rehab, flood mitigation, traffic congestion reduction New floodwall will finally drain “the Bathtub” in downtown Pittsburgh The Members have delivered billions from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for road and bridge improvements Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Summer Lee (D-PA-12) and Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) announced that they secured $6,669,000 from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to support the “Protect the Parkway” Floodwall Improvements Project making major safety improvements to I-376 (the Parkway East), including the flood-prone “Bathtub” in downtown Pittsburgh. The grant follows a $142.34 million award, delivered by the Members in December 2023, to support safety improvements. “When the Bathtub floods, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County residents, commuters, and travelers lose a critical artery,” said Senator Casey. “The consequences are deep and far-reaching, especially for many in marginalized communities. With severe weather on the rise, we’re delivering more funding to drain the Bathtub and protect Southwestern Pennsylvanians’ livelihoods and safety.” "I commend Secretary Buttigieg for taking action to address the persistent closures and safety hazards caused by the 'bathtub' and other flood-prone parts of the parkway. As a Pennsylvania commuter myself, I know firsthand the frustration and concern these closures bring. It's a huge relief to see the Department of Transportation making it a priority to strengthen our highways in the face of climate challenges," said Senator Fetterman. “It’s so good to see Secretary Buttigieg taking swift action to help channel critical resources into Pittsburgh, especially with the pressing need to address our city’s vulnerability to flooding. This new $6.6 million funding for the Parkway East Floodwall is a game-changer. It directly targets the notorious 'Bathtub' area, providing a much-needed solution to a long-standing problem that affects countless residents, commuters, and businesses,” said Congresswoman Lee. “This initiative not only secures the safety and efficiency of one of our key transport routes but also stands as a testament to our commitment to enhancing community resilience against climate impacts, creating jobs, and promoting economic growth. It's a proud moment for us all, showcasing our dedication to ensuring that every community, especially those historically overlooked, benefits from our collective progress and protection against future adversities” “I am thrilled to see this important investment come home to help fight dangerous and disruptive flooding in our region. This $6.6 million dollar grant to deal with the dreaded ‘bathtub’ will improve travel across Western Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Deluzio. “The President’s Infrastructure Law is making a real, tangible difference in folks’ lives, and I’m glad to join my colleagues in announcing this critical investment in our regional transportation system.” A 2019 study rated the parkway as the fifth most congested road in the United States. In December 2023, the Members secured $142.34 million for a multimodal project that will make significant progress to ameliorate that congestion and the corridor’s safety hazards, including to prevent flooding. This new funding will provide further support for that larger project’s upgrades, which include rehabilitating 10 bridges, installing a new floodwall along the downtown section of the parkway so flood-prone it is known as “the Bathtub,” implementing technologies to ease traffic from Monroeville to downtown, and stabilizing hilly terrain to prevent landslides. In addition to traffic, flooding, bridges, and potentially unstable terrain, the $149 million in federal funding will improve bus infrastructure, shoulder and sidewalk safety, and key stretches of South Braddock Avenue and Route 30/Lincoln Highway/Ardmore Boulevard. The award is from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT)?Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Since IIJA passed in 2021, Casey, Fetterman, Lee, and Deluzio have delivered more than $14.2 billion in federal funds from the law to Pennsylvania. That includes more than $8 billion in funding for over 600 road and bridge projects and more than $1 billion for high-speed internet. ###

Share Tweet

April 10, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Evans, Parker Secure New Infrastructure Law Funding to Repair Bells Mill Road and Valley Green Road Bridges in Philadelphia

Funding will be used to repair two bridges rated as in poor condition by PennDOT Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), U.S. Representative Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced $14,245,000 from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to repair two bridges in Northwest Philadelphia. The Bells Mill Road and Valley Green Road Bridges over Wissahickon Creek are currently rated as being in poor condition by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). “The infrastructure law is the gift that keeps on giving to Pennsylvania. Across our Commonwealth, we’re delivering crucial funding to repair bridges used by thousands of Pennsylvanians every day,” said Senator Casey. “By rehabilitating the Bells Mill Road and Valley Green Road bridges, we’re improving their longevity and keeping drivers and passengers safe—not to mention protecting access to nearby Wissahickon Valley Park, one of Philadelphia’s greatest natural destinations.” “Two years ago, the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed just minutes from my home. This incident exemplified the infrastructure crisis we are faced with in Pennsylvania and across the country,” said Senator Fetterman. “The Biden Administration has repeatedly made clear it is committed to investing in American infrastructure. I’m proud to have helped secure these federal funds that will strengthen two bridges in Philadelphia and help keep the countless Pennsylvanians that rely on these bridges safe.” “I welcome this federal funding that I voted for coming to Philadelphia, to make needed repairs to two bridges as well as environmental improvements,” Congressman Evans said. “Our local delegation’s cooperation continues to help us deliver for Philadelphia and the region.” “This is tremendous news for Philadelphia, and for residents and others who travel our roads in Northwest Philadelphia on their way to and from Wissahickon Valley Park, a beautiful section of our City,” said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “I want to thank Senator Casey and our entire congressional delegation for their work on this $14.2 million grant to rehabilitate two bridges over Wissahickon Creek. Thanks to Senator Casey, our delegation and the Biden-Harris administration, Philadelphia has received over $536 million in Federal funds for badly-needed infrastructure improvements and other needs just during our first three months in office. We’re proud of our intergovernmental relationships and collaboration and what it means for every Philadelphian.” The award is from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Since IIJA passed in 2021, Casey, Fetterman, and Evans have delivered more than $14.2 billion in federal funds from the law to Pennsylvania. That includes more than $8 billion in funding for over 600 road and bridge projects and more than $1 billion for high-speed internet. ###

Share Tweet

April 10, 2024

After Leading Passage of Bill, Casey Celebrates Millions of Hardworking Women at Presentation of Congressional Gold Medal to WWII Rosie the Riveters

Medal honors millions of women who joined the war effort by working on assembly lines, addressing troops’ medical needs, or tending to ships and farms Casey led effort to pass Congressional Gold Medal Bill in 2020 The percentage of women in the workforce jumped from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent between 1940 and 1945. By the end of the war, nearly one out of every four married women worked outside the home Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) celebrated the invaluable work of millions of hardworking women, known as “Rosie the Riveters”, during the unveiling of the Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal. The ceremony honored the millions of women who answered the Nation’s call to action during WWII, whether they worked on assembly lines, addressed the troops’ medical needs, or tended to ships and farms. In attendance was Pennsylvania’s own Rosie the Riveter, Mae Krier, who, at just 17 years old, worked tirelessly at the Boeing Aircraft facility in Seattle, Washington, where she helped build B-17 and B-29 bombers. Following the war, Mae moved to Pennsylvania where she has continued fight for recognition of her fellow Rosie’s contributions to the war effort. “We all know the iconic image of Rosie the Riveter, but for too long, the remarkable women she represents did not get the recognition they deserve. World War II would not have been won if it weren’t for the Rosies at home and their ‘We Can Do It’ spirit,” said Senator Casey. “Their commitment to defending our Nation ensured this day would come and we are forever indebted to them. It is a privilege to honor the invaluable work of these women, especially Pennsylvania’s own Rosie, Mae Krier.” Senator Casey has long fought for greater recognition for the millions of women who worked to support the Nation’s war effort during WWII. In February 2018, Senator Casey introduced a resolution to designate March 21st “National Rosie the Riveter Day,” paying tribute to the underrecognized effort of American women to win the war. In November 2020, Senator Casey successfully passed The Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to our Nation’s “Rosie the Riveters” who answered the call to action and learned new skills critical to the war effort, including building vehicles, weaponry, and ammunition. ###

Share Tweet

April 9, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Call on Senate Leadership to Make Senate Technology More Accessible

In letter, Senators urge Leadership to address concerns raised by Congressional oversight to improve accessibility of Senate technology for people with disabilities 2022 report revealed failures across the federal government to make technology fully accessible, as required by law Senators: “Inaccessible technology disadvantages people with disabilities when they seek to contact their Senators, use Senate services while visiting their Senators, or fulfill duties while working for a Senate office.” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, joined his colleagues Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) about the accessibility of Senate technology. Federal law requires technology used by Congress, such as websites, apps, and kiosks, to be accessible for people with disabilities. Unfortunately, recent oversight suggests that the Senate can be doing more to ensure accessibility. These findings follow the release of Casey’s 2022 report, Unlocking the Virtual Front Door, which found failures by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and other federal departments and agencies, to make their own technology fully accessible for people with disabilities. The Senators letter to leadership calls on the Senate to meet many of the same accessibility standards the Senate has demanded from VA and other executive agencies serving the American public. The Senators wrote, “The United States Senate must ensure its technology is accessible for people with disabilities as both a matter of equal access and a legal necessity. Inaccessible technology disadvantages people with disabilities when they seek to contact their Senators, use Senate services while visiting their Senators, or fulfill duties while working for a Senate office.” In the letter, the Senators highlight a number of ways the Senate could improve accessibility, including by instituting mandatory scans of websites for accessibility errors, building accessibility into Senate PDF files, and adding accessibility features to technology on the Senate grounds. Chairman Casey has led the charge in Congress to improve the accessibility of government websites and technology. Federal law requires technology at federal departments and agencies to be accessible for, and usable by, people with disabilities. However, in a report issued in December 2022 entitled Unlocking the Virtual Front Door, Chairman Casey found that inaccessible federal technology creates barriers for people with disabilities to access essential services, including VA benefits, health care, employment, Social Security, and more. Chairman Casey’s report issued 12 recommendations, including a call for Congress to ensure its own technology is accessible, as also required by law. Casey’s efforts have focused in particular on making federal technology accessible for veterans. In 2020, Chairman Casey passed the VA Website Accessibility Act that required VA to report on the accessibility of the Department’s websites and kiosks. VA’s report to Congress, released in 2021, found that only 10 percent of VA’s websites were fully accessible. In response, Chairman Casey led a bipartisan push for VA to do better. In 2023, Chairman Casey introduced the bipartisan Veterans Accessibility Act to establish a Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access at VA that will issue regular reports on VA’s compliance with federal disability laws. In this letter, Casey is calling on Senate Leadership to reassess the Senate’s technology, and take steps to ensure accessibility for constituents, Senate employees, and Senators with disabilities. You can read the full text of the Senators’ letter HERE or below: Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell: We write today concerning the accessibility of Senate technology for people with disabilities. Accessible technology allows everyone to access government resources, but recent Congressional oversight found that government technology is often inaccessible for people with disabilities. The Senate’s work has increasingly shifted to electronic formats, and we must guarantee equal access to Senate information and resources – both in person and remotely. Accordingly, we ask leadership to work in coordination with the Senate Sergeant at Arms and other relevant internal and external Senate stakeholders to ensure the Senate’s electronic resources are accessible for all Americans, including those with disabilities. When designed properly, technology can enable equal access to information and services for people with disabilities. For example, accessible websites, apps, electronic documents (such as PDFs), and kiosks can work with screen readers, which speak aloud the text on a screen for a blind user. Another example of frequently used accessible technology is a telephone that includes a screen with captioning options for a person who is deaf or hard of hearing. Accessible government technology is important for ensuring that people with disabilities are equally served by their government and for ensuring public employees with disabilities can do their jobs. Because older adults are more likely to have a disability, designing accessibility into government technology will grow in importance as America ages. The Special Committee on Aging has shined a spotlight on the accessibility of government technology for people with disabilities, finding there is substantial room for progress. A majority staff report entitled Unlocking the Virtual Front Door, two committee hearings, and bipartisan letters to federal departments have revealed failures by departments and agencies across the federal government to make their technology fully accessible for people with disabilities, as required by law. The report included recommendations for executive agencies and Congress, including a recommendation that Congress ensure its own technology is accessible. The United States Senate can and must do more to ensure that its websites, electronic documents, and other technologies are fully accessible for people with disabilities. For example, the Senate does not routinely scan its websites for accessibility errors. Automated scans can help to catch accessibility errors that are introduced over time. The Senate’s office of Printing, Graphics, and Direct Mail (PGDM) has an accessibility team, but that team is small and has limited capacity, and as such has reported they do not build accessibility into PDF documents unless the requesting office specifically asks. Finally, the new customer kiosks installed at the Senate’s Dirksen Cafeteria appear to lack accessibility features, such as a headphone jack or auditory voicing of on-screen information. Similar devices have created accessibility barriers at federal departments and agencies. As the Senate urges federal agencies to improve, we should strive to do so as well. The United States Senate must ensure its technology is accessible for people with disabilities as both a matter of equal access and a legal necessity. Inaccessible technology disadvantages people with disabilities when they seek to contact their Senators, use Senate services while visiting their Senators, or fulfill duties while working for a Senate office. Many Senate employment resources are online, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination in “applying for jobs, hiring, firing, and job training.” The ADA also prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in public services and accommodations, areas where technology plays an increasingly significant role. Accordingly, we ask leadership to work to implement the following changes: Review and update accessibility standards for the acquisition and development of Senate technology, in consultation with the United States Access Board and organizations that represent people with disabilities. Senate contractors, such as those running on-campus restaurants, should also be required to demonstrate that their technology is fully accessible for people with a broad range of disabilities before implementing new technology for the Senate community and the public. Build into upcoming budgets the capability to begin, in a timely fashion, routine accessibility scans for all online Senate resources and remediate any accessibility barriers as soon as possible. Unlocking the Virtual Front Door and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recommend routine scans paired with manual testing for federal departments and agencies. Routine scanning is an important first step in holding the Senate to the same standards we demand from federal departments and agencies, and a remediation plan to address problems found by scans and manual testing will result in a more accessible Senate for the public and employees. Establish mandatory training on electronic accessibility for Senate employees, and regularly promote accessibility training documents. Senate employees should be familiar with why accessibility is important and how staff can generate accessible electronic documents. This type of knowledge and training is akin to cyber security and harassment training that is currently required of Senate employees. Work with Senate appropriators, Senate PGDM, the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services, and other stakeholders to establish a central resource for document accessibility. These resources could include a website and helpline to provide technical assistance to Senate staff. PGDM should be staffed as necessary to provide assistance and build accessibility into all documents PGDM is asked to design. These changes to safeguard the accessibility of Senate technology are necessary to serve all Americans and all Senate employees equally. The Senate would not require someone in a wheelchair to walk up a flight of stairs. Yet, its information, materials, and services are equally denied to a person with a disability if Senate technology is not fully accessible. We appreciate your consideration of this matter. Please reach out to Doug Hartman with Aging Committee staff at 202-224-5364 or Stephanie DeLuca with Senator Duckworth’s office at 202-224-2854 if you have any questions. ###

Share Tweet

April 9, 2024

The Pink Tax: Casey Exposes How Corporations Are Charging Women More for the Same Products

Amidst Senator Casey’s ongoing investigation of corporate greed squeezing the budgets of American families, this new snapshot reveals how greedy corporations take advantage of female consumers J.P. Morgan estimates the price hike known as the “pink tax” could cost women an average of $1,300 per year Read Casey’s study, “The Pink Tax: How Companies Tack Extra Costs on Women in the Age of Greedflation” HERE Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children & Families, released a study detailing how corporate greed has disproportionately harmed the budgets of women. “The Pink Tax: How Companies Tack Extra Costs on Women in the Age of Greedflation” is a continuation of Senator Casey’s investigation into how corporate greed is squeezing families’ budgets and builds on Casey’s vision to hold these companies accountable and put money back in the pockets of American families. “From personal care products to car insurance to school supplies, corporate CEOs are pink-taxing women and girls on products and services they need,” said Senator Casey. “It’s clear that corporations have been making it harder for American women to save and get ahead financially. I’m going to keep fighting back against the big corporations that are putting their profits over people.” Senator Casey has long worked to highlight disproportionate financial burdens on women. In August 2016, Casey requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) undertake a study of gender-based price discrimination in the market for goods and services, seeking to shine a light on why price disparities exist and why they tend to be burdensome for women. Since November 2023, Chairman Casey has been investigating corporate price gouging and other actions by big corporations that have squeezed the budgets of American families and contributed to the increase in inflation. In February, the New York Times featured Senator Casey’s investigation into shrinkflation. In November, Chairman Casey released the first report in his greedflation series, “Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families,” detailing how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices and rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families and laying out Senator Casey’s vision to hold greedy corporations accountable. Corporate executives claim they’ve “earned the right” to raise prices and that their products “are worth paying a little bit more for.” Ahead of Thanksgiving, Casey released his second report, “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive," examining how the agribusiness companies that process Americans’ food have increased prices for everyday staple foods and raising questions about why those price increases are necessary, particularly during the holiday season. Some of these companies have a history of engaging in price-fixing, colluding to raise prices, anti-competitive conduct, and touting their ability to raise prices without limit. Seeking answers, Senator Casey sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission and United States Department of Agriculture requesting that the agencies use all necessary resources to investigate possible unfair pricing practices of major chicken and pork processors in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission, in response, assured Senator Casey that policing potentially anticompetitive conduct in food industries continues to be a top priority for the Commission given the high stakes for American families, farmers, and the Nation’s economy. In December 2023, Casey released his third report of his greedflation series, “Less Bang for Your Buck: Casey Releases Shrinkflation Report Exposing Big Corporations for Reducing Product Size While Keeping Prices High,” calling out household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations for reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. To better protect families’ pocketbooks, Senator Casey sent letters to the trade associations representing household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations demanding answers about pricing strategies, package size practices, and how shrinkflation affects customers. In January 2024, Casey released his fourth report of his greedflation series, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” detailing how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals. Senator Casey believes that no Pennsylvanian should be blindsided by a junk fee and that the negative impacts of hidden fees can be mitigated by: fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. In a letter to the Government Accountability Office that same month, Senator Casey pushed the government watchdog to examine the effects of corporate greed on American consumers. In February 2024, Casey introduced legislation to protect American families from greedflation by banning grossly excessive price increases and crack down on corporate price gouging. The same month, Casey also introduced the Shrinkflation Prevention Act, which empowers the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering the prices. This month, Senator Casey sent a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra in support of the CFPB’s proposed rule to crack down on excessive overdraft banking penalties. In February, Senator Casey sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan in support of FTC’s proposal to eliminate junk fees across the market. Read the full report “The Pink Tax: How Companies Tack Extra Costs on Women in the Age of Greedflation” HERE. ###

Share Tweet

April 4, 2024

At Casey’s Urging, Final Electricity Transformer Rule Incorporates Feedback from Pennsylvania Workers and Stakeholders

Department of Energy released a final rule that allows American steel to continue to be used for electricity transformer production Over 1,200 workers at Butler Works were at risk of losing their jobs and livelihoods before DOE adjusted its rule Casey pressed Secretary Granholm to make changes to rule on behalf of PA workers Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded the Department of Energy (DOE) for listening to the concerns of Pennsylvania energy workers and adjusting its rule on transformers, a key part of energy grids, to continue to use grain-oriented electrical steel made at the Bulter Works facility in Butler County. After concerns that the DOE rule in its previous form would shutter the last domestic grain oriented electrical steel plant, which employs 1,200 workers in Butler County, Casey pushed the administration to listen to concerns of community stakeholders and to change the rule to prioritize an American-made supply chain. “The Butler Works facility is the bedrock of the community, employing over 1,200 workers with good-paying jobs to support their families,” said Senator Casey. “With this final rule, the Department of Energy listened to the concerns of Pennsylvania workers and made adjustments so Butler Workers could continue to produce Pennsylvania-made steel for electricity transformers. I’ll continue to work with Cleveland-Cliffs and the United Auto Workers to ensure that Pennsylvania workers remain integral to our energy supply chain.” Senator Casey has been pushing the Department of Energy to adjust its proposal rule on electricity transformers for a year. Casey signed a bipartisan letter to the Department of Energy opposing the rule in June 2023. He also met with Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves in June 2023 to discuss the rule. Casey cosponsored the bipartisan Distribution Transformer Efficiency & Supply Chain Reliability Act in January 2024. Senator Casey’s staff has meet with local UAW members—which represents over 1,000 workers at Butler Works—to hear their concerns about the rule’s impacts on the facility. Casey spoke directly with Energy Secretary Granholm and his office has also met with top Department of Energy officials to express concern about the rule.

Share Tweet

April 3, 2024

Casey Secures $244.7 Million from Infrastructure Law to Clean Up Abandoned Mine Lands

With this round of funding, PA has received more than $488 million to clean up abandoned mine lands One-third of the Nation’s abandoned mine land is in Pennsylvania, affecting 43 of PA’s 67 counties and as many as 1.4 million residents Pennsylvania is eligible to receive more than $3 billion over the next 15 years from the infrastructure law to clean up abandoned mine land Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) secured $244,786,476 from the U.S. Department of the Interior for abandoned mine land cleanup in Pennsylvania. This second round of funding, from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will create more good-paying jobs in rural and energy communities in Pennsylvania while reclaiming abandoned mine lands and mitigating the health hazards and environmental pollution from legacy mining sites. “Pennsylvania’s coal industry built and powered our Nation for decades. Now these communities bear the brunt of abandoned mine land pollution, including ravaged landscapes, property damage, and poor health,” said Senator Casey. “Thanks to the infrastructure law, we can continue cleaning up this land, protecting our environment, and delivering a boost to our economy with new, good-paying jobs.” Senator Casey has been a strong advocate for abandoned mine land cleanup, including passing the STREAM Act to allow states more flexibility to use infrastructure law funding to clean up acid mine drainage (AMD), which pollutes Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams, and other long term impacts of abandoned mine land. In March 2024, Senator Casey delivered $90 million from the infrastructure law to build solar facilities on former mine lands in Clearfield County. The Mineral Basin solar project is expected to produce enough energy to power 70,000 homes per year. In May 2022, Casey announced $26.6 million from the Department of the Interior’s Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program. In January 2022, after delivering $244 million in an initial round of funding for abandoned mine cleanup, Casey spoke to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland about the need for additional flexibility during her visit to Swoyersville, PA, and continues to push the Biden Administration to allow states to use their AMD set-aside programs to complete acid mine drainage reclamation. In addition to voting to pass the infrastructure law, in April 2021, Casey introduced legislation to extend abandoned mine land cleanup funding and to provide a boost for coal reclamation projects that provide economic development and growth in communities impacted by the downturn in the coal industry. ###

Share Tweet

April 3, 2024

Casey Announces $1.1 Million for 2 Businesses in Central Pennsylvania

Grants funded by Casey-backed Inflation Reduction Act Grants will go towards purchasing of sunlight-to-electricity storage and distribution systems Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced $1,115,060 for two rural Pennsylvania businesses to purchase solar photovoltaic systems. The systems will convert captured solar energy into electricity which can be used to power various machines and operations and save these farms and businesses thousands of dollars per year. The two grants of $115,060 and $1,000,000 come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) established by the Casey-backed Inflation Reduction Act. “When we invest in technology that lowers operating costs for businesses, we’re investing in their long-term success,” said Senator Casey. “This funding from the Inflation Reduction Act is not only ensuring the success of businesses in rural Pennsylvania, but also reducing harmful emissions and protecting our environment for our future generations.” See below for list of project recipients of Inflation Reduction Act funding: Table of Funding Recipients Recipient Amount City/County Hospitality Services $115,060 Reedsville/Mifflin Pallet Manufacturing Facility $1,000,000 Beaver Springs/Snyder ###

Share Tweet

April 3, 2024

Casey Announces $560,158 for 8 Farms and Businesses Across Northeast Pennsylvania

Grants funded by Casey-backed Inflation Reduction Act Grants will go towards purchasing of sunlight-to-electricity storage and distribution systems Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced $560,158 for eight rural Pennsylvania farms and businesses to purchase solar photovoltaic systems. The systems will convert captured solar energy into electricity which can be used to power various machines and operations and save these farms and businesses thousands of dollars per year. The eight grants, which range from $14,851 to $141,350, come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) established by the Casey-backed Inflation Reduction Act. “When we invest in technology that lowers operating costs for businesses, we’re investing in their long-term success,” said Senator Casey. “This funding from the Inflation Reduction Act is not only ensuring the success of businesses in rural Pennsylvania, but also reducing harmful emissions and protecting our environment for our future generations.” See below for list of project recipients of Inflation Reduction Act funding: Table of Funding Recipients Recipient Amount City/County Farm $30,600 Athens/Bradford Environmental Farming and Construction Company $71,397 Canton/Bradford Demolition and Construction Services $56,250 Canton/Bradford Trucking Company $141,350 Canton/Bradford Farm $14,851 Columbia Crossroads/Bradford Maple Farm $18,050 Troy/Bradford Lawn Equipment Parts Company $104,900 Millerton/Tioga Farm Resort $122,760 Hawley/Wayne ###

Share Tweet

April 3, 2024

Casey Announces $189,760 for 2 Farms and Businesses in Southeast Pennsylvania

Grants funded by Casey-backed Inflation Reduction Act Grants will go towards purchasing of sunlight-to-electricity storage and distribution systems Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced $189,760 for two rural Pennsylvania farms and businesses to purchase solar photovoltaic systems. The systems will convert captured solar energy into electricity which can be used to power various machines and operations and save these businesses thousands of dollars per year. The two grants of $61,560 and $128,200 come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) established by the Casey-backed Inflation Reduction Act. “When we invest in technology that lowers operating costs for businesses, we’re investing in their long-term success,” said Senator Casey. “This funding from the Inflation Reduction Act is not only ensuring the success of businesses in rural Pennsylvania, but also reducing harmful emissions and protecting our environment for our future generations.” See below for list of project recipients of Inflation Reduction Act funding: Table of Funding Recipients Recipient Amount City/County Property Management Company $61,560 Newtown/Bucks Turkey Farm $128,200 Atglen/Chester ###

Share Tweet

April 2, 2024

Casey Urges Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to Finalize Rule Capping Excessive Overdraft Bank Fees, Provide Relief to Millions of Americans

Rule would cap overdraft fees that can be charged by banks Letter comes as Casey has been investigating greedflation and other efforts, including hidden, bogus fees, by large corporations to squeeze the budgets of American families According to CFPB, consumers paid $9 billion in overdraft fees in 2022 alone Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra in support of the CFPB’s proposed rule to crack down on excessive overdraft banking penalties. As American families struggle to make ends meet, large corporate banks are profiting off of their customers by charging excessive overdraft fees, roughly $35 per overdraft. “Large corporate banks should be expected to provide their customers with transparent information about the services they offer and to charge fees that are in proportion to the actual costs the fees are covering. I believe that this proposed rule will be a positive step forward, and on behalf of Pennsylvania consumers, I strongly encourage CFPB to finalize the proposal as soon as possible,” Senator Casey wrote. Since November 2023, Chairman Casey has been investigating corporate price gouging and other actions by big corporations that have squeezed the budgets of American families and contributed to the increase in inflation. CFPB estimates that this rule will save consumers $3.5 billion per year or $150 yearly per household that pays overdraft fees. In January 2024, Casey released the fourth report of his greedflation series, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” detailing how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals. Senator Casey believes that no Pennsylvanian should be blindsided by a junk fee and that the negative impacts of hidden fees can be mitigated by: fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. Read the full letter HERE or below: April 1, 2024 Dear Director Chopra: On January 24, 2024, I released a report entitled, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families.” My report details how corporations use hidden fees to deceive consumers and increase corporate profits, which leaves families paying more than they expect for everyday purchases. My report tracks the variety of junk fees, including overdraft fees, that families trying to pay their bills face. My findings estimate that an average Pennsylvania family may pay nearly $1,000 in junk fees alone over a single month. Overdraft fees, loans, or credit can be issued by banks when a customer’s spending exceeds the balance of their account. Overdraft services were first developed as a courtesy service for banking customers who may have accidentally overdrawn on accounts using paper checks. However, as CFPB identified, the practice of charging customer overdraft fees has expanded despite electronic banking and automation—today, large banks charge roughly $35 for an overdraft fee, even though most overdrafts are for a small amount, are repaid quickly, and do not generally cost banks $35 to process. Roughly 23 million households pay overdraft fees each year, and estimates indicate that 26 percent of Americans reside in a household that faced an overdraft fee or non-sufficient fund fee in the last year. Notably, overdraft fees are often unexpected. Among households that incurred an overdraft fee, 43 percent did not expect the fee. Because the majority of overdraft fees are exempt from the Truth in Lending Act, banks are currently able to establish complicated processes that mislead consumers, leaving them unaware when they will be charged an overdraft fee and for what amount. For some customers, this can be devastating, ultimately resulting in them losing their checking accounts. Overdraft fees generate substantial profit for corporate banks. According to CFPB’s estimates, consumers have paid roughly $280 billion in overdraft fees over the last 20 years and paid $9 billion in just 2022 alone. Big banks have taken notice, using overdraft fees to generate substantial revenue and deceive vulnerable consumers. For instance, in 2022 Wells Fargo was ordered by CFPB to repay over $200 million to consumers who had been charged surprise overdraft fees that were assessed despite the consumers having available funds in their accounts. As I discussed in my January 2024 report, junk fees are eating into families’ budgets. In this report, I laid out my priorities when it comes to combatting junk fees: (1) fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; (2) preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and (3) protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. CFPB’s efforts in this proposed rule to require banks to provide their customers with proper loan and credit disclosures and to cap overdraft fees at a realistic level meet these goals—and should be applauded. Large corporate banks should be expected to provide their customers with transparent information about the services they offer and to charge fees that are in proportion to the actual costs the fees are covering. I believe that this proposed rule will be a positive step forward, and on behalf of Pennsylvania consumers, I strongly encourage CFPB to finalize the proposal as soon as possible. ###

Share Tweet

March 30, 2024

Casey Presses Energy Company CEO About Future of Critical Cumberland Mine, Impact of Mine Closure on Miners and Families in Greene County

News of the potential closure came as a surprise to numerous stakeholders including county officials and the union representing roughly 550 miners Cumberland Mine has been a major employer in Greene County since the 1970s and currently employs more than 700 skilled workers Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to Iron Senergy Owner and CEO Justin F. Thompson regarding recent reports of the company’s intention to abruptly close and seal the Cumberland Mine in Greene County, Pennsylvania. Greene County officials, the United Mine Workers of America, which represents roughly 550 Cumberland miners, and numerous other stakeholders were blindsided by reports that Iron Senergy notified the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) of its intent to shutter the highly productive facility without notifying miners or relevant stakeholders. Though Iron Senergy later backtracked in a statement, the company has yet to fully engage with local stakeholders, or explain why it did not communicate with its miners as news of the closure of was being reported. Casey also pushed for answers on why Iron Senergy submitted a request for approval to close Cumberland Mine to MSHA and whether it will withdraw its closure plan and recommit to the Greene County community. “Cumberland Mine is a cornerstone of the economy in Greene County and the surrounding area. Pennsylvania miners in this region have powered our country for generations. These miners deserve transparency about their economic future, and I hope Iron Senergy will join me in doing all we can to give them that certainty,” Senator Casey wrote. Full text of the letter is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE. March 30, 2024 Mr. Justin F. Thompson Owner and CEO Iron Senergy 200 Evergreene Drive Waynesburg, PA 15370 Dear Mr. Thompson, I am writing to express my concern about the failures in communication that led Iron Senergy’s miners, local press, and stakeholders to believe that the company was planning to close and seal the Cumberland Mine in Greene County, Pennsylvania. Although Iron Senergy just acquired the coal mine’s assets in 2020, Cumberland Mine has been a large employer in Greene County since the 1970s, currently employing more than 700 hard working and skilled miners, most of whom are represented by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). To say that news of this planned closure was a surprise would be an understatement. Iron Senergy did nothing to clarify its intentions until the evening of March 28. By the time a statement was released, multiple news stories had run about the mine’s closure, to which Iron Senergy neglected to provide comment, even though this mine is the company’s primary asset. Iron Senergy not only neglected to respond to the media, it refused to communicate with its own miners, their union representatives, or their government officials. This failure to communicate included refusing to respond to direct, in-person questions from miners about their job status. The only indication of Iron Senergy’s plans that miners could find was a plan submitted to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), dated March 27 from Iron Senergy Mine Engineer Jonathon Chmelik, which states in no uncertain terms “after the completion of 77 LW [Longwall] panel, production will cease, assets will be removed, and Cumberland Mine will be sealed following the steps in the attached plan.” A facility like Cumberland Mine is required to issue a public notice of mass layoffs or plant closure at least 60 days before doing so, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, Public Law 100-379 (29 U.S.C. § 2101 et seq.). This would allow your miners time to begin to prepare themselves, their families, and the community of Greene County for a mine closure. The refusal by Iron Senergy to be transparent and communicate about the company’s plans, does a disservice to all of the stakeholders invested in the life of the mine and, in the event of an actual closure, would have exposed the company to financial penalties under the WARN Act. It is clear that market fundamentals of this mine remain robust. After several very strong years, coal prices in Northern Appalachia are approximately where they were when Iron Senergy bought this mine and, in the company’s own words, “OUR COAL PRODUCTION IS STRONGER THAN EVER”. Data bears this out. In the most recent full quarter reported, Q4 of 2023, MSHA reports that the Cumberland Mine had its highest production since 2019. Investments had been made in the mine to set it up for long-term success. In the company’s own words, “Iron Senergy invested into the needed equipment and infrastructure, now extending the life of the mine an additional 30+ years.” So that the company’s employees, their families, and the community in Greene County and surrounding areas can have peace of mind, I request that Iron Senergy respond to the following questions as soon as possible, and no later than May 1, 2024: Can you confirm that, contrary to Iron Senergy’s submission to MSHA, Cumberland Mine will not be closed and sealed “Upon completion of 77 Longwall Panel”? When will Iron Senergy withdraw its submission to MSHA, which asks for approval to close Cumberland Mine? Why did Iron Senergy submit a plan to close Cumberland Mine to MSHA and on the same day release a statement saying that reports that the mine is closing “are false”? What are Iron Senergy’s procedures to communicate to each of their miners about vitally important job questions such as “Am I currently employed?” and “Is my workplace closing?” What are your procedures to communicate with your miners’ elected UMWA representatives? Are you aware that because of your failure to communicate with your employees, nearly a hundred attended a PA Department of Labor & Industry “Rapid Response” event designed to help them access unemployment benefits and find new employment? What is your plan to rebuild trust with employees who could not find reliable information about their jobs from their employer? Miners were sent home March 19 because of unsafe mining conditions that Iron Senergy failed to fulfill its legal duty to report, and have not been able to return since. Does Iron Senergy have a plan to address the fact that, under your leadership, safety violations at Cumberland Mine have risen by 64 percent from 2019 to 20235? Can you confirm if the company has ever proposed a scheme to give employees bonuses tied to the number of safety violations reported at the mine, in an attempt to push employees not to report safety problems? Cumberland Mine is a cornerstone of the economy in Greene County and the surrounding area. Pennsylvania miners in this region have powered our country for generations. These miners deserve transparency about their economic future, and I hope Iron Senergy will join me in doing all we can to give them that certainty.

Share Tweet

March 28, 2024

Casey Statement on Planned Closure of Cumberland Mine

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on reports from the community that Iron Senergy is planning to close the Cumberland Mine in Greene County, PA: “Cumberland Mine is not just a highly productive site, but the last unionized bituminous coal mine in Pennsylvania, providing good paying jobs for more than 550 union workers in Greene County. Iron Senergy’s decision to close the mine would be a devastating blow to the miners, their families, and the economy of the surrounding communities. It would also be a cynical attempt by the company to intimidate and undermine the United Mine Workers of America, one of the most vital unions in our Commonwealth and our Nation. I am calling on the company to work with the union to safely reopen the mine. I will continue to fight alongside the union, state and local officials, the mine workers, and their families and communities to prevent this closure and protect union jobs, which is in the best interest of our Nation.” Since learning about Iron Senergy’s plans to close the plant, Senator Casey has been in close touch with the United Mine Workers of America leadership. He has also reached out to Iron Senergy and has yet to receive a response. ###

Share Tweet

March 26, 2024

Casey, Wicker Introduce Bill to Increase Health Care Access in Rural Communities

Bill would better prepare medical students to address health challenges in rural communities by increasing training opportunities Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children & Families, and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced the Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students (TEAMS) Act to increase training opportunities for medical students in rural, underserved communities. The Community TEAMS Act would create a nationwide grant program for medical schools and community-based clinics to fund training opportunities in rural, underserved communities for medical students, increasing hands-on experience with unique health challenges facing such Pennsylvania communities and encouraging medical students to serve there after graduation. “One of the most critical investments we can make in our underserved communities is to provide quality health care. That requires medical professionals who understand the health challenges these communities face and possess the necessary experience to help patients through them,” said Senator Casey. “I’m supporting the Community TEAMS Act because it’ll help more of our future doctors gain invaluable experience supporting underserved communities and working towards bridging the gaps in health outcomes.” “We must increase the available training opportunities for medical students in rural and underserved areas. My legislation would place medical students in rural areas so they can get exposure and experience,” Senator Wicker said. “The hope is that through this exposure, medical students will stay in rural areas post-medical school. An added side effect is that this provides some relief to providers while medical students are training there. This is a win-win-win for everyone.” As Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee and HELP Subcommittee on Children & Families, Senator Casey is a longstanding advocate for greater health care access to Pennsylvania’s rural communities, as well as investing in the health workers themselves. Just this month, Senator Casey introduced the Community Health Worker Access Act to support health workers who reduce illness caused by social and economic circumstances. The Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students (TEAMS) Act would: Provide eligible medical institutions with the opportunity to apply for grants under the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA). Prepare more students for the unique challenges of serving high-risk communities after graduation. Increase the number of medical training sites in our rural communities. This legislation is supported by American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), Association of American Medical Colleges, American Academy of Osteopathy, American College of Osteopathic Internists, American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine, American Osteopathic Association, American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiologists, American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventive Medicine, American Osteopathic College of Radiology Council of Academic Family Medicine, American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology & Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and the National Rural Health Association. Read more about the?Community TEAMS Act here. ###

Share Tweet

March 23, 2024

Casey Delivers Major Wins for Pennsylvanians in Second Half of 2024 Government Spending Bills

In second wave of FY24 government funding bills, PA Senior Senator advances child care funding, support for law enforcement and border patrol, and initiatives to uplift workers and small businesses Additionally, Casey secures $30 million for 60 Pennsylvania community projects Bill heads to President’s desk to become law Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that several provisions he advocated for have advanced through the Senate as part of the second wave of government funding bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. These include funding for law enforcement and border patrol, investments in child care programs and higher education, and initiatives supporting small businesses and Pennsylvania workers. Additionally, Senator Casey fought to secure funding directly for 60 community projects in Pennsylvania, totaling $29,959,000. “I’m fighting to ensure that when Pennsylvanians send their tax dollars to Washington, Congress invests it right back into their communities,” said Senator Casey. “Through this bill, I’ve worked to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing Pennsylvanians—from supporting our first responders and stopping the flow of fentanyl into our communities, to revitalizing communities and uplifting small businesses, to investing in the high quality child care and public education that working families deserve.” The spending package, passed 74-24, includes six of the 12 funding appropriations bills needed to pass to fully fund the government and continue critical programs. The legislation includes numerous priorities important to Pennsylvania in the following categories: defense and national security, public safety and securing the border, education and child care, health care, and supporting workers and small businesses, and more. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Friday. Now that it has cleared the Senate, it heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature. Direct Community Project Funding across Pennsylvania Senator Casey secured $30 million for 60 projects across Pennsylvania. The projects include job training initiatives, education programs for K-12 and college students, flood mitigation measures, small business support, and health facility improvements in the Commonwealth. A full list of the 60 projects can be found HERE. Examples of projects include: Investing in Flood Prevention in Harrisburg: Senator Casey secured $750,000 for Harrisburg’s Redevelopment Authority to complete the preliminary engineering and design for its Paxton Creek Dechannelization Project, which will reduce the repetitive and damaging flooding of Paxton Creek. Supporting Community Schools in Erie: Senator Casey secured $350,000 to fund four community schools in Erie. Continued investment in these community schools will ensure that the more than 2,000 students served receive robust academic, medical, and emotional supports critical to overcoming systemic barriers to success. Upgrading Medical Equipment and Technology at an LGBTQ Health Center in Philadelphia: Senator Casey secured $400,000 to upgrade critical basic medical equipment and technology infrastructure at the Mazzoni Center, which provides comprehensive health care for Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community. The upgrades include bolstering security systems, upgrading vitals machines, replacing outdated technology, and purchasing a generator which will ensure critical medications do not spoil during power outages. Investing in a New Emergency Services Facility in Schuylkill County: Senator Casey secured $2 million to help Schuylkill County construct and operate a new facility which will provide expanded training for volunteer fire companies, emergency management services, and law enforcement officials. Supporting Opioid Addiction Treatment and Recovery in Johnstown: Senator Casey worked in partnership with Senator Fetterman to secure $115,000 to support the Cambria County Drug Coalition’s efforts to administer medication and harm reduction supplies, as well as connect people suffering from substance abuse disorder to health services. This unit would help a lower income community address the overdose crisis and supporting community revitalization. Senator Casey secured this project in partnership with Senator Fetterman. Supporting Tree of Life’s Antisemitism Awareness Efforts: As Tree of Life expands its mission to fight antisemitism across Pennsylvania and the Nation, Senator Casey secured $1,000,000 to give the organization the resources to develop and implement K-12 curriculum to help educators and students to identify and challenge antisemitism and identity-based hate. With in-person and virtual instruction of the curriculum, thousands of students will be provided the tools to disrupt hate. Defense and National Security Strengthening Pennsylvania’s Defense Industrial Base: The bill provides billions in funding for programs supported by the Pennsylvania defense industrial base, including procurement of Paladin howitzers, Chinook helicopters, and special operations utility vehicles, manufacturing improvements supporting heavy forge capacity and combat helmet production, and research and development on flight control technology, rare earth elements, and glass semiconductors. Enabling PFAS Remediation: The legislation includes an increase of over $67 million to support the continued cleanup of dangerous PFAS chemicals around military bases, including in Montgomery County. Supporting Law Enforcement through the National Guard Counterdrug Program: The legislation includes a $100 million increase in funding for the National Guard Counterdrug program, which includes the Pennsylvania Counterdrug Joint Task Force and the Northeast Counterdrug Training Center based out of Fort Indiantown Gap. Funding will strengthen National Guard analysis, aerial and ground reconnaissance, transportation, and training support to law enforcement. Creating the Next Generation of Aerospace Leaders: The bill provides $33 million increase in funding for the Civil Air Patrol, which trains future aerospace professionals and leaders across Pennsylvania through its cadet and STEM education programs. Civil Air Patrol also performs emergency services for state and local agencies. Public Safety and Securing the Border Stopping the Flow of Fentanyl into the U.S.: The bill includes more than $400 million for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to improve the detection and seizure of fentanyl and other drugs at ports of entry along the border, with non-intrusive inspection (NII) equipment and additional CBP personnel. This funding will also expand CBP’s outbound operations on the southwest border, which will help stop the flow of currency, firearms, and other contraband resulting from the sale of fentanyl. Senator Casey has introduced legislation and consistently advocated for additional funding for CBP officers and technology to detect and interdict fentanyl and other illicit goods that are being trafficked through the U.S. border. Supporting First Responders: The legislation provides FEMA with $324 million for the Assistance to Firefighters Grants which provide funding for fire departments and emergency medical service organizations to obtain critical equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources. It also provides $324 million for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants, which are intended to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter organizations to help them increase or maintain their staffs of front-line firefighters. Drug Trafficking and Addressing Addiction: The bill includes $469.6 million for the Office of National Drug Control Policy to coordinate a whole-of government response to the fentanyl and substance use disorder crises, stop drug trafficking, and address addiction. This funding includes nearly $300 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA)—a program that Senator Casey has strongly supported in Pennsylvania and across the Nation. Securing Our Elections. The legislation provides $55 million for election security grants for states and U.S. territories to protect the integrity of our elections. Economy, Jobs, Small Businesses, and Workers Helping Small Businesses Thrive: The legislation includes over one billion dollars for the Small Business Administration to assist small businesses in their efforts to grow. Additionally, Senator Casey helped secure $30 million for the APEX Accelerators program, which helps small and underserved businesses navigate government contracting. Supporting Community Revitalization: The bill includes more than $320 million for the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund program, which provides tailored resources and specialized financial programs to support investment in distressed communities. Funding from this program provides direct support to Community Development Financial Institutions that work in communities to create jobs and improve neighborhoods, including many critical institutions in Pennsylvania. Assisting Pennsylvanians Heat Their Homes: The bill includes $4 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), an increase of $25 million over the fiscal year 2023 enacted level. This funding will ensure low-income families across the Commonwealth keep their homes warm. Education and Child Care Supporting Children and Working Families: The bill increases funding for early learning programs by $1 billion, including a $725 million increase for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, and a $275 million increase for Head Start. Senator Casey’s pushed for increased federal funding for programs that make child care and quality early learning programs more affordable and accessible for families has led to a cumulative $4.4 billion increased investment in children over the past three fiscal years. Promoting Inclusion and High-Quality Education for Students with Disabilities: The bill provides support for students with disabilities throughout their education with a $20 million increase to IDEA Special Education State grants and direction to the Department of Education to extend Educational Technology, Media, and Materials programming to improve accessibility in higher education. Protecting Access to Higher Education: The bill provides a maximum Pell Grant award of $7,395 for the 2024-2025 school year, preserving the $900 increase in the maximum award over the last two fiscal years, and sustaining Congress’ recent work to push the program to keep pace with inflation and better support low-income students. This year, Pell Grants are expected to help more than seven million students access higher education and further their careers. The bill also protects funding for Federal Work Study, the Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, and the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS), preserving additional aid opportunities for students most in need. Health Care and Human Services Supporting Communities Affected by the Darlington Train Derailment: The bill includes language that Senator Casey fought to secure that encourages the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue working with the communities affected by the derailment in East Palestine in order to develop a long-term follow-up study of the health impacts. Bolstering the National Institutes of Health: The bill includes an increase of $300 million, for a total of $48.6 billion, for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which will further support the Pennsylvania researchers using NIH grants to save lives and improve patient care. Investing in Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: The bill includes $335 million for pandemic influenza preparedness activities, an increase of $7 million over the fiscal year 2023 enacted level. Support People with Disabilities Employment for People with Disabilities: The bill includes $4.2 billion to provide training and education, supported employment, and assistive technology to support the employment of people with disabilities. Protection of Older Adults: The bill provides more than $21 million for the long-term care ombudsman program designed to resolve health, safety, and welfare programs for older adults and people with disabilities who live in long-term care settings. Supporting People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: The bill provides over $150 million to train people to work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to protect their rights, and to create community-based projects to address their needs. Addressing the Needs of People with Autism: The agreement appropriates over $56 million for training to professionals to provide services to people on the autism spectrum and to support their families. Infant-Toddler-Family Programs: The bill includes $540 million for states to provide early intervention programming for infants and toddlers with disabilities and to support their families. Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities: The bill provides $420 million for local school districts to operate education and developmental programs for children between 3 and 5 who have disabilities.

Share Tweet

March 22, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Ensure Workers Can Take Full Advantage of Clean Energy Tax Credits

The Inflation Reduction Act required tax credit recipients to provide their workers with good pay and apprenticeships to build the future of the clean energy workforce In letter, Senators press Department of Treasury to make the process of obtaining tax credits as smooth and efficient as possible Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led a group of his colleagues in sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urging the Biden Administration to adopt rules that facilitate smooth implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act’s prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship tax credits. The tax credits are intended to provide tens of thousands of electricians, metalworkers, welders, and other workers with good pay, training, and apprenticeships to build the clean energy workforce pipeline for the next generation. In the letter, the Senators press the Administration to make the process of receiving these tax credits smooth and efficient so that the law can reach its full potential. The Senators wrote, “The purpose of the IRA credits is to not only spur the creation of new clean, affordable energy, but to employ tens of thousands of electricians, metalworkers, welders and other workers in high-paying jobs, with training and apprenticeships to build the pipeline of workers for the next generation. We write today to encourage the Treasury to adopt rules that empower workers, raise wages, and set our workers up for success for years to come.” In the letter, the Senators made several recommendations to ensure that clean energy workers are able to take full advantage of the new IRA tax credits. Those recommendations include treating project labor agreements as evidence of compliance with the IRA’s prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements, establishing a front-end compliance monitoring system, and strengthening the good faith effort exception to PWA requirements. Senator Casey fought to include clean energy tax credits in the IRA. Since the bill’s passage, he has consistently advocated to ensure that Pennsylvania workers can take full advantage of the tax credits included in the bill. The letter was signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Corey Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Edward Markey (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). Read the letter HERE or below. March 14, 2024 Dear Secretary Yellen and Commissioner Werfel: We are writing regarding the Treasury Department’s proposed rulemaking to implement the prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship (PWA) requirements permitting taxpayers to claim increased tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). The IRA expanded several clean energy tax credits and provided for increased amounts for taxpayers who meet the law’s PWA standards. The purpose of the IRA credits is to not only spur the creation of new clean, affordable energy, but to employ tens of thousands of electricians, metalworkers, welders and other workers in high-paying jobs, with training and apprenticeships to build the pipeline of workers for the next generation. We write today to encourage the Treasury to adopt rules that empower workers, raise wages, and set our workers up for success for years to come. The PWA bonus credit is the most important labor provision in the IRA, and effective implementation of these standards is critical to ensure that the IRA creates the high-quality, good-paying jobs that Congress intended. To claim the full IRA tax credits, taxpayers must ensure that workers are paid the prevailing wage as determined by the Department of Labor (DOL). Additionally, the apprenticeship utilization standards require qualifying taxpayers to employ apprentices from registered apprenticeship programs for a certain number of hours, among other requirements. It can be difficult and time-consuming for agencies to certify that a taxpayer has met these conditions. That is why we urge the Treasury to adopt the following commonsense recommendations that will shift compliance to the front end and rely more heavily on workers and their representatives. These suggestions will ensure that the award of bonus tax credits goes to companies who have set out to comply with the law, made a good faith effort to fulfill the conditions of the law, and whose compliance can be verified by workers on the ground through project labor agreements to the extent practical. To that end, we urge Treasury to adopt the following recommendations in its final PWA rule: Treat Project Labor Agreements as Evidence of Compliance with the IRA’s PWA requirements. Taxpayers should be able to demonstrate compliance with the IRA’s prevailing wage and apprenticeship utilization requirements by presenting evidence that all construction work at a Qualified Facility was completed under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA), using the definition of PLAs as included in the comments submitted by North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU). A taxpayer that certifies to the Treasury Department that construction work on a Qualified Facility is subject to a PLA should be entitled to a presumption of compliance, given that PLAs (1) ensure that construction workers receive wages at or above the local prevailing wage, (2) promote the employment of registered apprentices on the project, and (3) provide for labor standards enforcement through a grievance procedure. Allowing PLAs to show compliance with these rules is the best way to simplify the compliance process for taxpayers and the Treasury. Establish a Front-End Compliance Monitoring System for Clean Energy Bonus Credit projects. Treasury’s proposed rule relies heavily on records retention, and while important, records retention alone is insufficient to ensure compliance. Therefore, we urge Treasury to adopt the framework of DOL’s existing Davis-Bacon compliance monitoring system while also requiring that taxpayers who intend to claim a bonus credit based on labor standards compliance notify Treasury before construction begins or shortly thereafter. For example, Treasury should require taxpayers to ensure that all solicitations, contracts, and subcontracts for construction on qualifying projects include provisions describing the applicable labor standards to ensure that contractors, at all tiers, are on notice of their obligations. Workers should also receive notice early on of their right to a prevailing wage. Without direct front-end notice, there will be no way for workers to know what they are entitled to, and whether they are being shorted. To this end, taxpayers should be required to post Davis-Bacon posters and the applicable wage schedules throughout the job site, including all designated entrances where workers and the general public can see them. Taxpayers must also ensure that each construction worker is provided a written notice identifying the worker’s classification and the proper prevailing wage rate to which they are entitled. Relatedly, Treasury should require that taxpayers who plan to claim enhanced credits for labor standards compliance notify Treasury of that intent before construction begins through Treasury’s pre-filing registration system. In this way, Treasury will be able to identify early on those projects subject to labor standards, and to monitor and audit those projects for compliance. Taxpayers should also be required to collect weekly certified payroll reports from their contractors, as well as periodic apprentice labor hour reports for review and transmission to Treasury. This process is critical for verifying that contractors and subcontractors are paying the prevailing wage and meeting their apprentice utilization requirements. The certified payroll process has been consistently applied to a wide range of federal and federally assisted projects for over 60 years, as well as state public works projects covered by state prevailing wage laws. Treasury must also establish a complaint procedure that aggrieved workers can use to report noncompliance and an office dedicated to enforcement. To that end, Treasury should create a designated Office of Labor Standards Enforcement, which should partner with the Department of Labor on enforcement efforts. Taxpayers should also be required to pre-file an intended labor plan with the Treasury and with the Department of Labor, explaining how they will fulfill the requirements of the IRA, including pay rates, hours worked for applicable workers and their apprenticeship utilization plan. Treasury should also clarify that aggrieved workers on covered projects are protected by anti-retaliation provisions. Further Strengthen the Good Faith Effort Exception to the Apprentice Requirements We urge Treasury to adopt several changes to ensure the Good Faith Effort Exception for the taxpayers’ apprenticeship utilization requirement better captures situations where entities have truly acted in good faith: If a taxpayer wishes to claim the good faith effort exception, require that that taxpayer have requested apprentices from all registered programs that could be reasonably expected to provide apprentices to the qualified facility, rather the proposed requirement to only request apprentices from “one registered apprenticeship program”. Taxpayers, contractors, and subcontractors should also be required to request apprentices by multiple means: email, registered mail, and telephone, rather than the proposed requirement to request apprentices in writing either electronically or by registered mail. Clarify that where a Registered Apprenticeship program is only able to partially fulfill a request for apprentices, the requesting entity must accept the apprentices that are provided, and that an entity’s outreach to DOL’s Office of Apprenticeship or a State Apprenticeship Agency should have no bearing on whether the entity qualifies for a good faith effort exemption. Treasury should also impose key affirmative obligations on taxpayers under the good faith effort exception to facilitate development of a strategic plan that would enable taxpayers to comply with the three separate prongs of the Apprenticeship Requirements: Labor Hours, Participation, and Ratios. We recommend inclusion of the following affirmative obligations: Require taxpayers, which are not signatory to a PLA (or already participating in a Registered Apprenticeship Program [RAP]), to develop an apprenticeship utilization plan at least 90 days before work is to begin and also before the taxpayer, contractor, and/or subcontractor on a project makes a request(s) to a RAP(s) for apprentices to work on a covered project. Taxpayers should confer with the Department of Treasury on this plan before work begins. Require taxpayers, contractors, and subcontractors not signatory to a PLA (or already participating in a RAP) to request apprentices at least 90 days before apprentices are needed on a qualified facility, rather than permitting a taxpayer to request apprentices merely hours before starting a job as would be permitted under the proposed rule. Effective implementation of the IRA is critical to ensuring the success of this law, and we appreciate your consideration of these recommendations. Thank you for your time and attention to these important issues. ###

Share Tweet

March 21, 2024

Casey Delivers $90 Million for Major Clearfield County Energy Project

The Mineral Basin solar project will receive $90 million from Energy department grant program funded by Casey-backed infrastructure law Casey lobbied the Department of Energy in support of the project, which will build clean energy facilities on former mine lands and create hundreds of union jobs in North Central PA Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that Mineral Basin Solar, a historic utility-scale solar project in Clearfield County, PA, has been awarded $90 million to build solar facilities on former mine lands. Senator Casey advocated to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the Mineral Basin solar project, which is expected to produce enough energy to power 70,000 homes per year. “The coal communities of Central Pennsylvania have powered the industrial development of our Nation. With this investment, they’ll continue to do so long into the future,” said Senator Casey. “This grant is not only a major step towards building the clean energy economy, but a signal that Pennsylvania’s energy communities will lead the way for years to come.” The funding came from DOE’s Clean Energy Demonstration Program on Current and Former Mind Land (CEML) Grant Program which was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Senator Casey also fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which included his provision to provide a tax credit for clean energy projects built in energy communities like those in Central Pennsylvania. A recent report shows that, since the passage of the IRA, energy communities are leading the Nation in new clean energy investment. ###

Share Tweet

March 21, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Increase Social Security Benefits, Help Seniors Deal with Rising Costs

The Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act would ensure that Social Security benefits increase at a rate that actually reflects the costs seniors face Casey: “Social Security is the promise of a safe and stable retirement…as the costs of basic goods and services for seniors rises, we cannot allow that promise to be broken” Casey introduces the bill in conjunction with a hearing on preserving and protecting Social Security Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, joined his colleagues Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Bernie Sanders (D-VT) to introduce the Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act. The bill will help seniors contend with rising costs by changing the way that Social Security cost of living adjustments (COLAs) are calculated to increase benefits and more comprehensively reflect the costs incurred by older adults. Casey introduced the bill the same week that he held an Aging Committee hearing on preserving and protecting Social Security. “For millions of older adults in Pennsylvania and across the Nation, Social Security is the promise of a safe and stable retirement,” said Chairman Casey (D-PA). “As the costs of basic goods and services for seniors rise, we cannot allow that promise to be broken. The Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act would help seniors contend with rising costs and ensure that Social Security remains a lifeline for all who need it.” Each year, Social Security benefits are adjusted by the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) formula. The COLA is currently based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners (CPI-W) from the previous year. CPI-W is reflective of the everyday spending of Americans, and includes expenses like food, consumer goods, and housing, among others. Despite this, Social Security benefits have not kept up with costs and older adults are left struggling to afford food, medications, clothing, and other necessities. The Consumer Price Index for Americans aged 62 or older (CPI-E) is another price index that is more reflective of the actual costs incurred by older adults; for example, within CPI-E, medical expenses are weighted more heavily than they are in CPI-W. The Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act would direct the Social Security Administration to adjust benefits based on CPI-E rather than CPI-W, if CPI-E would result in a larger increase in benefits, ensuring that seniors get a large enough increase in benefits to contend with the rise in costs they are facing. Chairman Casey has led efforts to help seniors get the full level of Social Security benefits they deserve. Yesterday, Casey held an Aging Committee hearing entitled, “Keeping Our Promise to Older Adults and People with Disabilities: The Status of Social Security Today,” where he touted plans to expand Social Security benefits and protect the program. Chairman Casey has also fought to help keep costs down for seniors and families in Pennsylvania and across the Nation. Starting in November 2023, he has been investigating greedflation, and has issued four reports on how large corporations are squeezing families under the guise of inflation. Following those reports, he introduced the Shrinkflation Prevention Act and the Price Gouging Prevention Act to crack down on these unfair practices. ###

Share Tweet

March 20, 2024

Casey Holds Hearing on Preserving Social Security

At hearing, Casey denounced attempts to cut Social Security and touted plans to protect the program Casey heard testimony from newly appointed Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley Watch full hearing video here Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) held a hearing entitled, “Keeping Our Promise to Older Adults and People with Disabilities: The Status of Social Security Today.” The hearing examined the importance of preserving Social Security and the critical support the program provides for millions of seniors across Pennsylvania and the Nation. At the hearing, Chairman Casey heard testimony from newly appointed Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Martin O’Malley about the agency’s plans to protect the critical benefits that Social Security provides and ensure SSA workers receive the support they need. This was Commissioner O’Malley’s first appearance in the Senate since his confirmation in December. During the hearing, Chairman Casey emphasized his support for preserving Social Security benefits and protecting it from attacks. He denounced plans by some Republican politicians to cut Social Security, saying, “Social Security is the most successful antipoverty program to date, allowing tens of millions of Americans, including older adults, people with disabilities, and children to live with dignity. Despite this, we have heard outlandish proposals from some that Congress should consider cutting Social Security. Let me be clear—I will never support cuts to Social Security. Social Security is a lifeline for Americans of all walks of life—we have made a promise to deliver benefits to Americans, and I will not go back on that promise.” Chairman Casey has long been one of the Senate’s strongest champions for protecting Social Security and ensuring the program’s promise to every American is fulfilled. This week, he introduced the Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act, which would change how Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Social Security benefits are calculated—ensuring benefit adjustments are robust and reflective of the true costs incurred by older adults. He also introduced the SWIFT Act in September, which would fix outdated and arbitrary restrictions on Social Security benefits for widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses who often face unnecessary and burdensome hurdles to access Social Security benefits despite disproportionately experiencing poverty. Watch the full hearing here. ###

Share Tweet

March 20, 2024

Members Introduce Bill to Study Transfer of Weitzman Museum Honoring American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution

The Weitzman Museum of American Jewish History is a highly regarded institution located in historic Old City Philadelphia Its mission is to educate visitors and online audiences about the history, culture, and contributions of Jewish Americans Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), Mike Turner (R-OH-10), Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2), and Max Miller (R-OH-7) introduced legislation to take a critical step in transferring the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, a highly regarded museum dedicated to the history, culture, and contributions of Jewish Americans, to the Smithsonian Institution. The Weitzman, if transferred, would serve as the Smithsonian’s only museum dedicated specifically to the stories of Jewish Americans. “Integrating the Weitzman with the Smithsonian would pay tribute to the role that the Jewish American community has played in the progress of America,” said Senator Casey. “With antisemitism on the rise, the Weitzman Museum stands as an opportunity to educate the next generation on the contributions Jewish Americans made to our Nation and help stem the tide of hate.” “Jewish communities have made astounding contributions to America’s noble experiment in building a more perfect union. Sharing those achievements with everyone is what the late Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter and I had in mind when we created Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) nearly two decades ago. Educating all Americans, from all over the country, about these amazing Jewish impacts on our nation’s history, not only raises awareness but helps dispel harmful prejudices about our community,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Taking this critical step to welcome the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History into the larger Smithsonian family would bring that vision closer to reality. This powerful institutional integration signals a strong commitment to address the dramatic rise in antisemitism by helping amplify the myriad ways Jewish Americans enriched a nation who’s very founding, fittingly, traces back to Philadelphia, the Weitzman Museum’s home city.” “The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia serves as a powerful reminder of the contributions that Jewish Americans have made to the fabric of the United States,” said Congressman Mike Turner. “By bringing this museum and its collections into the Smithsonian Institution, Congress will ensure that the story of Jewish Americans is shared with the widest possible audience. I am proud to join my colleagues in supporting this effort to preserve and tell the story of such an important community in America.” “The Weitzman Museum is the only museum in the nation dedicated exclusively to exploring and interpreting the American Jewish experience,” said Congressman Boyle. “The Weitzman's role in telling the tale of our nation’s history is significant. Bringing the Weitzman Museum fully into the Smithsonian family would give it expanded access to not only artifacts and documents, but robust educational resources, expertise and staff training to aid in the ongoing mission to preserve and promote the culture of American Jews.” “With the recent rise in antisemitism, now more than ever it is imperative that Jewish-American Heritage be celebrated and exhibited at the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, the Smithsonian Institution,” said Representative Max Miller. “The Weitzman's trustees and I take seriously our responsibility to educate a broad American public about the contributions of American Jews to our nation, the gratitude American Jews have for what America has made possible, and the inextricable links between American history, culture, and society and its Jewish communities,” said Dr. Misha Galperin, President and CEO of The Weitzman. “It would be our honor to integrate the Museum into the Smithsonian Institution for the American People.” The Commission to Study the Potential Transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution Act would create a commission to study the potential transfer of the Weitzman Museum to the Smithsonian Institution, which is the necessary first step to put the Weitzman Museum on a path toward acquisition by the Smithsonian. Specifically: The commission will consist of nine members, with two members appointed by the majority and minority leaders of each chamber, and one nonvoting member appointed by the board of the Weitzman Museum. The commission will write a report to Congress with a recommendation on whether the Weitzman Museum should be transferred to the Smithsonian Institution. The report will also detail the current collections of the Museum; the impact of the Museum on educational and governmental efforts to study and counter antisemitism; the financial assets and liabilities of the Museum and costs of operating and maintaining the Museum; the governance and organizational structure of the Museum should it be transferred; and the impact such a transfer would have on the Smithsonian Institution. The commission will not receive any federal funding and will accept private contributions to pay for its expenses. “Amidst rising antisemitism, it is more important than ever to celebrate the inspiring history of the Jewish people in America, educate diverse public audiences about Jewish culture, and spark conversations about the American Jewish community present and future,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “We thank Senator Casey (D-PA) and Representatives Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Turner (R-OH), Boyle (D-PA), and Miller (R-OH) for leading the effort to create a commission to study the transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian.” “Jewish Federations of North America are proud to support a commission on including the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History among the rarified museums in the Smithsonian Institution,” said Karen Paikin Barall, Vice President of Government Relations for the Jewish Federations of North America. In addition to Senator Casey, the bill is also cosponsored by Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Susan Collins (R-ME). The bill is endorsed by the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Federations of North America, and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Read more about the Commission to Study the Potential Transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution Act here. ###

Share Tweet

March 20, 2024

Casey, DeLauro Introduce Bill to Make More Infant Formula in America, Help Prevent Future Shortages

Legislation to give small infant formula manufacturers a boost in heavily consolidated market New push comes after Reckitt/Mead Johnson, producer of specialty formula for infants with allergies, recalled over 675,000 cans of infant formula Casey led the charge on accountability for formula producers during massive recall of 2022 Casey: “…we need to make sure this never happens again—there is no greater fear than not being able to feed your child.” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) introduced the Infant Formula Made in America Act to create a new tax credit program to support new or expanding small U.S. infant formula producers. More than two years after a massive infant formula recall impacted families across the Nation, Casey and DeLauro are taking action to increase domestic formula production so that parents are able to feed their children without fear of contaminated formula. “The infant formula shortage was a terrifying burden on families. Too many parents and caregivers were left tired and scared, and we need to make sure this never happens again—there is no greater fear than not being able to feed your child,” said Senator Casey. “The Infant Formula Made in America Act is a vital step in expanding the supply chain, investing in American manufacturers, and keeping infant formula on the shelves.” “The 2022 infant formula shortage was generated because of two key issues: food safety and supply,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “It left families and parents scrambling to find infant formula on scarce shelves, and facing the fear that the formula they had purchased may not be safe for their baby’s consumption if they even found it. No parent should face this, and it is why I am committed to enacting policies that prevent a future shortage. While I have introduced several bills to improve food safety, we must also unravel the heavily consolidated market that greatly contributed to the 2022 shortage. The Infant Formula Made in America Act would give smaller manufacturers a boost to compete with giants in the industry and improve market diversity.” For more than two years, Senator Casey has led the charge in the Senate to resolve the infant formula shortage and prevent future shortages. In February 2022, Casey sent a letter to Abbott demanding answers as to why the company took months to warn the public after an initial complaint of dangerous bacterial contamination of their powder infant formula products that led to multiple hospitalizations and one death. In April 2022, Senators Casey sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Califf seeking information on the FDA’s actions and plans to investigate these reports and to prevent other infants from falling ill. Casey then raised alarms on a whistleblower report from inside Abbott months before the first infant deaths. In May 2022, as it became increasingly difficult for families to access infant formula following a massive recall of contaminated infant formula from major supplier, Abbott Nutrition, Senator Casey led 30 of his colleagues in a letter to the Infant Nutrition Council of America, calling on infant formula manufacturers to make every effort possible to get parents and families the formula they need to feed their kids. Shortly after, Casey introduced the Protect Infants from Formula Shortages Act to protect families and patients who rely on infant formula by requiring manufactures to notify the FDA of potential supply disruptions and give the FDA additional tools to work with manufacturers to help prevent potential shortages. The bill advanced out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee as a part of the bipartisan Food and Drug Administration Safety and Landmark Advancements Act, setting up the legislation to pass via the Fiscal Year 2023 spending bill in December. Further, in June 2022, Casey, as Chairman of the Senate HELP Subcommittee on Children and Families, urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate how major retail chains may have engaged in price gouging and raised prices for specialized infant formula amid the nationwide infant formula shortage as detailed reported became public that some major retail chains and online marketplaces have, during the infant formula shortage, significantly increased prices for specialized formula products that parents and caretakers of children with special dietary needs depend on. After Casey’s repeated urging throughout 2022, the FDA took steps to evaluate and remediate the crisis—releasing a report and a commitment to making changes, including the announcement that they had already started making changes to their processes. The agency enlisted an independent entity to recommend how they can do better in the future and further, developed a strategy to prevent foodborne illnesses from contaminated formula. In September 2023, Casey followed up to press the FDA to ensure production levels for domestic infant formula remain constant and store shelves remain stocked as manufacturers begin to upgrade their production infrastructure. In January 2024, Senator Casey sent a letter to formula producer Reckitt/Mead Johnson demanding answers regarding the recent recall of Nutramigen Powder, a specialty infant formula for infants with allergies. He has since met with the company to discuss their response. Casey will keep pushing the FDA and working on policy changes to ensure that a similar shortage does not happen again. Families rely on formula, and they deserve better than what happened in 2022. This bill creates a new tax credit program to support new or expanding small infant formula producers in the United States. This will create a secure, diversified domestic industry capable of meeting children’s and families formula needs. Small infant formula producers—those with less than $750 million in revenue—will be eligible for support to help them grow to compete in this concentrated market. The Infant Formula Made in America Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM). The legislation is endorsed by National Milk Producers Federation, CROPP Cooperative | Organic Valley, North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Bobbie, and ByHeart. Read more about the Infant Formula Made in America Act here. ###

Share Tweet

March 19, 2024

Casey Urges President Biden to Do More to Address Famine in Gaza

In letter to President, Casey expresses grave concern about food insecurity crisis in Gaza and reiterates need for more humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to address the growing humanitarian crisis and famine in Gaza. In the letter, Senator Casey expressed grave concern about the deepening food insecurity crisis in Gaza, which has already cost dozens of lives in the region. Casey reiterated his support for Israel’s right to wage war against Hamas terrorists, but also emphasized Israel’s obligation to enable humanitarian assistance and called for President Biden to urge Israel to take a number of steps to increase delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. “Lack of food has already begun to claim lives. Gazan Health Ministry officials reported that, in recent days, over 25 people have died from malnutrition, including a two-month-old infant,” wrote Senator Casey. “5,000 Gazan women giving birth each month suffer from malnutrition, dehydration, and lack of health care, putting both their lives and their children’s lives at risk. New fathers must scour markets to find enough food for their wives to breastfeed and keep their children alive.” In the letter, Casey called for President Biden to press Israel to reopen the Erez border crossing, significantly speed up its inspections for aid entering Gaza, and open additional crossings to increase the rate of aid delivery. He also emphasized the need to amass sufficient humanitarian resources to meet the needs of Palestinians not just today, but well into the future in order to ensure the region can recover after the war is over. Read the full letter HERE or below: March 18, 2024 President Biden, Thank you for your continued efforts to address the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, your steadfast support of Israel, and your work to provide aid to Palestinians who urgently need humanitarian assistance. The conflict has been largely contained, and Israel has made significant progress in destroying Hamas. In the midst of these successes, however, the humanitarian crisis has worsened, in part due to Hamas intercepting food aid and complicating distribution through its human shield military tactics. I am particularly concerned about the crisis levels of food insecurity and potential for famine in Gaza. The World Food Programme (WFP) has determined that half of the Gaza’s population is struggling with catastrophic hunger and one in three children under the age of two living in northern Gaza are acutely malnourished. WFP’s Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau stated that the acute malnutrition and wasting in Gaza is “the worst level of child malnutrition anywhere in the world... If nothing changes a famine in imminent in northern Gaza.” Similarly, Save the Children has stated that, due to the inability to deliver aid safely, all 1.1 million children in Gaza face starvation. Many have been forced to “forage for scraps of food left by rats and eating leaves.” Weeks have passed since both these statements, and the humanitarian crisis has only deepened. Lack of food has already begun to claim lives. Gazan Health Ministry officials reported that, in recent days, over 25 people have died from malnutrition, including a two-month-old infant. The 5,000 Gazan women giving birth each month suffer from malnutrition, dehydration, and lack of health care, putting both their lives and their children’s lives at risk. New fathers must scour markets to find enough food for their wives to breastfeed and keep their children alive. Northern Gaza faces the worst levels of food insecurity because aid has not reliably reached the region. Even if Israel approves an aid convoy to head north, convoys receive little security support and cratered roads and ever more desperate crowds of starving Gazans have made the 45-minute trip from Rafah to Gaza City increasingly difficult. Israel has every right to wage war against Hamas terrorists for their brutal massacre of 1,200 Israeli civilians on October 7. This right to self-defense does not supersede or obviate Israeli humanitarian obligations in Gaza. The vast majority of Gazans did not participate in the October 7 attacks on Israel. They are, like most, seeking a safe, stable livelihood and food for their families. Yet, under current conditions, safety and food are luxuries. More must be done to respond to crisis levels of food insecurity in Gaza. I am encouraged by your Administration’s efforts to airlift in aid and build a temporary sea port to provide additional entry routes for assistance to Gaza. I am confident that your efforts enabled the deliveries of aid through Israel’s 96th Gate and ships supported by World Central Kitchen. I urge you to continue these efforts and build upon the World Central Kitchen’s model until the sea port is completed. Even after the sea port is operational in several months, it and other existing aid efforts will likely not meet the totality of humanitarian needs in Gaza. The Palestinian people require increased aid by all possible avenues, but especially by land. Aid delivered by ground transportation is significantly more cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable, and delivery routes already exist. As such, I reiterate my calls for you to urge Israel to reopen the Erez border crossing, significantly speed up its inspections for aid entering Gaza, and open additional crossings to increase the rate of aid delivery. In particular, the Erez crossing will allow for aid providers to support those Gazans most isolated and in need—the sick, elderly, disabled, and young who could not leave their homes when Israel ordered an evacuation to the south in late October. In your talks with Israel, I encourage you to focus on the data and setting clear targets for the tonnage of specific types of aid that must enter Gaza. In addition to increasing the volume of aid that can flow into Gaza, specifically northern Gaza, we must also amass sufficient humanitarian resources to meet Palestinians needs, and not just their needs today. Gaza’s heavy reliance on humanitarian aid, even before October 7, amplified by Israel’s destruction of the enclave’s infrastructure, make certain the long-term need for significant quantities of humanitarian aid and strengthened delivery mechanisms. The United States must lead on these efforts. To that end, I commend your request for billions in humanitarian aid. I was proud to vote for the National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which included approximately $1.4 billion to support Palestinians in need. However, other states in the Middle East seeking regional stability need to step up and commit financially to support the Palestinians. Only the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia contributed more than one percent of the $300 million Flash Appeal requested by the United Nations to provide aid to the Palestinians. I ask that you negotiate commitments for material support from other states in the Middle East as you urge Israel to permit aid to enter at the rate necessary to meet the needs of Palestinians. Thank you again for your work to address all aspects of the crisis in the Middle East, and thank you for your consideration of my requests. ###

Share Tweet

March 19, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Press U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel on Meeting Obligations to Pennsylvania Workers

In letter, the Senators express grave concern about how pending sale of U.S Steel may undermine PA workers Senators: “It is imperative that any company operating or seeking to operate in Pennsylvania’s robust steel market recognizes the critical role of the working men and women in building communities, supporting families, and creating one of our Nation’s strongest industries” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) sent a letter to U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel expressing concern that the companies are falling short of their commitments to Pennsylvania workers. The Senators wrote, “We write to express our grave concern that both companies are falling short of their commitments and obligations to Pennsylvania’s workers, demonstrating a troubling disregard of the commitments you have each made to workers and the union representing them at US Steel, the United Steelworkers (USW). In so doing, your companies, in the pursuit of profit, continue to sideline one of our domestic steel industry’s greatest assets: Pennsylvania workers… It is imperative that any company operating or seeking to operate in Pennsylvania’s robust steel market recognizes the critical role of the working men and women in building communities, supporting families, and creating one of our Nation’s strongest industries.” In the letter, Casey and Fetterman raised several concerns about the pending sale, including potential failures by the company to meet their obligation to notify workers of the transaction in a timely manner and reports that the companies may be designing the sale in ways to avoid accountability to the existing union contract for Pennsylvanian steel workers. Casey and Fetterman have both opposed Nippon Steel’s purchase of U.S. Steel since it was announced in December. In the days following the sale announcement, they urged the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to block the sale and demanded answers from Nippon on the company’s commitment to Pennsylvania. In the following months, they have continued to push the Biden Administration to oppose the planned acquisition. Last week, both applauded President Biden’s announcement that he opposed the sale. Read the full letter HERE and below: Dear Mr. Burritt and Mr. Hashimoto: As Nippon Steel Corporation pursues the purchase of United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel), we write to express our grave concern that both companies are falling short of their commitments and obligations to Pennsylvania’s workers, demonstrating a troubling disregard of the commitments you have each made to workers and the union representing them at U.S. Steel, the United Steelworkers (USW). In so doing, your companies, in the pursuit of profit, continue to sideline one of our domestic steel industry’s greatest assets: Pennsylvania workers. We are concerned that, in seeking to speed this deal along without the proper consultation of its workers, U.S. Steel may have flouted commitments made to workers under the Basic Labor Agreement (BLA) it holds with USW. This agreement, which was negotiated and agreed to by both U.S. Steel and USW, serves to protect workers’ rights, safety, financial security, and wellbeing. In particular, we are concerned that as U.S. Steel has sought to sell the United States’ preeminent steel company to a foreign firm, the company may have failed in its obligations to its workers in two ways. First, by failing to notify USW of the proposed sale, U.S. Steel has failed to fulfill the basic responsibility to its workers to consult with them about major changes to the business. Despite discussions of this sale beginning in August 2023, many workers only found out about the sale of their employer in the news months later, on the day it became public information. When USW requested information about Nippon Steel, they received little to aid their efforts to assess the financial soundness of their potential new employer. Second, we are concerned about reports that U.S. Steel is structuring this transaction with Nippon Steel in a way that would violate or evade the successorship clause of the BLA. The successorship clause was negotiated to help preserve the enforceability of the BLA in the event of a sale. By having a Texas-based subsidiary of Nippon Steel gain ownership of U.S. Steel, the company could transfer its contractual obligations to workers—such as pensions, profit sharing, and retiree health care—to a shell company, making them harder to enforce. This type of corporate structuring may also transfer liability away from the main corporation. This kind of strategy has been used by large corporations time and time again to jettison their legal responsibilities and rob workers of their hard-earned benefits, like in the case of Peabody Energy and Patriot Coal.[1] We have seen a number of statements by leadership at both U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel that the parties will adopt and maintain current labor agreements and that no attempts are being made to structure the transaction in a way to reduce, alter, or eliminate these commitments. If that is the case, we expect that Nippon will promptly be able to produce binding legal commitments to maintain these agreements, protect workers, and alleviate concerns about successorship. In addition to our specific concerns above, we have broader reservations about the potential for disinvestment in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Steel assets. Recent corporate filings have revealed that Nippon Steel is primarily interested in nonunionized U.S. Steel assets elsewhere in the country, having made repeated offers to acquire U.S. Steel’s mini mill segment.[2] Beginning in September 2023, Nippon Steel had submitted a series of offers for only U.S. Steel’s mini mill operation and the Keetac mine to support those mills, which reached $10.6 billion. In combination with Nippon Steel’s low valuation of integrated steel facilities and alignment with U.S. Steel’s plans to shift investment to mini mills, this demonstrates a clear disinterest in continued investment in Pennsylvania U.S. Steel assets. Actions by Nippon Steel to minimize investment in Pennsylvania steel operations, such as idling or completely shuttering them in the near future, could lead to the loss of 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in Pennsylvania. History has shown that Pennsylvania workers can outcompete anyone when given the tools to do so and a level playing field. Any moves to disinvest in the steel industry in Pennsylvania would be misguided, a loss for the industry, and a loss for Pennsylvania workers and their families. It is imperative that any company operating or seeking to operate in Pennsylvania’s robust steel market recognizes the critical role of the working men and women in building communities, supporting families, and creating one of our Nation’s strongest industries. U.S. Steel must engage in the grievance process with USW with fairness and respect. Nippon Steel Corporation must make binding legal commitments to Pennsylvania workers and industry that protect their jobs, benefits, and communities. Thank you in advance for your attention to this important matter. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our offices directly. ###

Share Tweet

March 14, 2024

Casey Statement on President Biden’s Opposition to Sale of U.S. Steel

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement about President Biden’s announcement that he opposes the sale of U.S. Steel to Japanese company Nippon Steel: “Pennsylvania workers are the American steel industry’s greatest asset. I have long held concerns that this sale could be a bad deal for our workers, and I share President Biden’s commitment to maintaining an American steel industry. My number one priority is protecting union jobs in the Mon Valley and I’ll work like hell against any deal that leaves our Steelworkers behind.” Senator Casey has opposed Nippon Steel’s purchase of U.S. Steel since it was announced in December. In the days following the sale announcement, he urged the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to block the sale and demanded answers from Nippon on the company’s commitment to Pennsylvania. In the following months, he has continued to push the Biden Administration to oppose the planned acquisition. ###

Share Tweet

March 14, 2024

Following Damning Report, Casey, Colleagues Urge VA to Make Federal Websites More Accessible

In letter, Senators urges Department of Veterans Affairs to address concerns raised by an Inspector General report issued at his request Report found that fewer than 11 percent of VA’s public-facing websites were fully accessible Senators: “It is critical that VA take immediate steps to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to the Department’s information and communication technology, as required by law” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, joined his colleagues on the Aging Committee Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to send a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) urging the agency to take action to address concerns raised by a recent Office of Inspector General (OIG) report that found VA has still widely failed to make its websites fully accessible for people with disabilities. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires the federal government to make its technology accessible for and useable by people with disabilities. However, the OIG report, which was issued at Senator Casey’s request, found that between 2019 and 2022, fewer than 12 percent of VA’s public-facing websites were fully accessible, and fewer than 11 percent of its internal websites were fully accessible. “January’s audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) was the latest evidence that VA must improve its compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,” wrote the Senators. “It is critical that VA take immediate steps to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to the Department’s information and communication technology, as required by law.” Chairman Casey has led the charge to improve the accessibility of government websites and other technology. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal technology to be accessible for, and usable by, people with disabilities. However, in a report issued in December 2022 entitled Unlocking the Virtual Front Door, Chairman Casey found that inaccessible federal technology creates barriers for people with disabilities to access essential services, including VA benefits, health care, employment, Social Security, and more. Chairman Casey’s report issued 12 recommendations, including a call for inspectors general to increase independent oversight of Section 508 compliance—a recommendation that led to the VA OIG issuing this report. In 2020, Chairman Casey passed the VA Website Accessibility Act that required VA to report on the accessibility of the Department’s websites and kiosks. VA’s report to Congress, released in 2021, found that only 10 percent of VA’s websites were fully accessible. In response, Chairman Casey led a bipartisan push for VA to do better. This week’s VA OIG report found results that corroborated Casey’s findings in his own report, Unlocking the Virtual Front Door—namely, that there are many steps VA needs to take to ensure that its websites and information technology systems are equally accessible to all. To further advance accessibility at VA, Chairman Casey last year introduced the bipartisan Veterans Accessibility Act, which is supported by 15 veterans service organizations and disability groups. The legislation would establish a Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access at VA that issues regular reports on VA’s compliance with federal disability laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. The reports will include recommendations for improving VA’s compliance, and will be shared with Congress, the public, and agencies that oversee the Nation’s disability laws. Veterans with disabilities will be among the advisory committee’s members, ensuring that their voices are heard. You can read the full text of the Senators’ letter to VA HERE or below: The Honorable Denis McDonough Secretary U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420 Dear Secretary McDonough: We write with concern about a recent watchdog report that identified widespread accessibility barriers at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), potentially hindering veterans with disabilities from obtaining the services and benefits they have earned. January’s audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) was the latest evidence that VA must improve its compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which requires the federal government’s technology to be accessible for, and useable by, people with disabilities. As the OIG’s audit stated, “until VA addresses all compliance issues, the information access provided to individuals with disabilities may not be comparable to the access provided to those without disabilities.” It is critical that VA take immediate steps to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to the Department’s information and communication technology, as required by law. We therefore request you provide information about the steps VA plans to take to address the OIG’s findings and recommendations. The OIG’s recent audit, prompted in part by the Special Committee on Aging’s bipartisan oversight, found that fewer than 12 percent of VA’s external websites, and fewer than 10 percent of VA’s internal websites, were fully compliant with Section 508 requirements. The audit went on to detail several other shortfalls in compliance and policy at VA that reduced the accessibility of its technology, including: VA did not ensure compliance with Section 508 requirements throughout the Department; VA failed to track more than 200,000 internal and external websites via a departmental registry, as required by the Department’s own policies; Some VA information technology systems were not assessed at all for Section 508 compliance; VA could not fully monitor website accessibility for roughly two years due to contract problems with a technology vendor; VA failed to timely update key technology policies, including its Section 508 compliance policy, and one directive that had not been updated in more than 10 years. The OIG noted that it not just veterans with disabilities and their family members who are affected by inaccessible websites and technology. OIG wrote that “VA must make information from its websites, related resources, and data systems (unless otherwise prohibited) accessible to a broader audience … [including] VA employees and contractors, members of the public, Congress, veterans service organizations, and any other stakeholders seeking information or services and data from VA.” OIG set out six recommendations for VA to address the audit’s findings. The recommendations called on VA to develop and implement a strategy to track websites so that web policies are enforced; increase Department-wide education on accessibility policy requirements; and update relevant VA policies on accessibility and web development. OIG’s findings underscore that accessibility barriers at VA have persisted across multiple administrations despite public reports and bipartisan concern from Congress. In 2014, a House subcommittee received testimony about accessibility barriers of VA technology, including data showing that major public-facing websites were not fully compliant with Section 508 requirements. In 2016, an OIG audit cited inadequate policy guidance, inadequate processes to ensure Section 508 compliance, and inadequate oversight of contractors, as reasons for VA’s failure to address nearly 200 compliance issues before the launch of a careers website. Following enactment of the bipartisan VA Website Accessibility Act, VA reported to Congress in 2021 that there were widespread accessibility shortfalls among the Department’s websites. However, VA’s lack of specificity about remedial steps in that report prompted the Aging Committee’s bipartisan leaders to seek additional information in 2022, contributing to OIG’s decision to launch an audit. Most recently, a 2023 governmentwide review of Section 508 compliance echoed OIG’s findings that VA needed to take additional steps to ensure its technology was accessible. In light of this history, we are encouraged that VA plans to take up OIG’s recommendations to improve Section 508 compliance. We are further encouraged that OIG viewed VA’s corrective action plans to be “generally responsive.” Going forward, we request that you keep our offices informed about VA’s progress toward addressing the audit’s recommendations. In addition, we request that you provide answers to the following questions no later than May 14, 2024: The OIG expressed concern that VA did not provide sufficient detail to address the audit’s first recommendation, which called on the Department to “develop and implement a strategy with milestones for identifying all VA websites, confirm their inclusion in VA’s Web Registry as the current system designated by policy, and certify the accuracy of entries annually or as changes occur.” Please provide additional details about VA’s plan to address this recommendation. According to the audit, “VA policy requires that under secretaries, assistant secretaries, and other key officials, with assistance from the chief information officer, ensure that all systems and applications developed, procured, and maintained or used by VA have been analyzed, tested, and evaluated in coordination with its Section 508 Office for compliance with the law.” What steps is your office taking to ensure that progress is being made toward improving accessibility of the Department’s websites and other technology? The audit noted that VA established a Web Governance Board, which serves “as the final authority on all web-related content outlined in its policies.” However, a review of the board’s materials shows that Section 508 compliance is mentioned just once. It is therefore not clear what, if any, attention the board has paid to accessibility shortfalls amongst VA’s websites. Given the board’s important role in carrying out web policy, and the accessibility concerns raised by the OIG’s audit: What steps does the board plan to take to improve accessibility of VA websites? Does the board plan to create a subcommittee or workgroup—powers provided for in its charter—to examine VA websites’ compliance with Section 508 and track improvements? Does the board include members with disabilities to ensure that users who affected by accessibility barriers have a voice? If not, what steps will VA take to include members with disabilities in the board’s efforts? Thank you for your attention to this important matter. If you or your staff have questions, please contact Doug Hartman on Senator Casey’s Aging Committee staff at 202-224-5364. ###

Share Tweet

March 13, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Stop Mexican Steel Surge, Protect PA Steel Jobs

Increase in Mexican steel imports violates agreement, threatens American steel industry jobs, has contributed to plant closures Casey pushed Biden Administration to halt the increase in December Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce the Stop Mexico’s Steel Surge Act to curb the unsustainable levels of Mexican steel imports into the United States. The Mexican government is violating a 2019 agreement with the U.S. and threatening the jobs of steelworkers in Pennsylvania and across the Nation. “When foreign governments cheat on trade, Pennsylvanians lose their jobs,” said Senator Casey. “It’s past time to make Mexico play by the rules. Just as I pushed the previous administration, I am going to keep pushing the Biden Administration to hold trade cheats accountable and level the playing field for American workers.” In December 2023, Casey joined a bipartisan group of senators to call on the Biden Administration to take action to stop an unsustainable increase in Mexican steel imports. In the letter, Senators demanded the Administration set a clear deadline to enforce its 2019 agreement with Mexico and urged the Administration to take aggressive action to counter the increase in Mexican steel imports if the country refuses to comply. Casey previously pushed the Trump Administration to protect the American steel industry from trade cheats. The Stop Mexico’s Steel Surge Act would reinstate 25 percent Section 232 tariffs on Mexican steel imports for no less than one year and empower the president to impose quotas or tariff rate quotas on specific goods where there have been major surges. The administration may only lift these tariffs once the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative certify that Mexico has adopted policies bringing it into compliance with the 2019 agreement and are confident that Mexico will maintain these policies. In addition to Casey, Brown, and Cotton, the Stop Mexico’s Steel Surge Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Boozman (R-AR), and J.D. Vance (R-OH). Read the Stop Mexico’s Steel Surge Act here. ###

Share Tweet

March 13, 2024

Senator Casey Presses Postmaster General DeJoy for Answers Following Complaints from PA Postal Workers and Residents

Casey has repeatedly pushed for answers from DeJoy for PA constituents after vague and insufficient answers from Postal Service on several matters, from worker pay to tardy ballots Casey: “Pennsylvanians…deserve postal service they can count on.” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Louis DeJoy expressing concerns about the potentially negative effects of the Postal Service’s consolidation efforts on Pennsylvania postal workers and residents. Casey pressed Postmaster General DeJoy for clear and concise answers on behalf of frustrated Pennsylvania postal workers and residents experiencing significant issues, including significant shifts in operations that may affect mail delivery times and election ballots for residents in Lancaster County that were delivered late. “The Postal Service has long been a vital resource to our communities, which depend on its safe, trusted, and secure mail delivery for distributing important information and bringing people together from all corners of the world. Pennsylvanians are sick and tired of delayed paychecks, bills, prescription drugs, and more. They deserve postal service they can count on,” Senator Casey wrote. Senator Casey has a long record of pushing the Postal Service to remedy mail service issues in the Lehigh Valley. In 2020, Senator Casey conducted an investigation into significant delivery delays of mail-order prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The following year, Casey secured an audit of the Lehigh Valley facility after being turned away when he tried to visit months earlier. In March 2022, Senator Casey worked to pass the Postal Service Reform Act into law. This bipartisan law implemented reforms to improve the accountability, transparency, and sustainability of the Postal Service. In October 2022, Senator Casey sent a letter to the Postmaster General to address systemic problems with mail delivery throughout Pennsylvania, particularly the Germantown Post Office in Philadelphia and the White Haven Post Office in Luzerne County. At the same time, Senator Casey also requested an audit by the USPS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in Philadelphia area post offices to investigate these mail delays. Within a month, USPS OIG responded to Senator Casey’s request by sharing that they would conduct an audit in Southeastern Pennsylvania. This audit found thousands of pieces of mail were delayed and sitting at the post office. In October 2023, Senator Casey sent a letter to USPS calling on it to fix a payroll disruption causing some rural Pennsylvania mail carriers to miss or only partially receive their September 1 paychecks. Read the full letter HERE or below: March 13, 2024 Dear Postmaster General DeJoy: In recent years, I have received an alarming uptick in outreach regarding concerns with the state of the United States Postal Service (USPS), both from the employees who proudly serve the Postal Service and the constituents who rely on its promise of reliable and accessible services. While I understand the broader vision of the USPS Delivering for America Ten-Year Plan, I have concerns with implementation of this plan and its consequences for Pennsylvania’s postal workers and mail delivery services. I write to ask that you provide more details into the reasoning behind USPS’s specific plans in the Commonwealth to each of the impacted communities, heed the concerns of postal carriers and Pennsylvanians who use the Postal Service, and provide more information on how the Postal Service’s actions and proposals will affect Pennsylvanians more broadly. Consolidation efforts in the Commonwealth have been an area of concern among residents and postal workers. I understand that the Postal Service recently announced that it will be transferring some of the Lehigh Valley Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) mail processing operations to the Harrisburg P&DC by transitioning the facility into a Local Processing Center. I also am aware of concerns with another facility review being undertaken for the Johnstown P&DC, suggesting that the facility be shifted to a Local Processing Center as well. While I have seen the data from the Postal Service’s facility reviews on these proposals, suggesting projected annual savings to USPS and no career layoffs, I have concerns about the impact on non-career employees as well as with the quality of services received by residents served by the facilities as they currently exist. I am also concerned about some of the United States Postal Service’s proposals and actions in light of recent incidents that have created difficulties for postal carriers and Pennsylvania residents reliant on timely mail delivery. Last fall, I wrote to you regarding the payroll disruptions that impacted rural postal carriers in the Commonwealth and across the Nation, resulting in roughly 53,000 rural carriers either missing or only partially receiving their paychecks. I was also troubled to hear about reports from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania that over 100 ballots postmarked over a week prior to the 2023 election day were not delivered in time to be counted in the 2023 elections, and, despite my requests, I have yet to receive further information and clarity on this situation. I have also been made aware of the Postal Service’s streamlining efforts leading to the cancellation of some of its charter contracts for mail transport. It is my understanding that the changes in Pennsylvania have happened rapidly, and in some cases, without sufficient explanation or notice. Optimizing the postal service is a reasonable goal, but rapid shifts that shortchange dedicated postal workers or compromise the successful delivery of the mail is not optimization, it’s intentional impairment. This only creates additional hurdles for mail carriers who provide a critical service and for the communities they serve. To improve outcomes and transparency for workers and residents, I request that the Postal Service: Communicate clearly and directly with those impacted by enacted and proposed changes to offer greater transparency into these decisions and provide more clarity to workers and residents so that they can better understand how they will be impacted. Provide the opportunity for impacted workers and communities to provide feedback that receives sincere consideration by decision makers within the Postal Service. Provide concrete detail on the supposed efficiency gains that are motivating these changes so that my constituents can report back on whether those supposed gains come to fruition in the future. The Postal Service has long been a vital resource to our communities, which depend on its safe, trusted, and secure mail delivery for distributing important information and bringing people together from all corners of the world. Pennsylvanians are sick and tired of delayed paychecks, bills, prescription drugs, and more. They deserve postal service they can count on. ###

Share Tweet

March 13, 2024

Casey, Baldwin Back Steelworkers in Fight Against Unfair Chinese Trade Practices in Shipbuilding

WATCH: Casey, Baldwin, Steelworkers host press conference on American shipbuilding and China’s anti-competitive behavior Washington, D.C. – Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined the United Steelworkers (USW) and other unions to call on the Biden Administration to launch an investigation into the unfair trade practices of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the commercial shipbuilding industry that undermine American workers and jeopardize our national security. “On a level playing field, American workers can out-compete anyone. That’s why Senator Baldwin and I are leading the effort in Congress to push the Biden Administration to investigate and impose tariffs on the Chinese Communist Party’s shipbuilding industry,” said Senator Casey. “To protect the American steel industry, our workers, and our jobs, we’ve got to crack down and hold China accountable.” “When we make things in America, we build strong supply chains, create good-paying jobs, and can keep our country safe. Over the last two decades, China has tried to rig the system with unfair trade practices in the shipbuilding industry – hurting American workers, American shipbuilders, and our national security,” said Senator Baldwin. “Today, we’re standing with American workers and calling on the Biden Administration to quickly investigate China’s anti-competitive practices and help level the playing field.” On Tuesday, USW filed a petition under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to call on United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai to initiate a full investigation into the PRC’s unfair trade practices in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. Senators Casey and Baldwin joined USW and other labor leaders in support of the petition for a press conference and also sent a letter to Trade Representative Tai to conduct a full investigation. Over the last 20 years, the United States has lost industrial shipbuilding capacity as a result of China’s increasingly aggressive subsidization of their shipbuilding. Chinese state-owned enterprises and other facilities in China are now capable of producing over 1,000 ocean-going vessels a year, while the United States currently produces fewer than ten. While shipbuilding capacity, suppliers, and shipyards remain vital to the U.S. economy and national security, uncompetitive trade practices have led to 25,000 domestic shipbuilding suppliers leaving the U.S. market over the past 20 years. “Our union was proud to work with the Biden administration and congressional allies like Sens. Bob Casey and Tammy Baldwin to pass historic legislation revitalizing our infrastructure, rebuilding our supply chains and ramping up domestic manufacturing capacity,” said United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall. “Now we have the opportunity to capitalize on this momentum by turning our attention to the commercial shipbuilding industry. Reviving our nation’s shipbuilding capacity will make our country safer and secure while creating good, community-sustaining jobs.” Senator Casey is a staunch supporter of Buy America standards, as well as legislation to develop American manufacturing capacity. In November, he sent a letter to President Biden sharing their serious concerns about potential reductions of Section 232 and 301 tariffs previously imposed on China on national security grounds. That month, he also voted against a resolution to effectively remove Buy American standards for electric vehicle (EV) chargers and force the United States to continue relying on China for products critical to the next generation of clean vehicle infrastructure. He fought to pass the Build America, Buy America Act as a part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which requires that all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in infrastructure projects are produced in the United States. Casey also fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which included tax credits for individuals and companies manufacturing or deploying clean energy technologies to help lower costs and secure our energy independence, as well as his provision to provide a “domestic content” bonus credit for companies that use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods. The letter Senators Casey and Baldwin sent to the Biden Administration in support of USW’s petition is available HERE and below: The Honorable Katherine Tai 600 17th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20508 Dear Ambassador Tai, We write to express support for the petition filed by the United Steelworkers (USW) under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. We ask that you review the petition and initiate a full investigation into the actions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sector. Shipbuilding has a long and proud history in the United States. After World War II, the U.S. led the world in commercial shipbuilding. Today, our nation produces fewer than one percent of the world’s commercial vessels. While several factors have led to the domestic industry’s decline, unfair trade practices by the PRC—now the global leader in shipbuilding—have been a leading contributor to the decimation of America’s commercial shipbuilding capacity and the workers it employed. For just over two decades, the PRC has led a campaign of anti-competitive practices to dominate the global transportation supply chain. The PRC’s subsidization and industrial targeting strategies have come at the expense of American shipbuilders and shipyards, as well as American manufacturers of shipbuilding equipment and materials and their workers. According to USW’s petition, over the last 20 years, the United States has lost industrial capacity to produce commercial vessels and equipment at a rate that was accelerated because of the PRC’s subsidized shipbuilding growth and other anti-competitive practices. Chinese state-owned enterprises and other facilities in the PRC are now capable of producing over 1,000 ocean-going vessels a year, while the United States currently produces fewer than ten. Anti-competitive, discriminatory and injurious practices by the PRC have also led to the loss of export market share of goods in the shipbuilding industry. For example, the U.S. used to export tens of millions of dollars’ worth of diesel or semi-diesel marine engines to the PRC, peaking at more than 1,500 engines a year in 2007 and 2008. Exports have fallen as a result of China’s unfair trade practices and U.S. manufacturers have exported fewer than 100 marine engines in the last few years. In addition to our concerns for the domestic shipbuilding industry and U.S. jobs, we are troubled by U.S. economic and national security implications of China’s unfair trade practices. Commercial shipbuilding suppliers and shipyards are vital to the U.S. economy and national security. Privately-owned shipyards, alongside thousands of suppliers, provide critical industrial capacity for building the Navy’s fleet. The Department of Defense has made clear the need to grow the shipbuilding industrial base in light of the astonishing 25,000 domestic shipbuilding suppliers that have left the market over the past 20 years. The Navy’s shipbuilding plan for Fiscal Year 2023 states that “sustaining and growing this vital shipbuilding base is a national security imperative that both energizes and challenges the Navy and the Nation.” Indeed, in 2022 former Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Gilday, referenced industrial capacity as one of the most significant constraints to achieving the Navy’s desired number of ships. Our renewed awareness about supply chain fragility demands that we strengthen our domestic shipbuilding and supply capabilities to protect American interests. The loss of commercial market share for domestic shipbuilding suppliers has meant that the Navy and Department of Defense have budgeted over a billion dollars to address capacity and workforce risks at key upstream suppliers. The petition further highlights the dire situation if a conflict or national emergency results in damage or loss of existing merchant marine and U.S. military vessels. Currently, U.S. shipyards and suppliers do not have the capability to replace ships lost in combat or the ability to supply our own needs, much less our friends and allies. By supporting a vibrant, domestic commercial shipbuilding industry, we can ensure that there is sufficient capacity to scale up in times of need. Moreover, the petition raises significant security implications of PRC-based firms that control shipping companies, strategic ports, and logistics platforms. For example, the government- controlled LOGINK logistics platform collects and combines data from a variety of government and private sector sources to create significant concentrated knowledge of the inflows and outflows of goods from ports across the world. The data collected gives the PRC access to sensitive information, such as the movement of military equipment through commercial ports. In closing, we urge you to expeditiously initiate a full Section 301 investigation and consider the relief measures identified in the petition to address the injury that the PRC’s policies and actions have had on our commercial shipbuilding, transportation, and logistics sector. We appreciate your attention to this matter. ###

Share Tweet

March 13, 2024

Casey Introduces Bill to Eliminate Copays for Hundreds of Thousands of Pennsylvania Seniors

The Cutting Copays Act would remove costs for generic medications for certain Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy Program enrollees Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced the Cutting Copays Act to lower prescription drug costs for hundreds of thousands of low-income Pennsylvanians. The law would remove cost-sharing for generic medications for all Americans who are enrolled in the Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy Program (also known as Extra Help) and make less than $15,060 per year. Currently, this population of Extra Help beneficiaries pay up to $1.55 for each generic drug they are prescribed—Casey’s bill would cut that number to zero. In 2021, over 350,000 Pennsylvanians could have benefitted from this bill. “The high cost of prescription drugs is a weight on the shoulders of Pennsylvania seniors and families, and for many of our seniors, it’s a weight that’s become far too heavy to bear,” said Chairman Casey. “The Cutting Copays Act is just the latest way that I am taking action to lower drug costs and make sure our seniors can afford the medications they need.” Lowering prescription drug costs for Pennsylvania’s families and seniors is one of Chairman Casey’s top priorities. In August 2022, Chairman Casey fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which contained several provisions bringing down the cost of prescription medications. Last month, Casey released a fact sheet detailing how the law is already bringing down costs for Pennsylvania seniors, including the 80,200 Pennsylvanians on Medicare Part B and D whose insulin costs have been capped $35 a month. The fact sheet also provides Pennsylvanians with a timeline for provisions that have yet to be implemented, such as the cap on out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 and the ability for Medicare to negotiate for fair drug prices, which will lower costs for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians. In addition to the IRA, last summer Chairman Casey introduced the Protect Seniors from High Drug Costs Act, which would help bring down drug costs by prohibiting health plans and pharmacy benefit managers from charging Medicare Part D beneficiaries more in cost-sharing than the net cost of the drug. Read more about the Cutting Copays Act HERE.

Share Tweet

March 12, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Scanlon Deliver $2.5 Million to Improve Safety Along Critical Route 291, Reconnect City of Chester to Waterfront

Route 291 project will help keep residents safe and connect them to key employment centers along the waterfront Casey, Fetterman, Scanlon secured the funding from the Inflation Reduction Act Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5) delivered $2,500,000 in federal funding to design safety improvements along Route 291 in the City of Chester and reconnect the city’s residents to employment opportunities along its waterfront and at the Port of Chester. The funding will also improve Chester’s segment of the East Coast Greenway—a walking and biking trail that, when completed, will span 3,000 miles. Casey, Fetterman, Scanlon delivered this award after advocating on behalf of Delaware County and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) joint application for federal funding. “This funding is a critical step towards righting a wrong that has left Chester residents both cut off from economic opportunities and endangered their safety,” said Senator Casey. “While Route 291 has been a key conduit for economic growth in the Delaware Valley, harmful infrastructure decisions prevented Chester families and businesses from reaping those benefits. Because of the Inflation Reduction Act, I’m investing in creating a Chester with safer roads for pedestrians and motorists, more accessible employment opportunities for its residents, and more opportunities for outdoor recreation.” “This is a big investment that will go a long way in making Route 291 and the City of Chester safer. Ensuring that our streets are safe and walkable is critical to making our communities more livable – this is a strong project that will do just that.” said Sen. Fetterman. “When I ran for this seat, I talked about the communities across Pennsylvania that have been forgotten and left behind that we must invest in. The City of Chester is one of those communities, and I’m so proud to be helping deliver these federal funds.” “As funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to flow into our region, one of my top priorities is ensuring that communities like Chester, which has suffered decades of disinvestment, get their fair share,” said Rep. Scanlon. “The proposed project for Route 291 and the East Coast Greenway will improve safety, reconnect Chester with its waterfront, and provide important recreational and multi-modal transportation improvements. I am proud to join Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman in closing the economic divide for the City of Chester.” “We are absolutely thrilled that Delaware County was chosen to be the recipient of funding for the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program,” said Delaware County Council Member Elaine Paul Schaefer. “This grant will help us improve safety and connectivity along 291 in the city of Chester which is vital to the health and safety of our residents. Improving safety will also positively impact economic development opportunities along the 291 corridor and help us make progress toward completing the East Coast Greenway trail in Delco. Thank you to the County’s Planning Department and to local and state leadership for their support in securing the grant.” “The Planning Department team partnered with PennDOT on the grant application and our collaborative efforts and shared investment in our community resulted in this funding which will allows us to continue to engage the community and work together to ensure safe travel whether by walking, biking or by car for our residents,” said Delaware County Planning Department Director Gina Burritt. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Program, created by the?Inflation Reduction Act, to connect communities by supporting neighborhood equity, safety, and affordable transportation access as well as mitigating negative environmental impacts. ###

Share Tweet

March 12, 2024

Casey Secures $125,389 to Make Park in Susquehanna Depot Safer and More Accessible

Ira Reynolds Park, a “brownfields to greenfields” site, is disconnected from the rest of Susquehanna Depot due to a rail line Casey fought to secure funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to improve the park’s accessibility Funding comes just days after Casey secured $1 million for new entrance and rail crossing for park Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) secured $125,389 to increase the safety and accessibility of Ira Reynolds Park in the Borough of Susquehanna Depot. The park, which was developed over the past decade on the site of a former railroad factory, is currently only accessible via a narrow railroad overpass that is difficult by car and dangerous on foot. The funding, which was secured from the Inflation Reduction Act, will help the Borough plan a new entrance to the park that is safer and more accessible for cars and pedestrians alike. The new funding comes just days after Senator Casey secured $1 million to reconstruct the park’s entrance in the first half of the FY24 federal spending package. “As communities around Pennsylvania work to reclaim and clean up brownfield sites, we have to make sure the new amenities created by those efforts are actually accessible to Pennsylvanians,” said Senator Casey. “This funding is a critical step to ensuring that the people of Susquehanna Depot can access and enjoy Ira Reynolds Park and yet another example of how the Inflation Reduction Act is reconnecting and revitalizing communities across our Commonwealth.” The funding for this project came from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Program, created by the?Inflation Reduction Act, to connect communities by supporting neighborhood equity, safety, and affordable transportation access as well as mitigating negative environmental impacts. Casey voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act and wrote a letter of support advocating for the Ira Reynolds Park project to receive funding. Senator Casey has led efforts in the Senate to restore brownfield sites. Last year alone, Casey delivered $14 million to clean up Pennsylvania brownfields. ###

Share Tweet

March 11, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Evans, Boyle, Parker Secure $158.91 Million to Reconnect Chinatown in Philadelphia

Chinatown Stitch project to build public park over Vine Street Expressway Casey, Evans, and Boyle previously delivered funding from the infrastructure law to study most effective way to reconnect Chinatown neighborhood Philadelphia, PA – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) and Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2), and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker secured $158,911,664 in federal funding to reconnect Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood across the Vine Street Expressway (I-676), which split the historic neighborhood apart when it was constructed. The grant will fund construction of a new public park across the expressway and includes traffic calming measures and a connection to the new Rail Park on the Reading viaduct. “After we passed the infrastructure law, I worked to help Philadelphia right historical wrongs by bridging the gap that divided Chinatown residents from economic opportunities and from each other,” said Senator Casey. “Decades after Chinatown residents suffered the consequences of harmful infrastructure decisions that divided their neighborhood in half, I am proud to say that we are another step closer to connecting this community, which includes creating a new park for all Philadelphians to enjoy.” “I co-led the Reconnecting Communities initiative in the House because of communities like Chinatown in Philadelphia and across the country that have taken the biggest hit from highways,” said Congressman Evans. “This is one of the reasons I was proud to vote for President Biden’s Infrastructure and Jobs Act that continues to deliver for Philadelphia – the Reconnecting Communities initiative puts people before pavement and communities before cars.” “For far too long, the construction of the Vine Street expressway created barriers to mobility and economic opportunity for the Chinatown community,” said Congressman Boyle. “I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that included the Reconnecting Communities Act to work toward finding a solution to that problem. I am pleased to see those investments now arriving here in Philadelphia. This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help repair the division of Chinatown as we engage in a historic rebuilding of American infrastructure in the City of Philadelphia.” “I’m proud to stand here today with Federal partners Senator Casey and Representatives Boyle and Evans to celebrate this substantial federal funding for our Chinatown Stitch project, and I also thank Senator Fetterman for his support,” said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “This project will help Chinatown better connect with other portions of our downtown and provide essential greenspace for the community. Today’s announcement is inter-governmental collaboration at its finest.” “This grant award is transformative. If a community has a dream, it has a will. If a community has a will, it has the power to effect change,” said John Chin, Executive Director, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC). “We are indebted to Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman, Congressmembers Brendan Boyle and Dwight Evans, our local elected officials, and transportation agencies for making this dream a reality.” Casey, Fetterman, Evans, and Boyle secured this grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Pilot grant program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Reconnecting Communities is the first-ever federal program dedicated to reconnecting communities that were previously cut off from economic opportunities and otherwise burdened by past transportation infrastructure decisions. The Pennsylvania delegation in Congress has consistently fought for federal funding for the City of Philadelphia for safety improvements on the Roosevelt Boulevard Expressway and on high-crash corridors in historically disadvantaged communities. In February 2023, they secured $1,805,000 to study the best way to reconnect Chinatown, similarly through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot program. ###

Share Tweet

March 8, 2024

Casey Delivers Major Wins for Pennsylvanians in First Half of 2024 Government Spending Bills

In first wave of FY24 government funding bills, PA Senior Senator advances nutrition assistance, anti-fentanyl programs, infrastructure funding, veterans’ health care Additionally, Casey secures $172.5 million for 142 Pennsylvania community projects Bill heads to President’s desk to become law Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that several provisions he advocated for have advanced through the Senate as part of the first wave of government funding bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. These include anti-fentanyl initiatives and substance abuse treatment programs, infrastructure and economic development funding, veterans’ health programs, and child nutrition funding. Additionally, Senator Casey fought to secure funding directly for 142 community projects in Pennsylvania, totaling $172,496,965. “I’m fighting to ensure that when Pennsylvanians send their tax dollars to Washington, Congress invests it right back into their communities,” said Senator Casey. “Through this bill, I’ve worked to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing Pennsylvanians—from stopping the flow of fentanyl into our Commonwealth, to investing in better roads, bridges, and waterways to spur job creation, to ensuring our veterans receive the benefits they’ve earned.” The spending package, passed 75-22, includes six of the 12 funding appropriations bills needed to pass to fully fund the government and continue critical programs. The legislation includes numerous priorities important to Pennsylvania in the following categories: transportation and infrastructure, public safety and security, economy and community development, trade, veterans’ issues, nutrition, and more. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Wednesday. Now that it has cleared the Senate, it heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature. Direct Community Project Funding across Pennsylvania Senator Casey secured $172.4 million for 142 projects across Pennsylvania. The projects include community revitalization, infrastructure construction and restoration, health facility expansion in the Commonwealth. A full list of the 142 projects can be found HERE. Examples of projects include: Building Homes for Lower Income Veterans in Westmoreland County: Senator Casey secured $1 million for the Allegheny Valley Habitat for Humanity Veterans Village Housing project in Westmoreland County. The project will build new homes for lower income veterans in New Kensington. The new homes would be built sustainably and provide affordable homeownership with a zero percent interest rate. Upgrading the Allentown Police Department’s Vehicles and Drug Detection Technology: Senator Casey worked in partnership with Senator Fetterman and Representative Wild to secure $963,000 to support the Allentown Police Department purchasing new police cruisers, as well as new technology to reduce the risk of officer injuries when testing and processing illegal drugs, and other technology to assist with photographing and processing crime scenes. Cleaning Up Blighted Land in Erie: Senator Casey secured $1,000,000 for the City of Erie’s Love Your Block initiative which offers grants for projects that revitalize the city’s neighborhoods, from repurposing vacant and blighted lots to cleaning up litter and illegal dumping. Rehabilitating the Johnstown Flood Museum: Senator Casey secured $500,000 for the Johnstown Area Heritage Association’s Flood Museum Infrastructure Modernization Project. The project will rehabilitate the aging Johnstown Flood Museum and support future planned collections and exhibitions upgrades by restoring exterior features and upgrading HVAC and electrical equipment. Economy, Jobs, Manufacturing, and Community Development Investing in Appalachia, Energy Communities, and Local Economies: The bill provides $200 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission, including millions in dedicated funding for Pennsylvania’s Appalachian communities which Senator Casey protected. The bill also includes dedicated funding to support economic growth in energy communities, including $75 million for Assistance to Coal Communities and $5 million for the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization. Investing in American Innovation and Economic Hubs: The bill appropriates over $400 million dollars to the Economic Development Administration to support economic growth throughout the country, including $41 million for the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program, which previously provided a $400,000 grant to further develop the manufacturing sector in North Central Pennsylvania and designated Southeastern Pennsylvania as a hub for life sciences. Investing in Manufacturing and Supply Chains: Senator Casey secured $175 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program to boost manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania by helping manufacturers, from advanced medical devices to steel products, optimize their production and distribution by identifying potential suppliers and new markets. Since the MEP began, the program has helped more than 150,000 manufacturers create and retain over 1.5 million jobs nationwide and generate more than $144.4 billion in sales. Sustaining Support for Community Development: The bill appropriates significant funding for the Community Development Block Grant formula program, which provides annual grants to states, cities, and counties to support community development, develop affordable housing, and expand opportunity for low- and moderate-income families. Public Safety and Security Combatting the Fentanyl & Drug Crisis: The bill funds the COPS anti-heroin task force program at $35 million and the COPS anti-methamphetamine task force program at $16 million. It also provides $420 million to fund the Anti-Opioid and Substance Abuse Initiative, including specialized court programs like drug, mental health, and veteran treatment courts and substance abuse treatment programs administered by state and local correctional facilities. Supporting Law Enforcement: This bill funds the COPS Hiring Program at $256 million, which will hire more than 2,000 additional police officers across American communities. It also includes $32 million for body-worn cameras, $30 million for bulletproof vests, and $7 million for rural law enforcement needs. Violence Prevention: This bill provides $50 million for the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI). This funding follows the $350 million for CVIPI programs appropriated from the previous two appropriations bills and the Casey-backed Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Veterans Honoring Our PACT Act: The legislation fully funds the Toxic Exposures Fund for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The fund was created by the Casey-backed PACT Act to cover the cost of health care related to toxic exposures. VA Medical Care: The bill provides $121 billion for VA medical care, a $2.3 billion increase over the previous fiscal year, to provide essential health services for more than 9.1 million veterans. The funding includes $343 million for rural health, $2.4 billion for caregivers, $990 million for women’s health, $16.2 billion for mental health, and $23 million for child care while veterans attend medical appointments. Commitments to Veterans with Disabilities: Senator Casey specifically secured report language that recognizes the need to better serve veterans and employees with disabilities and strongly encourages the VA to take steps to do so. The language also requires the VA to complete a report on the feasibility of creating an Advisory Committee on Equal Access to ensure compliance with disability laws. Benefits Administration: The bill appropriates $3.9 billion, a $36 million increase over fiscal year 2023, to administer benefits—including disability compensation benefits—to 6.6 million veterans and their survivors. These funds will support the VA’s efforts to increase the number and scope of claims while decreasing the claims backlog. This is supported by additional funding previously appropriated to the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund to enhance VA’s ability to process veteran claims related to toxic exposures. Veteran Homelessness: The bill provides $3.1 billion to tackle veteran homelessness. Nutrition Improving Child Nutrition: This spending bill fully funds the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) at $7.03 billion, $1.03 billion more than the previous fiscal year’s funding. This will help nearly 7 million women, infants, and children access the healthy food they need. Senator Casey and a bipartisan group of senators and representatives urged congressional leadership to fully fund the critical program. Additionally, the bill funds child nutrition programs, like the National School Lunch Program, school breakfast program, Summer EBT, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program, as well as SNAP at $122.4 billion with no new restrictions on eligibility. Transportation and Infrastructure Investing in Safety and Emergency Response after Train Derailments: The bill includes a $27.3 million increase for the Federal Railroad Administration’s safety and operations budget, which will fund more rail safety inspectors to help ensure no community has to suffer through the aftermath of a dangerous derailment. The bill also includes funding to support emergency planning and training as well as requires new safety research into the systems and protocols that were involved with the 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment. Investing in Pennsylvania’s Waterways and Economic Growth: In a step towards the realization of his WATERWAYS Act, Senator Casey secured language in the bill directing the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization to convene stakeholders to discuss waterway freight diversification and economic development in the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela River Corridor. This task force will help connect riverfront communities with federal resources from laws like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Defending Against Devastating Cuts to Passenger Rail: The bill appropriates over $2 billion for Amtrak to sustain operations, a clear rejection of House proposed cuts that would have devastated passenger rail service throughout the country.

Share Tweet

March 7, 2024

Casey Introduces Legislation to Support Community Health Workers, Improve Health Outcomes

Bill strengthens community health workers’ ability to meet local needs and promotes inclusion of community health workers in state-run Medicaid programs Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Community Health Worker Access Act to improve local health workers’ ability to bridge gaps in health outcomes by improving Medicare coverage for their services, including personalized support for illness prevention and recovery. Additionally, the bill encourages states to cover services provided by community health workers under their Medicaid programs. “Community health workers play a critical role in tackling some of Pennsylvania’s most important health challenges and helping people overcome barriers to getting the care they need,” said Senator Casey. “These frontline health workers are uniquely suited to understand the needs of families and communities. My bill will help continue their critical work connecting Pennsylvanians to care and changing lives.” “The CHW Access Act will ensure that Medicare eligible persons have access to the health and social services of a local and trusted Community Health Worker without a copay,” said Denise Smith, Inaugural Executive Director of National Association for Community Health Workers. “Health education, referrals, care coordination, navigation and patient advocacy supports from an authentic CHW have proven effective to address food insecurity, management of complex diseases and connects people to social supports that improve their health status and quality of life.” “Community health workers are essential to building stronger public health systems and healthier communities. PIH strongly supports the Community Health Worker Access Act, which will allow community health workers to provide holistic, person-centered support to improve the health and wellbeing of Medicare and Medicaid enrollees,” said Katie Bollbach, Executive Director, Partners In Health United States. “We are grateful for the leadership of Senator Bob Casey in championing new and sustainable investments in this critical frontline workforce, and we urge Congress to advance this bill without delay.” Senator Casey believes community health workers are uniquely suited to address some of the most pressing needs of their communities and are essential to reducing hospitalizations. In December 2022, Senator Casey spearheaded the passage of the Building a Sustainable Workforce for Healthy Communities Act to reauthorize a competitive grant program to support state and local governments, tribal organizations, and community-based organizations in expanding community health worker programs. The Community Health Worker Access Act would: Provide for Medicare reimbursement of community health workers, promotoras, and community health representatives for services to 1) prevent illness, reduce physical or mental disability, and restore an individual to the best possible functional level; and 2) address social needs through education and referrals to health care and community-based organizations. Create an optional Medicaid benefit, incentivized by an enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), to cover preventive services and services to address social needs furnished by community health workers, promotoras, or community health representatives. The Community Health Worker Access Act is supported by more than 200 community health worker networks and public health organizations including the National Association for Community Health Workers, Partners in Health, the Penn Center for Community Health Workers, Families USA, the American Public Health Association, Visión y Compromiso, the National Council of Urban Indian Health, the Primary Care Collaborative, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and the Rural Community Health Worker Network. Read more about the Community Health Worker Access Act here. ###

Share Tweet

March 7, 2024

Casey Statement on President Biden’s State of the Union Address

Washington, D.C. - Tonight, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on President Biden’s State of the Union address: “As the President declared tonight, the state of the American economy is strong, with record high job creation and record low unemployment. Landmark investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act are bolstering our infrastructure, expanding our manufacturing sector, cleaning up abandoned mine lands, and setting our Commonwealth up for the economy of the future. Seniors on Medicare are paying no more than $35 a month for insulin and over the coming months and years, prescription drug prices will continue to be ratcheted down. “Despite strong economic data, we’ve got more work to do. We need to keep bringing down costs for working families in Pennsylvania and across the Nation, and I’m glad the President shares my concerns about greedflation, shrinkflation, and other ways that big corporations are squeezing hardworking Americans. We need to support our allies in Ukraine and Israel as they take on threats from Putin and Hamas, while ensuring that all innocent civilians caught in the crosshairs of war get the humanitarian aid they need. Finally, we need to secure our border and stop the flow of fentanyl that is ravaging cities and rural areas alike. Solving these problems shouldn’t be partisan, and I call on Congress to work together and take action in the weeks and months to come.” During his speech, President Biden credited Senator Casey for his work to take action against greedflation, shrinkflation, and other forms of price gouging by large corporations. Since last November, Senator Casey has introduced a series of reports detailing various ways that corporations have squeezed American families. He also introduced the Shrinkflation Prevention Act, which penalizes corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering the prices, and the Price Gouging Prevention Act, which would crack down on corporate price gouging and protect American families from greedflation. ###

Share Tweet

March 6, 2024

Casey Introduces Bill to Boost Discrimination Protections for Students

Casey pushes for increased funding for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) within the Department of Education, which enforces civil rights laws in schools In a December letter to Appropriations Subcommittee, Casey emphasized concerning rise in antisemitism, anti-Muslim, and anti-Arab discrimination on campuses since Hamas’ October 7 attack Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Showing Up for Students Act, which provides $280 million in additional funding for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education. The OCR is the office responsible for protecting the civil rights of students in American schools, including from incidents related to antisemitism, anti-Muslim, and anti-Arab discrimination or harassment. Amidst a notable increase in reported incidents of antisemitism, anti-Muslim, and anti-Arab actions in schools across the Nation, the bill would give OCR the capacity to meet the moment and ensure students are free from harassment and discrimination. “Every student—regardless of their race, gender, disability, or religion—deserves to go to school without facing discrimination,” said Senator Casey. “As incidents of antisemitism, anti-Muslim, and anti-Arab harassment increase in schools rise across the Nation, Congress has an obligation to act. We must provide the Office for Civil Rights the resources it needs to keep our students safe from discrimination and hate.” The Showing Up for Students Act would provide the Office for Civil Rights with the funds it needs to protect students from harassment and discrimination. This effort follows a disturbing rise in incidents involving antisemitic, anti-Muslim, and anti-Arab harassment, vandalism, and assault on school campuses. According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, between October 1, 2023 and February 15, 2024, OCR received 219 complaints involving Title VI shared ancestry investigations, the category under which complaints relating to antisemitism, anti-Muslim, and anti-Arab discrimination are classified. This is a staggering increase of a 1,360 percent in the number of complaints compared to the same time period the year before. The surge in complaints must be met by an increase in resources for OCR. For years, funding for OCR has not kept up with the trending increase in need for their services. Through OCR, students can file a complaint against their school for failure of the administration to prevent or respond to a violation or incident. OCR will then investigate the student’s complaint, make a determination of wrongdoing against the school, and potentially levy consequences against the school administration. Senator Casey’s Showing Up for Students Act will ensure OCR finally has the funding to respond appropriately to these cases, hire additional staff, resolve cases in a timelier manner, and increase capacity to help schools proactively prevent the discrimination and harassment of students. The Showing Up for Students Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Fetterman (D-PA), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), and Tim Kaine (D-VA). Read more about the Showing Up for Students Act here. ###

Share Tweet

March 1, 2024

Casey Delivers $20 Million to Close Digital Divide, Expand Internet Access in Pennsylvania

Funding will provide laptops and wi-fi devices for roughly 12,000 Pennsylvanians annually Since 2021, Pennsylvania has received more than $2 billion to expand access to reliable high-speed internet Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced $20 million from the Capitol Projects Fund, established under the American Rescue Plan, to expand high-speed internet access by providing laptops, tablets, desktop computers, and wi-fi devices for roughly 12,000 Pennsylvanians each year. “As our world becomes more digital, closing the digital divide in our communities is more important than ever. Pennsylvania’s economic future depends on reliable high-speed internet access for every community—rural, urban, and everything in between,” said Senator Casey. “This funding won’t just provide more laptops and wi-fi devices to people who need them, it will help break down the barrier that’s keeping a young mother from a higher education, a small business from reaching a new market, and a grandparent from staying in touch with their grandkids.” Senator Casey has consistently fought to close the digital divide and make sure that every single Pennsylvanian has high-speed internet access in their home. Casey has delivered $2,036,121,823 to Pennsylvania for high-speed internet in the last two years. That includes $1.16 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring high-speed internet to high-cost, unserved and underserved communities, as well $20 million specifically for the Southern Alleghenies region. In addition to the funding announced today, Casey has also secured $200 million from the Capitol Projects Fund to expand high-speed internet access for more than 44,000 homes and business throughout Pennsylvania, particularly in rural communities. The American Rescue Plan provided $279 million to Pennsylvania for critical projects to provide high-quality modern infrastructure, including reliable, affordable broadband infrastructure. Together with the funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, these programs are helping to deploy high-speed internet to those without access, lower costs for those who cannot afford it, and ensure that businesses stay competitive in a changing economy. ###

Share Tweet

February 29, 2024

Casey Holds Hearing on Supporting People with Disabilities in the Workforce

Hearing highlighted success of competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities in Pennsylvania and across the country At hearing, Casey touted legislation to phase out subminimum wage for people with disabilities Watch full hearing video here Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) held a hearing entitled, “All Means All: Empowering People with Disabilities to Thrive in Careers and the Workplace.” The hearing examined effective strategies for hiring and retaining people with disabilities, with a particular focus on the transition of businesses away from a subminimum wage model and ensuring fair pay for workers with disabilities. During the hearing, Chairman Casey touted his Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (TCIEA), a bipartisan bill to phase out the subminimum wage for people with disabilities. The TCIEA would end this discriminatory practice and support employers transitioning to paying competitive, fair wages to people with disabilities. At the hearing, Casey released a pamphlet that shows how Pennsylvanians with disabilities have already benefitted from the transition to competitive integrated employment. “Today’s hearing highlighted the successes of businesses that pay people with disabilities a fair wage and allow them to work alongside their peers without disabilities,” said Chairman Casey. “It’s shameful that in some places, people with disabilities are still being paid a subminimum wage. We have to phase out this discriminatory practice and provide people with disabilities the opportunity to work and advance in their jobs.” Senator Casey invited Erin Willman, the Founder and CEO of White Cane Coffee Company in Warren, PA, to testify at the hearing. Erin has been blind since she was 15 years old. Erin testified, “The rhetoric that people don’t want to work anymore is simply untrue. People want to work, they just want to be treated and paid what they deserve. I have always said that if you change one life you change the world. By passing the Transformation to Competitive Employment Act you will be changing countless lives.” Watch the full hearing here. ###

Share Tweet

February 29, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Urge Biden to Prioritize Border Security, Fentanyl Crackdown in Budget Request

As President prepares FY25 budget request, Senators are pushing for prioritization of border security and anti-fentanyl measures After Republicans killed border security measures in emergency spending bill, Democratic Senators are making renewed effort to secure border and combat fentanyl Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led 16 of his Senate colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden outlining the urgent need for robust funding for border security and drug interdiction efforts to stem the flow of fentanyl and similar illicit drugs being smuggled across the border through official ports of entry. In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 240,000 pounds of drugs at the southwest land border, which included an estimated 1.1 billion doses of fentanyl. Forty-four percent of total drug seizures and 99 percent of fentanyl seizures occurred at the southwest land border. “In order to meaningfully address the fentanyl crisis, law enforcement officers at our Nation’s borders must be equipped to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. We must also support the law enforcement agencies that are investigating these smuggling and trafficking crimes and working to disrupt the transnational criminal networks that threaten our country and our communities,” the Senators wrote. The effort comes on the heels of a push to include border security funding and immigration policy changes in a national security emergency spending bill—which Senate Republicans ultimately blocked after negotiating the deal. The original bipartisan deal included funding to secure the southwest border by hiring additional border protection officers and providing additional border security inspection technology and equipment to detect and stop fentanyl flowing into the United States through official ports of entry along the southwest border—provisions also included in Senator Casey’s Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. In addition to Senator Casey, the letter to President Biden was signed by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). Read the full letter HERE or below: Dear President Biden, As you develop your budget request for fiscal year 2025, we write to urge you to prioritize robust funding for border security and drug interdiction initiatives. Much of the fentanyl that is destroying so many communities across the Nation is being smuggled through border checkpoints. In order to meaningfully address the fentanyl crisis, law enforcement officers at our Nation’s borders must be equipped to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. We must also support the law enforcement agencies that are investigating these smuggling and trafficking crimes and working to disrupt the transnational criminal networks that threaten our country and our communities. The misuse of opioids has long been a public health crisis in the United States, but the situation is rapidly worsening with the proliferation of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that between August 2022 and August 2023, over 112,000 people died of a drug overdose, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl involved in the vast majority of these deaths. Another concerning aspect of this trend is the rapid increase in youth accidental overdose deaths, which more than doubled between the third quarter of 2019 and the third quarter of 2022. A key factor in this crisis is that, due to its widespread availability and low cost, fentanyl is being mixed with other illicit drugs to increase their potency, often without the knowledge of the user. These include illegal pills, mass-produced by cartels, made to look like legitimate prescription opioids like OxyContin and Xanax. In 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than 78 million fentanyl-laced fake pills and estimated that 70 percent contained a lethal dose of fentanyl, up from 60 percent in 2022 and 40 percent in 2021. The proliferation of fentanyl and increasing overdose deaths are being driven, at least in part, by trafficking activities at our borders. Most of the fentanyl entering the U.S. is trafficked through official land border crossings on the southwest border by transnational criminal organizations, including Mexican cartels. In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 240,000 pounds of drugs at the southwest land border, which included an estimated 1.1 billion doses of fentanyl. Forty-four percent of total drug seizures and 99 percent of fentanyl seizures occurred at the southwest land border. While transnational criminal organizations smuggle illicit drugs into the U.S, they also illegally export currency from drug proceeds and firearms which they use to outgun local authorities. This illegal trade occurs at official ports of entry, alongside legitimate trade and transit, and we must do more to fortify our ports of entry and support the officers who are tasked with both intercepting this illegal trade and safeguarding our Nation. In the interest of our Nation’s public health, and to protect our youth and our communities who are increasingly being exposed to deadly drugs laced with fentanyl, we must strengthen our borders and work to eliminate the transnational criminal organizations that produce fentanyl and traffic it into our country. To do this, we must prioritize additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security for its critical border security operations. We urge you to invest in hiring CBP personnel, procuring non-intrusive inspection scanning technology, and supporting infrastructure needs at ports of entry. Officers at our ports of entry must have the resources they need to enforce our laws, interdict fentanyl and other contraband coming into the country, and seize firearms and currency leaving the country before they make it into the hands of dangerous criminals. We also urge you to make strong investments into the agencies and programs that investigate trafficking crimes and conduct broader investigations of transnational criminal organizations. We have long supported increased funding and new policies to address the complex challenges at our southwest border. To respond to the deadly and growing plague of fentanyl entering the United States, we urge you to support strong investments in border security measures, especially personnel increases and technology upgrades, that will enhance operations along our borders and enable law enforcement officers to keep our Nation safe. Thank you for your attention to our request and these critical funding needs ###

Share Tweet

February 28, 2024

Casey Presses Wendy’s on Switch to Surge Pricing

In letter, Senator Casey expresses concern to company about recent statements indicating restaurants will move to surge pricing for menu items Casey: “A Frosty costs Wendy’s the same regardless of the time it is ordered, and it should cost customers the same as well.” Letter comes as Casey has been investigating greedflation and other efforts by large corporations to squeeze the budgets of American families Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to the Wendy’s Company expressing concern about recent statements by the company that its restaurants will soon move to surge pricing for its menu items. In the letter, Casey pressed the company for more information about why it plans to shift to surge pricing as it reports increased sales and profits and American families are struggling to deal with high costs on food and other everyday items. “For families that frequent Wendy’s for a quick breakfast, lunch, or dinner, changing their schedules to get to Wendy’s when prices are low is not an option—working parents have to abide by work, school, and other limiting factors,” wrote Senator Casey. “Executives’ choice to penalize hungry customers based on the time they can frequent their local Wendy’s is predatory and greedy—a Frosty costs Wendy’s the same regardless of the time it is ordered, and it should cost customers the same as well.” Since November 2023, Chairman Casey has been investigating corporate price gouging and other actions by big corporations that have squeezed the budgets of American families and contributed to the increase in inflation. Recently, the New York Times featured Senator Casey’s investigation into shrinkflation. In November, Chairman Casey released the first report in his greedflation series, “Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families,” detailing how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices and rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families and laying out Senator Casey’s vision to hold greedy corporations accountable. Corporate executives claim they’ve “earned the right” to raise prices and that their products “are worth paying a little bit more for.” Ahead of Thanksgiving, Casey released his second report, “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive," examining how the agribusiness companies that process Americans’ food have increased prices for everyday staple foods and raising questions about why those price increases are necessary, particularly during the holiday season. Some of these companies have a history of engaging in price-fixing, colluding to raise prices, anti-competitive conduct, and touting their ability to raise prices without limit. Seeking answers, Senator Casey sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission and United States Department of Agriculture requesting that the agencies use all necessary resources to investigate possible unfair pricing practices of major chicken and pork processors in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission, in response, assured Senator Casey that policing potentially anticompetitive conduct in food industries continues to be a top priority for the Commission given the high stakes for American families, farmers, and the Nation’s economy. In December 2023, Casey released his third report of his greedflation series, “Less Bang for Your Buck: Casey Releases Shrinkflation Report Exposing Big Corporations for Reducing Product Size While Keeping Prices High,” calling out household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations for reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. To better protect families’ pocketbooks, Senator Casey sent letters to the trade associations representing household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations demanding answers about pricing strategies, package size practices, and how shrinkflation affects customers. In January 2024, Casey released his fourth report of his greedflation series, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” detailing how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals. Senator Casey believes that no Pennsylvanian should be blindsided by a junk fee and that the negative impacts of hidden fees can be mitigated by: fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. In a letter to the Government Accountability Office that same month, Senator Casey pushed the government watchdog to examine the effects of corporate greed on American consumers. In February 2024, Casey introduced legislation to protect American families from greedflation by banning grossly excessive price increases and crack down on corporate price gouging. This week, Casey also introduced the Shrinkflation Prevention Act, which empowers the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering the prices. Read the full letter HERE or below: Dear Mr. Tanner, I write to you to express my concern regarding recent statements indicating that The Wendy’s Company will soon move to dynamic pricing, also known as surge pricing. At a time when American families are seeing higher prices on everyday items, including food, I am concerned about the substantial impact this decision will have on families’ budgets. Further, this decision comes as Wendy’s is reporting increased sales and profits. In line with my work investigating greedflation—the practice of large corporations using inflation and economic pressures as an excuse for raising prices and inflating profits—I seek to understand why Wendy’s executives opted to shift to surge pricing. On February 15, 2024, in an earnings call, you touted Wendy’s coming investments in new, artificial intelligence-powered digital menus that will allow the company to “increase further supporting sales and profit growth across the system” through the integration of dynamic or surge pricing. Dynamic pricing is responsive to surges in demand, meaning that when demand is high, prices will increase—a model that can resemble price gouging. For instance, a Wendy’s Baconator might fluctuate in price throughout the day, leaving consumers unable to predict costs. Students may be charged more after their classes let out, churchgoers after services on midday Sunday, and workers will have to pay more when their shift is over. Surge pricing may lead to prices changing during the time a customer waits in line, including in a crowded drive-thru lane. While you asserted that it is your goal “to ensure this new technology is delighting [your] customers,” it is reasonable to assume that dynamic pricing will negatively impact the millions of Wendy’s customers who frequent your locations, including the 259 locations in Pennsylvania, at peak times. For families that frequent Wendy’s for a quick breakfast, lunch, or dinner, changing their schedules to get to Wendy’s when prices are low is not an option—working parents have to abide by work, school, and other limiting factors. Executives’ choice to penalize hungry customers based on the time they can frequent their local Wendy’s is predatory and greedy—a Frosty costs Wendy’s the same regardless of the time it is ordered, and it should cost customers the same as well. In your remarks to shareholders, you indicated that the company plans to roll out this new pricing scheme in test markets throughout 2025. Should Wendy’s proceed with this concerning proposal, I urge you to consider both the customers and business owners in the chosen markets. For instance, the algorithms used in artificial intelligence (AI) that fuel dynamic pricing are complicated and often inexplicable to those interacting with them the most. As such, customers should be made aware of pricing changes at the point of purchase—failing to do so is deceptive; customers should not have to analyze menu boards for price changes every time they go to purchase a meal. Wendy’s should also involve franchisees and workers in the decision-making process before, during, and after implementing dynamic pricing. The impact on individual businesses may be significant; some experts predict that dynamic pricing may permanently drive customers away from businesses. Given the financial impact that dynamic pricing could have on Wendy’s customers and workers alike, I ask that you provide answers to the following questions no later than March 27, 2024: Dynamic pricing has the potential to significantly change purchasing behavior. How has Wendy’s engaged consumers, workers, and franchise owners in the decision to transition to dynamic pricing? Relatedly, how will Wendy’s determine the test markets for rollout of dynamic pricing in 2025? How does Wendy’s plan to respond to concerns should the dynamic pricing model negatively impact a particular location? The company’s investment in menu boards and other technology to enable dynamic pricing is going to be significant—with plans to invest approximately $20 million by the end of 2025. It is reasonable to assume that Wendy’s executives have determined that dynamic pricing will provide a significant return on investment. How has Wendy’s evaluated projected costs and profits for implementing dynamic pricing? In what markets and on what data did Wendy’s base these evaluations? Wendy’s use of AI in dynamic pricing models poses several consumer protection concerns. How will Wendy’s executives develop the algorithms used in dynamic pricing models, and will the company employ third-party contractors to develop and implement the technology? If so, how will Wendy’s ensure that the dynamic pricing models utilized do not interact with third party data from competitors? Unrestricted AI can sometimes result in changes that are discriminatory in practice, even if not the intent. How will Wendy’s audit outcomes to make sure that surge pricing is not discriminatory against people with low incomes, children, and seniors, among others? After intense public backlash, Wendy's is now claiming it will only use dynamic pricing to lower pricing during slower traffic times. The company’s announcement to backtrack on this demonstrates widespread public concern and raises questions about the company’s original intent. What assurances can Wendy’s give the public that it will not simply raise base prices to a new high level, and then offer varying misleading "discounts" throughout the day? I appreciate your responsiveness to these concerns. I look forward to receiving your response. Senator Bob Casey

Share Tweet

February 28, 2024

Stop Shrinkflation: Casey Introduces Legislation to Crack Down on Big Corporations Shrinking Products Without Reducing Prices

Bill empowers Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to crack down on corporations reducing product size without a reduction in price Since fall 2023, Senator Casey has produced four reports detailing his investigations into corporate greed squeezing families’ budgets According to government data compiled in Casey’s greedflation series, from June 2020 through June 2022, inflation rose by 14 percent while corporate profits rose by more than 74 percent Federal Reserve research found corporate profits accounted for all of inflation from July 2020 through July 2021 and 41 percent of all inflation from July 2020 through July 2022 Casey to New York Times this week: “You can’t wait a year to buy paper towels or to buy boneless chicken or to buy groceries or to buy Huggies diapers.” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children & Families, introduced the Shrinkflation Prevention Act to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering the prices. Since November 2023, Chairman Casey has been investigating corporate price gouging and other actions by big corporations that have squeezed the budgets of American families and contributed to the increase in inflation. Recently, the New York Times featured Senator Casey’s investigation into shrinkflation. “Corporations are trying to pull the wool over our eyes by shrinking their products without reducing their prices—anyone on a tight budget sees it every time they go to the grocery store,” said Senator Casey. “Pennsylvania families are sick and tired of digging deeper into their wallets for their weekly grocery runs while corporate CEOs laugh all the way to the bank. I’m fighting to crack down on shrinkflation and hold corporations accountable for these deceptive practices.” "Corporations are using deceptive practices like shrinkflation to increase profits on the backs of consumers,” said Lindsay Owens, Executive Director, Groundwork Collaborative. “Charging families the same price—or an even higher one—for smaller products should be illegal and the Shrinkflation Prevention Act is a first step to putting a stop to this deceptive practice once and for all." “When corporations reduce their product’s size while maintaining the same retail price, they are simply attempting to rip off their consumers,” said Lisa Gilbert, Executive Vice President, Public Citizen. “Public Citizen welcomes this common-sense legislative effort from Senator Casey which would empower the FTC to define shrinkflation as the inherently deceptive act that it is, and move forward to regulate it.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, big corporations took advantage of the crisis to prey on consumers through greedflation: raising prices by even more than necessary to cover increases in their costs, and hiding behind inflation and supply chain disruptions to do it. Now that the market shock of the pandemic has largely abated, corporations’ costs are coming down and profits are rising. But for American families, prices remain high. Chairman Casey believes more must be done to hold corporations accountable for taking advantage of American workers and their families and has a plan to lower costs for working families by following four overall goals: put more money in the pockets of working families; make big corporations pay their fair share; fight unfair corporate price gouging; and take on corporate monopolies to increase competition and lower costs. In November 2023, Chairman Casey released the first report in his greedflation series, “Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families,” detailing how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices and rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families and laying out Senator Casey’s vision to hold greedy corporations accountable. Corporate executives claim they’ve “earned the right” to raise prices and that their products “are worth paying a little bit more for.” Ahead of Thanksgiving, Casey released his second report, “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive," examining how the agribusiness companies that process Americans’ food have increased prices for everyday staple foods and raising questions about why those price increases are necessary, particularly during the holiday season. Some of these companies have a history of engaging in price-fixing, colluding to raise prices, anti-competitive conduct, and touting their ability to raise prices without limit. Seeking answers, Senator Casey sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission and United States Department of Agriculture requesting that the agencies use all necessary resources to investigate possible unfair pricing practices of major chicken and pork processors in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission, in response, assured Senator Casey that policing potentially anticompetitive conduct in food industries continues to be a top priority for the Commission given the high stakes for American families, farmers, and the Nation’s economy. In December 2023, Casey released his third report of his greedflation series, “Less Bang for Your Buck: Casey Releases Shrinkflation Report Exposing Big Corporations for Reducing Product Size While Keeping Prices High,” calling out household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations for reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. To better protect families’ pocketbooks, Senator Casey sent letters to the trade associations representing household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations demanding answers about pricing strategies, package size practices, and how shrinkflation affects customers. In January 2024, Casey released his fourth report of his greedflation series, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” detailing how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals. Senator Casey believes that no Pennsylvanian should be blindsided by a junk fee and that the negative impacts of hidden fees can be mitigated by: fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. In a letter to the Government Accountability Office that same month, Chairman Casey pushed the government watchdog to examine the effects of corporate greed on American consumers. In February 2024, Casey introduced legislation to protect American families from greedflation by banning grossly excessive price increases and crack down on corporate price gouging. The Shrinkflation Prevention Act would: Direct the FTC to promulgate regulations to establish shrinkflation as an unfair or deceptive act or practice, prohibiting manufacturers from engaging in shrinkflation Authorize FTC to pursue civil actions against corporations who engage in shrinkflation Authorize state attorneys general to bring civil actions against corporations engaging in shrinkflation This legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The bill is endorsed by Groundwork Collaborative, Public Citizen, Consumer Federation of America, and WorkMoney. Read more about the Shrinkflation Prevention Act here. ###

Share Tweet

February 26, 2024

ICYMI: Casey Talks “Pernicious” Shrinkflation in New York Times

Casey: “You can’t wait a year to buy paper towels or to buy boneless chicken or to buy groceries or to buy Huggies diapers.” Since fall 2023, Senator Casey has produced reports detailing his investigations into corporate greed squeezing families’ budgets Casey’s investigation into companies reducing product size while selling at the same sticker price or higher is featured in today’s New York Times Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it, today, the New York Times featured an investigation by U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children & Families, on shrinkflation. Casey has been taking big corporations to task for price gouging, causing the excessive increase in prices American families are facing. His recent series of reports show working families across our Nation are paying higher prices due to greedflation, when big corporations use economic turmoil as cover to raise prices beyond the rate of inflation, and shrinkflation, which occurs when big corporations reduce product size without lowering prices accordingly or notifying consumers. Senator Casey has been spearheading congressional efforts to hold big corporations accountable for prioritizing their profits over the American people. In December 2023, Senator Casey released his shrinkflation report detailing how big corporations are making record profits by reducing the size of household consumer goods. In January 2024, he urged the Government Accountability Office, an independent watchdog, to investigate the effects of corporate greed on American consumers. In February 2024, Casey introduced legislation to protect American families from greedflation by banning grossly excessive price increases and crack down on corporate price gouging. Read more from the New York Times here or below: New York Times: Biden Targets a New Economic Villain: Shrinkflation Mr. Biden could also embrace new legislation seeking to empower the Federal Trade Commission to more aggressively investigate and punish corporate price gouging, including in grocery stories. White House officials credit Senator Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania, with bending the president’s ear on the issue. Mr. Casey’s office released a scathing shrinkflation report last year calculating that about one-tenth of recent price increases for snacks and toilet paper were attributable to companies’ reducing the number of cookies in a bag or sheets on a roll. Mr. Casey has centered the issue in his re-election campaign, blaming large companies for price increases that have left consumers struggling to afford sufficient amounts of essential items. “Some of this is really pernicious,” he said in an interview. “You can’t wait a year to buy paper towels or to buy boneless chicken or to buy groceries or to buy Huggies diapers.” ###

Share Tweet

February 26, 2024

Casey Celebrates Black History Month with 18th Annual Event Honoring Community Leaders and Advocates

Washington, D.C. – Today, in celebration of Black History Month, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), honored the work of five Black community leaders, advocates, and trailblazers in Pennsylvania—Edgar and Barbara Farmer (State College), Loretta Claiborne (York), Donta Green (Pittsburgh), and Lurline Jones (Philadelphia)—at his 18th annual Black History Month event. This year’s theme, “Voices Empowering Generational Change,” featured these five honorees who have worked to provide people in their communities with the skills and confidence they need to achieve future success. Senator Casey was joined by Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis and Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Joanna McClinton. “These five honorees represent the very best of Pennsylvania. Their work uplifting the next generation by nurturing the confidence and ability already within them will leave a lasting impact on our Commonwealth,” said Senator Casey. “Their decades of steadfast service and civic engagement is nothing short of inspirational and I am grateful for their contributions and dedication.” More on the Honorees: Edgar and Barbara Farmer, of State College, are longtime advocates for education and diversity. Edgar is a Vietnam War veteran and professor emeritus of education at Penn State University. He previously served as a professor of Workforce Education and Development and professor-in-charge of the Workforce Education and Development Program. Barbara taught business classes at various schools in North Carolina and Virginia before serving as the State College Area School District’s first ever black principal and director of multicultural affairs for the College of Information and Sciences and Technology at Penn State. Together, they served on Penn State’s Policing People of Color Task Force and are members of Community & Campus in Unity, which focuses on diversity in State College. They established the Edgar Farmer Enhancement Fund in Penn State’s College of Education to support the development of faculty and students in education, psychology, and workforce education and development. Loretta Claiborne, of York, is an accomplished speaker, advocate and athlete. Over the span of her life, Loretta has learned to communicate in four languages including American Sign Language, and has received honorary doctorate degrees from Quinnipiac University, Villanova University, and York College of Pennsylvania. Loretta holds a 4th degree black belt in karate, has completed 26 marathons, twice finishing the Boston Marathon amongst the top 100 women, and has won numerous medals in the Special Olympics including 7 gold medals. In 1996, she was the recipient of the ESPY Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. Loretta has been inducted into the Women in Sports Hall of Fame and the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Hall of Fame. Donta Green, of Pittsburgh, is the Executive Director at the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh (TIP) and a successful head football coach at Westinghouse Academy. At TIP, Donta works to empower men and women with significant barriers to employment through skill building, career opportunities, and a workforce housing program, including many formerly incarcerated individuals. As a head football coach, he works with and mentors young people and tries to be a facilitator of excellence in others wherever he goes. He led the team in 2019 to its first city league championship in 26 years and in 2022 to the state championship for the first time in school history. Lurline Jones, of Philadelphia, is a local civil rights trailblazer in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties and legendary basketball coach within the School District of Philadelphia for 52 years with more than 300 of her students going to college on athletic scholarships and three to the WNBA. In September of 2019, Jones was featured in People Magazine’s and Heroes Among Us. ###

Share Tweet

February 23, 2024

Casey Statement on Alabama Supreme Court Ruling on IVF Treatments

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the Alabama Supreme Court’s recent ruling on in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments: “This dangerous decision would not be possible without the Dobbs ruling. Republican politicians wiped away a nearly 50-year right and now we’re seeing the devastating consequences. Women are being sent away from hospitals to get sicker before they can be treated and now Alabama women who desperately want a family are unable to get the care they need to conceive. Time and again, Republican politicians have proven that they cannot be trusted when it comes to women’s reproductive health.” ###

Share Tweet

February 16, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Update Tax Credit Guidance to Support Domestic Critical Mineral Supply Chain

In letter, Senators call on Administration to incentivize investment in entirety of US clean energy supply chain, including key Pennsylvania industries Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined a letter with seven of his colleagues to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urging the Biden Administration to allow critical mineral mining and processing activities to qualify for tax credits they passed in the Inflation Reduction Act. In the letter, the Senators urge the administration to ensure that raw materials and extraction costs are eligible for the 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit. The Department’s initial proposal to implement the credit explicitly excludes these costs, which sharply reduces the value of the tax credit. This update would allow the tax credit to support the entirety of the clean energy supply chain, including innovative critical mineral recovery that is happening in Pennsylvania and across the U.S. “Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act in part to support the domestic extraction and production of critical minerals and materials,” wrote the Senators. “The clear purpose of section 45X was to encourage investment in the United States and to build a reliable and resilient domestic supply chain for critical minerals right here at home. The section 45X credit was designed to support responsible domestic mining and processing of these minerals…However, by excluding the majority of the production costs from the 45X credit, Treasury would disincentivize investment in the United States, and also increase our reliance on countries that do not share our democratic or geopolitical values.” Senator Casey has long fought to ensure Pennsylvania’s industries are included in the development of a clean energy supply chain. In 2023, he secured $2.1 million for research at Pennsylvania State University into the process of recovering critical minerals from acid mine drainage. He also secured $10 million to support Pittsburgh-area clean energy manufacturing, and additional $500,000 to establish an economic hub for the green building supply chain in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Read the full letter HERE or below: Dear Secretary Yellen, We are writing in response to the notice of proposed rulemaking for the Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit. We request that the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) make revisions to the proposed rule to align the rule with the intent of Congress and to ensure the credit properly incentivizes the entirety of the domestic supply chain for applicable critical minerals and eligible components, including mineral extraction and electric vehicle battery production. As you know, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in part to support the domestic extraction and production of critical minerals and materials, as well as the manufacturing of batteries and their components. Recognizing our increasing foreign dependence on these materials, often from hostile nations, the section 45X credit provides a credit for taxpayers who produce certain critical minerals as well as various energy related products. We are concerned that Treasury’s proposed rule for the 45X tax credit explicitly excludes direct and indirect material costs for taxpayers seeking to claim the credit. Treasury writes in the proposed rule that “Direct material costs as defined in §1.263A-1(e)(2)(i)(A), or indirect material costs §1.263A-1(e)(3)(ii)(E), and any costs related to the extraction or acquisition of raw materials” are not be included in production costs. The proposed rule goes on to say "…the cost of acquiring the raw material used to produce the electrode active material, the cost of materials used for conversion, purification, or recycling of the raw material, and other material costs related to the production of the electrode active material would not be taken into account.” The clear purpose of section 45X was to encourage investment in the United States and to build a reliable and resilient domestic supply chain for critical minerals right here at home. The section 45X credit was designed to support responsible domestic mining and processing of these minerals. As members of the U.S. Senate we want to clarify that the blanket exclusion of materials costs is not consistent with the intent of Congress and should be expeditiously revised. Section 45X provides for a 10 percent credit for the production costs of applicable critical minerals, and raw materials costs were never intended to be excluded from this calculation. This exclusion is not aligned with the intent of Congress and significantly weakens the tax credit as the cost of extracting raw materials essential for renewable energy, battery technologies, and other critical materials are a significant portion of overall costs. Additionally, this exclusion weakens the credit’s intended goal to strengthen the New Clean Vehicle Credit, established under Section 30D of the tax code. The 30D credit is designed to counter influence by any “Foreign Entity of Concern” (FEOC) over clean vehicle supply chains. Key to the success of the 30D credit are the 45X credit’s incentives for domestic mineral extraction and processing. A final rule that excludes materials costs will substantially impact critical minerals supply, increasing the challenges for vehicle producers looking to manufacture clean vehicles in the United States. Private companies are ready and willing to invest in extraction and production of raw materials right here in the United States, and do so in a safe and responsible manner through developed environmental protection and labor standards. However, by excluding the majority of the production costs from the 45X credit, Treasury would disincentivize investment in the United States, and also increase our reliance on countries that do not share our democratic or geopolitical values. This result would be contrary to the intent of the legislation and detrimental to our national and energy security. We appreciate Treasury’s caution and intent, noted in the proposed rule, to mitigate the risk of double counting and fraud. However, as proposed, the credit eliminates the ability to even single count direct and indirect materials costs and extraction costs, which significantly weakens the credit’s primary purpose of developing a domestic critical mineral supply chain. The risk of double counting production costs can be mitigated using similar basis reduction mechanics and documentation requirements Treasury and IRS require to calculate the value of investment tax credits under sections 48 and 48C. Similarly, IRS is well equipped with the experience and tools necessary to understand and administer the deduction of expenses related to extraction and can apply these to the 45X credit. Additionally, we believe the statute, which directs the credit to be claimed for components “produced by the taxpayer,” provides flexibility for Treasury to establish other safeguards, such as audit and claw back measures, to prevent any type of fraudulent behavior. We appreciate your attention to these matters and look forward to working with you as you implement the Inflation Reduction Act. Sincerely, Catherine Cortez Masto United States Senator John Hickenlooper United States Senator Jacky Rosen United States Senator Joe Manchin III United States Senator Mark Kelly United States Senator Laphonza Butler United States Senator Kyrsten Sinema United States Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. United States Senator Patty Murray United States Senator ###

Share Tweet

February 16, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Boyle, Evans, Scanlon, Parker Announce $20.4 Million for Philadelphia International Airport

Funding will help upgrade HVAC and electrical systems With this funding, Philadelphia International Airport has received more than $347 million in federal funding since the start of 2021 Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2), Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5) and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced that Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is receiving $20,400,000 in new infrastructure funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airport Terminal Program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “Philadelphia International Airport serves as a vital gateway to the rest of the Commonwealth and the world, and this funding will help the airport become a more modern and sustainable transit hub,” said Senator Casey. “This is not only an investment in a safer and more energy efficient airport experience but an investment in the future success of an economic linchpin of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth.” “I am proud to join with Senator Casey and my colleagues to announce this multimillion-dollar grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Philadelphia International Airport,” said Senator Fetterman. “This funding is another great example of how the Biden administration is delivering wins for Pennsylvania infrastructure and the economy of our Commonwealth.” "This IIJA funding award, which I voted for, is not just an investment in infrastructure, it's also a move that will bolster one of the primary economic engines of our region,” said Congressman Boyle. “By enhancing the efficiency and reliability of these unseen operational systems, we ensure seamless operations, attract more visitors, and provide a world-class experience for travelers. This funding only underscores our commitment to maintaining Philadelphia International Airport as a vital hub, driving growth, and prosperity for our community and beyond." “I’m pleased to see the Biden-Harris administration delivering for Philadelphia and the region again with more of the Infrastructure and Jobs Act funding I voted for,” said Congressman Evans. “I'm proud to see the competitive grants we authorized in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law supporting job creation as PHL enhances its guest experience.” said Rep. Scanlon. “Modernizing our region’s airport infrastructure will improve air travel for passengers and position our local economy for success in an increasingly competitive global economy.” “We deeply appreciate this latest example of the Biden-Harris administration and Congress investing in Philadelphia’s infrastructure,” said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Act has resulted in tens of millions of dollars coming to Philadelphia in just the last month alone, Federal funds to upgrade our water and sewer systems, to invest in workforce development and jobs training, and now, to upgrade and invest in our Philadelphia International Airport. This is intergovernmental collaboration at its best. We’re very grateful to Senator Casey and our entire Federal delegation for their work in bringing this grant to the Airport.” “We’re thrilled to receive this funding that allows us to advance our modernization efforts at PHL to improve energy efficiency, replace aging infrastructure, and reduce carbon emissions,” said Atif Saeed, Chief Executive Officer at the City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation. “We appreciate the efforts of our Congressional delegation for their support of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation and for making sure that PHL is prioritized as funding is allocated each year.” The funding for Philadelphia International Airport will be used to upgrade the airport’s HVAC and electrical systems, enhancing efforts to create a modern, sustainable airport. PHL has received a total of $347 million in federal investments since the start of 2021. ###

Share Tweet

February 16, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Boyle, Evans, Scanlon, Parker Secure $317.1 Million to Replace 200 Rail Cars on SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line

Market-Frankford line is SEPTA’s most heavily-used commuter rail line Members of Congress helped secure the massive grant through the infrastructure law they championed With this funding, SEPTA has received more than a billion dollars from the infrastructure law Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), U.S. Representatives Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2), Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced that SEPTA is receiving $317,160,000 in infrastructure funding to purchase approximately 200 new rail cars on the Market-Frankford Line, SEPTA’s most heavily-used commuter rail line. “I fought to pass the infrastructure law because of its promise to bring game-changing investments to Pennsylvania. Time and time again, we have invested in the Commonwealth’s most urgent needs and this time is no exception,” said Senator Casey. “Thousands of Pennsylvanians depend on the Market-Frankford Line every day to get where they need to go—to work, to school, to spend time with family. With this vital funding, SEPTA can modernize its inventory with American-made rail cars while increasing safety and reliability for all of Southeastern Pennsylvania.” “A few weeks ago, I led a letter to the Department of Transportation on the urgent need to support SEPTA. Today, I am thrilled to join with my colleagues and announce DOT’s $317 million investment to support new cars on the Market-Frankford Line,” said Senator Fetterman. “I am proud to have advocated for this critical funding and secured a record amount for southeastern Pennsylvania’s public transit infrastructure.” “I’m proud to take part in the ongoing collaborative effort and support from Senators Casey and Fetterman and our House delegation to secure major investments like this,” said Congressman Evans. “We’re working together to make sure that the Infrastructure and Jobs Act continues to deliver for Philadelphia and the region.” “SEPTA is vital to our region, providing transportation for thousands of community members every day,” said Rep. Scanlon. “This funding for new rail cars will improve the passenger experience and make SEPTA’s infrastructure more sustainable. I’m proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and welcome the positive impact it is having on our communities.” “I voted for the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring improvements and funding to the critical infrastructure that forms the backbone of the City of Philadelphia,” said Congressman Boyle. “SEPTA is a transportation agency that has seen profound challenges in very recent years. This funding will bring visible improvements that are long overdue at SEPTA and will allow SEPTA to enhance the quality of service for thousands of commuters along the Market-Frankford line—many of whom reside in my congressional district.” “This investment of $317 Million in SEPTA thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act is outstanding news for public transit, for Philadelphia, and for every Philadelphian who uses SEPTA each day to get to work, school or to move across our City ,” said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “A modern, well-run public transit system is vital to our City and region. We’re grateful to our entire Congressional delegation – and to the Biden-Harris administration – for this latest Federal investment in Philadelphia.” The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Pennsylvania delegation in Congress has consistently fought for federal funding for SEPTA to improve accessibility, promote sustainability and reduce emissions, upgrade bus infrastructure, expand trolley capacity, and make service faster and more reliable. To date, PA Members of Congress have secured over a billion dollars in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for SEPTA. In January, a majority of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging the Biden Administration to continue investment in SEPTA amid a looming transit fiscal cliff. ###

Share Tweet

February 15, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Crack Down on Price Gouging by Big Corporations

Bill cracks down on excessive price increases Since Fall 2023, Senator Casey has produced four reports detailing his investigations into excessive price increases, reduction in product quantity, and hidden junk fees—all motivated by corporate greed According to government data compiled in Casey’s Greedflation series, from July 2020 through July 2022, inflation rose by 14 percent while corporate profits rose by more than 74 percent Federal Reserve research found corporate profits accounted for all of inflation from July 2020 through July 2021 and 41 percent of all inflation from July 2020 through July 2022 Casey: “The American people should not have to tolerate corporate executives squeezing them for every last nickel and dime” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children & Families, Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) introduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act, which would crack down on corporate price gouging and protect American families from greedflation. The bill would create a new a federal ban on grossly excessive price increases, and authorize the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general to enforce the ban. Since November 2023, Chairman Casey has been investigating corporate price gouging and other actions by big corporations that have squeezed the budgets of American families and contributed to the increase in inflation. “Corporations are raising the prices of everyday household items to rake in record profits at the expense of Pennsylvania families,” said Chairman Casey. “Our bill will crack down on greedflation by finally prohibiting price gouging and holding corporations accountable for raising costs excessively. It is long past time we take on big corporations and lower costs for families.” “Giant corporations are squeezing American families for fatter profits. It’s time to give the Biden administration stronger tools,” said Senator Warren. “Senate Democrats and I are renewing our push for a new law to crack down on corporate price gouging.” “Big corporations are price gouging Americans, taking in record profits, and giving their executives lavish bonuses, all while Wisconsin families struggle to get by. It’s wrong and we need to do more to hold these big corporations accountable and give Wisconsinites some breathing room,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to lead this legislation to bring some basic transparency when Americans see rapid price hikes and help stop those at the top of the food chain from exploiting crises to stick families with exorbitant prices.” “As large grocery chains continue to rake in record profits, there are many families struggling to put food on the table. The cost of basic groceries has jumped by 25% over the past four years. Price gouging is harming consumers and is fueling the elevated profit margins among greedy corporations. We live in the richest country in the world at the richest moment in history. Yet, many Americans are unable to feel the full magnitude of our wealth,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “Our bill empowers the FTC to hold these price gouging companies accountable when they take advantage of American consumers. People must always come before profits.” “During the COVID-19 pandemic, working families suffered as big corporations hiked costs for no other reason than to line their own pockets and pad their bottom line. Unfortunately, price gouging is just business as usual for big corporations in an economy rigged by corporate greed and against the American people,” said Kobie Christian, Spokesperson, Unrig Our Economy. “With the Price Gouging Prevention Act, Senators Warren, Baldwin, and Casey, and Congresswoman Schakowsky are standing up for working people by saying ‘no more’ to corporate profiteering during times when every day people are hurting the most. Unrig Our Economy is proud to endorse this legislation, which takes an important step toward building an economy that works for all working people, not corporate interests.” "Price gouging keeps basic goods like housing, groceries, childcare, and prescription drugs more expensive and increasingly out of reach for millions of families. It is pure greed and is indefensible,” said Adam Ruben, Director, Economic Security Project Action. “The Price Gouging Prevention Act is a huge step towards stopping this practice by holding corporate price gougers accountable." "Corporations have exploited our inflation crisis with price hikes that have fed record-high profit margins and left families struggling to make ends meet,” said Dr. Rakeen Mabud, Chief Economist and Managing Director of Policy and Research, Groundwork Collaborative. “The Price Gouging Prevention Act takes important steps to safeguard families from excessive corporate profit chasing and tackles the rampant corporate power that enabled this in the first place." During the COVID-19 pandemic, big corporations took advantage of the crisis to prey on consumers through greedflation: raising prices by even more than necessary to cover increases in their costs, and hiding behind inflation and supply chain disruptions to do it. Now that the market shock of the pandemic has largely abated, corporations’ costs are coming down and profits are rising. But for American families, prices remain high. Chairman Casey believes more must be done to hold corporations accountable for taking advantage of American workers and their families and has a plan to lower costs for working families by following four overall goals: put more money in the pockets of working families; make big corporations pay their fair share; fight unfair corporate price gouging; and take on corporate monopolies to increase competition and lower costs. In November 2023, Chairman Casey released the first report in his Greedflation series, “Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families,” detailing how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices and rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families and laying out Senator Casey’s vision to hold greedy corporations accountable. Corporate executives claim they’ve “earned the right” to raise prices and that their products “are worth paying a little bit more for.” Ahead of Thanksgiving, Casey released his second report, “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive," examining how the agribusiness companies that process Americans’ food have increased prices for everyday staple foods and raising questions about why those price increases are necessary, particularly during the holiday season. Some of these companies have a history of engaging in price-fixing, colluding to raise prices, anti-competitive conduct, and touting their ability to raise prices without limit. Seeking answers, Senator Casey sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission and United States Department of Agriculture requesting that the agencies use all necessary resources to investigate possible unfair pricing practices of major chicken and pork processors in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission, in response, assured Senator Casey that policing potentially anticompetitive conduct in food industries continues to be a top priority for the Commission given the high stakes for American consumers, farmers, and the Nation’s economy. In December 2023, Casey released his third report of his Greedflation series, “Less Bang for Your Buck: Casey Releases Shrinkflation Report Exposing Big Corporations for Reducing Product Size While Keeping Prices High,” calling out household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations for reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. To better protect families’ pocketbooks, Senator Casey sent letters to the trade associations representing household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations demanding answers about pricing strategies, package size practices, and how shrinkflation affects customers: In January 2024, Casey released his fourth report of his Greedflation series, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” detailing how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals. Senator Casey believes that no Pennsylvanian should be blindsided by a junk fee and that the negative impacts of hidden fees can be mitigated by: fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. In a letter to the Government Accountability Office that same month, Chairman Casey pushed the government watchdog agency to examine the effects of corporate greed on American consumers. The Price Gouging Prevention Act specifically would: Prohibit price gouging at the federal level – anytime and anywhere. The proposed bill would clarify that price gouging is an unfair and deceptive practice under the FTC Act. It would allow the FTC and state attorneys general to stop sellers from charging a grossly excessive price, regardless of where the price gouging occurs in a supply chain or distribution network. Create an affirmative defense for small businesses acting in good faith. Small and local businesses sometimes must raise prices in response to crisis-driven increases in their costs because they have little negotiating power with their price-gouging suppliers. This affirmative defense protects small businesses earning less than $100 million from unjustified litigation if they show legitimate cost increases. Target dominant companies that have exploited the pandemic to boost profits. The bill would create a rebuttable presumption of price gouging against firms that exercise unfair leverage and companies that brag about increasing prices during periods of inflation. Require public companies to clearly disclose costs and pricing strategies. During periods of exceptional market shock, the bill requires public companies to transparently disclose and explain changes in their cost of goods sold, gross margins, and pricing strategies in their quarterly SEC filings. Provide additional funding to the FTC. The bill appropriates $1 billion in funding to the FTC to carry out its work. This legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). In the House of Representatives, this legislation was co-sponsored by Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Hank Johnson (D-GA-4), Ro Khanna (D-CA-17), Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), and Paul Tonko (D-NY-20). Read more about the Price Gouging Prevention Act here. ###

Share Tweet

February 14, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio, Lee Announce $5.3 Million for Pittsburgh International Airport

Funding will help complete the construction of new 700,000 sq ft landside terminal building With this funding, Pittsburgh International Airport has received more than $123.7 million in federal funding since the start of 2021 Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and Summer Lee (D-PA-12) announced that Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is receiving $5,300,000 in new infrastructure funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airport Terminal Program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “As Pittsburgh International Airport continues to grow, improving the passenger experience is critical,” said Senator Casey. “This funding not only gets passengers where they’re going faster but helps secure PIT’s role as a gateway to Southwestern Pennsylvania’s future economic success.” “I am proud to join with Senator Casey and my colleagues to announce this multimillion-dollar grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Pittsburgh International Airport,” said Senator Fetterman. “This funding is another great example of how the Biden administration is delivering wins for Pennsylvania infrastructure and the economy of our Commonwealth.” “Thrilled that the Infrastructure Law is delivering even more for folks in Western Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Deluzio. “This $5.3 million investment from the Airport Terminal Program will help make the new landside terminal building at Pittsburgh International Airport a reality—improving customer service and boosting our local economy.” “Two weeks ago, when Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg came to Pittsburgh to talk about the investment we brought home to fix the I-376 Eastern Parkway, we made our case for additional funding for Pittsburgh’s airport modernization,” said Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12). “I am glad that, just two weeks later, we were able to secure $5 million to build improvements to our airport. This funding will not just create more good union jobs, but will lead to a more connected, thriving region.” The funding for Pittsburgh International Airport will be used to fund a component of the construction of a new 700,000 square foot landside terminal which will improve passenger experience by reducing the proximity between ticketing, security, and gates by half a mile and improve Pittsburgh International Airport’s ability to secure additional flights, including nonstop. ###

Share Tweet

February 14, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Announce $10.2 Million for Harrisburg, Lancaster Airports

Funding will be used to expand passenger screening capabilities and hold room areas, replace aged jet bridges With this funding, Harrisburg International Airport has received more than $60.2 million in federal funding since the start of 2021; Lancaster Airport has received more than $13.38 million Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) are announcing that Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) and Lancaster Airport (LNS) are receiving $7,500,000 and $2,700,000, respectively, in new infrastructure funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airport Terminal Program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “This funding for South Central Pennsylvania’s airports will help get passengers where they need to go more quickly and safely while reducing passenger congestion,” said Senator Casey. “This is not only an investment in a safe and efficient airport experience for passengers but an investment in the success of South Central Pennsylvania’s economic future.” “I am proud to join with Senator Casey and my colleagues to announce this multimillion-dollar grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Harrisburg International and Lancaster Airports,” said Senator Fetterman. “This funding is another great example of how the Biden administration is delivering wins for Pennsylvania infrastructure and the economy of our Commonwealth.” The funding for Harrisburg International Airport will be used to replace up to six existing jet bridges, improving passenger boarding safety. The airport has received a total of $60.2 million in federal investments since the start of 2021. Lancaster Airport has received $13.38 million in the same period of time. The latest award for Lancaster will be used to expand the airport’s screening capacity and hold room areas, allowing the airport to handle a larger volume of passengers. ###

Share Tweet

February 13, 2024

Casey Statement on Passage of National Security Supplemental, FEND Off Fentanyl Act

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the Senate passage of the national security supplemental and the FEND Off Fentanyl Act by a vote of 70-29: “Early this morning, the Senate finally passed a critical national security supplemental package to support Ukraine, Israel, and our allies in the Indo-Pacific, while also providing humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza and around the globe living in combat zones. This bill is a signal to Vladimir Putin, Hamas, and our adversaries worldwide that the United States will always stand up for democracy, freedom, and our allies. The Senate also again passed the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which would target the financial assets of the transnational criminal organizations producing fentanyl, from the chemical suppliers in China to the Mexican cartels producing and smuggling fentanyl into the U.S. It is now time for the House to stand on the side of the American people—and against Vladimir Putin, Hamas, Chinese criminal organizations, and Mexican drug cartels—and pass this bill quickly. “However, with the omission of bipartisan border security provisions, we have missed an opportunity to make real progress on securing our border and stopping the flow of fentanyl coming from Mexico. Most of the fentanyl is being smuggled through official border crossings in vehicles and cargo and at present, our border protection officers do not have enough of the tools or resources they need to detect and stop fentanyl smuggling. We had a bipartisan deal on the table and Senate Republicans walked away because their party’s leader told them that he’d rather campaign on the problem than solve it. In the coming months, as the crisis at the border continues, the American people will know that one party walked away from their duty to act.” The national security supplemental includes much-needed support to Ukraine as it fights back against Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion and assistance to Israel in its war against terrorist group Hamas. Additionally, it provides much needed humanitarian assistance to provide food, water, shelter, medical care, and other essential services to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine, and others caught in conflict zones around the world. Finally, the bill includes aid to U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific to deter aggression by the Chinese government. The package also includes the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which targets, sanctions, and blocks the financial assets of transnational criminal organizations, from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs from Mexico. Casey has been traveling around Pennsylvania meeting with law enforcement and families of victims of fentanyl overdoses as he pushes for passage of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act. After months of bipartisan negotiations, a national security and border security package was released on February 4, 2023. Casey endorsed the bill, which included funding to secure the southwest border by hiring additional border protection officers and providing additional border security inspection technology and equipment to detect and stop fentanyl flowing into the United States through official ports of entry along the southwest border—provisions also included in Senator Casey’s Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. The deal was also endorsed by the union representing U.S. Border Protection officers, claiming it would “drop illegal border crossings nationwide and will allow our agents to get back to detecting and apprehending those who want to cross our border illegally and evade apprehension.” However, on February 7, Senate Republicans killed the border security provisions of the package, after the former President came out against the deal. ###

Share Tweet

February 12, 2024

Casey Releases Fact Sheet Detailing How The Inflation Reduction Act Has Lowered Health Care Costs for Pennsylvanians

Fact sheet shows how IRA health care provisions Casey fought for have already lowered drug costs and health care premiums for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians In coming years, a new cap on out of pocket costs and drug price negotiations enabled by the law will lower costs even further Casey: “Pennsylvanians will be seeing the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act for years to come” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, released a fact sheet detailing how the Inflation Reduction Act has already lowered health care and prescription drug costs for Pennsylvania families. 80,200 Pennsylvanians on Medicare Part B and D are paying at most $35 a month for insulin, and 346,000 Pennsylvanians are paying hundreds of dollars less for health care Marketplace premiums. The fact sheet also provides Pennsylvanians with a timeline for provisions that have yet to be implemented, such as the cap on out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 and the ability for Medicare to negotiate for fair drug prices, which will lower costs for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians. “When we passed the Inflation Reduction Act, I fought to include provisions that would bring down the cost of health care and prescription drugs and ensure that Pennsylvania’s seniors and families can afford the care and medications that they need,” said Chairman Casey. “This fact sheet shows these provisions are already working, and Pennsylvanians are seeing lower costs. As more parts of the law go into effect, those costs will continue to drop. Pennsylvanians will be seeing the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act for years to come.” In August 2022, Chairman Casey fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to lower health care and prescription drug costs for older adults, people with disabilities, and families across the Nation. Starting in January 2023, the IRA capped the cost of insulin for Medicare Part D beneficiaries at $35 a month for certain covered insulin products. The law also will limit Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 per year beginning in 2025, and it instituted a new provision to impose penalties on drug companies that hike up prices in Medicare above the rate of inflation. It also makes eligible vaccines, including the shingles vaccine, free for seniors with Medicare Part D and expands cost-sharing assistance for low-income people with Medicare, a provision Chairman Casey championed through his Lowering Medicare Premiums and Prescription Drug Costs Act. Lastly, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the first 10 prescription drugs eligible for negotiation, with additional prescription drugs becoming eligible for negotiation in the coming years. In August 2023, Chairman Casey celebrated the beginning of these negotiations. Today, Chairman Casey released fact sheets detailing how these provisions in the IRA have lowered costs in all 50 states, including Pennsylvania. Read the fact sheet HERE or below: ###

Share Tweet

February 12, 2024

Casey, Luján Introduce Legislation to Invest in Preventing and Treating Child Abuse and Neglect

Bill invests in state child protective services to ensure adequate supports in place for children in crisis Casey: “All Adults, All Levels of Government Have Moral Duty to Protect Children.” Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate HELP Subcommittee on Children and Families, and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced the Family Strengthening Infrastructure Act to increase federal funding under Title I and Title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) to ensure adequate support for state Child Protective Services (CPS) and community-based prevention services. Casey has worked to reauthorize and fund CAPTA throughout his Senate career. “As a leader of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act reauthorization, I have long worked to expand resources to keep families together and protect children, including by passing emergency funding during the pandemic,” said Senator Casey. “This program only works if we fund it. Our bill will bolster CAPTA funding for another decade to support families and help states keep kids safe.” “The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act is monumental legislation signifying our nation’s commitment to the well-being of children and families. However, CAPTA has been underfunded for decades, making it impossible for states to fully comply with federal law by protecting our most vulnerable children. It’s Congress' responsibility to provide the funds needed to successfully implement the law,” said Senator Luján. “That’s why I’m proud to reintroduce the Family Strengthening Infrastructure Act to increase CAPTA funding and improve investments in the child welfare system for our children. By increasing funding that states and community-based partners desperately need to serve children in need, more families will be better positioned to thrive.” Senator Casey is a longtime fighter for policies that protect America’s children. In his Five Freedoms for America’s Children agenda, significant, long-term investment in CAPTA is a priority. In March 2021, Casey introduced the Emergency Funding for Child Protection Act to provide $500 million in emergency funds for local child protective services and $1 billion for community-based child abuse prevention programs that work to prevent child abuse and neglect before it happens by providing support to at-risk families. Casey also secured $350 million in emergency funding for child abuse prevention and treatment in the American Rescue Plan. The Family Strengthening Infrastructure Act authorizes: An additional $250 million in mandatory funding for Title I for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2034 to improve response to child maltreatment An additional $250 million in mandatory funding for Title II for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2034 to support community-driven, evidence-based, and trauma-informed services that strengthen families and prevent child maltreatment and child welfare system involvement This legislation is supported by the Committee for Children, Children’s Advocacy Institute, Child Welfare League of America, Prevent Child Abuse America, Zero To Three, National Family Support Network, Social Current, Children and Families Futures, National Child Abuse Coalition, Triple P America, Inc., Children’s Defense Fund, Children’s Trust Fund Alliance, and American Academy of Pediatrics. Read more about the Family Strengthening Infrastructure Act here. ###

Share Tweet

February 9, 2024

Casey, Cartwright, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Give Bureau of Prisons Employees Fair Pay

Bill would address understaffing and safety risks, incentivizing hiring and retention through fair, competitive pay Current BOP relies on cooks, teachers, and nurses to guard inmates to fully staff facilities Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) introduced the Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act to ensure fair pay for Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees, particularly in rural areas. The bill will help address staffing shortages at Bureau of Prisons correctional institutions by allowing for competitive pay that better reflects the cost of living, commute times, alternative careers, and the hard work and dedication of BOP employees. “BOP employees are understaffed, underpaid, and overworked. Without enough staff, prisons are relying on cooks and teachers to guard inmates, which presents a dangerous health and security risk,” said Senator Bob Casey. “This legislation provide much-needed investment in the wellbeing of prison officers and employees and is a critical first step towards ensuring safe and professional operation of our prison system.” “Prison officers face a unique kind of danger, and it is imperative we provide them with every tool and authorization necessary to protect their lives and wellbeing,” said Congressman Cartwright. “This much needed pay increase will help address critical staffing shortages at USP Canaan and federal prisons across the country and will serve as an investment in the safety of the brave correction officers who go to work in them every day. I’m proud to lead this bill in the House and grateful for the efforts of Senators Casey and Cassidy in the Senate.” Senator Casey and Congressman Cartwright have long worked to improve working conditions for Bureau of Prisons officers and ensure the safety of staff and inmates. After the brutal murder of USP Canaan Corrections officer Eric Williams by an inmate, Casey and Cartwright introduced The Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act, requiring BOP to provide pepper spray to all correctional workers in medium and high security facilities. The bill, which became law, includes a comprehensive training requirement for employees and calls on the Government Accountability Office to oversee the effectiveness of this program. Senator Casey and Congressman Cartwright have continued to prioritize safety at USP Canaan and Bureau of Prisons facilities through enacted legislation, enforced safety initiatives, and increased federal funding. In April 2019, Casey sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr concerning the prevailing understaffing issue at BOP. The letter illuminated BOP’s risky staffing practices, including hiring an insufficient number of correctional officers and the use of staff augmentation, using employees such as nurses and teachers to guard inmates. Moreover, in April 2023, Casey and colleagues sent a letter urging the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies’ Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill to include increased funding to maintain the 122 Federal prisons across the country and to improve their number of hires and retention rate. As Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee, Cartwright successfully secured $180 million in additional funding for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the 2023 Government Spending Package, which Senator Casey was proud to support in the Senate, to sustain and increase BOP recruitment and hiring efforts nationwide. In 2023, Cartwright introduced the BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act, a bipartisan bill to alleviate staffing shortages at Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities across the country by cutting bureaucratic red tape to enhance the safety and security of BOP personnel, and the Interdiction of Fentanyl in Postal Mail at Federal Prisons Act, which aims to eliminate contraband, and other synthetic opioids from being smuggled into Federal prison facilities through inmate mail. The shortage of correctional officers has grown each year over the past four years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7% decline in correctional officers by 2032. Understaffed prisons and overworked employees have created increasingly dangerous work environments. Under current policies, BOP uses cooks, teachers, and nurses to guard inmates. This temporary fix pulls employees away from their usual duties and negatively impacts inmates by limiting visitations, recreational time, and academic enrichment opportunities. BOP employees are usually paid on the General Schedule (GS) pay scale, with slight pay modifications for correctional officers. Locality raises are determined by comparisons of local private sector salary rates, not by cost of living. An individual’s rate is based on where he or she works, not where he or she lives. Places located outside of these locality pay areas are compensated on a lower Rest of US (RUS) pay scale. This bill would increase pay for BOP employees classified as RUS by reclassifying them into the highest comparable pay locality located within 200 miles of the facility. Along with Senator Casey, this bill is cosponsored by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Congressman Cartwright introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives alongside Representatives Randy Weber (R-TX-14) and a group of 29 members. Read more about the Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act here. ###

Share Tweet

February 9, 2024

Casey, Scanlon Keep Boeing Chinook Jobs in Ridley Park

Army is reinvesting in Chinook helicopters manufactured in Delco, protecting union jobs and creating new ones long-term Senator, Congresswoman have long worked to keep Ridley Park plant open Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5) announced that, after years of pushing the U.S. Army to follow through on its decision to modernize its fleet of Ridley Park-made heavy lift helicopters, the Army will renew and extend production of its Chinook fleet, saving approximately 4,000 existing jobs and creating new good-paying union jobs in Delaware County. Boeing’s plant in Ridley Park has employed generations of Delco workers creating world-class Chinook helicopters that are critical to U.S. military operations around the world. “The people of Delaware County have served their country for generations by manufacturing the Army’s sole heavy lift helicopter,” said Senator Casey. “I have fought for Ridley Park for my entire career in the Senate, particularly when the previous Administration left the facility and its workers out to dry in 2019. The Army’s renewed commitment to manufacturing Chinooks in Delco means that good-paying union jobs are here to stay in Southeastern Pennsylvania.” “I am thrilled to announce the Army's decision to recommit to Chinook modernization. This decision guarantees over 20 years of production at Boeing's Ridley Park facility, supporting thousands of good-paying jobs in our region as well as our national security,” said Rep. Scanlon. “For decades, Chinook production has been a critical regional economic engine, with multiple generations of families working at the Ridley Park facility. With this decision, that tradition will continue. Since coming to Congress, I have worked to find the path forward for the Chinook, and I’m proud to deliver job stability for the men and women of the UAW 1069 who build the Chinook.” “We thank Congresswoman Scanlon, Senator Casey, and their staff for all their hard work,” said UAW Local 1069 Committeeman James Rugh. “This is huge for Boeing Ridley Park. This decision helps secure the future of our hard-working UAW 1069 Brothers and Sisters.” “There is nothing more important to us than supporting the warfighter,” said Kathleen (KJ) Jolivette, Vice President and General Manager, Vertical Lift, Boeing. “The Army’s decision is a reflection of their confidence in our heavy-lift platform and is a testament to the great work our teammates do each and every day. We are thankful for the strong congressional support from across the Delaware Valley region and indeed across the country, and we are excited for the future of Chinook.” Dating back to 2007, Senator Casey has advocated to the Army on behalf of the thousands of workers and the world-class defense manufacturing facilities at Ridley Park. Rep. Scanlon has done the same since coming to Congress in 2019. The Members have led bipartisan, bicameral efforts to work with the Army and President Biden to reverse the Trump Administration's decision to cut Chinook modernization, which took a step backward on a mission-critical capability, hurt readiness, and left workers fearing for their livelihoods for five years. After the Army reneged on its plans to modernize its fleet of 425 Chinooks in 2019, Casey and Scanlon led congressional efforts to keep the critical industrial base asset of the Ridley Park facility alive and fully fund Block II production. Over the past four years, they secured nearly $1 billion for continued Chinook procurement (see funding for fiscal years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023). In March 2023, the first Block II Chinook came off the assembly line in Ridley Park. Their efforts to secure consistent funding over the last several years to modernize Chinook helicopters have helped the facility and the supplier base survive and remain in a position ready to ramp up production. In November 2023, Casey and Scanlon led more than 30 members of Congress on a bipartisan, bicameral letter advocating to the Army to proceed with Chinook modernization. The Army’s decision to formally move the Chinook CH-47F Block II into production, with a future path to full rate production, will bring critical capabilities to the Army and save a key component of the defense industrial base and the jobs it provides in Southeastern Pennsylvania. ###

Share Tweet

February 7, 2024

Casey: Senate Republicans Failed to Secure Our Border Today

Due to opposition from Republicans, Senate failed to even advance to debate on strongest border security bill in decades, legislation that resulted from four months of bipartisan negotiations Bipartisan bill includes FEND Off Fentanyl Act and key provisions of Casey’s Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act? For more than two months, Republicans conditioned the passage of Ukraine and Israel aid, humanitarian assistance for Gaza and other war zones on border legislation. In a stunning reversal, they voted against bipartisan border security bill en masse. Republicans voted against policy endorsed by border patrol agent union representing more than 18,000 agents Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement after Senate Republicans killed the bipartisan emergency border bill following months of demanding that any emergency supplemental legislation include provisions to secure the border: “Today we had the opportunity to pass the strongest border security bill in decades and Senate Republicans walked away. After insisting that border security was such an emergency that it needed to be addressed immediately, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are now brazenly admitting that this issue can wait until after the November elections. Everyone knows the reason for this insult to the American people is that Senate Republicans are genuflecting to their presidential candidate because he’d rather campaign on this crisis than fix it. Make no mistake: Senate Republicans failed to do the hard work to secure our border and combat the fentanyl crisis today. The real tragedy here is that the only winners today are Vladimir Putin, Hamas terrorists, President Xi, and fentanyl traffickers.” The emergency supplemental spending bill released on Sunday included funding to secure the southwest border by hiring additional border patrol agents and funding additional border security inspection technology and equipment to detect and stop?fentanyl that is flowing into the United States through official ports of entry along the southwest border—provisions also included in Senator Casey’s Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. The bill also included the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act.?Casey has been traveling around Pennsylvania meeting with law enforcement and families of victims of fentanyl overdoses as he pushes for passage of both bills. The emergency bill also would have made policy changes to streamline the asylum process and make it more orderly and increase the number of employment and family-based visas. Further, the legislation would have created a pathway to residency for our Afghan allies who fought alongside U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.? After Republicans insisted last year that any emergency foreign aid and security assistance be paired with border security measures, the carefully negotiated bill had included much-needed support to Ukraine as it fights back against Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion and assistance to Israel in its war against terrorist group Hamas. Additionally, it would have provided billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance to provide food, water, shelter, medical care, and other essential services to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine, and others caught in conflict zones around the world. The Senate is now expected to vote on these measures separately from the border provisions due to a reversal from the Republican conference. ###

Share Tweet

February 7, 2024

Casey to Biden Administration: Crack Down on Junk Fees

Proposed rule would ban hidden and bogus fees often referred to as “junk fees,” which Casey has been fighting against In new letter, Casey urges Federal Trade Commission to finalize rule Casey recently released a scathing report exposing big corporations for tacking on excessive fees, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals to rent Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina M. Khan urging the Commission to finalize its proposed “Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees,” which would effectively ban junk fees on consumer purchases. This rule would help American families better budget and save their hard-earned dollars by not only prohibiting companies from charging hidden and misleading fees but also requiring them to disclose all charges upfront to consumers. “Across the Nation, families are struggling to make ends meet, in part, because of excessive and hidden junk fees,” Senator Casey wrote. “Consumers should be able to make informed decisions without being saddled with hidden or bogus fees at the end of their purchases. Bringing transparency to junk fees will allow Americans to comparison shop for the product that best meets their needs and will protect honest businesses that are upfront with consumers about the price of their product.” Senator Casey believes that no Pennsylvanian should be blindsided by a junk fee and that the negative impacts of hidden fees can be mitigated by: fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. In January, Casey released his fourth greedflation report detailing how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals. The FTC estimates that families would save $1.23 billion per year on event tickets and hotel stays alone by requiring companies to move to all-in pricing and billions more if enacted across other industries. The latest greedflation report entitled, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families,” is a continuation of Senator Casey’s investigation into how corporate greed is squeezing families’ budgets and lays out Casey’s vision to hold these companies accountable to put money back in the pockets of American families. Read the full letter HERE and below: The Honorable Lina M. Khan Chair Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20580 Dear Chair Khan: I write today in support of the Federal Trade Commission’s (“Commission”) proposed rule entitled, “Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees,” which was proposed on November 9, 2023. The proposed rule, if finalized, would protect Americans from hidden and bogus fees, often referred to as “junk fees,” that are tacked onto consumer purchases, from cable bills and apartment rental agreements to car rentals, plane tickets, and hotel reservations. Across the Nation, families are struggling to make ends meet, in part, because of these fees. As such, I encourage the Commission to finalize this proposed rule as soon as possible. On January 24, 2024, I released a report entitled, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families.” My report details how corporations use hidden fees to deceive consumers and increase corporate profits, which leaves families paying more than they should and puts honest businesses at a disadvantage. My report tracks the variety of junk fees facing families trying to pay their bills, estimating that an average Pennsylvania family may pay nearly $1,000 in junk fees alone over a single month. As the Commission correctly identified, Americans incur a significant burden from “hidden” and “misleading” fees. One estimate indicated that at least 85 percent of consumers have encountered an unexpected or hidden fee. My report highlights multiple instances where consumers are unaware that they will be expected to cover a fee until the final bill comes due. For instance, the final bill for a rental car could be 67 percent higher than the quoted base price because of junk fees. The consumer may also have little insight into what services they are paying for through the fee. Hotels and resorts have developed a practice of charging consumers “facility fees” and “destination fees” that cover services a consumer could consider standard—like internet access or access to a room safe—and extras that the consumer does not need or want, like bike rentals, tours, and unlimited calling. Fees are not limited to vacation purchases or luxury items—fees are tacked onto consumers’ everyday expenses. For instance, fees are increasingly added to apartment leases and cable bills. In a survey of tenants, more than 85 percent of respondents reported that their landlords charged rental application fees and excessive late fees. Estimates also indicate that cable bills are 33 percent higher than the advertised price when fees, taxes, and other charges are added to the bill. Corporations profit off unwilling and unaware Americans through junk fees. In 2018, the hotel industry made $2.9 billion from resort and amenity fees. Similarly, the cable industry is making an estimated $28 billion per year in corporate profits from junk fees—an average of $450 per customer per year. Corporations recognize that fees drive profits up—with some going as far as to note that fees make up a “substantial majority” of revenue and that restrictions on fees could impact “profitability.” Corporations should not be permitted to deceive Americans in pursuit of profits. Consumers should be able to make informed decisions without being saddled with hidden or bogus fees at the end of their purchases. Bringing transparency to junk fees will allow Americans to comparison shop for the product that best meets their needs and will protect honest businesses that are upfront with consumers about the price of their product. In my recent report, I laid out three priorities when it comes to combatting junk fees: (1) fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; (2) preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and (3) protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. The Commission’s proposed rule accomplishes these goals, and on behalf of Pennsylvania consumers, I strongly encourage the Commission to finalize the proposal as soon as possible. ###

Share Tweet

February 7, 2024

Casey, Klobuchar Introduce Bills to Make American Democracy More Accessible to People with Disabilities

New legislation would increase the accessibility of voting, running for office, and serving in local government Casey: “Our democracy is stronger and better off when every American has the opportunity to fully participate” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Rules Committee, introduced a package of legislation to make American democracy more accessible for people with disabilities. For many Americans with disabilities, certain barriers make it disproportionately difficult to vote, run for elected office, or serve in local government. The Accessible Voting Act would support state and local efforts to improve voter accessibility and remove barriers to voting. The Removing Access Barriers to Running for Elected Office for People with Disabilities Act would ensure people with disabilities do not lose their crucial, life-sustaining federal disability benefits when they campaign for elected office. The AID (Accessibility and Inclusion to Diversify) Local Government Leadership Act would provide local governments with limited budgets with funding to support accommodations for local elected officials with disabilities. In the House of Representatives, Rep. Madeleine Dean introduced companions to the Removing Access Barriers to Running for Elected Office for People with Disabilities Act and the AID Local Government Leadership Act, and Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon introduced a companion to the Accessible Voting Act. “Our democracy is stronger and better off when every American has the opportunity to fully participate. Yet for many people with disabilities, barriers remain to voting, running for office, and serving in local government,” said Chairman Casey. “This new suite of legislation will help tear down those barriers and ensure that people with disabilities are no longer disproportionately excluded from American democracy.” “The opportunity to run for office and the responsibility to serve in local government should be possible for every American—yet too often people with disabilities face unnecessary barriers to public service,” Rep. Dean said. “This package of legislation will help ensure that federal disability benefits are not jeopardized while people with disabilities pursue elected office and that funding for vital accommodations are available in public office. By breaking down these barriers, our communities can be better represented by every voice. I'm thankful to Senators Casey and Klobuchar for their leadership.” “Full participation in government is the bedrock of our democracy, but too often, Americans with disabilities face unnecessary barriers to accessing the ballot box, running for office, and serving in local government,” said Rep. Scanlon. “I'm proud to join Rep. Dean and Senators Casey and Klobuchar in introducing this suite of legislation that takes important steps to support people with disabilities, including many seniors and veterans, by addressing systemic inaccessibility across all aspects of civic life." Despite federal laws requiring accessible voting places, barriers for people with disabilities and older adults still exist. Many older Americans are unable to secure transportation to the polls, and it can be challenging for them to stand in long lines to cast their ballot. The Accessible Voting Act will establish new programs for ensuring voting accessibility, including creating a national resource center on accessible voting and expanding the number of options for casting a ballot in federal elections. For low-income people with disabilities, the threat of benefit loss essentially eliminates their option to run for elected office. The Social Security Administration can consider unpaid campaigning to be work and therefore may reduce or completely eliminate a person’s federal benefits, such as Social Security Disability Insurance. The Removing Access Barriers to Running for Elected Office for People with Disabilities Act would clarify to federal agencies administering disability benefits that campaigning for an elected office does not disqualify a person from receiving disability benefits. The AID Local Government Leadership Act would provide local governments with an ongoing accommodations fund to ensure current and future elected officials with disabilities have access to needed accommodations to perform their duties. Eligible communities include those that are rural communities, have a population of less than 10,000 people or are communities with a population between 10,000 and 200,000 with a federal poverty rate of 18 percent or higher. ###

Share Tweet

February 5, 2024

Casey Endorses Emergency Funding Bill to Secure Border, Protect National Security

Bipartisan bill includes FEND Off Fentanyl Act and key provisions of Casey’s Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) endorsed the bipartisan emergency border and national security funding bill released last night by his Senate colleagues. “This bipartisan bill provides critical steps towards securing our southern border, stopping fentanyl from coming into our Nation and destroying Pennsylvania communities, and cracking down on the transnational criminal organizations in the fentanyl supply chain. It also provides key assistance to Ukraine in the war against Vladimir Putin and to Israel as it works to defeat Hamas, while providing much-needed humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and around the world. I urge my colleagues in both the Senate and House of Representatives to put politics aside and pass this bill quickly. Our border and our national security are too important to not get this done.” The emergency supplemental spending bill includes funding to secure the southwest border by hiring additional border patrol agents and funding additional border security inspection technology and equipment to detect and stop fentanyl that is flowing into the United States through official ports of entry along the southwest border—provisions also included in Senator Casey’s Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. The bill also includes the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act. Casey has been traveling around Pennsylvania meeting with law enforcement and families of victims of fentanyl overdoses as he pushes for passage of both bills. The emergency bill also makes policy changes to streamline the asylum process and make it more orderly and increase the number of employment and family-based visas. The legislation also creates a pathway to residency for our Afghan allies who fought alongside U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. The bill also provides much-needed support to Ukraine as it fights back against Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion and assistance to Israel in its war against terrorist group Hamas. Additionally, the bill provides billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance to provide food, water, shelter, medical care, and other essential services to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine, and others caught in conflict zones around the world. ###

Share Tweet

February 2, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Cartwright, and Wild Press PennDOT and National Park Service to Reopen Route 611

Road forced to close in December of 2022 due to rockslide; kept closed by lack of coordination between the two agencies “The inability to find a path forward on the part of the two agencies has kept the road closed for over a year and become a burden on residents, businesses, commuters, and emergency vehicles,” the members wrote in a letter Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), and U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) and Susan Wild (D-PA-7) sent a letter to National Park Service Director Charles F. Sams III and Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll regarding the ongoing closure of Route 611 in Pennsylvania’s Northampton and Monroe Counties. In the letter, the members expressed frustration about how a lack of coordination between the two agencies has led to the road being closed for more than a year, and called for a compromise solution to reopen the road. “The inability to find a path forward on the part of the two agencies has kept the road closed for over a year and become a burden on residents, businesses, commuters, and emergency vehicles that have had to follow detours around the closure,” wrote the members. “We emphasize our collective frustration over this situation and request both PennDOT and NPS come together and find a compromise that satisfies NPS’s statutory requirements, prioritizes safety, and reopens Route 611.” Read the full letter HERE and below: Dear Director Sams and Secretary Carroll: We write today regarding the ongoing closure of Route 611 in Northampton and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania. This situation has been at a standstill for over a year, and we request your cooperation in seeking a solution as soon as you are able. As you both know, Route 611 has been closed since December of 2022 after heavy rains led to a rockslide along Mount Minsi, which blocked the road. Since then, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has been advancing plans to secure the rock face and reopen the road, which requires an Emergency Special Use Permit from the National Park Service (NPS). We understand that NPS has yet to issue this Emergency Special Use Permit, citing its obligation to adhere to requirements set forth by the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966, as well as concerns with the proposed scope of work. Without the Emergency Special Use Permit, PennDOT has not been able to move forward with the planned course of action it has deemed necessary to reopen the road. The inability to find a path forward on the part of the two agencies has kept the road closed for over a year and become a burden on residents, businesses, commuters, and emergency vehicles that have had to follow detours around the closure. While we recognize the statutory limitations both parties must navigate, this impasse cannot continue. The Route 611 closure contributes to regional frustrations with government parties seeming unwilling to work together or compromise. To that end, we emphasize our collective frustration over this situation and request both PennDOT and NPS come together and find a compromise that satisfies NPS’s statutory requirements, prioritizes safety, and reopens Route 611. Thank you for your attention to this issue. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to our respective offices. ###

Share Tweet

February 2, 2024

Casey Statement One Year After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

Casey has repeatedly fought for resources for Pennsylvanians affected by the derailment and worked to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for the cleanup and to help the community recover PA Senior Senator continues to push for passage of the Railway Safety Act Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement to mark one year since a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, OH, devastating nearby Darlington Township, PA, on February 3, 2023: “It has been one year since a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border, igniting a blaze that the people of Darlington Township, PA, and surrounding communities are, in many ways, still battling. Norfolk Southern’s repeated reckless actions—from cutting corners on safety, to neglecting to immediately inform local officials that vinyl chloride had been released into their communities, to refusing recovery aid to Pennsylvania residents—caused and exacerbated this crisis. The people of Darlington and East Palestine didn’t ask for this disaster, nor do they deserve the physical, emotional, and financial toll the derailment has taken. “This will happen again if we don’t take action. I am sick and tired of rail companies putting Pennsylvania communities at risk and getting away with it. Since the derailment, I’ve been fighting to pass the Railway Safety Act, bipartisan legislation to finally hold big rail companies accountable for derailments, make freight rail safer, and provide Darlington and communities like it with the resources they need to recover. Every day that goes by without this bill becoming law is a day when another Pennsylvania community could be at risk. I’m not going to stop pushing for the Railway Safety Act because it is long past time that big rail companies are subject to more than a slap on the wrist and because no community should have to suffer through the hell wrought by a hazardous derailment ever again. “Today I am thinking about the people of Darlington and the surrounding area who still live with the repercussions of Norfolk Southern’s trainwreck every day: the first responders who risked their lives, the farmers concerned about the safety of their crops, and the residents who fear potential exposures could lead to health problems for themselves and their families. No matter how long it takes, we need to make sure they don’t get left behind.” Following the Norfolk Southern Train Derailment in February 2023, Senator Casey, along with U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) and Ohio’s U.S. Senators, sent letters to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Transportation Safety Board urging them to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for releasing hazardous materials into the air and water, relaying rail safety concerns from constituents and experts, and asking them to ensure proper resources and assistance were reaching affected residents in Darlington Township. That same month, Senator Casey, along with members from both the Pennsylvania and Ohio congressional delegations, sent a letter to Norfolk Southern Corporation President and CEO Alan Shaw to remind him that his company, as the carrier responsible for operating the derailed train, has a legal and moral obligation to the residents of East Palestine, Ohio and Darlington Township, Pennsylvania. The Senators also demanded to know how the company plans to be an active member of response and clean-up operations as well as provide full, adequate, and equitable renumeration for the damages caused to the surrounding communities and environment by the derailment of their train. In March 2023, Senators Casey and Fetterman introduced bipartisan legislation, the Railway Safety Act, to prevent future train disasters by taking key steps to improve rail safety protocols, such as enhancing safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials, establishing requirements for wayside defect detectors, creating a permanent requirement for most major railroads to operate with at least two-person crews, increasing fines for wrongdoing committed by rail carriers, and more. In May 2023, the Railway Safety Act advanced of out the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation by a vote of 16-11. Included in the legislation are provisions based on Casey’s Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act to set aside funds—paid for by companies that ship and carry hazardous materials—to provide emergency responders, firefighters, and law enforcement with the financial resources needed to replace equipment, pay workers overtime, and address other urgent costs in the event of a serious derailment. In response to the concerns of farmers and agricultural producers in and around the Norfolk Southern derailment site in East Palestine and Darlington Township, Senators Casey and Fetterman sent a letter to Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Michael Regan, Administrator of the EPA urging the Biden Administration to deploy resources to the region to help farmers conduct any necessary testing of their soils, plant tissue, and livestock, and to interpret the results of those tests as they pertain to the safety and marketability of their crops and products. Additionally, after reports of Darlington Township residents being denied assistance, including reimbursements for receipts and inconvenience checks, at the Family Assistance Center in East Palestine, Ohio, Senator Casey, along with Senator Fetterman and U.S. Representative Chis Deluzio (D-PA-17), urged the company to provide assistance to Darlington Township residents in zip codes 16115, 16120, and 16141. In April 2023, Senators Casey and Fetterman wrote to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at the National Institutes of Health to request assistance for the impacted communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio by facilitating necessary health monitoring. In July 2023, the Senators sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Deputy Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Tristan Brown in support of a proposed rule requiring railroads to share real-time train consist information with emergency responders. This proposed rule is similar to language from the Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act and will help ensure the safety of first responders and their communities. The following month, Casey announced that Norfolk Southern had reimbursed Darlington Township for $544,700, the estimated cost to repair East Palestine Road, which was damaged as a result of the Norfolk Southern train derailment on February 3. Most recently, in January 2024, Casey and Fetterman urged Norfolk Southern to include Pennsylvania in its participation in the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System, a program the company partially joined after Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators called on them to do so. ###

Share Tweet

February 1, 2024

Casey, Moran Introduce Legislation to Remove Language Denigrating People with Disabilities from U.S. Code

The Words Matter Act would require appropriate language be used to address people with disabilities Casey: “We have an obligation to uplift people with disabilities and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, joined Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) – his fellow co-chair of the Congressional Down Syndrome Task Force – to introduce legislation that would update U.S. code by eliminating the words “mentally retarded” and replacing it with language that better respects the dignity of individuals with disabilities. Companion legislation was introduced in the House last April by Representatives Mark Pocan (D-WI), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). In 2010, Congress passed Rosa’s Law which eliminated the phrase “mental retardation” from much of federal law. However, the U.S. Code still uses various forms of those words, particularly in laws related to Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. The Words Matter Act would replace the term with “persons of moderate intellectual disabilities.” “As public officials, we have an obligation to uplift people with disabilities and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect,” said Senator Casey. “I’m proud to join with Senator Moran on this bipartisan bill to remove derogatory language from our laws and courts, and am committed to continuing to fight on behalf of Americans with disabilities.” “Individuals with disabilities deserve to be respected and valued,” said Senator Moran. “Language that is degrading to individuals with disabilities should be eliminated from our laws and courts. This legislation makes certain the courts are using language that is both accurate and appropriate and maintains the dignity of all people.” Senator Casey has long been a leader of efforts in the Senate to protect people with disabilities from discrimination and maltreatment. In 2011, he co-sponsored Rosa’s Law, the initial law which eliminated the phrase “mental retardation” from federal statutes. In 2014, Casey led the passage of legislation establishing the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program, which created tax-advantaged savings programs for eligible people with disabilities. Casey has also spearheaded efforts to increase the availability of affordable, accessible housing and improve the accessibility of government technology programs. ###

Share Tweet

January 31, 2024

Casey Applauds House Passage of Bill Expanding Child Tax Credit, Supporting Pennsylvania Businesses

Casey: Tax bill is “an important step towards ensuring families have the resources they need to thrive” Washington, D.C. - Today, after the House passed a bipartisan package expanding the child tax credit and supporting businesses across Pennsylvania and the Nation, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement: “The expanded child tax credit passed in the American Rescue Plan was a life-changing support for families around Pennsylvania and the Nation, and I have been fighting to reinstate it every day since it expired. This bipartisan deal passed by the House is an important step towards ensuring families have the resources they need to thrive, while also supporting businesses across Pennsylvania. Now it’s the Senate’s turn to send this bill to the President’s desk.” In 2021, Senator Casey led efforts in the Senate to include expansion of the child tax credit in the American Rescue Plan (ARP). As a result of the law’s passage, child poverty was cut in half nationwide, with millions of children being lifted out of poverty. Casey toured Pennsylvania to demonstrate the transformative impact the CTC on the lives of Pennsylvania’s families. In the wake of the provision’s success, Casey introduced legislation to build on the ARP and further reduce child poverty.

Share Tweet

January 31, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Applaud Confirmation of Karoline Mehalchick as U.S. District Judge for Middle District of Pennsylvania

Mehalchick, a graduate of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University, has served as Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since 2021 Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) are announcing that the Senate has confirmed Judge Karoline Mehalchick to serve on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania: “An experienced trial and appellate advocate, Judge Mehalchick has unwaveringly promoted the pursuit of justice for Pennsylvanians through her legal practice and pro bono work,” said Senator Casey. “In her 10 years of service as a federal magistrate judge, including her service as the Chief Magistrate Judge for the Middle District since 2021, Judge Mehalchick has exemplified competence, skill, and a fierce commitment to equal justice under the law. I look forward to seeing her showcase the kind of professionalism, fairness, and integrity that she’ll deliver as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.” “Congratulations to Judge Mehalchick on her confirmation to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. She is a dedicated public servant with more than a decade serving Pennsylvania, and I was proud to support her confirmation,” said Senator Fetterman. “I know Judge Mehalchick will give every Pennsylvanian in her court a fair hearing and do all she can to advance justice.” Judge Karoline Mehalchick is the Chief United States Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, where she has served since 2013. Previously, Judge Mehalchick was a partner at Oliver, Price & Rhodes from 2008 to 2013. She was an associate at the firm from 2002 to 2007. Judge Mehalchick served as a law clerk for Judge Trish Corbett on the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas from 2001 to 2002. She received her J.D. from Tulane Law School in 2001 and her B.A. from Pennsylvania State University in 1998. ###

Share Tweet

January 31, 2024

Casey, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Provide Every Child in America with Economic Opportunity

As families across the Nation grapple with high costs, the 401Kids Savings Act would create children’s savings accounts for every American child Alongside bill, Casey releases report detailing how 401Kids works and why we need it Outside analysis says 401Kids delivers $2.61 in benefits for every $1 invested, from increased income later in life, improved health, additional tax revenues, and lower crime Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH) and Suzan DelBene (D-WA) to introduce the 401Kids Savings Act. The new bill would create children’s savings accounts (CSAs) for every single child in America, building lifelong wealth and economic self-sufficiency for kids from families with limited resources. Funds from the accounts could be used for post-secondary education, starting a business, buying a house, or retirement security. Along with introducing the bill, Casey also released a new report called “401Kids: Building Wealth for the Next Generation,” which delves into the proposal and examples of how CSAs are already working for kids in several states. “A lack of income means you can’t get by, but a lack of wealth means you can’t get ahead,” said Senator Casey. “As American families grapple with rising costs, they deserve a way to save not just for their future, but for their children’s future. My 401Kids Savings Act would provide every child in this Nation with the cushion they need to take risks and pursue opportunities to create generational wealth.” “Part of the story of America is that anybody can get ahead with enough hard work and determination, but with every passing generation, young people are feeling less confident that that kind of opportunity still exists for them. It’s hard to climb the economic ladder when you’re buried under student loan debt or held down by the rising cost of housing,” said Senator Wyden. “Senator Casey’s bill is about restoring economic opportunity for young people with a smart approach that will give kids a brighter future, put families on stronger financial footing and pay dividends for our economy nationwide. I’m proud to come from a state that’s an innovator when it comes to helping working people save and build a nest egg, and Senator Casey’s bill is a great opportunity to build on that success.” “For too many Americans, the promise of the American Dream seems out of reach,” said Majority Leader Schumer. “The 401Kids Saving Act would invest in our nation’s youth and make it easier for future generations of children to build savings, escape poverty and obtain economic security. No one should miss out on the opportunity to go to college, own a home, or start a business because they don’t come from a wealthy family. This legislation would ensure that every child in America has much more ability to reach their full potential.” “Wealth inequality is one of the most intractable challenges facing our nation; it perpetuates injustice, slows economic growth, and fosters political dysfunction. Our bill would help reverse this worsening trend by ensuring that all children entering adulthood have the means to invest in their future,” said Rep. Beyer. “The positive effects of 401Kids accounts would go far beyond the children and their families who get accounts, because we know that when young adults can pursue education, start businesses, and buy homes, it creates economy-wide benefits. I thank Senator Casey and our other colleagues and partners for their leadership on this crucial legislation.” “Empowering children, particularly those from middle- and working-class families, to save and build wealth throughout their lifetime will instill financial capability in our young people, pave the way to lasting economic prosperity, and accomplish meaningful progress towards mending the racial wealth gap,” said Rep. Beatty. “As co-chair of the Financial Literacy and Wealth Creation Caucus, I am honored to lead the bicameral 401Kids Savings Act with Reps. Beyer and DelBene to give America’s youth the head start they need to pursue a degree, buy a home, or start a small business, enabling them to achieve a bright future.” “Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background, family's income, or where they live. Unfortunately, millions of young Americans are on track to have less wealth than their parents did at their age. This is especially true for low-income families and communities of color,” said Rep. DelBene. “This legislation would create universal children’s savings accounts and serve as an important step toward providing children with a financial foundation that will set them up for a successful future, helping them to better afford college, buy a home, or start a business.” Based on local models around the Nation, the 401Kids Savings Act would create children’s savings accounts that would be built on state 529 college savings platforms and managed by state Treasurers. Once the accounts are established for all newborns and kids under age 18, families, non-profits, employers, foundations, and others could contribute to a 401Kids Account which, starting at age 18, could be used for post-secondary education and training, a small business, a first home or retirement security. While all families could contribute up to $2,500 per year to the accounts, only lower- and moderate-incomes families would receive direct federal support. According to outside analysis by the Constellation Fund, for every dollar invested in 401Kids, society would receive at least $2.61 in benefits associated with increased income, improved health, additional tax revenues, and savings to other government sectors. Senator Casey has long led efforts in the Senate to uplift America’s children and ensure they have the resources and support they need to thrive. In 2021, he released his report, Five Freedoms for America’s Children, in which he outlined “five basic freedoms that our society must guarantee to our Nation’s children”—the freedom to learn, be healthy, well fed, safe from harm and—the subject of this bill—the freedom to be economically secure. In addition to endorsing the permanent expansion of the Child Tax Credit—the temporary expansion of which, in 2021, led to a historic reduction in child poverty—the “freedom to be economically secure” called for the automation creation of CSAs for every child in America. The 401Kids Savings Act affirms Casey’s commitment to that call. Endorsing organizations include: the Alfond Scholarship Foundation; The Aspen Institute, Financial Security Program;; California CSA Coalition; Change Machine; Children's Assets Policy Collaborative; City of St. Paul, MN; Commonwealth; Compass Working Capital; Grand Challenge for Social Work; Jesuit Conference Office of Justice and Ecology; National Association of Social Workers; Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; Northern California College Promise Coalition; SaverLife; Social Work Grand Challenge to Reduce Extreme Economic Inequality; and Vestwell. Read the full report about the 401K Savings Act and why we need it here. ###

Share Tweet

January 30, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Continue Push to Hold Norfolk Southern Accountable to Pennsylvanians After Company Starts Process of Joining Close Call Reporting System

Company joins limited pilot program covering workers in select other states, Senators push Norfolk Southern to include Pennsylvania Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) today continued their push to hold Norfolk Southern accountable after the company announced that it would take steps towards joining the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS), a program that allows employees to anonymously report near-misses or close calls on railroads when they see them and protects employees from retribution when they report these events. In August, Sens. Casey and Fetterman sent a letter to Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw regarding the company’s continued failure to join the program, after Norfolk Southern previously said they would join shortly after the derailment affecting East Palestine, OH and Darlington Township, PA. As Norfolk Southern announced that the pilot program they negotiated will only cover approximately 1,000 workers represented by two unions in Georgia, Indiana, and Virginia, the Pennsylvania Senators pushed Norfolk Southern to fully follow through on its commitment and include all Norfolk Southern workers in Pennsylvania as well. “While the announcement that Norfolk Southern will finally begin to join this critical reporting system at our urging is a good first step, the company now needs to expand the group to include Pennsylvania workers and support the Railway Safety Act to do right by its workers and our Nation’s rail communities. With families in Darlington still hurting from last year’s derailment, we must do more to support communities suffering from the reckless failures of big rail companies and prevent Pennsylvanians from ever having to go through this hell again,” said Senator Casey. “Nearly one year after the train derailment in East Palestine, Norfolk Southern finally took our advice and began the process of joining the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System. This is a positive step, but the fact that they haven’t committed to covering all workers in Pennsylvania – one of the two states most deeply affected by the toxic derailment a year ago – is just not enough. We need rail companies to implement these safety measures nationwide, and before a derailment, not after. Now, let’s pass the Railway Safety Act and make sure we hold these companies accountable,” said Senator Fetterman. Calling for Norfolk Southern to join C3RS was just one action that Sens. Casey and Fetterman have taken to push for accountability from Norfolk Southern and stand up for local residents affected by the toxic derailment. Last year, Casey visited Darlington Township to push for rail safety bills and hear from local residents while Sen. Fetterman held a roundtable with local farmers in Darlington Township affected by the derailment. Previously, Sens. Casey and Fetterman wrote to Shaw about the company’s legal and moral obligation to the residents of East Palestine and Darlington Township, demanding answers on how the company plans to be an active member of response and clean-up operations. They pressed the Environmental Protection Agency on its plan to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for releasing hazardous materials into the air and water. They wrote to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to share rail safety concerns they have heard from constituents, rail experts, and railroad workers as NTSB conducts its investigation into the derailment.?And finally, they worked with Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-PA) to urge Norfolk Southern to provide assistance to Pennsylvanians in Darlington Township after repeated reports that Pennsylvania residents were being turned away at the Family Assistance Center in East Palestine. The Pennsylvania Senators also joined with Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and J.D. Vance (R-OH) to introduce the bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2023 which would take much needed steps to improve rail safety protocols and prevent future train disasters like the derailment that devastated East Palestine and Darlington Township. The bill will take key steps to improve rail safety protocols, such as enhancing safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials, establishing requirements for wayside defect detectors, creating a permanent requirement for railroads to operate with at least two-person crews, increasing fines for wrongdoing committed by rail carriers, and more.

Share Tweet

January 30, 2024

Casey, Cassidy Introduce Legislation to Increase Bone Marrow Donations, Reduce Barrier to Donate

More than 9 million registered marrow donors in the United States but fewer than 10,000 Americans receive matches Many bone marrow donors decline to donate in fear of losing their job Bill will alleviate concerns by safeguarding donation-related leave for potential donors Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced legislation to remove obstacles to bone marrow donation and improve the chances of finding a match for patients in need of bone marrow. The Lifesaving Leave Act will ensure potential bone marrow donors can take leave from work to undergo marrow donation activities, which could vastly expand the pool of eligible donors. “Too many people waiting for bone marrow transplants can’t find a match because donors can’t take time off from work,” said Senator Casey. “I’m fighting for this bill because every potential donor has the opportunity to save a life, and we must ensure the fear of losing your job is not a barrier to doing so.” “Americans deciding to make a lifesaving bone marrow or blood cell donation should not have to worry about losing their job. Patients with life-threatening conditions depend on them,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This legislation makes it easier for Americans to provide these crucial donations to save lives.” The Lifesaving Leave Act would amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to permit leave for bone marrow or blood stem cell donation. Specifically, it would allow eligible employees a total of 40 nonconsecutive hours of unpaid leave during any 12-month period to donate and engage in the necessary pre-donation and post-donation activities for bone marrow and stem cell donation. Read more about the Lifesaving Leave Act here. ###

Share Tweet

January 26, 2024

Amid New Damage Assessment, Casey, Fetterman, Cartwright Continue to Push President Biden to Help Northeastern Pennsylvania Recover from Severe Flooding

Members of Congress: “This damage exceeds the capacity of the impacted local governments’ recovery capabilities if federal assistance is not provided.” On September 9, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties suffered serious damage from floods that claimed the lives of two residents and caused numerous injuries In November, Senators Casey and Fetterman and Congressman Cartwright sent a letter urging the President to approve Governor Shapiro’s request for a major disaster declaration In December, the Members sent a letter emphasizing the need for President Biden to help NEPA recover Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) sent a letter to President Joe Biden pushing him to grant Governor Josh Shapiro’s appeal of a December 2023 decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to deny Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Counties a major disaster declaration following serious flooding on September 9, 2023. The Members of Congress emphasize the case for Northeastern Pennsylvania’s eligibility for a major disaster declaration in light of new damage assessment figures from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Administration (PEMA) not included in the data used by FEMA prior to its decision to deny the request for federal funding to aid recovery efforts. “This damage exceeds the capacity of the impacted local governments’ recovery capabilities if federal assistance is not provided, especially when the high concentration of damages is considered. These new estimates demonstrate that it is critical for FEMA to reevaluate Governor Shapiro’s request for Public Assistance funding,” the Members wrote. “…we also recognize that a robust recovery will require funding from many sources. However, we would like to reiterate that those dollars should be a complement to rather than a replacement for the FEMA resources dedicated for recovery assistance.” If granted, the declaration would authorize emergency grants to help communities in Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties rebuild damaged or destroyed infrastructure. The full text of the letter to President Biden is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE. January 26, 2024 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: We write today in support of Governor Shapiro’s appeal to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding its December 2023 decision to deny Public Assistance to Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Counties following serious flooding in Northeastern Pennsylvania on September 9, 2023. Following the flooding, Governor Shapiro requested the major disaster declaration, specifically asking that Individual Assistance be authorized for Lackawanna County and that Public Assistance, which provides relief to public entities for certain emergency services and the repair or replacement of disaster damaged facilities, be authorized for Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Counties. We want to reiterate that the damage to local infrastructure was severe and ask that you evaluate the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Administration’s (PEMA) more recent damage assessments, which clearly demonstrate the need for federal support in Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming. It is our understanding that PEMA has identified greater costs from the storm that had not been accounted for in data used by FEMA to make its initial decision. While costs validated by FEMA at the close of the Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment (JPDA) were $12,953,212, PEMA’s updated estimates found an additional $11,896,393.06 that had not been considered in the JPDA. This would put the PEMA validated total damages at $24,849,605.06, above the per capita threshold required to qualify for Public Assistance. This damage exceeds the capacity of the impacted local governments’ recovery capabilities if federal assistance is not provided, especially when the high concentration of damages is considered. These new estimates demonstrate that it is critical for FEMA to reevaluate Governor Shapiro’s request for Public Assistance funding. As stated in our previous letter, we also recognize that a robust recovery will require funding from many sources. However, we would like to reiterate that those dollars should be a complement to rather than a replacement for the FEMA resources dedicated for recovery assistance. The communities in Northeastern Pennsylvania continue to express their need for support and we need to respond with federal assistance. We urge you to reevaluate the request for Public Assistance and approve Governor Shapiro’s current major disaster declaration request. Thank you for your consideration. ###

Share Tweet

January 26, 2024

ROUNDUP: Casey Leads Most Significant Congressional Review of Assisted Living Facilities in 20 Years

Washington Post: Senators challenge assisted living industry over wandering deaths, poor care Erie News Now: Senator Casey chairs hearing on assisted living facilities Penn Capital-Star: U.S. Senate panel examines quality, costs of assisted living centers The Hill: Assisted living facilities fall short when caring for aging US population, witnesses tell senators KFF Health News: Senate probes the cost of assisted living and its burden on American families McKnight’s Senior Living: Senators ask for federal study of assisted living, seek consumer feedback, ponder oversight Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, held a hearing on the American assisted living facilities and concerns residents and their families face regarding cost, transparency, and adequacy of care. The hearing, along with letters Chairman Casey sent to three of the largest corporate owners of assisted living facilities and the Government Accountability Office, constitute the most significant congressional review of the American assisted living industry in 20 years. At the hearing, Casey issued a public call for families to share their experiences navigating the assisted living landscape with the Aging Committee. Read excerpts of the coverage of Chairman Casey’s inquiry below: Washington Post: The chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), called Thursday’s hearing citing The Post’s reporting. He said deliberations about potential federal regulations would continue and asked the public to send stories of costs and care to help inform the committee. Casey said Thursday’s hearing — which included testimony from an advocate, an industry representative and a loved one who called the committee to report bad care — was the start of the biggest review of assisted living by the Senate in 20 years. “Unfortunately, what I heard today makes clear that we have a long way to go when it comes to guaranteeing the level of care that older Americans in assisted-living facilities deserve,” Casey said in a statement after the hearing. Penn Capital-Star: Sen. Bob Casey, chair of the Senate Committee on Aging, led a hearing Thursday to highlight the panel’s fact-finding mission. Unlike nursing homes, assisted living care is largely unregulated at the federal level. “It is long past time for Congress to reexamine this model and ensure that it’s meeting our nation’s needs,” the Pennsylvania Democrat said in his opening remarks. Citing a recent survey that found 80% of adults would not be able to afford four years in an assisted living facility, Casey appealed directly to the public to share their experiences. “I want to hear from you about the true cost of assisted living,” Casey said, holding a sign that urged people to submit stories to aging.senate.gov/assistedlivingbills. Erie News Now: Senator Casey spoke on how estimates for the cost of care is important to learn more about, as it can be unpredictable at assisted living facilities. “The more assistance and care a resident needs, the more they pay," said Casey. “And in some cases residents and families don't know the total cost until they receive their monthly bill.” Casey is asking Pennsylvania families, and all U.S. citizens, to share their monthly assisted living bills at the website here, so the committee has a better picture of the true cost of care. The Hill: Assisted living facilities are already inadequately prepared for the aging population, witnesses told a Senate panel during a Thursday hearing…Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) cited a survey from the National Council on Aging that found 80 percent of adults are unable to afford four years in an assisted-living facility. KFF Health News: Sen. Bob Casey, the Pennsylvania Democrat who chairs the panel, put out a call for residents and their families to submit their bills so the panel could assess the industry’s business practices. “I want to know more about what people are paying for assisted living and to have people tell their stories,” Casey said. “We want to hear from you about the true cost of assisted living and understand whether families have the information — the information that they need — to make this difficult financial and health care decision for a family member and for the family.” McKnight’s Senior Living: The spotlight on the assisted living industry got a little hotter on Thursday as congressional leaders called for a government study on industry pricing and transparency, announced a website and email address where consumers can share their bills and their experiences interacting with providers, and pondered increased federal involvement…Casey said that the “dramatic” growth of assisted living in recent decades makes it long past time for Congress to re-examine the model to ensure that it is meeting the nation’s needs. The United States, he added, must have the best long-term care system in the world. ###

Share Tweet

January 25, 2024

Casey Secures $78 Million to Make PA Drinking Water Safer, Improve Water Infrastructure

Infrastructure law has sent more than $600 million to Pennsylvania for clean drinking water upgrades Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) approved $72 worth of projects across the Commonwealth that will help communities access safe and clean water, remove and replace contaminated and hazardous pipes, and collect and treat wastewater. The selected projects are all receiving either full or partial funding from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act. “Pennsylvania’s state constitution affords the right to safe, pure water to every community in our Commonwealth. Thanks to the infrastructure law, we’re protecting people and the environment from water contamination, and ensuring the availability of clean, safe drinking water for homes and businesses,” Senator Casey said. Included in this round of funding is more than $61 million for drinking water projects, including replacing lead service lines across the Commonwealth, and more than $16 million for wastewater projects. In April 2023, Senator Casey announced $266 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to remove contaminants—like Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)—from Pennsylvania’s water supply and improve water infrastructure by replacing lead pipes. In September 2022, Casey announced $240 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to repair aging pipes, collect and treat wastewater and, build resiliency in the face of extreme weather events. See below for list of project recipients of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding: Project recipients of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding County Recipient Grant Amount Loan Amount Total Funding Project Type Allegheny Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority $13,779,719 $18,278,381 $32,058,100 Lead Pipe Removal Armstrong Ford City Borough $9,554,500 $4,770,500 $14,325,000 Lead Pipe Removal Armstrong Ford City Borough $2,407,081 $3,192,919 $5,600,000 Lead/Galvanized Steel Pipe Removal Blair Bellwood Borough Authority $3,437,176 $2,410,569 $5,847,745 Lead Pipe Removal Blair Bellwood Borough Authority $211,101 $280,019 $491,120 Lead Pipe Removal Northampton Easton Suburban Water Authority $1,102,099 $2,190,901 $3,293,000 Lead/Galvanized Steel Pipe Removal Potter Shinglehouse Borough $9,496,807 $5,995,193 $15,492,000 Wastewater Treatment Plant Updates Tioga Wellsboro Municipal Authority $1,024,000 $108,100 $1,132,100 UV Disinfection System Installation

Share Tweet

January 25, 2024

Casey Holds Hearing on State of Assisted Living Facilities

At hearing, Casey issued public call for families to share their experiences navigating the assisted living landscape Casey also touted oversight of major assisted living facility owners and urged for increased transparency around costs and quality of care Watch full hearing video here Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) held a hearing entitled, “Assisted Living Facilities: Understanding Long-Term Care Options for Older Adults.” The hearing examined the American assisted living landscape and significant concerns with workforce shortages, prohibitive costs, and a general lack of transparency about the adequacy of care. During the hearing, Chairman Casey touted letters he sent to three of the largest corporate owners of assisted living facilities, demanding transparency about their workforce issues and cost structures. He also addressed the exorbitant cost and insidious hidden fees that are charged by many assisted living facilities, and issued a public call for families to share their experiences navigating the assisted living landscape with the Aging Committee. “We have an obligation to ensure that all Americans have access to the quality care they need to age with dignity,” said Chairman Casey. “Unfortunately, what I heard today makes clear that we have a long way to go when it comes to guaranteeing the level of care that older Americans in assisted living facilities deserve. We must do better by the residents of these facilities and their families and ensure that safe and affordable care are widely available.” At the hearing, Casey also announced he was joining his colleagues Senators Fetterman, Gillibrand, Warren, Blumenthal, Kelly, and Warnock to send a letter the Government Accountability Office, asking them to conduct a study of how much federal money is spent on assisted living facilities, and the cost of assisted living services and how available and transparent that information is to families. Watch the full hearing here. ###

Share Tweet

January 25, 2024

Casey, Wyden, Murray Introduce Legislation to Reduce Cost of Child Care Through Tax Credits

To alleviate child care costs for working families, Casey, Wyden and Murray introduce Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act to permanently expand child care tax credits Bill increases the max credit amount to $4,000 per child, keeps pace with inflation, expands eligibility to low-income families In 2021, Casey secured temporary expansion of Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit that resulted in the average tax credit per family quadrupling from $593 to $2,158 Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, and Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee introduced legislation to ease the burden of child care costs on working families by making permanent tax cuts that Casey successfully fought for in the American Rescue Plan. Casey’s temporary expansion of a child care tax credit, the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC), quadrupled the average family’s credit from $593 to $2,158. Casey’s reforms also made low-income families eligible for the credit for the first time by making it refundable. The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act would make that expansion permanent. “We must do everything in our power to put affordable child care within reach for every family, as we did when we expanded tax credits to help families pay for child care in 2021. Child care costs were too high for too many families well before the pandemic and that problem isn’t going away unless we take action to lower costs,” said Senator Casey. “It’s long past time to step up and make the child care tax credit available to everyone at the actual cost of child care today.” “The cost of raising a family in Oregon and all over the country is way too high, and child care is one of the biggest expenses parents are facing today. People simply need more help,” said Senator Wyden. “Not only is this tax credit an important financial boost for parents, it’s also a matter of economic fairness for workers. The sky-high cost of child care puts way too many American families in a position where Mom or Dad is forced to leave their job to take care of the kids. That should be a choice people make because they want to, not because they need to for financial reasons. Senator Casey’s bill is about giving families more financial breathing room and more freedom to raise their kids and continue their careers in whatever manner they choose.” “The growing child care crisis is putting incredible strain on families in every corner of the country, and this bill would help get families some additional relief to afford the child care they need,” said Senator Murray. “Senator Casey continues to lead efforts to help lower families’ costs in every possible way, and I am proud to work right alongside him and Senator Wyden in fighting to help make child care affordable and accessible for everyone. Child care is not just a must for families—it’s an urgent economic challenge we must address.” “Child care is one the greatest expenses parents face, and often comes with a higher cost than what families spend on housing or in-state college tuition. The Child Care and Dependent Tax Credit helps offset the high cost of child care, but is in real need of modernization,” said First Five Years Fund Executive Director Sarah Rittling. “Senator Casey’s Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act of 2024 is a key part of the solution. The bill makes essential updates to the CDCTC to ensure more parents are able to keep more of what they make and helps make the child care they rely on more affordable. We are grateful for their leadership in supporting families with young children.” “The Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Act is a step in the right direction towards improving the affordability of high-quality child care for working families. By increasing the maximum value of the credit, families that struggle to meet monthly payments or qualify for public child care subsidy programs will now be able to offset up to $8,000 off their child care expenses,” said Patrick Murray, Vice President of Government Affairs, KinderCare Learning Companies. “KinderCare Learning Companies is proud to support this legislation and appreciative to Senators Bob Casey, Patty Murray, and Ron Wyden for their leadership on this issue.” “Often conflated with the child tax credit, the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit is one of the only tax incentives that helps working families with their child care expenses. As the cost of care increases, many families must contend with whether their current job pays enough to justify their child care expenses,” said Radha Mohan, Executive Director, Early Care & Education Consortium. “For families where one parent must leave the workforce because they cannot afford the cost of care, this often hurts the family from an economic standpoint in the long run. The CDCTC Enhancement Act helps ensure that families do not have to make this choice by providing a credit to offset the cost of care.” The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act would increase the maximum credit amount to $4,000 per child; automatically adjust it to keep pace with inflation; save money by phasing-out the credit for families making more than $400,000; and ensure low-income families can benefit from the tax credit by making it refundable, allowing families to receive up to $8,000 each. Senator Casey has been a leading voice in Congress to make high-quality child care affordable for families across the Nation. After successfully including the expanded child care tax credit in the American Rescue Plan, Casey urged families across Pennsylvania to take advantage of the expanded credit. He has also cosponsored the Child Care for Working Families Act every Congress since 2017, comprehensive legislation to cap costs of child care for working families, expand access to high-quality early childhood education and pre-K, and invest in the child care workforce. Additionally, Casey is a cosponsor of the Child Care Stabilization Act, which aims to provide much-needed funding to the child care sector, which was pushed to the brink of collapse by the pandemic. Senator Casey’s child care tax credit legislation builds on the good work done by Governor Shapiro and the Pennsylvania state legislature to expand the child care tax credit on the state level. The Commonwealth recently expanded the child care tax credit to use state funds to match the existing federal child care tax credit. Senator Casey’s legislation would make an expanded version of the federal tax credit permanent. In addition to Senators Casey, Wyden and Murray, the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act cosponsored by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angus King (D-ME), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Brian Schatz (D-HI). The bill is also endorsed by National Women's Law Center, Child Care Aware, Save the Children, First Focus, Campaign for Children, First Five Years Fund, Moms Rising, NAEYC, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), ROC United, Zero to Three, PA Partnerships for Children, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), KinderCare, Early Care and Education Consortium (ECEC). Read more about the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act here. ###

Share Tweet

January 24, 2024

Additional Fees May Apply: Casey Releases Greedflation Report Exposing Corporations for Charging Excessive Hidden Fees

Corporations are charging families excessive fees on everything from cable to credit cards to home rentals, hiding them until the last minute Junk fees include cable early termination fees, bank overdraft fees, car rental and hotel resort fees FTC estimates that families would save $1.23B per year on event tickets and hotel stays alone by requiring companies to move to all-in pricing, billions more if enacted across other industries Read Casey’s latest greedflation report “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” HERE Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children & Families, released his fourth greedflation report detailing how big corporations are tacking on excessive fees at the tail end of everyday purchases, from internet plans to ATM withdrawals. The new greedflation report entitled, “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” is a continuation of Senator Casey’s investigation into how corporate greed is squeezing families’ budgets and lays out Casey’s vision to hold these companies accountable to put money back in the pockets of American families. “From cable bills to rental cars, greedy corporations are ripping off hard-working American families with excessive fees to pad their bottom line. It’s sinful, and one of the reasons Americans are feeling squeezed when it’s time to pick up the check or pay off their credit card,” said Senator Casey. “My report exposes why working families’ dollars don’t go as far as they used to and what I’m doing to fight back against the corporations that are putting their profits over people.” Senator Casey believes that no Pennsylvanian should be blindsided by a junk fee and that the negative impacts of hidden fees can be mitigated by: fighting deceptive practices that allow corporations to hide the fees they charge consumers; preventing corporations from deceptively passing along their expenses to working families through bogus fees; and protecting businesses that are honest about their pricing structures. In November 2023, Casey released his first report, “Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families,” finding that between 2020 and 2022, corporate profits rose by?75 percent—five times as fast as inflation; 41 percent of inflation was due solely to corporate-profit making. The report detailed how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices on everything from toothpaste and toilet paper to Ben & Jerry’s and Diet Coke to rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families. The same month, Casey released his second report of his Greedflation series, “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive,” examining how the price of food has risen faster than most other goods and pushing the Federal Trade Commission and United States Department of Agriculture to investigate possible unfair pricing practices of major chicken and pork processors in the U.S. In December 2023, Casey released his third report of his Greedflation series, “Less Bang for Your Buck: Casey Releases Shrinkflation Report Exposing Big Corporations for Reducing Product Size While Keeping Prices High,” calling out household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations for reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. Read the full report “Additional Charges May Apply: How Big Corporations Use Hidden Fees to Nickel, Dime, and Deceive American Families” HERE or click on the report below. ###

Share Tweet

January 23, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Boyle, Scanlon Deliver $13 Million for PhilaPort Upgrades

Funding will build bridge between terminals to reduce turn time per call, save equipment run time Casey advocated for funding for the PhilaPort project PhilaPort has received more than $15.3 million from the infrastructure law to date Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2) and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5) announced the Port of Philadelphia (PhilaPort) is receiving $13,017,024 in new infrastructure funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funding will help enhance port operations, improve the flow of freight through the port, and prolong the lifespan of port equipment by building a new bridge to connect two critical terminals. The award is from the INFRA (Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects) program, which is bolstered by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). “I fought for this funding because PhilaPort is a critical link in our region and our Nation’s supply chains. The commerce moving through this region’s waterways create and sustain good-paying union jobs and spur economic growth,” said Senator Casey. “Thanks to the infrastructure law, PhilaPort continues to be one of the Nation’s premier maritime shipping hubs and helps transport more goods to families and businesses in Southeastern Pennsylvania and beyond.” “I am proud to announce yet another investment from the Biden Administration into Pennsylvania’s infrastructure,” said Senator Fetterman. “This $13 million for Philaport’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal (PAMT) Connector Bridge project will continue to expand the capacity of the port and strengthen economic development and job creation in the region.” "I voted for this federal infrastructure funding that will bring marked improvements and efficiencies to the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal,” said Congressman Boyle. “Our city relies heavily on our local ports. Investing in the modernization of the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal not only enhances our city and region's supply chains but also contributes to the overall economic growth and competitiveness of our community." “This new funding for PhilaPort’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal Connector Bridge Project will be critical to meeting our regional freight transportation needs while promoting economic growth, creating jobs, and keeping costs down for consumers and businesses,” said Rep. Scanlon. “I was proud to support PhilaPort’s application for this competitive grant, and will continue working to ensure our region is able to tap into the funding opportunities made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. ###

Share Tweet

January 22, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Wild Deliver $40 Million for Lehigh Valley Airport Upgrades

Funding will improve day-to-day operations, movement of freight Casey and Wild advocated for funding for the Lehigh Valley project With this funding, Lehigh Valley International Airport has received over $95 million in federal funding since the start of 2021 In 2023, 275,605,699 pounds of air cargo was processed through ABE Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Susan Wild (D-PA-7) announced Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) is receiving $40,798,046 in new infrastructure funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The award is from the INFRA (Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects) program, which is bolstered by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “I fought for this funding because Lehigh Valley International Airport is an economic engine that is critical to the success of the region,” said Senator Casey. “Investing in the airport’s freight capacity will create jobs, support Lehigh Valley businesses, and boost the airport’s status as a top transportation hub in Pennsylvania.” “I am proud to announce this $40 million investment in Lehigh and Northampton Counties’ infrastructure,” said Senator Fetterman. “This grant will help construct a consolidated multimodal cargo facility at Lehigh Valley International Airport that will significantly improve day-to-day operations and the movement of freight, leading to a stronger regional economy.” “This historic funding will revolutionize the Lehigh Valley International Airport’s ability to process record-breaking amounts of cargo,” said Rep. Susan Wild. “Our region is perfectly situated to be a hub for the transportation of critical products. I look forward to continuing to support investments that grow our local economy and bring new jobs to the Greater Lehigh Valley." “This funding is critical to helping the Airport Authority address an immediate need for additional air cargo capacity – which has seen approximately an 800% jump since 2014. With the Airport located within the Critical Urban Freight Corridor, we anticipate our numbers will continue to trend upward as the airport is an important conduit to the movement of goods across Pennsylvania and the Northeast Region,” said Executive Director Tom Stoudt. “We are thankful for the strong support from Senator Casey, Senator Fetterman, and Congresswoman Wild in securing the INFRA grant, ensuring the airport can have the necessary infrastructure to remain an economic driver for the region and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” The funding for ABE will support the Northside Logistics and Cargo Complex (NLCC) project, which will build new, on-airport cross dock facility, a direct truck-to-aircraft loading apron, and make road and intersection improvements to improve day-to-day operations and movement of freight. Casey, Fetterman, and Wild previously secured infrastructure funding for ABE to expand its security checkpoints and rehabilitate runways. ###

Share Tweet

January 19, 2024

Casey Welcomes Watchdog Report Examining Accessibility Barriers at Veterans Affairs

At Casey’s urging, new report was issued detailing issues with accessibility of VA’s websites and information technology systems Casey: “I hope this report finally spurs the action that people with disabilities, older adults, and veterans deserve” Washington, D.C. - Today, after the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (VA OIG) issued a report on VA’s compliance with the accessibility standards set by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, released the following statement: “I called for this report because the VA and the entire federal government needs to wake up to this issue. We would not ask someone using a wheelchair to walk up the courthouse steps, but we are doing something similar when we ask people with disabilities to use federal websites that are not accessible. The report shows that the Biden Administration has begun making long overdue progress on accessible technology at VA, but there is clearly more work to be done. I hope this report finally spurs the action that people with disabilities, older adults, and veterans deserve.” Citing bipartisan legislation and oversight that Chairman Casey led in recent years, the report found that VA consistently failed to make its websites fully accessible for people with disabilities as required by law. Between 2019 and 2022, fewer than 11 percent of VA’s public-facing websites were fully accessible, and fewer than 9 percent of its internal websites were fully accessible, the report found. Moreover, VA did not follow its own policies to ensure websites and technology were compliant with federal accessibility law, including a failure to track the accessibility of more than 200,000 internal websites. The report issued six recommendations, including that VA establish mechanisms to ensure web accessibility policies are enforced across the Department. Chairman Casey has long led calls in Congress for improving the accessibility of government websites and other technology. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal technology to be accessible for, and usable by, people with disabilities. However, in a report issued in December 2022 entitled Unlocking the Virtual Front Door, Chairman Casey found that inaccessible federal technology creates barriers for people with disabilities to access essential services, including VA benefits, health care, employment, Social Security, and more. Chairman Casey’s report issued 12 recommendations, including a call for inspectors general to increase independent oversight of Section 508 compliance—a recommendation that the Biden Administration adopted in December via a report issued by the General Services Administration and guidance from the Office of Management and Budget. In 2020, Chairman Casey passed the VA Website Accessibility Act that required VA to report on the accessibility of the Department’s websites and kiosks. VA’s report to Congress, released in 2021, found that only 10 percent of VA’s websites were fully accessible. In response, Chairman Casey led a bipartisan push for VA to do better. This week’s VA OIG report found results that corroborated Casey’s findings in his own report, Unlocking the Virtual Front Door—namely, that there are many steps VA needs to take to ensure that its websites and information technology systems are equally accessible to all. To further advance accessibility at VA, Chairman Casey last year introduced the bipartisan Veterans Accessibility Act, which is supported by 15 veterans service organizations and disability groups. The legislation would establish a Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access at VA that issues regular reports on VA’s compliance with federal disability laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. The reports will include recommendations for improving VA’s compliance, and will be shared with Congress, the public, and agencies that oversee the Nation’s disability laws. Veterans with disabilities will be among the advisory committee’s members, ensuring that their voices are heard. ###

Share Tweet

January 18, 2024

Casey Announces $132 Million in Funding for Major Pittsburgh Bridges

Influx of federal funding from infrastructure law allows PennDOT to reallocate funds, make vital repairs to additional, critical projects McKees Rocks Bridge, West End Bridge, Fort Duquesne Bridge all receiving repairs and upgrades Infrastructure law has delivered more than $1 billion to repair Pennsylvania bridges Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced $132 million for three major Pittsburgh bridges: the McKees Rocks Bridge is receiving $25 million; the West End Bridge is receiving $47 million; and the Fort Duquesne Bridge is receiving $60 million. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is directly funding the McKees Rocks Bridge and Fort Duquesne Bridge projects. “The infrastructure law is making Pittsburgh’s many bridges safer for the thousands of residents, commuters, and travelers who rely on them every day,” said Senator Casey. “The McKees Rocks, West End, and Fort Duquesne Bridges are vital to keeping the City of Pittsburgh moving. When we improve the condition of our bridges, we strengthen the region’s economy and make the City of Bridges easier to navigate.” This funding will enable the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to make critical repairs to the bridges, including repainting their superstructures, fixing steel components, and repairing and replacing joints and bearings. This work will enhance the bridges’ structural integrity and longevity and provide a smoother traveling experience. The infrastructure law, which Senator Casey voted to pass, has not only funded improvements to hundreds of bridges, but has enabled PennDOT to reallocate existing funding to additional bridges in Pittsburgh and across the Commonwealth. The $132 million in funding will ultimately promote economic growth for the surrounding communities. For example, the West End Bridge connects the West End and points south to Chateau and the rest of the North Side; the McKees Rocks Bridge serves as a vital artery for industrial freight and commuters; and the Fort Duquesne Bridge connects downtown Pittsburgh to points north, east, and west, ferrying commerce, travelers, and Pittsburgh sports fans on game day. ###

Share Tweet

January 18, 2024

Casey Secures Federal Investment for PA Wilds Outdoor Recreation and Workforce Initiative

Casey secures $387,500 for Pennsylvania Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, an economic development organization Appalachian Regional Commission grant made possible by Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will help spur new investment in communities in North Central Pennsylvania Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) secured a $387,500 grant for the Pennsylvania Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship to stimulate growth in the region’s tourism and outdoor recreation workforce. The grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will be matched with $258,500 in local and state funds to help rural North Central Pennsylvania communities, including coal communities, spur new investment and create good-paying jobs. “The Pennsylvania Wilds Center has worked for years to grow tourism and outdoor recreation in 13 counties in North Central Pennsylvania,” said U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “Their work showcases our state’s crowning natural resources and stimulates local economies, creating jobs for Pennsylvanians where they live. This grant will help the PA Wilds to expand its work to strengthen the region’s outdoor recreation workforce and support rural economies.” As the Pennsylvania Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship has fought to bolster the region’s outdoor recreation and tourism industry, Senator Casey has successfully fought for funding for the organization. Last September, Casey secured a $736,000 economic development investment for the economic development initiative. In December 2021, the Pennsylvania Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship was awarded $500,000 as part of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge, an American Rescue Plan initiative that allocated more than $200 million for coal communities, to support the region’s emerging outdoor recreation industry by capitalizing on the growing tourism market through recreation infrastructure development, workforce development, and incentivizing private investment. Senator Casey continues to advocate for additional federal resources to allow the PA Wilds to further the mission to preserve natural resources, invest in the outdoor recreation and tourism industry, and help revitalize communities across the 13-county region. This grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission was made via the Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies. The program was created with funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Casey fought to pass in 2021.

Share Tweet

January 16, 2024

Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio, Lee Push Pittsburgh VA System to Resolve Challenges, Improve Health Care for Southwestern PA Veterans

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and Summer Lee (D-PA-12) sent a letter to press Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) Director Donald Koenig for answers on the challenges facing VAPHS, including chronic staffing shortages, the lowest possible rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and a patient suicide onsite last year. The Members of Congress asked Director Koenig to identify the causes impacting the health system’s ability to continue to provide high-quality care to more than 84,000 veterans in the region annually and to develop and report action plans to address these issues. “We appreciate your efforts to improve VAPHS and address some of its pressing needs, including chronic staffing shortages, opening a new outpatient clinic in Monroeville, and the critical structural issues at the 70-year old University Drive hospital,” the Members wrote. “Despite these efforts, challenges remain—some unique to VAPHS and others related to the VA health care system as a whole—degrading the system’s ability to provide the vital care both needed and expected by the region’s veterans. Addressing the barriers to this vital care, including the VAPHS’s shortage of vans for veteran transportation, inconsistent communication between VAPHS management, line leaders, and frontline workers, and uncertain security measures to protect and inform veterans and employees, will ultimately produce the end-results desired by us and you—a health system providing high-quality care and services to its veterans.” Read the full letter HERE or below: January 16, 2024 Mr. Donald Koenig Director, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Pittsburgh VA Medical Center University Drive C Pittsburgh, PA 15240 Dear Director Koenig: Thank you for your work at the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) over the last four and half years. Starting the role, you were the sixth medical system director to rotate through VAPHS in five years, following the aftermath of the 2012 Legionnaires’ outbreak. That turnover rate demonstrates the challenges of running a health system operating at the VA’s highest complexity level and serving over 84,000 veterans annually. We appreciate your efforts to improve VAPHS and address some of its pressing needs, including chronic staffing shortages, opening a new outpatient clinic in Monroeville, and the critical structural issues at the 70-year old University Drive hospital. Despite these efforts, challenges remain—some unique to VAPHS and others related to the VA health care system as a whole—degrading the system’s ability to provide the vital care both needed and expected by the region’s veterans. Addressing the barriers to this vital care, including the VAPHS’s shortage of vans for veteran transportation, inconsistent communication between VAPHS management, line leaders, and frontline workers, and uncertain security measures to protect and inform veterans and employees, will ultimately produce the end-results desired by us and you—a health system providing high-quality care and services to its veterans. First, although hiring and retention have improved significantly over the last year, we have heard that it consistently takes significant time to post for the hiring of positions, even when management becomes aware of a future need. Additionally, we have heard that, even with the flexibility and incentives provided by PACT Act authorities, VAPHS remains short-handed in several key disciplines, including: Registered Nursing, behavioral health, Medical Support Assistance, and housekeeping. To address these hiring-related concerns, we ask that you develop a system to track the amount of time between VA management becoming aware of a talent need and VA posting a position to hire to address that need and keep us apprised of this information quarterly. We also ask that you identify the causes of your remaining talent shortfalls and actions to address those shortfalls as well as limitations imposed by current VA authorities. Second, VAPHS was one of only nine VA Medical Centers and Healthcare Systems out of 114 rated to receive a one-star rating from the recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ratings. We realize this year was the first that VA received ratings on the same scale as non-VA health providers, that certain priority metrics do not correlate equivalently due to differing incentive structures at the VA (versus the private sector), and that these metrics provided a dated view of VAPHS’s performance. However, we remain concerned by the ratings and have high expectations for improvement over the current rating period. Please let us know what steps you are taking to improve upon the one-star rating and the degree of improvement that you expect VAPHS to reasonably achieve over the next round of ratings. Third, we understand that you do not have sufficient vehicles, including handicap-accessible vehicles, to transport veterans to and from appointments and to fulfill other needs across VAPHS. We understand many older vehicles are no longer fit for service and the nationwide microchip shortage has significantly delayed access to replacement vehicles. We encourage you to explore all possible pathways to restoring VAPHS’s ability to provide transportation services to all those veterans in need and ask that you reach out to our offices if you believe that we can support you in this regard. Fourth, on October 10, a veteran died by suicide at the H. John Heinz III VA Medical Center. We know you have already conducted a thorough investigation of the incident and are continuing to identify and enact security reforms to avoid a future suicide. We have heard from employees at the facility that communication surrounding the incident and the after-action review left room for improvement. We ask that you personally provide a briefing to our offices on the suicide’s circumstances, VAPHS’s root cause analysis and assessment of its security measures, changes made following the analysis and assessment to prevent another suicide from occurring at VAPHS, and, through this entire process, VAPHS’s communications to employees. Lastly, we have heard that the consistency of communications and quality of relationships between VAPHS management, service line leadership, and union leadership have not yet returned to pre-2017 levels. Your lack of timely and responsive communications with our offices about pressing challenges facing your health system amplifies our concerns. If we find it difficult to get to the bottom of issues involving VAPHS, front-line employees likely face insurmountable challenges. One particular opportunity for improvement we see is the reinstatement of a Labor Management Forum (LMF) at the VAPHS level. We encourage you to restart this forum at the VAPHS level and use it to seek input on VAPHS improvements and align key stakeholders on current and future initiatives, including those enabled by the PACT Act. We hope you take our suggestions seriously and appreciate your continued partnership in providing the best care available to the veterans of southwestern Pennsylvania and nationwide.

Share Tweet

January 16, 2024

Casey, Kelly Introduce Bill to Strengthen Border Security to Stop Flow of Fentanyl

The Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act will increase staffing and technology to detect and stop the flow of fentanyl coming across the border Bill strengthens security at ports of entry along southwest border, which is the most common way criminals smuggle fentanyl into the U.S. Casey, Kelly have previously pushed Biden administration for more funding to secure the border Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced legislation to reduce the flow of fentanyl by providing much-needed resources to secure the southwest border. The Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act increases staffing capacity and technology to detect illicit drugs and other contraband being smuggled through ports of entry along the border. The bill targets the most common way that fentanyl is coming into the United States: through ports of entry along the southwest border. “So much of the fentanyl devastating Pennsylvania families and communities is being smuggled across our southern border,” said Senator Casey. “This bill will help stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. and provide the hardworking law enforcement officers at the border with the resources, technology, and support they need to do their jobs and secure our border. This bill is a part of a multipronged approach to end the fentanyl crisis by cracking down on the criminals producing and smuggling fentanyl, securing our border, and providing the Americans impacted by fentanyl with the help they need.” “Border Patrol and Port Officers have been stretched far too thin as they do the difficult job of keeping our country safe every single day,” said Senator Kelly. “This bill would give federal law enforcement the additional personnel and technology needed to keep our ports of entry fully staffed, stem the flow of illegal drugs, and secure the border.” The Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act would enable U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire more Officers and Border Patrol Agents to increase capacity to stop illicit smuggling over the border. The bill also provides funding to purchase Non-Intrusive Inspection systems, which scan vehicles and cargo at the border to provide detailed images of their interiors, which leads to the detection of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. Additionally, the bill would create an inspection program to increase seizure of firearms, which Mexican cartels frequently purchase in the United States and smuggle into Mexico to support their fentanyl production operations and other violent criminal enterprises. In addition to Senators Casey and Kelly, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Lujan (D-NM), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Rosen (D-NV), Baldwin (D-WI), Klobuchar (D-MN), Warner (D-VA), and Brown (D-OH). In addition to introducing the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act, Senators Casey and Kelly have pushed President Biden to prioritize additional resources to strengthen the security at the southwest border to stop the flow of illicit drugs like fentanyl through ports of entry along the border. Casey and Kelly also support a number of bills to address different aspects of the fentanyl crisis, including the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which targets the criminal organizations in the fentanyl supply chain by sanctioning and blocking their financial assets. Casey has also introduced bills to support grandparents raising grandchildren, many of whom have been impacted by the opioid crisis, and to eliminate the cost of opioid treatment and recovery support services for those who need it. A full timeline of Senator Casey’s work to combat the opioid crisis can be found here. Read more about the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act here.

Share Tweet

January 16, 2024

Casey Demands Three of the Largest Assisted Living Facility Owners Answer Concerns About Workforce, Cost, and Quality of Care

In letters to CEOs of largest facility owners, Casey pushes for information about high costs, worker shortages, and safety of residents Letters follow disturbing reporting about widespread care, cost, and workforce issues at American assisted living facilities Casey will hold Aging Committee hearing addressing these concerns on January 25 Casey: “I have an interest in ensuring that older adults and people with disabilities are receiving high-quality care, have access to proper housing, and receive good value for their hard-earned dollars” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, sent letters to the CEOs of three of the largest corporate owners of American assisted living facilities—Atria Senior Living, Brookdale Senior Living, and Sunrise Senior Living. The letters address significant concerns about workforce shortages and expensive and inadequate care in assisted living facilities raised by recent reporting in the Washington Post and New York Times. In the letters, Chairman Casey requests a series of information from the companies about these concerns. “The Senate Special Committee on Aging has jurisdiction over the problems older adults face, including matters of maintaining older adults’ health, their ability to secure proper housing, and their ability to obtain care or assistance when needed. Since its formation in the 1960s, the Committee has frequently used its authority to examine private companies when concerns arise about potential health and safety, as well as financial risks posed to older adults. As Chairman, I have an interest in ensuring that older adults and people with disabilities are receiving high-quality care, have access to proper housing, and receive good value for their hard-earned dollars,” wrote Chairman Casey. In addition to sending the letters, Chairman Casey will hold an Aging Committee hearing on January 25th entitled “Assisted Living Facilities: Understanding Long-Term Care Options for Older Adults,” where the challenges faced by assisted living facility residents will be examined in further detail. Read the full text of the letters HERE or sample letter below: Lucinda M. Baier CEO of Brookdale Senior Living 111 Westwood Place, Suite 400 Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 Dear Ms. Baier: As the Nation continues to age, older adults and their families face growing challenges finding care that is reliable, affordable, and safe. Throughout my time in Congress, I have worked to improve the transparency, quality, and safety in the long-term care sector, advocating for expanded access to home and community-based services, improved oversight of nursing homes, and stronger support for the health care workforce. With an estimated one million older adults and adults with disabilities residing in assisted living facilities, it is critical to ensure they and their families can access accurate and timely information about services provided, the costs of assisted living services, and the quality of care. As one of our Nation’s largest providers of care in assisted living facilities, I request information to better understand your company’s offerings for older adults and people with disabilities. Assisted living facilities, including residences that are referred to as “memory care” settings, are state-regulated residences that provide housing, meals, and other services, that are meant to enable people to live independently. Residents of these facilities have access to varying levels of assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing, mobility, and other personal care needs, as well as sometimes with more complex needs such as financial and medication management. While initially intended as a social model for older adult residents needing a low level of support, people living in assisted living facility today are older, require more care, and have a similar level of acuity to nursing home residents. In addition, nationally, approximately 40 percent of assisted living facility residents have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. As a result, assisted living facilities are home to residents with a wide range of care needs, which may require different levels of care over time. A recent series in the New York Times highlighted the challenges residents and their families face due to the costs of assisted living care. The series demonstrated the difficulties of obtaining adequate long-term care, gaps in coverage of private long-term care insurance, the structure of costs for assisted living, and additional fees charged by assisting living facilities. The national median cost for assisted living services is $4,500 per month, or $54,000 annually. On top of base expenses, residents may incur additional costs for meals, medication assistance, personal safety alarms, or assistance from an aide for tasks as routine as taking blood pressure readings—amounting to thousands of dollars in additional expenses every month. These additional fees make it difficult for individuals and their families to accurately determine monthly and annual costs and can put care out of reach of many families. One analysis showed 80 percent of older adults with modest assets would be unable to afford four years in an assisted living community. Despite these high costs, residents in assisted living facilities have been put in harm’s way, leading to avoidable injuries and death. The Washington Post recently revealed that more than 2,000 people have wandered away or been left unattended outside of their assisted living facilities since 2018, resulting in at least 98 deaths, including seven in my home state of Pennsylvania. The Post also identified multiple instances of staff ignoring warnings, such as door alarms and automated texts triggered when residents leave assisted living facilities. In one case, staff at an Iowa facility ignored multiple alerts while a resident with Alzheimer’s wandered away and was left outside for more than eight hours in freezing conditions. The Post further found that staff in facilities skipped hourly or nightly resident checks; incorrectly administered life-saving medications; slept on the job; and falsified records. Most states require facilities to report missing residents and preventable deaths, however that data is difficult to find, compare, and aggregate on a national level. While the Post found that state regulators have cited facilities more than 200 times for failing to properly report missing residents since 2018, this figure likely undercounts the frequency of these incidents. Without any sort of national database or tracking, the real number of residents who have gone missing is unknown. As in the rest of the long-term care industry, staffing shortages in assisted living facilities are a significant challenge. In a 2022 national survey of 120 facilities by the National Center for Assisted Living, 63 percent of respondents reported moderate or high staffing shortages, and 98 percent said they asked staff to work extra shifts to make up for staffing shortages. The Post further found that 43 percent of assisted living workers, excluding new hires, left their jobs in 2022. As a result of these shortages, one direct care worker may be responsible for 20 or more residents. The Senate Special Committee on Aging has jurisdiction over the problems older adults face, including matters of maintaining old adults’ health, their ability to secure proper housing, and their ability to obtain care or assistance when needed. Since its formation in the 1960s, the Committee has frequently used its authority to examine private companies when concerns arise about potential health and safety, as well as financial risks posed to older adults. As Chairman, I have an interest in ensuring that older adults and people with disabilities are receiving high-quality care, have access to proper housing, and receive good value for their hard-earned dollars. Given the continuing concerns regarding high costs, worker shortages, and the adequacy of care I request that you provide the following information and documents no later than February 5, 2024. Published reports have raised concerns about the costs and hidden fees that put a financial strain on assisted living facility residents and their families. How does your company communicate available services at its facilities—and their associated costs— to prospective residents, current residents, their family members, and other responsible parties? Please provide the minimum, maximum and median base rate that your company charges at its facilities in each state. Please provide a schedule of services, and their costs, for all services offered to residents, but not included in the base rate. Please provide the average revenue per occupied unit for each of the last seven years, and an explanation of the material factors that accounted for year-over-year changes. The Post’s reporting highlighted the difficulty that residents and their families experience obtaining accurate and transparent information about safety and quality concerns at assisted living facilities. For each of the last five years, please provide data regarding the number of residents who have wandered away, and the number of residents who have been injured due to being left unattended, at any facility owned or operated by your company, a subsidiary, a joint venture, or other related third parties. How does your company ensure that residents and families can easily review complaints and any citations issued to facilities owned by your company, its subsidiaries, joint ventures, and any related third parties? What are the policies and procedures for informing current residents and their families about accidents such as falls, injuries, elopements, violent interactions with other residents, etc.? How does your company audit its facilities and staff to ensure that these reporting standards are being met? Please provide the most recent companywide audit that has been conducted. The insufficient long-term care workforce is having a negative effect on the quality of care residents receive, as well as resident safety. Researchers have found that assisted living facility residents experience fewer hospitalizations in states that mandate specific staffing ratios. What, if any, staffing requirements does your company have in place for facilities it owns or operates, or is owned and operated by a subsidiary, joint venture or related third party? To the extent your company maintains internal staffing ratio targets, please provide them. Please also answer the following questions about internal staffing ratios: How do staffing ratios vary between weekdays and weekends, and between days and nights? How do staffing guidelines vary between the different states you operate in? What percentage of your facilities are meeting these staffing standards? Inadequate pay for direct care workers has long raised concerns with the ability of long-term care facilities to attract and retain a sufficient workforce. Please provide a schedule of job titles and pay bands for every employee position at your company and its subsidiaries. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. If you or your staff has questions, please contact Peter Gartrell, Chief Investigator for Chairman Casey at (202) 224-5364. Sincerely, Chairman Bob Casey ###

Share Tweet

January 11, 2024

Casey, Rubio Urge Panama to Crack Down on Transport of Iranian Oil in Violation of U.S. Sanctions

Senators call for investigation of Iran’s “ghost fleet” used to circumvent sanctions Investigation would enforce U.S.-imposed sanctions on Iranian oil; Iran funds terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas with oil revenue Senators: “Hamas’ barbaric attack on Israeli civilians on October 7 highlights the urgency of depriving this regime of the funding it uses to advance its evil agenda.” United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) has identified 383 suspected “ghost fleet” vessels, including 189 Panamanian-flagged vessels (49% of all vessels) Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) led 29 of their colleagues in sending a letter urging the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) to investigate the 189 Panamanian-flagged vessels of concern suspected of transporting Iranian oil in violation of U.S. sanctions. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Iranian oil in 2018 and 2019 to cut off a significant source of revenue it uses to fund terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas, cartel activity, nuclear proliferation, and other nefarious activity in the Middle East and the Western Hemisphere. Iran uses “ghost fleets,” vessels marked with the flags of other nations, as a loop hole to export oil—and 49% of these vessels hold the Panamanian flag. “From supporting proxy groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, to backing the brutal Syrian regime, to accelerating its nuclear, drone, and ballistic missile programs, to killing hundreds and arresting thousands of its own people in violent crackdowns on domestic protests, Iran consistently works in opposition to peace, stability, democracy, and shared American values and interests across the Middle East,” the Senators wrote. “…Thanks to the ghost fleet, Iran has been able to export hundreds of millions of barrels of Iranian oil in recent years, which ultimately fund the regime’s continued human rights violations, proxy forces, and nuclear proliferation program.” Using open-source data, the nonprofit United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) has identified 383 suspected “ghost fleet” vessels, including 189 Panamanian-flagged vessels (49% of all vessels). Compared to other countries, including other flag of convenience states, Panama has not acted as diligently to investigate and de-flag vessels of concern based on UANI’s notifications. A stronger effort from Panama would greatly reduce the number of vessels transporting Iranian oil, which would limit Iran’s revenue. Senator Rubio introduced and Senator Casey cosponsored the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act, which would impose sanctions on Iranian oil purchases. Joining Senators Casey and Rubio to sign the letter were Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), James Risch (R-ID), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Kennedy (R-LA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Rick Scott (R-FL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Bruan (R-IN), Angus King (I-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Fetterman (D-PA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Peter Welch (D-VT). Full text of Senator Casey and Senator Rubio’s letter is below and the signed PDF can be found here. January 11, 2024 Mrs. A. Monterrey Department of Resolutions and Inquiries Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) 404, Segumar Office Albrook, Panama City, Republic of Panama CC: H.E. Ramón Martínez de la Guardia Panamanian Ambassador to the United States 2201 Wisconsin Ave NW, #C100 Washington, DC 20007 Dear Mrs. Monterrey: We write to you in light of our shared belief that Panama is a strong democratic ally and a crucial trade and security partner of the United States. As you know, it has been bipartisan U.S. policy for decades to deprive Iran of the financing and resources it uses to fund international terrorism. In addition to threatening regional security in the Middle East, Iran has been credibly linked to transnational criminal activity and terrorism in our own hemisphere.1 We therefore request that you cooperate with the United States and conduct investigations into a significant number of ships registered in Panama which are alleged to transport Iranian oil in violation of U.S. sanctions. The United States has enacted a series of sanctions on the Iranian regime in response to and in condemnation of Iran’s serious human rights abuses and state sponsorship of terrorism. From supporting proxy groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, to backing the brutal Syrian regime, to accelerating its nuclear, drone, and ballistic missile programs, to killing hundreds and arresting thousands of its own people in violent crackdowns on domestic protests, Iran consistently works in opposition to peace, stability, democracy, and shared American values and interests across the Middle East. Hamas’ barbaric attack on Israeli civilians on October 7 highlights the urgency of depriving this regime of the funding it uses to advance its evil agenda. In our own hemisphere, we note Iran’s involvement in the heinous 1994 bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA), which killed 85 people.2We further noteIran’s ongoing support to the authoritarian regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, as well as the participation of Hezbollah, one of Iran’s proxy groups, in narcotics and weapons trafficking in the western hemisphere. Roughly a quarter of Iran’s revenue is derived from oil exports. In 2018 and 2019, the United States imposed sanctions on Iranian oil that significantly restricted these exports. In recent years, Iran and its buyers have used a “ghost fleet” of vessels employing creative techniques to conceal the origin of Iranian oil, allowing Iran’s oil revenues to rebound. These techniques include transferring oil between tankers at sea, turning off GPS trackers before docking in Iran, repainting vessels mid-journey, “flag hopping” between different national registries, and labeling oil as different types of fuels. Thanks to the ghost fleet, Iran has been able to export hundreds of millions of barrels of Iranian oil in recent years, which ultimately fund the regime’s continued human rights violations, terrorist proxy forces, and nuclear proliferation program. We respectfully ask that you thoroughly investigate the alleged involvement of these 189 ships in transporting sanctioned Iranian oil and follow your established procedures to de-flag ships whose involvement is corroborated by available evidence, decline to flag such vessels again in the future, and extend similar scrutiny to vessels under suspicion of evading sanctions on other countries. We hope this issue can be given the urgent attention that it merits and serve as another example of the historic cooperation between our countries to advance international peace and security. We appreciate your time and attention to this crucial issue. ###

Share Tweet

January 11, 2024

Casey Pushes Watchdog to Investigate Effects of Greedflation and Shrinkflation on American People

In letter, Casey calls on the Government Accountability Office, an independent watchdog, to examine effects of corporate greed on American consumers Casey: “The American people should not have to tolerate corporate executives squeezing them for every last nickel and dime” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), urging the oversight agency to examine the effects of corporate greed on American consumers. In recent months, Senator Casey has released a series of reports showing that working families across our Nation are paying higher prices due to greedflation, where big corporations use economic turmoil as cover to raise prices beyond the rate of inflation, and shrinkflation, which occurs when big corporations reduce product size without adjusting prices or notifying consumers. The letter requests that GAO examine how greedflation and shrinkflation are affecting consumers and evaluate transparency measure that the federal government can implement to help consumers identify both practices. “Corporate strategies to hide price increases and raise the unit cost of everyday items like food and household products are hurting families in Pennsylvania,” wrote Senator Casey. “The American people should not have to tolerate corporate executives squeezing them for every last nickel and dime.” According to Senator Casey’s greedflation report, from July 2020 through July 2022, inflation rose by 14 percent while corporate profits rose by more than 74 percent during the same period—five times the rate of inflation. Research by the Federal Reserve found that corporate profits contributed a large percentage to inflation in the first year of the pandemic, including accounting for all the inflation from July 2020 through July 2021 and 41 percent of all inflation from July 2020 through July 2022. Senator Casey believes more must be done to hold corporations accountable for taking advantage of American workers and their families and has a plan to lower costs for working families by following four overall goals: put more money in the pockets of working families; make big corporations pay their fair share; fight unfair corporate price gouging; and take on corporate monopolies to increase competition and lower costs. Read the full letter to GAO here or below: The Honorable Gene L. Dodaro Comptroller General United States Government Accountability Office 441 G Street NW Washington, D.C. 20548 Dear Comptroller General Dodaro: I write to request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) examine the consequences of corporate greed on American consumers. In recent months, I have released reports showing that working families across our Nation are paying higher prices due to greedflation, whereby big corporations use economic turmoil as cover to raise prices beyond the rate of inflation, and shrinkflation, which occurs when big corporations downsize products without adjusting prices or notifying consumers. These corporate strategies to hide price increases and raise the unit cost of everyday items like food and household products are hurting families in Pennsylvania. And consumers are noticing, as evidenced by a November 2023 poll in which 50 percent of U.S. respondents noticed food product sizes getting smaller, while price remained the same. The American people should not have to tolerate corporate executives squeezing them for every last nickel and dime. Accordingly, I ask the GAO to examine how greedflation and shrinkflation are affecting consumers and evaluate transparency measures the federal government can implement to help consumers identify both practices. In November 2023, I released two reports that found corporate profits rose five times as fast as the rate of inflation from July 2020 to July 2022, and accounted for a significant portion of inflation during America’s post-pandemic recovery. The price of food increased faster than other products, including price hikes pushed by four large meat producers that, combined, have paid nearly $500 million to settle lawsuits over price-fixing claims in recent years. My reports showed that greedflation is hurting middle-class families even as it lines the pockets of executives and wealthy shareholders. For example, the Coca-Cola Company increased the price of its products by 11 percent over the course of 2022. The company’s chief executive said at the time that Coca-Cola had “earned the right” to hike prices for consumers. Coca-Cola’s rival, PepsiCo Inc., also significantly increased prices. In April, PepsiCo stated that it had increased prices 16 percent during the first quarter of 2023. On an earnings call, executives went a step further: PepsiCo’s chief executive told investors that even though inflation was declining, their prices would not, a message reinforced by the company’s chief financial officer, who said in a television interview that “consumers generally look at our products and say ‘you know what – they are worth paying a little bit more for.’” These aggressive price increases led a major European grocer with more than 12,000 stores in 30 countries to stop carrying PepsiCo’s products this month in France, Spain, Belgium, and Italy. In addition to these public pronouncements of price hikes, corporations are also engaging in shrinkflation by downsizing products without adjusting prices or clearly notifying consumers. Shrinkflation has become so common that Merriam-Webster added the word to its dictionary in 2022. Experts have found that corporations use a variety of methods to carry out shrinkflation, many of which are hard for everyday consumers to identify. For example, corporations may reduce the size of containers by a few ounces, add air to a package, or even increase the divot at the bottom of a jar, all while maintaining the same prices – or even raising them. Unfortunately, product sizes do not typically return to normal with time. If shrunken products are later “upsized,” corporations often advertise them as “bonus buy” or “more for the money,” and sometimes sell them at a higher price. Companies have used shrinkflation for a variety of products, including baby formula, toilet paper, snack food, paper towels, beverages, cleaning products, and even pet food. In December, I sent letters to major trade associations including the Consumer Brands Association, SNAC International, the American Beverage Association, and the Personal Care Products Council, pressing their leadership on instances of shrinkflation among member companies’ product portfolios. In one such case, PepsiCo subsidiary Frito-Lay North America reduced the size of Doritos bags by five percent without adjusting the price. The company publicly acknowledged the change, saying, “we took just a little bit out of the bag so we can give you the same price and you can keep enjoying your chips.” In another instance, Procter & Gamble, the maker of Dawn Ultra and Dawn Ultra Platinum dish soap, opted to reduce a 7-ounce Dawn bottle to 6.5-ounces but did not lower the price. Similarly, a small box of Kimberly-Clark’s tissue brand, Kleenex, had 65 tissues compared to the 60 tissues in a box today. Rather than paying less and getting more, the veiled corporate tactics of shrinkflation lead consumers to unwittingly pay more and get less, increasing day-to-day costs and reducing the buying power of working families. Given the ongoing economic harm greedflation and shrinkflation pose to consumers, I ask the GAO to examine and report on the following issues: How has corporate use of greedflation and shrinkflation affected the price and unit price of consumer products, including food and household staples? What are common methods that corporations use to shrink the size of products without consumers noticing? How has the frequency of shrinkflation changed over time, and how has the use of shrinkflation affected gross margins of products? How do greedflation and shrinkflation affect American consumers? Please consider consumer awareness of changes in product cost and size, consumer adaptation to product changes, and the impact of corporate consolidation on the ability of consumers to adapt. Public and private actors have adopted commonsense steps that can help protect consumers from greedflation and shrinkflation, according to public reports. For example, grocery stores typically list unit prices for products; a federal agency reports that 11 states have mandatory unit pricing provisions; and France is implementing a label requirement for products that have been reduced in weight. Please provide information about best practices identified from governmental and non-governmental entities to protect consumers from greedflation and shrinkflation, and to bring transparency to those corporate tactics. To what extent has the federal government instituted consumer protections from greedflation, shrinkflation, and other covert or overt corporate price increases? Thank you for your attention to this important issue. If you or your staff have any questions, please contact Corey Husak on my staff at 202-224-6324. ###

Share Tweet

January 8, 2024

Casey Announces 120 New Clean School Buses for PA School Districts

Philadelphia, William Penn, Pittsburgh, Laurel Highlands, and New Castle Area School Districts will receive a total of 120 clean school buses from infrastructure law Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health Casey: “Clean school buses ensure our children are breathing cleaner air, which will set them up with a brighter and healthier future” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that five Pennsylvania school districts will receive a total of 120 clean school buses, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Senator Casey fought to pass in 2021. By phasing out diesel engines, Pennsylvania students will be able to breathe cleaner air, reducing the risk of asthma and other conditions harmful to their health. The five school districts are the School District of Philadelphia, William Penn School District in Delaware County, Pittsburgh School District, Laurel Highlands School District in Fayette County, and New Castle Area School District in Lawrence County. “Clean school buses ensure our children are breathing cleaner air, which will set them up with a brighter and healthier future,” said Senator Casey. “The infrastructure law is continuing to deliver for Pennsylvania and helping us build a cleaner, brighter future for our children.” Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Environmental Protection Agency is helping school districts around the country replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission school buses. Of the 120 school buses, the School District of Philadelphia will receive 20 clean school buses. First Student, a third-party transportation company serving the William Penn, Pittsburgh, Laurel Highlands, and New Castle Area School Districts, will receive 100 clean school buses. ###

Share Tweet

January 8, 2024

Amid Another Infant Formula Recall, Casey Pushes for Answers

Reckitt/Mead Johnson, producer of specialty formula for infants with allergies, recalled over 675,000 cans of infant formula Casey led the charge on accountability for formula producers during massive recall of 2022 Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to formula producer Reckitt/Mead Johnson demanding answers regarding the recent recall of Nutramigen Powder, a specialty infant formula for infants with allergies. Less than two years since a massive infant formula recall impacted families across the Nation, Casey is once again holding formula companies accountable so that parents are able to feed their children without fear of contaminated formula. “Over the past few years, I’ve heard from so many Pennsylvania families who just want peace of mind knowing that what they’re feeding their kids is safe,” said Senator Casey. “Parents of infants with allergies have enough on their plate without the extra burden of having to constantly check to see if their formula has been recalled, or worse, having to find another formula for their kids when a recall does happen. I’m pushing for answers from Reckitt because we need accountability from formula makers that they’re doing everything in their power to make sure this never happens again.” Over the past two years, Senator Casey has led the charge in the Senate to resolve the infant formula shortage and prevent future shortages. In?February 2022, Casey sent a letter to Abbott demanding answers as to why the company took months to warn the public after an initial complaint of dangerous bacterial contamination of their powder infant formula products that led to multiple hospitalizations and one death. In?April 2022, Senators Casey sent a?letter?to FDA Commissioner Califf seeking information on the FDA’s actions and plans to investigate these reports and to prevent other infants from falling ill. Casey then?raised alarms?on a whistleblower report from inside Abbott months before the first infant deaths. In?May 2022, as it became increasingly difficult for families to access infant formula following a massive recall of contaminated infant formula from major supplier, Abbott Nutrition, Senator Casey led 30 of his colleagues in a?letter?to the Infant Nutrition Council of America, calling on infant formula manufacturers to make every effort possible to get parents and families the formula they need to feed their kids. Shortly after, Casey?introduced?the?Protect Infants from Formula Shortages Act?to protect families and patients who rely on infant formula by requiring manufactures to notify the FDA of potential supply disruptions and give the FDA additional tools to work with manufacturers to help prevent potential shortages. The bill?advanced?out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee as a part of the bipartisan?Food and Drug Administration Safety and Landmark Advancements Act, setting up the legislation to pass via the?Fiscal Year 2023?spending bill in December. Further, in?June 2022, Casey, as Chairman of the Senate HELP Subcommittee on Children and Families,?urged?the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate how major retail chains may have engaged in price gouging and raised prices for specialized infant formula amid the nationwide infant formula shortage as detailed reported became public that some major retail chains and online marketplaces have, during the infant formula shortage, significantly increased prices for specialized formula products that parents and caretakers of children with special dietary needs depend on. After Casey’s repeated urging throughout 2022, the FDA took steps to evaluate and remediate the crisis—releasing a?report?and a?commitment?to making changes, including the announcement that they had already started making changes to their processes. The agency enlisted an independent entity to?recommend?how they can do better in the future and further,?developed a strategy?to prevent foodborne illnesses from contaminated formula. Casey will keep pushing the FDA and working on policy changes to ensure that a similar shortage does not happen again. Families rely on formula, and they deserve better than what happened last year. Full text of Senator Casey’s letter to Reckitt is below and the signed PDF can be found here. January 5, 2024 Susan Sholtis President Nutrition Reckitt 399 Interpace Parkway Parsippany, NJ 07054 Dear Ms. Sholtis: I write today to express my concern over the recent recall of six batches of Nutramigen Powder, a specialty infant formula for infants with cow’s milk allergies, by Reckitt/Mead Johnson Nutrition due to potential contamination with Cronobacter sakazakii, which can cause life-threatening infections. The recall includes six batches of Nutramigen Powder, totaling over 675,000 cans of infant formula, and the facility that produced these cans of formula remains under FDA inspection. While, fortunately, there have been no reports of illness, this news is alarming to parents and caregivers whose infants rely on this formula, and to families still reeling from the shortages and supply problems of the last two years. Further, since Nutramigen is a hypoallergenic formula, caregivers whose infants rely on Nutramigen have fewer alternatives available to them than families who purchase non-specialty formulas. As we learned in 2022, ongoing communication directed at the families who rely on Nutramigen will be a key component of your response. Thus, I ask that you respond in writing to the following questions by January 19, 2024: Has the facility where the formula was produced ceased production of Nutramigen during the FDA’s inspection? Are there other infant formulas produced at the same facility as the recalled infant formula, and if so, will their supply be compromised in any way due to the ongoing inspection by the FDA? What impact will this recall have on the domestic supply of Nutramigen? Do you expect to see spot shortages, regional shortages, or shortages for WIC families in the states where you are the WIC provider? Is Nutramigen Powder, or other forms of Nutramigen such as ready-to-feed bottles, produced at any additional facilities? Are those facilities located in the United States or in foreign countries? If needed, do they have the ability to increase production to meet demand? What steps are you taking to mitigate future contamination of powdered infant formula during production and packaging? If you have any questions about this request, please contact Sara Maskornick on my staff. I look forward to your timely response. Sincerely, ###

Share Tweet

January 8, 2024

Casey Celebrates Return of Commercial Air Service to Williamsport Airport After Years of Advocacy

Commercial flights to fly from IPT for the first time since late 2021, two flights a day to Dulles Airport Since 2012, Casey has fought and delivered vital funding to the northeast PA airport Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is applauding the return of commercial air service to Williamsport Regional Airport (IPT), an important transportation hub in North Central Pennsylvania. IPT has not had commercial air service since the departure of American Airlines in 2021. Service to begin in May with two flights per day to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). Senator Casey has long fought to support and maintain critical air service to small and rural communities across the Nation. “I have fought for the Williamsport airport, including by securing federal funding, because this airport is a lifeline for Lycoming County and the region,” Senator Casey said. “Thanks to the hard work of airport leadership, support from all levels of government, and the tenacity of this community, passengers will be able to fly in and out of Williamsport for the first time since the pandemic. Restoring air service will protect jobs and boost the local economy.” Since entering office, Senator Casey has fought to ensure small and rural Pennsylvania communities retained access to air service, including Williamsport Regional Airport (IPT). In 2012, Senator Casey delivered a $500,000 Small Community Air Service Development grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to Williamsport Regional Airport to recruit additional commercial air service and spur opportunities for economic growth in North Central Pennsylvania. In 2021, as a result of Casey’s efforts, IPT received $950,000 from the FAA to retain air service amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The same year, Senator Casey voted in favor of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) which, to date, has invested $3.73 million in IPT to make key infrastructure, including a $700,000 grant to renovate the air traffic control tower. In September 2021, Senator Casey visited IPT to meet with the airport’s executive director, several county commissioners, and local stakeholders to discuss efforts to secure regional air service. ###

Share Tweet

January 4, 2024

Casey, Fetterman Warn Non-Unionized Automakers Not to Interfere in UAW Unionization Efforts

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) joined 30 of their colleagues in a letter to 13 non-unionized automakers urging them not to illegally block United Auto Workers’ (UAW) unionization efforts at their manufacturing plants. After the ratification of historic agreements between UAW and the Big Three automakers in Detroit, thousands of non-union autoworkers are publicly organizing to join the UAW. “We are concerned by reporting at numerous automakers that management has acted illegally to block unionization efforts,” the Senators wrote in a letter to the chief executive officers of Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. “…These retaliatory actions are hostile to workers’ rights and must not be repeated if further organizing efforts are made by these companies’ workers. We therefore urge you all to commit to implementation of a neutrality agreement at your manufacturing plants.” “Your commitment to neutrality would ensure that management does not pressure workers into voting against unionization or delaying the election process. We believe a neutrality agreement is the bare minimum standard manufacturers should meet in respecting workers’ rights, especially as companies receive and benefit from federal funds related to the electric vehicle transition,” they continued. “All workers, no matter what states they live in, should have a free and unhindered opportunity to join a union. We strongly urge you to implement a neutrality agreement at all of your plants and commit to negotiating in good faith if your employees do elect to unionize with the UAW,” the senators concluded. “Every autoworker in this country deserves their fair share of the auto industry’s record profits, whether at the Big Three or the Non-Union Thirteen. We applaud these US Senators for standing with workers who are standing up for economic justice on the job. It’s time for the auto companies to stop breaking the law and take their boot off the neck of the American autoworker, whether they’re at Volkswagen, Toyota, Tesla, or any other corporation doing business in this country,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. Senator Casey, as an original cosponsor of the PRO Act to expand workers’ rights to collectively bargain in the workplace and a staunch fighter for raising the minimum wage, has long stood in solidarity with American workers’ fight for better wages and working conditions. In March 2023, Casey authored legislation that would strip tax breaks from companies that interfere with their workers’ right to organize and bargain collectively. In June, Senator Casey delivered a rousing speech to union workers and business leaders in Pittsburgh to outline his vision for the United States to take control of its economic future by investing in American workers and manufacturing, as well as stopping investments in national security sectors from going to countries of concern, including China. In September 2023, when autoworkers at Stellantis, Ford, and General Motors began their strike for their fair share, Casey joined them on at the picket line and declared that, “Pennsylvania is a union state, and these workers will be heard.” Casey has stood with Scranton schoolteachers seeking a better pay after years without a raise and delivered hundreds of millions of dollars to protect the pensions of reporters and their colleagues; machine and tech workers, plasterers and cement masons; and steel and autoworkers. He’s worked to ensure that new investments from the infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act create good-paying, union jobs in both major cities and rural communities. In November 2023, Casey defended Pennsylvania manufacturers and workers against a Treasury Department guidance that would undercut American production. Senator Fetterman has long been a vocal advocate for the union way of life and against corporate greed. In addition to joining striking UE workers at Wabtec in Erie and five different UAW picket lines, he has consistently expressed support for workers fighting for recognition and their fair share, including striking Post-Gazette workers in Pittsburgh, Teamsters at UPS, writers with WGA, and performers with SAG-AFTRA. He has also used his legislative power to protect and expand the rights of organized labor, most notably introducing the Food Secure Strikers Act of 2023, legislation to allow striking workers to qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. He is also fighting to preserve the union way of life through the PRO Act and to raise the minimum wage to at least $17 per hour with the Raise the Wage Act of 2023. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) also joined in signing the letter. Read the full text of the letter to the CEOs of 13 non-unionized automakers here and below. January 4, 2024 Dear Mr. Zipse, Mr. Mibe, Mr. Muñoz, Mr. Rawlinson, Mr. Moro, Mr. Källenius, Mr. Uchida, Mr. Saringe, Mr. Osaki, Mr. Musk, Mr. Sat?, Dr. Blume, Mr. Rowan: We applaud the United Auto Workers’ (UAW) historic agreements with GM, Ford, and Stellantis—the Big Three—which are a testament to how powerful workers are when they come together to collectively bargain. Many workers had concerns that the transition to electric vehicles would translate to fewer jobs, plant closures, or lower pay. However, the UAW’s securing of a just transition ensures workers at electric vehicle battery plants can earn the same high wages other UAW members earn. It further demonstrates that the electric vehicle transition can and must create good-paying jobs. It is time now for non-union automakers across the United States to demonstrate that same commitment by pledging not to interfere in any organizing activities occurring at its plants through the implementation of neutrality agreements. We understand that UAW has begun organizing efforts at 13 non-unionized automakers: Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo Cars. We are concerned by reporting at numerous automakers that management has acted illegally to block unionization efforts. For example, according to employee accounts, Volkswagen managers confiscated and destroyed pro-union materials and Hyundai supervisors unlawfully banned pro-union materials in non-work areas outside of normal working hours. In addition, the National Labor Relations Board found that Tesla employed multiple illegal tactics aimed at stopping organizing efforts including online harassment, employee interrogations, and retaliatory firings. These retaliatory actions are hostile to workers’ rights and must not be repeated if further organizing efforts are made by these companies’ workers. We therefore urge you to commit to implementation of a neutrality agreement at your manufacturing plants. A neutrality agreement solely consists of an employer agreeing not to engage in pre-election activities that influence workers’ freedom to form a union. Your commitment to neutrality would ensure that management does not pressure workers into voting against unionization or delaying the election process. We believe a neutrality agreement is the bare minimum standard manufacturers should meet in respecting workers’ rights, especially as companies receive and benefit from federal funds related to the electric vehicle transition. The Inflation Reduction Act is the most significant clean energy and climate change legislation in our nation’s history. However, in order for the electric vehicle transition to be a success for our economy and climate, we must make sure it includes a just transition for workers, not just for workers at the Big Three. We believe the electric vehicle transition will not and cannot come at the expense of workers’ ability to form a union and collectively bargain for the fair wages, affordable health care, dignified retirement, and job security necessary for the continued strength of the U.S. auto industry. All workers, no matter what states they live in, should have a free and unhindered opportunity to join a union. We strongly urge you to implement a neutrality agreement at your plants and commit to negotiating in good faith if your employees do elect to unionize with the UAW. ###

Share Tweet

December 22, 2023

Casey: Proposed Hydrogen Rule May Cut PA Workers and Businesses Out of Equation

Washington D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the Biden Administration’s proposed rule for the 45V hydrogen production tax credit: “I have serious questions that this proposed rule will hinder our ability to produce clean hydrogen to power the U.S.’s energy future. Further, it appears that this rule may cut out of the equation Pennsylvania workers and businesses that are ready and willing to lead the way on hydrogen power. Pennsylvania jobs are at stake, and I am going to keep pushing the Administration to listen to Pennsylvanians, especially those in energy communities, and ensure our Commonwealth is poised to take full advantage of this tax credit in the way that Congress intended.” The 45V clean hydrogen production tax credit was passed in the Inflation Reduction Act to jumpstart clean hydrogen production throughout the United States. This proposed rule may impact Pennsylvania’s ability to participate in both the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, as well as other innovative hydrogen projects. Last week, Senator Casey expressed concern about this proposed rule on a call with White House officials and committed to continuing to push them to change the rule and let Pennsylvania lead the way in hydrogen.

Share Tweet

December 22, 2023

Casey Delivers for Pennsylvania in 2023

Commonwealth starting to feel impacts of laws passed to invest in PA industry and manufacturing, rebuild infrastructure, create good-paying jobs Casey-authored bills to protect children from furniture tip-overs, improve air travel safety, ensure workplace safety for pregnant women took effect Senator held 215 in-person events in PA, connecting with thousands of Pennsylvanians Casey office opened more than 15,000 constituent cases, helping Pennsylvanians access Social Security, Medicare benefits, and connect with federal resources in times of need, and answered more than 477k letters from constituents Washington, D.C. – In 2023, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) continued to deliver results for Pennsylvania workers and their families. “Pennsylvania is starting to see the impacts of the laws passed to rebuild infrastructure, revitalize American manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs in our Commonwealth. Bridges across the Commonwealth are being fixed and high-speed internet is coming to communities that have never had it. Pennsylvania’s world-class people and industries are being recognized for our potential – from our life sciences industry in Philadelphia to our rural energy communities leading the way in new energy investments,” said Senator Casey. “We’ve continued to lower costs for seniors and small businesses and we’re holding corporations accountable for anti-union activities and hiding their greed behind inflation at the expense of families. There’s a lot more work to be done in 2024 and I’m looking forward to continuing to fight on the side of Pennsylvania families.” Below are highlights of Senator Casey’s work on behalf of Pennsylvanians this year: Bringing Jobs and Manufacturing Back to Pennsylvania Southeastern Pennsylvania Hydrogen Hub: As Pennsylvania’s clean energy manufacturing industry continues to grow, Senator Casey fought to secure a Hydrogen Hub designation for Southeastern Pennsylvania, one of seven in the Nation. The Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) will develop a network of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure that will create good union jobs, economic growth, and energy innovation. Senator Casey was in Philadelphia alongside President Biden to announce the project in October. Appalachian Hydrogen Hub: Senator Casey also announced that Pennsylvania organizations would be included in the West Virginia-based Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2). Life Sciences Tech Hub in Southeastern PA: Senator Casey secured a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub) for Southeastern Pennsylvania to further solidify its position as a leader in the precision medicine and life sciences field. Created by the CHIPS and Science Act, the Tech Hub designation makes the region eligible for further federal funding to help accelerate growth in its technology sectors, create high-paying jobs, and cement the region as a national and global leader in medical innovation. Investing in Pressed Materials Manufacturing in North Central PA: Home to one-third of the world’s powdered metallurgy and carbon manufacturing facilities, North Central Pennsylvania is poised to play a critical role in the Nation’s manufacturing future, including the in-demand electric vehicle industry. Senator Casey fought to secure a $400,000 planning grant through the CHIPS and Science Act’s Tech Hubs program for the industry. Senator Casey visited Elk County shortly after he announced the funding to discuss the potential and economic opportunity this funding brings to North Central Pennsylvania. Supporting Small Clean Energy Manufacturers: Thanks to the infrastructure law, Senator Casey announced $10 million for Pittsburgh-based Catalyst Connection to support small manufacturers in the region expand and succeed in the clean energy and green technology sectors. Catalyst Connection will utilize provide training and supply chain mapping as well as guidance on factory upgrades. Putting Energy Communities in the Front of the Line for New Energy Jobs: One of Senator Casey’s top priorities in the Inflation Reduction Act, was to ensure that the coal, oil, and gas communities that have long powered our Nation are prioritized when it comes to new energy investments. Thanks to his energy communities tax credit, energy communities have received well over one-third of the new clean energy investment in the year since the IRA’s passage. Senator Casey invited Patty Horvatich of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance to testify before the Senate Finance Committee about the success of his new tax provision in Western Pennsylvania. Battery Production Jobs in Southwestern PA: Following passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, Senator Casey announced a conditional $398.6 million investment from the Department of Energy to Eos Energy Enterprises’ Mon Valley-based production facility to support the construction and production of next-generation American-made battery systems. Citing Senator Casey’s domestic content bonus tax credit, Eos announced its intention to use 100 percent U.S. sourced materials by 2026. Along with his energy communities tax credit, Casey fought to include a domestic content bonus tax credit in the Inflation Reduction Act to ensure the future of American energy is made with American materials. Fighting for Pennsylvania Communities Increasing Pennsylvania’s Competitiveness for Federal Dollars: With increased opportunities for federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act, Senator Casey is fighting to put Pennsylvania communities in the best position to compete for federal investments. He convened in-person conferences in Harrisburg with USDA Secretary Vilsack and in Westmoreland County with Energy Secretary Granholm for PA community leaders to learn about investment opportunities. In Westmoreland County, Casey announced a new economic growth initiative for energy communities to access federal resources more easily. Economic Development in the PA Wilds: Senator Casey announced a $736,000 investment in the Pennsylvania Wilds to stimulate growth in the region’s tourism and outdoor recreation workforce, diversify local economies, and create good-paying jobs in rural communities. Reconnecting Communities: Development of Pennsylvania’s transportation network has, at times, come at the expense of some of its most storied communities. To restore community connectivity and ensure future vitality, Senator Casey fought to secure $3.2 million to reconnect Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood and Pittsburgh’s Manchester and Chateau neighborhoods. Promoting Economic Success in Allentown: After going directly to the Biden Administration on their behalf, Senator Casey successfully delivered a grant to tackle locally-specific barriers to economic success in the City of Allentown. The funding was made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act. Casey believes that when people have the skills and resources they need to compete for good-paying jobs, like child care, educational opportunities, and transportation, they can provide for their families, get quality health care, and improve their quality of life. Driving Economic Success in Chester: After going directly to the Biden Administration on their behalf, Senator Casey successfully delivered a grant to tackle barriers to economic success in the City of Chester. With the funding, the City will identify and create a plan to tackle locally-specific barriers to securing good-paying jobs, like access to child care, transportation, and skills training, and improve the quality of life for families in Chester. Rebuilding Infrastructure Restoring Amtrak Service to Scranton: Following years of advocacy, Senator Casey made historic progress in restoring the Scranton to New York rail service thanks to the infrastructure law. The Scranton-New York line is estimated to bring as much as $84 million of economic activity to the region. President Biden has credited Casey’s advocacy and tenacity on this project. SEPTA Modernization: Thanks to the infrastructure law, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) received a total of $135.5 million in competitive funding in 2023 alone: including $25 million to improve trolley capacity and on-street station accessibility and make service faster and more reliable for commuters, and $80 million to modernize SEPTA transit facilities enabling them to support clean energy and build resilient charging infrastructure for low- to no-emission buses. This money is in addition to the more than $300 million in money from the infrastructure law that SEPTA receives annually for its basic needs. Improving Road Safety: Senator Casey secured more than $150 million in funding to make Pennsylvania’s roadways safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. Funding was secured for everywhere from Bethlehem to Lancaster to Lewisburg to Allegheny County to Philadelphia, which by itself received more than $100 million in funding for safety upgrades. Replacing and Repairing Bridges: Thanks to the infrastructure law, Senator Casey secured millions in funding for repairing and replacing bridges across the Commonwealth. Those included bridges in Clearfield, Indiana, Montoursville, Pittsburgh, Pittston, and Washington. Restoring Amtrak Service to Reading: Senator Casey announced a key step to restore Amtrak service between Reading and Philadelphia—the first since 1981. Completion of the rail project would include stops in Reading, Pottstown, and Phoenixville. Clean Drinking Water Replacing Lead Pipes: Thanks to the infrastructure law, Pennsylvania’s cities received funding to remove and replace lead pipes, including $13 million to replace pipes to over 3,000 homes and businesses in Erie. Extending Clean Drinking Water: After delivering $3.6 million from the infrastructure law to extend public drinking water to 53 homes who were using private wells contaminated with PFAS, Senator Casey traveled to the Perkasie and met local residents who had been using bottled water for years to avoid using the tainted well water. Eliminating Dangerous Forever Chemicals: After years of advocacy for Pennsylvania communities affected by “forever chemicals” or Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Senator Casey secured $75 million in February and $266 million in April to enable the Commonwealth to remove contaminants like PFAS from drinking water. Expanding High-Speed Internet Broadband Infrastructure: Thanks to the infrastructure law, Senator Casey announced more than $1.16 billion to expand high-speed internet access across Pennsylvania. Casey also announced $200 million from the American Rescue Plan to expand internet access to 44,000 Pennsylvania homes and business, particularly in rural communities. Broadband Affordability: Because of Senator Casey’s vote for the infrastructure law, 723,000 Pennsylvanians have been able to enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program, receiving more than $330 million in assistance affording internet and computer access as of October 2023. Improving Housing and Making Home Energy Costs More Affordable Bartram Village Affordable Housing: In line with Senator Casey’s belief that housing is more than just a roof over your head, Senator Casey delivered $50 million to transform the 80-year-old housing development into a neighborhood anchor where residents can live, work, and play in a vibrant and safe environment. Bedford Dwellings Affordable Housing: Senator Casey knows good housing is the foundation of a thriving neighborhood. To ensure Bedford Dwelling and surrounding Hill District residents live in a vibrant, public transit-friendly community, Senator Casey fought for and secured $50 million to help see a multi-year effort by local leaders to completion. Accessible Housing: As Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Senator Casey held a hearing examining the importance of home modifications in supporting older adults and people with disabilities to remain in their homes. Casey touted his Visitable Inclusive Tax Credit for Accessible Living (VITAL) Act, which would increase the supply of affordable, accessible housing by increasing investment in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program and requiring that a percentage of units built to qualify for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program meet certain accessibility standards. Lower Energy Costs: As heating bills rise due to soaring energy costs, Senator Casey delivered over $193 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding to keep Pennsylvania families safe and warm in their homes this winter with lower heating costs. Energy Efficient Homes: Pennsylvania received more than $19 million for Pennsylvanians to weatherize their homes, making them more energy efficient and lower their energy costs in the long run. In March, Senator Casey brought Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm to a Philadelphia high school where funds from the Inflation Reduction Act are powering a program to prepare students for jobs weatherizing homes. Combatting the Opioid and Fentanyl Crisis FEND Off Fentanyl Act: Senator Casey has been a leading voice of the congressional effort to crack down on the fentanyl supply chain, from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs from Mexico, and combat the opioid crisis plaguing Pennsylvania communities. Casey has traveled around Pennsylvania meeting with law enforcement to discuss how the FEND Off Fentanyl Act would help their efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis. Ahead of President Biden’s November meeting with Xi Jinping, Senator Casey urged President Biden to press Xi Jinping to commit to addressing the fentanyl crisis. MORE Savings Act: With more than 115 Americans overdosing and dying from opioid misuse every day, Senator Casey introduced legislation to eliminate costs for opioid treatment and recovery support services for people with private insurance plans and for people enrolled under a new Medicare pilot program, while increasing federal funding for Medicaid treatment programs. POWER Act: Senator Casey cosponsored legislation to provide state and local law enforcement new funding to secure high-tech, portable chemical screening devices to identify illicit drugs and substances, such as fentanyl and xylazine, conduct more effective drug investigations and prosecutions, and assist officers in alerting local health departments to help prevent accidental overdoses. Addressing Fentanyl at the Border: Senator Casey led several of his colleagues to push President Biden to prioritize additional resources to strengthen the security at the southwest border to stop the flow of illicit drugs like fentanyl through ports of entry along the border. His leadership led President Biden to include an additional $13.6 billion in funding for border security in his emergency supplemental funding request. Keeping Communities Safe Supporting Local Law Enforcement: Senator Casey delivered more than $6 million to Pennsylvania State Police to investigate drug trafficking and get heroin and methamphetamines off Pennsylvania streets. Pennsylvania also received more than $4.7 million to increase the hiring of career law enforcement officers in several Pennsylvania communities so to improve policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Resources for Victims of Gun Violence: Senator Casey introduced legislation to help all victims of gun violence identify and access the resources available to them to help meet medical, legal, financial, and other needs. Using this bill as a model, Senator Casey joined with Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and U.S. Representative Dwight Evans in announcing a state initiative to support victims of gun violence through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). Ensuring Safety in Skies: As mandated by Senator Casey’s law, the Federal Aviation Administration announced its final rule implementing secondary barriers between the cockpit and the passenger cabin on new commercial aircraft to prevent potential hijackings. He also reintroduced the Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act to require secondary barriers to cockpits on all commercial passengers planes, not just new ones. The laws are named after Bucks County resident, Captain Victor Saracini, who piloted United Flight 175 when it was hijacked by terrorists and flown into the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. U.S. Attorneys: Senator Casey recommended and worked to confirm Eric Olshan as U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Pennsylvania (WDPA). Now the chief federal law enforcement officer in the WDPA, Olshan has dedicated his career to public safety as an attorney at the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the WDPA. As a lead prosecutor in the Tree of Life synagogue shooting trial, Olshan helped secure a guilty verdict on 63 counts in the case, including hate crimes and obstruction of the free exercise of religion. Supporting Servicemembers and Veterans PACT Act: Senator Casey fought to pass the law in honor of Pennsylvanians like the late retired National Guard officer Scott Laird. An Iraq War veteran from South Central Pennsylvania, Laird died of colon cancer one month after the VA denied claims that his cancer stemmed from toxic exposure. Over the last year, Casey engaged with and strongly urged veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, or other toxic substances during their service to file for full backdated health care benefits. Servicemembers Health Care (TRICARE): Senator Casey helped secure a provision requiring the Department of Defense to expand its competitive care pilot program from two locations to five. This program enables competition across TRICARE health care providers, using market forces to incentivize better care for servicemembers. Pennsylvania Military Installations: Senator Casey laid the groundwork to authorize more than $190 million across 11 projects at the First City Troop Readiness Center and Naval Surface Warfare Center in Philadelphia, Letterkenny Army Depot, Tobyhanna Army Depot, Fort Indiantown Gap, Hermitage Readiness Center, Harrisburg International Airport, and Moon Township. These military construction projects range from missile production to geothermal and solar energy production to an artificial intelligence machinery control development center. Cleaning Up Pennsylvania’s Natural Resources Brownfields: Thanks to the infrastructure law, Pennsylvania has received $11.6 million to clean up land that has been abandoned and underutilized because of contamination. Orphan Wells: Thanks to the infrastructure law, Senator Casey delivered more than $5.5 million to plug 48 old oil and gas wells in the Allegheny National Forest to clean up methane emissions polluting Pennsylvania’s air and water while creating good-paying union jobs and protecting the natural resources of the Allegheny National Forest. STREAM Act: Thanks to Senator Casey’s legislation, more federal funding will flow into Pennsylvania to clean up its riverways contaminated by acid mine drainage, reduce water pollution, and improve the health of local communities. The STREAM Act maximizes provisions of the infrastructure law that is sending over $3.7 billion to Pennsylvania alone to remediate the impact of coal mining. Supporting Rural Communities: Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act: Senator Casey introduced legislation to put rural communities on a level playing field to compete for federal resources alongside our cities and suburban areas, helping them overcome barriers like lack of adequate funding and staffing. Rural Forest Markets Act: Senator Casey introduced legislation to help smaller foresters profit off of their conversation and sustainability efforts, just as larger-scale foresters do now. The legislation will help them overcome financial barriers to innovative marketplaces, create new forestry jobs, and incentivize private investment in the success of rural communities while improving the environment by supporting climate friendly efforts. Rural Hospitals: Senator Casey’s bill to save rural hospitals from devastating cuts passed the Senate Finance Committee earlier this year. The bipartisan bill would delay cuts to a program that offset uncompensated care costs for hospitals that provide care to large numbers of Medicaid beneficiaries and uninsured patients. Emergency Services: In September, Senator Casey announced a $300,000 grant to the Moshannon Valley EMS Training Center to ensure rural Pennsylvanians have enough well-trained first responders ready to deliver critical, lifesaving care whenever there is a crisis. Supporting Pennsylvania’s Coal Communities: To help communities affected by coal mining loss, Senator announced $17.3 million in grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for 19 projects tackling high-speed internet expansion, workforce training, small business development, and other local needs. Standing Up for Workers and the Right to Organize Pregnant Workers’ Fairness Act: After working for 10 years to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers and protect them from workplace discrimination, Casey’s law took effect requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations—such as additional bathroom breaks or a stool for workers who stand—so that pregnant women can continue to work safely. Pensions: Thanks to the American Rescue Plan which Senator Casey voted for, the pensions of more than 100 Plasterers and Cement Masons based in Camp Hill, PA were saved and original benefits cut in 2019 were restored for workers and retirees. Additionally, more than 2,400 unionized machine and tech workers with IUE-CWA were saved because of the American Rescue plan. Exploitative Workplace Technology: To protect the rights and dignity of applicants and employees, Senator Casey introduced the No Robot Bosses Act to stop corporations from using AI technology to manage workers and the Stop Spying Bosses Act as a critical first step in stopping employers from using invasive surveillance technologies to monitor worker activities on and off duty. Tax Fairness for Workers Act: To crack down on corporate anti-union practices and ease tax burdens on workers, Senator Casey introduced legislation that would end taxpayer subsidization of anti-union activities by preventing corporations from deducting their union-busting expenses from their taxes and allow workers to deduct job-related expenses, including union dues, just as employers can. Coal Miners and Black Lung: Senator Casey introduced the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act to help miners who have suffered from ‘black lung’ disease and their survivors access the workers compensation they are entitled to, reduce processing times, and secure legal representation. Senator Casey also introduced the Relief for Survivors of Miners Act to support family members of miners who have passed away due to black lung disease overcome barriers preventing survivors from accessing the benefits they need. Calling Out Corporate Greed Greedflation: To explain why every day costs for Americans are still so high when monthly inflation has fallen, Senator Casey, as Chair of the HELP Subcommittee on Children and Families, released a report exposing how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices and rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families. Stuffing Their Pockets: A second report of Chairman Casey’s Greedflation series examined how the prices for many holiday meal staples, including chicken, pork, and potatoes, are rising faster than many other goods as well as headline inflation, straining family budgets and taking a bite out of holiday celebrations while earning companies billions. Shrinkflation: In a third edition of the Greedflation series, Chairman Casey’s report detailed how big corporations are making record profits by reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. Making Health Care and Prescription Drugs More Affordable High Drug Costs: Because of Senator Casey’s vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare can now negotiate to lower the price of prescription drugs, and this summer the Biden administration announced the first ten drugs which will be subject to negotiations and lower prices. Senator Casey also introduced legislation which passed through the Finance Committee to protect seniors from high drug costs. Expanding Coverage to Dental, Vision, and Hearing: In light of the number of Medicare and Medicaid recipients lacking basic access to dental, vision, and hearing coverage, Senator Casey introduced legislation to enable more beneficiaries to access comprehensive dental, vision, and hearing coverage, saving them from short-term plans and often exorbitant out-of-pocket costs. Protecting Children and Families Furniture Tip-Overs: Senator Casey’s STURDY Act went into effect on September 1, requiring new safety standards to prevent furniture tip-over accidents, which cause an average of 8,900 emergency room-treated injuries each year as children are crushed, trapped, or struck by furniture, TVs, and appliances. Infant Formula Shortage: Senator Casey has led the charge in the Senate to resolve the infant formula shortage and prevent future shortages, pressing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure production levels for domestic infant formula remain constant and store shelves remain stocked as manufacturers begin to upgrade their production infrastructure. Child Labor: Amid an alarming surge in child labor violations, Senator Casey led a new bill to protect children from exploitative child labor practices and hold the companies and individuals who take advantage of them accountable. The Children Harmed in Life-threatening or Dangerous (CHILD) Labor Act brings our child labor laws into the 21st century and fights back against the employers, contractors, and subcontractors that violate them. Fighting for Seniors and People with Disabilities Nursing Homes: Senator Casey released Uninspected and Neglected, a year-long investigation examining the capacity of states to oversee health and safety standards at the Nation’s 15,000 nursing homes. The report found decades of underfunding has led to inspector shortages, putting nursing home residents at risk. Senator Casey convened a hearing that examined the investigation’s findings, and led a bipartisan letter to federal regulators calling for improved nursing home oversight. Abuse by Caregivers: Papa, Inc. is a tech company that pairs older adults with caregivers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. In July, Senator Casey pressed Papa to provide information about its safety protocols and background check system following reporting that uncovered instances of sexual harassment and alleged assault of the company’s clients and caregivers. Disaster and Emergency Preparedness: To highlight the impact of disasters, including infectious disease outbreaks, on older adults and people with disabilities, Chairman Casey held a hearing during which he stressed the need for his Real Emergency Access for Aging and Disability Inclusion for Disasters Act (REAADI for Disasters Act.) The bill would ensure the inclusion of older adults and people with disabilities in disaster preparations and their needs in response and recovery efforts and safeguard their civil rights against discriminatory distribution of resources during emergencies. Many of Senator Casey’s priorities for people with disabilities and older adults from the REAADI for Disasters Act have been included in the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act, passed out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Guardianship: With approximately 1.3 million adult guardianships in the United States, Chairman Casey held a hearing to highlight the risk for abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults and people with disabilities due to the legal loss of personal agency and examine alternatives to guardianship such as supported decision-making. He also introduced the first guardianship bill of rights in the history of the U.S. Congress, which would seek alternative arrangements to guardianships and create standards that would protect the civil rights of people living under guardianships. Taking on China’s Economic Aggression Combatting Foreign Aggression By Investing in the USA: Alongside union workers and business leaders, Senator Casey delivered his vision for the United States to take control of its future and combat the rising threat by the Chinese Communist Party by investing in American workers and communities and revitalizing domestic manufacturing and industry. Outbound Investment: To safeguard our national security from the Communist Chinese Party’s theft of American technology and know-how, Senator Casey introduced and passed overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation through the Senate as part of annual National Defense Authorization Act. When House Republicans blocked the legislation from this year’s defense authorization, Senator Casey, conservative think tanks and national security experts all slammed House Republican leadership for “going soft on China.” Tariffs on Chinese Imports: Sharing the concerns of American workers and industries about potential reduction of tariffs on Chinese goods meant to combat their anticompetitive behavior, Senator Casey expressed directly to President Biden that the tariffs were meant to ensure a level playing field for American workers and urged him to maintain Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs. Strengthening the Federal Judiciary Middle District of Pennsylvania. Senator Casey worked with Senator Fetterman and the White House to recommend and confirm Judge Julia Munley to be a United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators have a longstanding tradition of working together to recommend and confirm nominees to the federal bench, and since joining the Senate, Senator Casey has worked across the aisle to confirm 38 District Court Judges for Pennsylvania. Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Senator Casey recommended and worked to confirm Judge Cindy Chung to sit on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Judge Chung, the former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, is the first Asian Pacific American judge to serve on the Third Circuit. Serving Pennsylvania Communities Constituent Services: One of the most important functions of a congressional office is connecting people to helpful government resources in their time of need. Senator Casey’s office opened 15,102 constituent cases in 2023, helping Pennsylvanians resolve issues ranging from immigration to taxes to veterans’ affairs to Social Security and Medicare. Outreach Across the Commonwealth: In 2023 Senator Casey held 215 in-person engagements and 57 virtual engagements. Casey engaged directly with more than 3,560 Pennsylvanians, meeting them where they are and bring their feedback back to Washington. ###

Share Tweet

December 20, 2023

Casey, Fetterman, Wild Secure Grant for Allentown to Tackle Barriers to Economic Success

$500,000 planning grant from the Recompete Pilot Program will help historically disadvantaged residents overcome barriers to employment Earlier this year, Casey pushed for Biden Administration to select PA applicants for Recompete funding and Casey sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Raimondo urging the approval of Allentown’s application to program Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), and Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-PA) secured an economic development grant for Allentown help the city identify and create a plan for tackling locally-specific barriers to prime age employment, such as access to child care, transportation, and educational opportunities. The $500,000 strategy development grant comes from the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, which was established by the CHIPS and Science Act. The City also received approval of their Recompete Plan, a designation that will allow Allentown to compete for between $20 and $50 million in implementation funding in Phase II of the Recompete program. “This groundbreaking award will not only create jobs for residents of Allentown’s historical disadvantaged neighborhoods but provide them with the tools and support they need to secure those jobs, like access to child care, transportation, and skills training,” said Senator Casey. “When folks have the skills and the resources they need to compete for good-paying jobs, they can provide for their families, get quality health care, and improve their quality of life. This is a game-changer for Allentown, and an example of how the CHIPS and Science Act is providing economic opportunity across Pennsylvania.” “I’m proud to have joined with our delegation to fight for this funding and help Allentown connect residents with good-quality jobs. We need to make sure that no town or place is left behind, and this investment in Allentown’s workforce will help people there find jobs and spur economic development,” said Senator Fetterman. “This game-changing investment will expand economic opportunity for Allentown by creating good-paying jobs and tackling key barriers to employment that too many of our neighbors face,” said Congresswoman Wild. “Through addressing challenges like access to transportation, child care, and job-training, this grant will help make sure that every family can work hard and get ahead. I’m proud to have pushed to deliver this investment in Allentown’s economy, and I’ll continue fighting to expand opportunity for everyone across our community.” “Governor Josh Shapiro and our Administration are focused on building a more dynamic economy in Pennsylvania by investing in our workforce and strengthening our communities, and this grant award through the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program will help boost those efforts,” said Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger. “Allentown will use this funding to help individuals overcome barriers to employment, like the lack of childcare, transportation, and job training – as well as make critical investments in industrial site preparedness and small business support services – expanding our workforce in Pennsylvania and paving the way for real growth. I want to thank the Economic Development Administration and Department of Commerce teams, as well as Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation, for their support in securing this award.” “While Lehigh Valley's economy is strong and growing, residents of the City of Allentown have faced challenges in accessing jobs in the region,” said Mayor Matthew Tuerk. “Our Recompete Plan focuses on engaging with partners in labor, non-profit, and the private sector to address the barriers that our residents face, from skills gaps and transportation hurdles to lack of support services and limited child care options. I'm incredibly excited that the Biden-Harris Administration is making smart investments in cities to improve our economy and help strengthen the middle class.” After voting to establish the Recompete program in the CHIPS and Science Act, Senator Casey advocated to ensure that Allentown would be included in the program. In October, he wrote a letter of support to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in support of Allentown’s application to the program. Additionally, in a letter to Assistant Secretary Alejandra Castillo of the Economic Development Agency, Congresswoman Wild pushed for the City of Allentown to receive this key grant that will address barriers to employment and expand economic opportunity for the City. The Recompete Pilot Program makes targeted investments in communities struggling with high prime-age employment gaps and reflects an increased commitment at the federal level to spurring economic development in communities that have long been left behind. By making large, place-based investments, the program allows persistently distressed communities to address the barriers to employment most prevalent in their own regions. ###

Share Tweet

December 20, 2023

Casey, Fetterman, Scanlon Secure Grant for the City of Chester to Tackle Barriers to Economic Success

400,000 planning grant from the Recompete Pilot Program will help historically disadvantaged residents overcome barriers to employment Earlier this year, Casey pushed for Biden Administration to select PA applicants for Recompete funding and Casey sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Raimondo urging the approval of Chester’s application to program Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman, and Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) secured an economic development grant for Chester to help the city identify and create a plan for tackling locally-specific barriers to prime-age employment, such as access to child care, transportation, and educational opportunities. The $400,000 strategy development grant comes from the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, which was established by the CHIPS and Science Act. “The people of Chester are fighting hard for a stable future, and in the Senate, I am doing everything I can to fight alongside them,” said Senator Casey. “This award will help connect residents to the tools and support they need to secure good jobs, like access to childcare, transportation, and skills training. When folks have the skills and the resources they need to compete for good-paying jobs, they can provide for their families, get quality health care, and improve their quality of life. This is a game-changer for Chester, and an example of how the CHIPS and Science Act is providing economic opportunity across Pennsylvania.” “I’m proud to have joined with our delegation to fight for this funding and help the City of Chester connect residents with good-quality jobs. We need to make sure that no town or place is left behind, and this investment in Chester’s workforce will help people there find jobs and spur economic development,” said Senator Fetterman. “I fought to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to deliver the investments needed to revitalize the economic health of PA-05 communities that have suffered decades of disinvestment, so I was proud to support the City of Chester’s application for this transformational program,” said Rep. Scanlon. “Chester is at an important inflection point right now, and this program will be a critical catalyst for growing quality jobs in the city and connecting residents with those good-paying jobs.” “Governor Josh Shapiro and our Administration are focused on building a more dynamic economy in Pennsylvania by investing in our workforce and strengthening our communities, and these grant awards through the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program will help boost those efforts,” said Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger. “Chester will use this funding to help individuals overcome barriers to employment, like the lack of childcare, transportation, and job training – as well as make critical investments in industrial site preparedness and small business support services – expanding our workforce in Pennsylvania and paving the way for real growth. I want to thank the Economic Development Administration and Department of Commerce teams, as well as Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation, for their support in securing this award.” After voting to establish the Recompete program in the CHIPS and Science Act, Senator Casey advocated to ensure that Chester would be included in the program. In October, he wrote a letter of support to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in support of Chester’s application to the program. The Recompete Pilot Program makes targeted investments in communities struggling with high prime-age employment gaps and reflects an increased commitment at the federal level to spurring economic development in communities that have long been left behind. By making large, place-based investments, the program allows persistently distressed communities to address the barriers to employment most prevalent in their own regions. ###

Share Tweet

December 19, 2023

Casey Probes Impact of Trump Tax Law on Fraud Victims

Reports show that fraud victims are facing high tax bills following Republican repeal of casualty and theft losses deduction Casey asks IRS for data about how 2017 tax law is hurting fraud victims in Pennsylvania and across the Nation Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, sent a letter to Internal Revenue Services (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel, calling on the agency to provide information about how fraud victims are being affected by the 2017 Trump tax law’s repeal of the casualty and theft losses deduction. Senator Casey is investigating how the tax law’s repeal of the deduction is hurting victims of fraud who were previously able to claim a deduction for stolen funds. The letter follows recent reporting showing how the removal of this deduction by the 2017 tax law left victims with large federal tax bills on top of the money lost to scammers. “The Republican tax law eliminated a provision of the tax code that allowed victims of fraud to claim a deduction on stolen funds—a provision that was on the books for a century,” wrote Chairman Casey. “Following the removal of this provision, older adults and their families from across the Nation have faced the shock and financial burden of enormous federal tax bills after having their life savings drained by thieves and fraudsters. This issue is particularly concerning as older adults appear to have disproportionately used the theft deduction before its elimination.” Chairman Casey is a leader of efforts in the Senate to protect older Americans from frauds and scams. As Chairman of the Aging Committee, each year he releases a Fraud Book, which helps alert older Americans to the most common scams reported in the previous calendar year. Last month, he held a hearing entitled, “Modern Scams: How Scammers Are Using Artificial Intelligence & How We Can Fight Back,” which examined how Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) can be utilized by scammers to deploy scams and convince targets of their veracity, and how A.I. technology is being deployed to enhance the next generation of fraud detection systems. Following the hearing, he called on the Federal Trade Commission to step up its efforts to track A.I. Scams. Read the full letter here or below: Dear Commissioner Werfel: In recent months, I have been investigating how the 2017 tax overhaul championed by Congressional Republicans has negatively affected victims of scams, fraud, and theft, including older adults. The Republican tax law eliminated a provision of the tax code that allowed victims of fraud to claim a deduction on stolen funds—a provision that was on the books for a century. Following the removal of this provision, older adults and their families from across the Nation have faced the shock and financial burden of enormous federal tax bills after having their life savings drained by thieves and fraudsters. This issue is particularly concerning as older adults appear to have disproportionately used the theft deduction before its elimination. Given the growing number of fraud schemes affecting older adults, I write seeking additional information about the effects of 2017 Republican tax law that are negatively affecting older adults in Pennsylvania and across our Nation. Theft was codified into the casualty losses deduction shortly after individual income taxes were established in 1913, so that taxpayers suffering casualty or theft losses would not have to pay taxes on that lost income. By 1980, 10 percent of itemized returns included the casualty and theft losses deduction. Though changes to the tax code since the 1980s reduced the number of filers using the deduction, an average of 116,500 filers used the deduction annually from 2010 to 2017, according to Internal Revenue Service data. About half of filers using this deduction were age 55 or older during that same period. In 2017, the Republican-led Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) dramatically narrowed the deduction by limiting it to losses from federally declared disasters, a change that was meant help offset the cost of tax breaks for multinational corporations and the ultra-wealthy. As a result, fraud victims have found themselves subject to large federal tax bills that can total hundreds of thousands of dollars after suffering large theft losses. The Washington Post was the latest news outlet to shed light on the negative consequences of the 2017 change in the tax code, highlighting the experiences of older adults who have found themselves on the hook for large federal tax bills after having money stolen by fraudsters. Earlier this year, Forbes highlighted the case of a Florida couple who was scammed by their daughter out of more than $1 million—money the IRS treated as income—resulting in a $400,000 tax bill. In another instance, a Virginia man told CBS News that he lost more than $800,000 to an online scam, which led to a tax bill of $200,000. As losses from frauds and scams are increasing and the types of schemes are evolving, victims of fraud deserve more avenues to recover their losses. In November, I convened a hearing to highlight how scams augmented by artificial intelligence can easily dupe consumers and businesses into giving away valuable personal information or money. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data show that consumers reported 2.5 million fraud events in 2022, losing $9 billion—up from $6.1 billion the prior year. Older adults reported losing more than $1.6 billion to fraud in 2022, though FTC estimates actual losses are as high as $48 billion. Older adults also experienced higher average losses than younger consumers in 2022. The Special Committee on Aging is charged with examining “all matters pertaining to problems and opportunities of older people, including, but not limited to, problems and opportunities of … assuring adequate income.” Given the significant impact that frauds and scams are having on older adults, and the substantial negative financial effect that the 2017 tax law appears to be having on fraud victims, I request that you provide the following information no later than January 18, 2023: Recent reporting confirms that older adults have faced significant tax liabilities following the change to the casualty and theft losses deduction that was instituted in the 2017 tax law. Some people who have been defrauded have ended up with hefty tax bills after suffering large theft losses, which has put them in challenging financial positions. Please provide any available data regarding the number of taxpayers who have contacted the IRS about this issue, such as through the Taxpayer Assistance Centers, help lines, and the Offer in Compromise program. Has IRS been documenting how the change to the tax code’s casualty and theft losses deduction is affecting taxpayers? For example, is IRS tracking the number of taxpayers who are no longer able to take the deduction for money lost to frauds and scams? Does the IRS have any initiatives or campaigns specifically related to fraud, theft, or scams targeting older adults? Does the IRS have tax guidance for taxpayers who fall victim to financial fraud schemes? If so, please provide all documents related to these efforts, and describe the agency’s strategy to assist taxpayers who have experienced theft, scams, or fraud. Following passage of the 2017 tax law, IRS data show a sharp decline in the number of taxpayers claiming the casualty and theft losses deduction, as well as the amount of money taxpayers claimed. For example, IRS data from 2019 show the number of filers claiming the deduction dropped to about 11,500 returns, estimated at $387 million in total claims. In 2017, the last year before TCJA went into effect, about 113,000 returns included it, totaling an estimated $2.8 billion in claims. To the extent that IRS has additional data about the number of filers using the deduction and the amount claimed for tax years 2020-2022, please provide it. What, if any, information can the IRS provide about the reasons for the declining use of the deduction following the 2017 change in the tax code? What, if any, data do the IRS have regarding the reason that taxpayers claimed the deduction prior to the 2017 change to the tax code? Does the IRS have visibility into whether filers were using the deduction in response to theft, disaster, or some other event? To the extent IRS has such data, please provide it to the Committee. Please provide a state-by-state breakdown of the number of taxpayers using the deduction, and the amount claimed, for each available year dating back to 2010. Please provide any available IRS data that include the median amounts and amounts at quartiles that filers have deducted as casualty/theft losses. If you or your staff have any questions about this request, please direct them to Peter Gartrell, chief investigator for the Majority staff, at 202-224-5364. Thank you for your assistance with this request. Sincerely, Robert P. Casey, Jr. Chairman

Share Tweet

December 19, 2023

Casey, Fetterman, Lee, Deluzio Secure $142.34 Million for Pittsburgh’s Parkway East

Casey advocated for grant to make significant safety improvements to I-376 and MLK Jr. Busway 100,000 daily travelers on the two arteries will see upgrades including bridge rehab, flood mitigation, traffic congestion reduction New floodwall will finally drain “the Bathtub” in downtown Pittsburgh Parkway among most congested roads in the United States Casey fought to pass Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which funded grant Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Summer Lee (D-PA-14) and Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) secured $142,342,200 in funding to make major safety improvements to the I-376 (Parkway East) and the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway, including the flood-prone “Bathtub” downtown. Casey pushed the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to award this funding and fought to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which funded this landmark grant for the City and the region. “Thanks to the infrastructure law, two of Allegheny County’s most heavily-traveled roadways will become safer and easier to navigate,” said Senator Casey. “The Parkway East and the MLK Busway allow people from Monroeville to Oakland—including many in historically marginalized communities—to travel downtown and points throughout the region. I fought for this generational investment in one of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s busiest and most important corridors to keep residents, commuters, and visitors safe and improve quality of life and transportation options for all who rely on it to reach their destination.” “I’m proud to join with my colleagues and announce this game-changing investment in Pittsburgh’s Parkway East and East Busway,” said Senator Fetterman. “This massive funding will help fix longstanding flooding concerns in the corridor, allow our region’s infrastructure to adapt to the climate crisis, and expand transit options across Allegheny County. Most of all, it will make sure people across our region can get where they need to go.” “I am so excited to announce that we’re delivering $142 million to make the I-376 corridor less congested, faster, and safer for drivers, transit users, and pedestrians alike. Not only will this massive investment in one of Pittsburgh’s most congested roads, bridges, and highway strips make it easier for all folks to get where they need to go, but it will create more than 2,500 jobs, add $254.9 million to our economy, protect against flood damage, prevent hundreds of crashes each year, and help right the wrongs of disinvestment and disconnection in left behind communities,” said Congresswoman Lee. “After months of advocating tirelessly and meeting regularly with DOT, I’m so proud that Pittsburgh is receiving the investment we need to make life better for ALL families and small businesses across Western PA.” “I am proud to help deliver $142 million to upgrade the Parkway East and the MLK East Busway. This investment will improve traffic, flooding, and safety in our region,” said Rep. Deluzio. “Areas in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District like Wilkinsburg, Swissvale, Edgewood, Forest Hills, Penn Hills, Churchill, and Braddock Hills are going to benefit directly from this Infrastructure Law investment, and that’s great news for the people of Western PA.” “The award of this grant is the culmination of hard work by many in our region,” said DJ Ryan, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Policy at the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “From our team members that proactively sought out this funding to our County Executive and our members of Congress that advocated for this project, we are grateful for the robust support that we’ve received. Once completed, the Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor Project will directly benefit the lives of many individuals—streamlining travel routes, enhancing safety, and increasing access for those that live in our region’s eastern communities.” “This is a huge win for the Pittsburgh region, and I want to congratulate and thank Senators Casey and Fetterman and Congresswoman Lee for their strong support and advocacy,” said Matt Smith, Chief Growth Office at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. “The Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor Project will benefit the community and all who live and work in the region through a series of improvements, promoting easier and safer travel along the interconnected multimodal transportation network. We look forward to seeing this project completed, the significant number of jobs supported and the resulting benefits to southwestern Pennsylvania.” A 2019 study rated the parkway as the fifth most congested road in the United States. This multimodal project will make significant progress to ameliorate that congestion and the corridor’s safety hazards. The myriad upgrades include rehabilitating 10 bridges, installing a new floodwall along the downtown section of the parkway so flood-prone it is known as “the Bathtub,” implementing technologies to ease traffic from Monroeville to downtown, and stabilizing hilly terrain to prevent landslides. In addition to traffic, flooding, bridges, and potentially unstable terrain, the $142.34 million award will improve bus infrastructure, shoulder and sidewalk safety, and key stretches of South Braddock Avenue and Route 30/Lincoln Highway/Ardmore Boulevard. Since Casey worked to pass IIJA in 2021, more than $14.2 billion in federal funds has been allocated in Pennsylvania. That includes more than $8 billion in funding for over 600 road and bridge projects and more than $1 billion for high-speed internet. ###

Share Tweet

December 19, 2023

Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio Urge Secretary Yellen to Block U.S. Steel Acquisition

In wake of announcement of Nippon Steel’s proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel, members of Congress blast purchase in letter to Chair of Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States Members argue that the United States’ iconic steel company—which is vital to important industries like defense, power, and infrastructure—should not be sold to a foreign company Members: “Steel is essential to our national security and we believe that the United States’ marquee steel company should remain under American ownership.” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), and Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), urging CFIUS to block the proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel Corporation by Japan-based Nippon Steel. In the letter, the members raised concerns with the national security implications of selling a company manufacturing for some of our most important industries, including defense, power, and infrastructure, to a foreign company. The Senators wrote, “With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act, the United States has acted to make the U.S. market the most competitive in the world and to reshore critical supply chains. Allowing for the ownership of a major industrial participant in infrastructure and clean energy investments to be acquired by a foreign entity would be a step backwards in our commitment to supply chain integrity and economic security.” The letter to Secretary Yellen follows a letter that Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio, and Lee sent to Nippon Steel demanding answers about the Japanese-based company’s commitment to Pennsylvania workers and the United Steelworkers. Read the full letter HERE or below: December 19, 2023 The Honorable Janet Yellen U.S. Department of the Treasury 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20220 Dear Secretary Yellen: We write to you in your capacity as Chair of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to express our concerns regarding the proposed acquisition of the United States Steel Corporation by Japan-based Nippon Steel. U.S. Steel and the steel industry are a critical part of Pennsylvania and our Nation’s core economic identity. This proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel, if completed, would make a foreign-owned company a central part of the American steel industry, as well as a major employer. As you review this acquisition, we urge you to consider the national security implications of selling a company manufacturing some of our most important industries, including defense, power, and infrastructure, to a foreign company. CFIUS should block the acquisition of U.S. Steel by a foreign company, especially since there were bids made by American companies that would not trigger our expressed security concerns. As you are aware, CFIUS reviews the national security risks of certain foreign direct investments in the U.S. economy. This includes mergers, acquisitions, or takeovers that could result in foreign control of a U.S. business. In its risk-based assessment, CFIUS must consider factors such as control of domestic industries and commercial activity by foreign citizens. Furthermore, as described in Executive Order 14083, “Executive Order on Ensuring Robust Consideration of Evolving National Security Risks by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States,” the committee must consider aggregate industry investment trends and incremental investments over time that may cede domestic development or control in key sectors and industries and result in national security risk. Nippon Steel’s proposed acquisition clearly meets the criteria for review. Steel is essential to our national security, and we believe that the United States’ marquee steel company should remain under American ownership. In fact, Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum were imposed following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Commerce on national security grounds and have been maintained by the Biden Administration. We question whether a foreign company that has been found to be dumping steel into the U.S. market at prices below fair market value is the best buyer for U.S. Steel. Of further concern, Nippon Steel has facilities in the People’s Republic of China, a foreign adversary of the U.S. U.S. Steel cited this deal’s enormous value for their shareholders in their announcement. While the deal is certainly good for them, they are not the only stakeholders with an interest in this company. Thousands of United Steelworkers rely on this company for their livelihoods and transferred their collectively-negotiated right of first refusal over a sale to another US-based, unionized company. Now their fate hangs in the balance. It is incumbent upon CFIUS to take a wider view of the stakeholders with an interest in this sale beyond just shareholders in U.S. Steel. Steel is a foundational part of the U.S. economy. Furthermore, it is a key input in our Nation’s infrastructure, electrical grid, buildings, and transportation. The U.S. steel market stands to be a major participant in the once-in-a-generation investments made by Congress in infrastructure and clean energy. Investments in bridges and new energy technology will use American steel thanks to provisions we fought for in Congress and that the Biden Administration has delivered on. With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act, the United States has acted to make the U.S. market the most competitive in the world and to reshore critical supply chains. Allowing for the ownership of a major industrial participant in infrastructure and clean energy investments to be acquired by a foreign entity would be a step backwards in our commitment to supply chain integrity and economic security. Thank you for your attention to this matter of U.S. national and economic security. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us directly. Sincerely, Senator Bob Casey Senator John Fetterman Congressman Chris Deluzio ###

Share Tweet

December 18, 2023

Casey Statement on Sale of U.S. Steel Corporation

Casey: “I’m concerned about what this means for the Steelworkers and the good union jobs that have supported Pennsylvania families for generations, for the long-term investment in the Commonwealth, and for American industrial leadership” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement about the announced sale of the U.S. Steel Corporation to the Japan-based Nippon Steel Corporation: “The United States’ marquee steel company should remain under American ownership. From initial reports, this deal appears to be a bad deal for Pennsylvania and for Pennsylvania workers. I’m concerned about what this means for the Steelworkers and the good union jobs that have supported Pennsylvania families for generations, for the long-term investment in the Commonwealth, and for American industrial leadership."

Share Tweet

December 18, 2023

Casey, Fetterman, Lee Secure $142.34 Million for Pittsburgh’s Parkway East

Casey advocated for grant to make significant safety improvements to I-376 and MLK Jr. Busway 100,000 daily travelers on the two arteries will see upgrades including bridge rehab, flood mitigation, traffic congestion reduction New floodwall will finally drain “the Bathtub” in downtown Pittsburgh Parkway among most congested roads in the United States Casey fought to pass Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which funded grant Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Summer Lee (D-PA-14) secured $142,342,200 in funding to make major safety improvements to the I-376 (Parkway East) and the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway, including the flood-prone “Bathtub” downtown. Casey pushed the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to award this funding and fought to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which funded this landmark grant for the City and the region. “Thanks to the infrastructure law, two of Allegheny County’s most heavily-traveled roadways will become safer and easier to navigate,” said Senator Casey. “The Parkway East and the MLK Busway allow people from Monroeville to Oakland—including many in historically marginalized communities—to travel downtown and points throughout the region. I fought for this generational investment in one of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s busiest and most important corridors to keep residents, commuters, and visitors safe and improve quality of life and transportation options for all who rely on it to reach their destination.” “I’m proud to join with my colleagues and announce this game-changing investment in Pittsburgh’s Parkway East and East Busway,” said Senator Fetterman. “This massive funding will help fix longstanding flooding concerns in the corridor, allow our region’s infrastructure to adapt to the climate crisis, and expand transit options across Allegheny County. Most of all, it will make sure people across our region can get where they need to go.” “I am so excited to announce that we’re delivering $142 million to make the I-376 corridor less congested, faster, and safer for drivers, transit users, and pedestrians alike. Not only will this massive investment in one of Pittsburgh’s most congested roads, bridges, and highway strips make it easier for all folks to get where they need to go, but it will create more than 2,500 jobs, add $254.9 million to our economy, protect against flood damage, prevent hundreds of crashes each year, and help right the wrongs of disinvestment and disconnection in left behind communities,” said Congresswoman Lee. “After months of advocating tirelessly and meeting regularly with DOT, I’m so proud that Pittsburgh is receiving the investment we need to make life better for ALL families and small businesses across Western PA.” “The award of this grant is the culmination of hard work by many in our region,” said DJ Ryan, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Policy at the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “From our team members that proactively sought out this funding to our County Executive and our members of Congress that advocated for this project, we are grateful for the robust support that we’ve received. Once completed, the Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor Project will directly benefit the lives of many individuals—streamlining travel routes, enhancing safety, and increasing access for those that live in our region’s eastern communities.” “This is a huge win for the Pittsburgh region, and I want to congratulate and thank Senators Casey and Fetterman and Congresswoman Lee for their strong support and advocacy,” said Matt Smith, Chief Growth Office at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. “The Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor Project will benefit the community and all who live and work in the region through a series of improvements, promoting easier and safer travel along the interconnected multimodal transportation network. We look forward to seeing this project completed, the significant number of jobs supported and the resulting benefits to southwestern Pennsylvania.” A 2019 study rated the parkway as the fifth most congested road in the United States. This multimodal project will make significant progress to ameliorate that congestion and the corridor’s safety hazards. The myriad upgrades include rehabilitating 10 bridges, installing a new floodwall along the downtown section of the parkway so flood-prone it is known as “the Bathtub,” implementing technologies to ease traffic from Monroeville to downtown, and stabilizing hilly terrain to prevent landslides. In addition to traffic, flooding, bridges, and potentially unstable terrain, the $142.34 million award will improve bus infrastructure, shoulder and sidewalk safety, and key stretches of South Braddock Avenue and Route 30/Lincoln Highway/Ardmore Boulevard. Since Casey worked to pass IIJA in 2021, more than $14.2 billion in federal funds has been allocated in Pennsylvania. That includes more than $8 billion in funding for over 600 road and bridge projects and more than $1 billion for high-speed internet. ###

Share Tweet

December 14, 2023

Less Bang for Your Buck: Casey Releases Shrinkflation Report Exposing Big Corporations for Reducing Product Size While Keeping Prices High

Why are costs still so high for consumers when monthly inflation has fallen? Corporate greedflation is to blame—companies using inflation as cover to raise prices and make record profits It gets worse: companies are selling products smaller in size and quantity but charging the same retail price Family Size Double Stuf Oreos went from 1lb 4oz, now 1lb 2.71 oz; Kleenex tissues went from 65 sheets to 60 sheets in a box Between 2020 and 2022, corporate profits rose by 75 percent—five times as fast as inflation; 41% of inflation was due solely to corporate-profit making Read Casey’s latest greedflation report “Shrinkflation: How Corporations Are Shrinking Products To Super-Size Profits” HERE Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children & Families, released a report detailing how big corporations are making record profits by reducing the size of household consumer goods, from toilet paper to cereals to snacks, while continuing to sell them at the same retail price. The new greedflation report entitled “Shrinkflation: How Corporations Are Shrinking Products To Super-Size Profits” examines how corporate greed is squeezing families’ budgets and lays out Senator Casey’s vision to hold these companies accountable so to put money back in the pockets of American families. “Corporations are only getting more creative as they rake in record profits at the expense of Pennsylvania families: shrinking the size of their products while keeping the same sticker price. This corporate greed is one of the reasons that Americans are frustrated by expensive grocery bills,” said Senator Casey. “My new report not only exposes them for their greed but outlines the steps we need to take to combat it and put more money back into the pockets of working families.” To better protect families’ pocketbooks, Senator Casey sent letters to the trade associations representing household consumer products, food, and beverage corporations demanding answers about pricing strategies, package size practices, and how shrinkflation affects customers: Consumer Brands Association, representing food and beverage manufacturers; the American Beverage Association, representing non-alcoholic beverage companies; SNAC International, the trade association for the snack industry; and the Personal Care Products Council, representing personal care products companies. Senator Casey believes more must be done to hold corporations accountable for taking advantage of American workers and their families and has a plan to lower costs for working families by following four overall goals: put more money in the pockets of working families; make big corporations pay their fair share; fight unfair corporate price gouging; and take on corporate monopolies to increase competition and lower costs. Read the full report on “Shrinkflation: How Corporations Are Shrinking Products To Super-Size Profits” here or click on the report below. ###

Share Tweet

December 14, 2023

Casey, Brown, Booker Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Mental Health Support for Young People

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 4 in 10 high school students feel persistently sad or hopeless Young people who receive peer support report improvements in self-esteem, effective coping, and recovery from mental health conditions Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced two bills to combat the youth mental health crisis by making peer and school-based mental health support more accessible and providing actionable data on youth mental health. The Supporting All Students Act would establish a youth peer-to-peer support line and federal funding for schools to hire mental health coordinators. The Youth Mental Health Data Act, which is also cosponsored by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), would develop a national strategy to improve data systems on youth mental health. “Our Nation is facing a youth mental health crisis. Without adequate support, too many children struggling with their mental health suffer at home, in the classroom, and with their peers,” said Senator Casey. “These bills will help break down barriers to mental health support for young people across the country.” “We thank Senator Casey for his leadership on highlighting the behavioral health needs of children, teens and young adults – and offering solutions. Today, suicide is the second leading cause of death among our children and more than 60% of kids who experience a depressive episode do not receive treatment. The Supporting All Students Act offers common sense, immediate and effective policy solutions. It provides states with funding to hire school-based mental health coordinators. Bringing more mental health resources to our schools, where children spend most of their time, is just common sense,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus Campaign for Children. “The bill would also establish a peer-to-peer support line as part of the ongoing, national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. We look forward to working with the Senator to advance the mental health needs of our children and provide them with resources for prevention and recovery.” The Supporting All Students Act would establish a youth peer-to-peer support line that is integrated with 988, the national mental health crisis and suicide prevention number. Specifically aimed at youth ages 10-25, this line would provide youth with support from a trained peer responder, supervised by licensed mental health professionals, on a variety of issues such as relationship or family problems, academic or athletics-related stress, feelings of depression or anxiety, and bullying. This bill would also establish a new grant program run through the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for schools to hire mental health coordinators, with priority given to schools in high-poverty areas. The bill is supported by: American Federation of Teachers, American Psychological Association Services, the Children’s Defense Fund, First Focus Campaign for Children, Family Voices, the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, the National League for Nursing, Primary Care Development Corporation, the School-Based Health Alliance, the School Social Work Association of America, the Youth Power Project, and Youth Villages. The Youth Mental Health Data Act would create a federal task force on youth mental health data integration to develop a national strategy to improve youth mental health data systems. The task force would be comprised of representatives from federal agencies, medical societies and nonprofits, youth with lived experience, and media and technology companies. Additionally, the task force would submit a report to the governors of all states describing opportunities for local and state level partnerships. With the help of streamlined data processes, policymakers can maximize the effect of current and future investments by targeting resources based on where they will have the greatest impact. Read more about the Supporting All Students Act here. Read more about the Youth Mental Health Data Act here. ###

Share Tweet

December 14, 2023

Casey, Colleagues Escalate Pressure On Administration To Stop Surge In Mexican Steel Imports

Increase in Mexican steel imports violates agreement and threatens American steel industry jobs; surge in imports has already contributed to plant closures Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a bipartisan letter to United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan urging him and the Biden Administration to take action to stop an unsustainable increase in Mexican steel imports. In the letter, Senators demanded the Administration set a clear deadline for Mexico to enforce its 2019 agreement with the U.S. and urged the Administration to take aggressive action to counter the increase in Mexican steel imports if the country refuses to comply. “We write to you regarding the surge of Mexican steel imports into the U.S. market in violation of the 2019 Joint Agreement on Steel and Aluminum. This breach, and the resulting surge, threatens our manufacturing base and American national security, and demands immediate action from the administration,” the Senators wrote. The senators continued: “The administration must do more to protect America’s steel industry and prevent the further loss of good-paying American jobs. Failure to conclude an export monitoring agreement due to the unwillingness or inability of the Mexican government is unacceptable. We urge the administration to set a clear deadline for the implementation of an export monitoring agreement. If Mexico fails to meet this deadline or proves unable or unwilling to effectively enforce the 2019 Joint Agreement, we respectfully urge the administration to take aggressive action to counter the increase of Mexican steel imports.” Earlier this year, the senators voiced their deep concerns with the surge in Mexican steel imports and urged the administration to act. Today, the Mexican government is still refusing to comply with the 2019 agreement, and the delay in action by the administration is costing American steel jobs. In August, Mexico’s Grupo Simek announced plans to close Republic Steel plants in Canton, Ohio, and Lackawanna, New York, while moving significant quantities of that production to Mexico. These closures will mean the loss of over 500 good-paying, union jobs. Grupo Simek’s decision not to invest in their U.S.-based assets and to shift production to Mexico further highlights the lack of seriousness by the Mexican government in adhering to the 2019 agreement. Senator Casey was joined in the letter by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John Boozman (R-AR), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Ted Budd (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Katie Britt (R-AL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). The full text of the letter to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE. December 13, 2023 The Honorable Jake Sullivan National Security Advisor The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. Sullivan, We write to you regarding the surge of Mexican steel imports into the U.S. market in violation of the 2019 Joint Agreement on Steel and Aluminum. This breach, and the resulting surge, threatens our manufacturing base and American national security, and demands immediate action from the administration. We request additional information on the administration’s plans to address this continued surge and urge you to take immediate action to safeguard U.S. jobs and domestic steel manufacturing. Data from 2022 shows that annual iron and steel imports from Mexico have increased by approximately 73 percent over the pre-Section 232 2015-2017 baseline. During the same period, semi-finished steel and long product imports increased 120 percent and steel conduit imports rose 577 percent. This steel surge has already resulted in at least one plant closure, the loss of over a thousand new and existing jobs, and the deferment of hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment. We are deeply concerned by Mexico’s continued failure to comply with the 2019 Joint Agreement, along with ongoing attempts by Mexican steel companies to further increase their market share in the United States. Wire and rebar producer Deacero, for example, just opened a new Laredo, Texas distribution center to “get a bigger share of the US market.” Grupo Simek bought Republic Steel and is now closing plants in Ohio and New York to move production to a facility east of Mexico City. A Mexican electric conduit producer, Quality Tube S.A., is expanding its distribution enormously in Laredo to further penetrate the U.S. market. We commend Ambassador Tai for securing a commitment on September 23, 2023, from Mexican Economic Minister Buenrostro to reinstate export monitoring to guarantee future compliance with the 2019 Joint Agreement. However, we are concerned that the Mexican government is willfully delaying finalization of this agreement and is negotiating in bad faith. Furthermore, we are concerned that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has drastically reduced the staff of Mexico’s Economy Ministry by at least a third, putting into question whether Mexico can even enforce an export monitoring agreement. The administration must do more to protect America’s steel industry and prevent the further loss of good-paying American jobs. Failure to conclude an export monitoring agreement due to the unwillingness or inability of the Mexican government is unacceptable. We urge the administration to set a clear deadline for the implementation of an export monitoring agreement. If Mexico fails to meet this deadline or proves unable or unwilling to effectively enforce the 2019 Joint Agreement, we respectfully urge the administration to take aggressive action to counter the increase of Mexican steel imports. We ask for an update from your office by December 31, 2023 on the administration’s next steps in driving these post-breach negotiations to conclusion. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. ###

Share Tweet

December 13, 2023

Casey Secures Key Wins for Pennsylvanians in 2024 Defense Authorization Act

PA’s Senior Senator lays groundwork for investments in several PA military installations NDAA includes Casey provisions requiring Department of Defense transparency on PFAS clean-up Casey slammed House Republicans for dropping legislation providing insight into national security risks posed by Chinese government access to American technology and know-how Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that several provisions he advanced have been successfully adopted and passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. These include PFAS clean-up efforts, increased federal funding for several military installations and vital defense capabilities, and safety and accountability improvements in handling dangerous pathogens which could cause pandemics. Not in the defense authorization is a Casey-led bill, left out by House Republicans, meant to provide insight into the vulnerabilities and risks posed to our national security when Chinese companies have access to our military and national security technology. Casey authored an op-ed, “When it comes to China, Speaker Johnson’s talk is cheap” criticizing House Republicans for squandering a critical opportunity to combat China’s theft of American capabilities. “This year’s authorization reflects our Nation’s commitment to strengthening our defense capabilities, from critical upgrades to military installations to ensuring better health care for our servicemembers and their families,” said Senator Casey. “Much more still needs to be done to combat the threats posed by the Chinese government’s access to our national security sectors and I will keep pushing House Republicans to join us in holding them accountable for stealing our secrets so we can secure our economic future.” Specifically, the 2023 NDAA includes priorities for which Senator Casey advocated in the following areas: Pennsylvania Military Installations: Senator Casey laid the groundwork for over $190 million in federal funding across 11 projects for vital capabilities at the First City Troop Readiness Center and Naval Surface Warfare Center in Philadelphia, Letterkenny Army Depot, Tobyhanna Army Depot, Fort Indiantown Gap, Hermitage Readiness Center, Harrisburg International Airport, and Moon Township. Authorizations will enable military construction projects supporting vehicle and radar maintenance, missile production, geothermal and solar energy production, an artificial intelligence machinery control development center, an entry control facility, a machine gun range, a helipad, an anechoic chamber, and other sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects. PFAS: As part of his ongoing efforts to address the toxic effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, Senator Casey helped secure the inclusion of multiple provisions advancing a path towards remediation of toxic exposure to PFAS. For years, he has been at the forefront of efforts to address PFAS contamination in drinking water in Bucks and Montgomery Counties as a result of the use of a toxic firefighting agent at military installations. This year, Senator Casey helped to include a provision requiring that the Department of Defense (DoD) provide a proposed schedule and cost estimate for PFAS cleanup efforts. Additionally, he helped support a provision directing the DoD to issue regular, timely reports about the status of cleanup on PFAS contamination sites. Select Agent Reporting: Senator Casey ensured that a provision requiring the DoD to notify Congress within 45 days of any theft, loss, or release of a biological select agent that might cause a threat to public safety. Requiring disclosure to Congress will improve safety and accountability in the handling of dangerous pathogens which could cause the next pandemic. Better Health Care for Our Troops: Senator Casey helped secure a provision requiring the Department of Defense to expand its competitive care pilot program from two locations to five. This program enables competition across TRICARE health care providers, using market forces to incentivize better care for servicemembers. Fentanyl: Senator Casey supported pushing the Intelligence Community’s (IC) prioritization of fentanyl trafficking as an intelligence priority, including the flow of precursor chemical from China, as well as enhanced information on Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) and Sinaloa cartels People’s Republic of China (PRC): the FY24 Intelligence Authorization Act tasks the IC with addressing competition with PRC head-on: Require the IC to track how PRC is advancing its is economic and technological capabilities, and how these advancement pose a national security threat. Authorize the IC to place detailees at the Commerce Department to share actionable intelligence on foreign adversary intent, capabilities, threats, and operations that pose a threat to the interests or security of the United States, particularly as they relate to the procurement, development, and use of dual-use and emerging technologies Assessment to identify areas where the US lacks reciprocity in in the trade, financial, technological, and commercial relationship with PRC Assessment the threats posed by PRC-manufactured cranes used at US ports of entry to us economic security ###

Share Tweet

December 12, 2023

As Impact of Temporary Home Care Funding Becomes Clear, Casey Urges for Sustained Investment

According to White House, American Rescue Plan investments in home and community-based services have exceeded $37 billion Casey: “If we do not take action to make these temporary investments permanent, all these gains may be lost” Casey’s Better Care, Better Jobs Act and HCBS Relief Act would ensure long-term, sustained investment in home care Washington, D.C. - Today, following the White House announcement that American Rescue Plan Act investments in home and community-based services (HCBS) have reached $37 billion, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, released the following statement: “After three years, it is clear that the American Rescue Plan’s investment in home and community-based services has been a success. The temporary increase in funding provided by the law has helped to provide tens of thousands of Americans with home care, reducing waitlists and increasing care options while also raising wages for direct care workers. However, if we do not take action to make these temporary investments permanent, all these gains may be lost. I have introduced several bills, from the Better Care, Better Jobs Act to the HCBS Relief Act, which would make a long-term, sustained investment in caregiving and ensure that older adults and people with disabilities can receive the care they need, in their own communities.” In 2021, Chairman Casey successfully pushed for the American Rescue Plan Act to include increased funding for HCBS in the form of a 10-point Federal Medical Assistance Program (FMAP) increase. Today, the White House announced that the total investment in HCBS resulting from the program has exceeded $37 billion, considerably more than the $12.7 billion in federal dollars allocated by Congress, as a result of matching investments by all fifty states and the District of Columbia. Chairman Casey has led efforts in the Senate to ensure long-term, sustained investment in HCBS. His Better Care Better Jobs Act would provide funding for increased wages and benefits for direct care workers, support family caregivers, help states create registries of workers, and increase training for those providing home and community-based care. His HCBS Relief Act would extend the American Rescue Plan HCBS funding for two years, providing states with the resources necessary to recruit, retain, and compensate direct care workers. And his HCBS Access Act would make HCBS a permanent service of Medicaid, permanently expanding access to HCBS for all Medicaid recipients. ###

Share Tweet

December 12, 2023

Casey, DeLauro Introduce Legislation to Level Playing Field Between Tenants and Landlords

In late summer and early fall of 2023, over 3 million people thought they were at least somewhat likely to face eviction or foreclosure in the next two months Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3) introduced the Eviction Prevention Act to tackle rising housing instability by connecting low-income tenants with legal representation and enabling federal agencies to better track eviction cases. “Far too many Americans are at an increased risk of eviction and homelessness because they don’t have access to legal representation to help them and advocate for them,” said Senator Casey. “This bill will help families stay housed and level the playing field between tenants and landlords. It’s past time we devoted more federal resources to helping families in Pennsylvania and across the Nation keep a roof over their heads.” “It cannot be understated how devastating an eviction can be for individuals or families.” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “I understand it very well, as my family and I were evicted when I was growing up. Eviction turned our world upside down, and I know all too well how it can completely upend someone’s life. That is why I am so proud to introduce the Eviction Prevention Act with Senator Casey, legislation that will help individuals facing eviction get connected with legal counsel that can help them and their families stay housed. My home state of Connecticut has already enacted a Right to Counsel and in just a short amount of time, we have kept people in their home. The Eviction Prevention Act would build on this success and expand this critically needed program nationwide.” “The National Housing Law Project is pleased to endorse Representative DeLauro and Senator Casey’s Eviction Prevention Act. The US affordable housing crisis is reaching a fever pitch, and evictions have risen above pre-pandemic levels. As renters navigate this dangerous market, they increasingly face rent gauging, significant rent burden, and frequent and unjust evictions. And they are taking on these challenges without adequate representation in housing court,” said Shamus Roller, Executive Director of the National Housing Law Project. “The Eviction Prevention Act would authorize new grants to provide representation to tenants, create the nation’s first federal evictions database, and generate a government report on the evictions landscape in America. The bill is essential to understanding the depth of our evictions crisis and necessary to reduce future evictions. “Even before the pandemic, millions of the lowest-income and most marginalized households were just one financial shock away from falling behind on their rent, losing their homes, and, in worst cases, experiencing homelessness. Today, many of these same households are even more precariously housed,” said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “The long-standing eviction crisis – which predominantly harms Black women – underscores the need for both urgent action and long-term solutions, including the ‘Eviction Prevention Act’ from Representative DeLauro and Senator Casey.” The Eviction Prevention Act would address the rise in housing instability by providing state and local governments grant funding to hire attorneys to represent very low-income tenants during eviction proceedings. A study of Philadelphia eviction cases filed between 2012 and 2017 found that tenants with representation were forcibly displaced from their homes in 5% of cases, compared with 78% for unrepresented tenants. The bill would also create a national eviction database to help the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) better track eviction cases and mandate reports on the limitations of the legal system for tenants experiencing eviction. The legislation is endorsed by National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, National League of Cities, Public Justice, A Way Home America, Community Legal Services Philadelphia, the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, and True Colors United. Read more about the Eviction Prevention Act here. ###

Share Tweet

December 12, 2023

Casey Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Access to Public Transportation for College Students

A 2021 report found that only about 57% of community colleges are accessible to public transit Average community college student spends $1,930 per year on commuting costs Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Promoting Advancement Through Transit Help (PATH) to College Act. The PATH to College Act would increase access to public transportation for college students by establishing a new grant program for public transit providers. Companion legislation has been introduced in the House by U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1). “A lack of reliable transportation should never be an obstacle to receiving an education,” said Senator Casey. “By expanding access to public transit, this legislation will help students spend more time on their studies and less time worrying about how they’re going to get to school.” The PATH to College Act authorizes funding for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education and transit agencies for the purpose of improving transit accessibility for students attending community colleges and Minority Serving Institutions by adding public transit stops or routes or similar third-party transit options that serve college campuses and surrounding areas. Award priority would be given to postsecondary institutions with a large number of Pell-eligible students to target access improvements for low-income students most in need. This bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). This bill is endorsed by Higher Learning Advocates, the Institute for Higher Education Policy, uAspire, and the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. Read more about the Promoting Advancement Through Transit Help (PATH) to College Act here. ###

Share Tweet

December 11, 2023

Casey, Fetterman, Wild Announce $9.9 Million for Bethlehem Safe Streets Program

West Broad Street to receive major safety upgrades, including intersection improvements, protected bike lanes, and improved public transportation infrastructure Casey fought to secure funding from Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, created by the infrastructure law Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-PA-7) announced $9.9 million in federal funding for Bethlehem to increase safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers in one of the city’s busiest corridors. West Broad Street will receive safety upgrades, including intersection improvements, protected bikes lanes, and better public transportation infrastructure. There are seven schools near the Broad Street corridor and these improvements are in part intended to help improve safety for the students who utilize these pedestrian crossings. “Because of the infrastructure law, we are building a Pennsylvania which is safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike. Investments that help our students get to and from school safely is a win for our communities,” said Senator Casey. “I was proud to advocate for this funding to make key safety improvements along West Broad Street, one of the busiest corridors in the Lehigh Valley.” “The bottom line is that we are facing a street safety crisis in America — and in Pennsylvania. The thousands of lives we lose due to unsafe streets is unacceptable, and it’s long past time we in Washington do something about it,” said Senator Fetterman. “This funding will provide the city of Bethlehem with the resources they need to make streets safer for everyone on the roads." “This critical grant funding will improve Bethlehem’s infrastructure and make our roads and streets safer places for everyone—whether you’re a pedestrian, driver, or cyclist,” said Congresswoman Susan Wild. “I twice supported the City of Bethlehem’s application for this key funding to transform the West Broad Street corridor, and I will continue pushing to bring home federal investments to build safer communities in every part of PA-07.” “Transformative. That is what this support from the Biden Administration will mean for our city,” said Mayor J. William Reynolds. “The $10 million Safe Streets For All grant will make our community safer and more sustainable for generations. Current and future residents of Bethlehem cannot say thank you enough to President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg for the support. We also have to thank Senator Casey and Congresswoman Wild for passing the infrastructure bill that makes this all possible. We are transforming one of the busiest corridors in our community from a street built for cars into a street built for people. A historic day for Bethlehem.” This funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). These proposals are in line with both Bethlehem’s “Vision Zero” plan and the Broad Street Active Transportation Plan. Senator Casey and Congresswoman Wild supported the City’s application for this grant funding. ###

Share Tweet

December 11, 2023

Casey, Fetterman, Scanlon Announce $261,942 for Delaware County Safe Streets Project

Funding to improve pedestrian safety along routes to 13 schools in Chester-Upland and Southeast Delco School Districts Funding from Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, created by the infrastructure law Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5) announced $261,942 in federal funding for Delaware County to make it safer for local students to get to school. This funding will allow the County to improve pedestrian safety along routes to 13 schools in the Chester-Upland and Southeast Delco School Districts. “Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act, we’re making it safer for students, faculty and staff, and visitors to get to Delaware County schools,” said Senator Casey. “Students’ families will have greater peace of mind when they send their children to school each day. Faculty and staff will have safer and more efficient commutes. Because of the infrastructure law, we’re going to keep Delco students safe and keep our communities moving.” “The bottom line is that we are facing a street safety crisis in America — and in Pennsylvania. The thousands of lives we lose due to unsafe streets is unacceptable, and it’s long past time we in Washington do something about it,” said Senator Fetterman. “This funding will provide Delaware County with the resources they need to make streets safer for everyone on the roads." “Students and families in Delaware County should have safe pathways to school,” said Rep. Scanlon. “This new federal funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will allow our local leaders and residents to develop and advance projects that address the unique safety needs of our neighborhoods and save lives.” This funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This funding will enable the County to develop a school-focused community engagement and education plan for Chester-Upland and Southeast Delco schools; conduct data collection and study pedestrian routes, including through surveys of parents and staff; and identify, design, deploy, and evaluate quick-build demonstration activities at 4 schools such as high-visibility crosswalks, raised medians, and paint and plastic pedestrian refuges. ###

Share Tweet

December 11, 2023

Casey, Fetterman Announce $160,000 for Lewisburg Safe Streets Project

Funding from Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, created by the infrastructure law Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced $160,000 in federal funding for the Borough of Lewisburg to develop a comprehensive action plan to make the borough’s roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike. “The infrastructure law is making our communities safer by funding long-overdue safety projects in communities across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Casey. “This award will help Lewisburg create a comprehensive plan to reduce fatal crashes and make some of the busiest traffic corridors in Lewisburg safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.” “The bottom line is that we are facing a street safety crisis in America — and in Pennsylvania. The thousands of lives we lose due to unsafe streets is unacceptable, and it’s long past time we in Washington do something about it,” said Senator Fetterman. “This funding will provide Lewisburg with the resources they need to make streets safer for everyone on the roads." The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant is funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Senator Casey fought to pass. ###

Share Tweet

December 11, 2023

Casey, Fetterman, Evans, Boyle Announce $16.4 Million for Philadelphia Safe Streets Program

Old York Road and Hunting Park Avenue will receive safety upgrades to improve driver, pedestrian, and cyclist safety Casey fought to secure funding from Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, created by the infrastructure law With this award, Philadelphia has $46.4 million in Safe Streets funding in 2023 alone Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) and Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2) announced $16.4 million in federal funding for Philadelphia to make some of the city’s most dangerous corridors safer for all users, with an emphasis on pedestrian and cyclist safety. Two high-injury corridors, Old York Road from Erie to Lindley Avenues and along Hunting Park Avenue from Wissahickon Avenue to Roosevelt Boulevard, will receive major safety upgrades. Additional funding will go towards the City’s Bicycle Capital Plan and bicycle improvement demonstration projects. “The infrastructure law is making our communities safer by funding long-overdue safety projects in our most dangerous corridors,[O(1] ” said Senator Casey. “I was proud to advocate for this funding to reduce fatal crashes and make two of the busiest traffic corridors in Philadelphia safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.” “The bottom line is that we are facing a street safety crisis in America — and in Pennsylvania. The thousands of lives we lose due to unsafe streets is unacceptable, and it’s long past time we in Washington do something about it,” said Senator Fetterman. “This funding will provide Philadelphia with the resources they need to make streets safer for everyone on the roads." “I’m pleased to see the Biden-Harris administration once again delivering for Philadelphians in the areas of public safety and better infrastructure, especially for underserved areas,” Congressman Evans said. "Infrastructure funding is not limited to just building bridges and highways. This funding program, which I voted for as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will serve to make our city streets safer to many who use them every day,” said Congressman Boyle. “This funding will enable the creation of dedicated bike lanes along some of our most dangerous traffic corridors, while fostering a safer and more sustainable urban environment. This project marks a significant step towards prioritizing the well-being of our Philadelphia residents and promotes active, eco-friendly transportation alternatives." “From day one of this administration, we have put a focus on revitalizing underserved communities and creating safer neighborhoods. Safe streets for all modes of transport is an area of progress I'm proud of,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “I would like to thank Senators Casey and Fetterman, all of our federal partners, and our own Office of Complete Streets for all their efforts in securing this grant. Over the course of this administration, we have been able to land more than $200 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded grants. This is a tremendous accomplishment that will be felt for years to come as projects become reality.” The funding comes from U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This funding provides Philadelphia with the opportunity to upgrade infrastructure in historically underserved communities which have suffered from a lack of investment in roads and safety features. Proposed improvements as part of the “Vision Zero” initiative include transportation infrastructure upgrades separated bicycle-pedestrian side paths, concrete bus islands, and ADA accessibility enhancements, and X box designations to deter parking in bus stops. Senator Casey supported the City’s grant for this funding. With this award, Philadelphia has received $46.4 million in Safe Streets funding in 2023 alone. ###

Share Tweet

December 9, 2023

Casey Statement on Resignation of UPenn President Magill

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released on the following statement on the resignation of University of Pennsylvania President Magill: “President Magill’s resignation allows the University of Pennsylvania to chart a new course in addressing antisemitism on campus. The Board of Trustees and other university leaders must ensure that Penn’s campus is a safe environment, not a hostile environment, for all students to learn without the specter of antisemitism, Islamophobia, or racism of any kind.”

Share Tweet

December 8, 2023

Casey Urges Biden Administration to Consider PA Communities for Economic Development Program, Tackle Barriers to Employment

Congress created the Recompete Program in CHIPS and Science Act to connect distressed communities to jobs and investment Casey: “For decades, lawmakers have made decisions that prioritized big corporations and outsourcing over American communities, manufacturing, and workers.” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in support of Pennsylvanian applicants to the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, created by the CHIPS and Science Act under the Economic Development Administration. Casey stressed the opportunities that this program would provide to help struggling Pennsylvania communities address barriers to employment like lack of transportation, child care, and adequate job training. “I write today to express my support for the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete Pilot Program) and the many high-quality applications for that program from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For decades, lawmakers have made decisions that prioritized big corporations and outsourcing over American communities, manufacturing, and workers. While some entities have benefited, the economic transitions triggered by these policies have left far too many communities behind… The broad demand from Pennsylvania communities for funding through the Recompete Pilot Program demonstrates how ready our stakeholders are to seize this opportunity and close the gap—for our workers, for our communities, for our state. When we invest in systems that give everyone a fair shot, we build a healthier economy and more vibrant places for Pennsylvanians to live and work,” Casey wrote. The Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program is a targeted, place-based economic development grant program designed to support communities with a high prime-age employment gap, meaning that the share of workers between the ages of 25 and 54 participating in the labor force is significantly lower than the national average. Full text of the letter is below and the PDF can be found HERE. December 8, 2023 Dear Secretary Raimondo: I write today to express my support for the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete Pilot Program) and the many high-quality applications for that program from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For decades, lawmakers have made decisions that prioritized big corporations and outsourcing over American communities, manufacturing, and workers. While some entities have benefited, the economic transitions triggered by these policies have left far too many communities behind. While existing tools like the energy community tax credit have been put in place to support these cities, towns, and rural areas, the CHIPS and Science Act added a new tool to the federal toolbelt: the Recompete Pilot Program. The Recompete Pilot Program is a targeted, place-based economic development grant program designed to support communities with a high prime-age employment gap, meaning that the share of workers between the ages of 25 and 54 participating in the labor force is significantly lower than the national average. As the Pennsylvania applications attest, the gap can be driven by any number of issues, from lack of transportation to a language barrier to substance-use challenges. Wherever it presents itself, this gap poses a serious barrier to both regional economic growth and sustainable employment for workers who want to participate in the labor force. While other recent programs facilitate the creation of good jobs, Recompete is designed to ensure workers in a given area have the skill sets and wraparound supports they need to achieve stable employment. The Recompete Pilot Program invites communities to address their respective employment gaps in the ways that make the most sense for their unique challenges. In different places in Pennsylvania, some distinct issues were isolated as employment barriers that Recompete funding could help address. In the Mon Valley, Renovo, and Lancaster, addressing transportation and transit issues for workers was a priority. In Allentown, increasing access to child care was identified as a critical need. Job training to meet the shifting needs of local employers also featured prominently across applications, including applications that served Meadville, Johnstown, Washington, Reading, and Chester. Many places identified multiple barriers, and all are seeking Recompete funds to help address them. In closing, I ask you provide full and fair consideration to all Pennsylvania applications. The broad demand from Pennsylvania communities for funding through the Recompete Pilot Program demonstrates how ready our stakeholders are to seize this opportunity and close the gap—for our workers, for our communities, for our state. When we invest in systems that give everyone a fair shot, we build a healthier economy and more vibrant places for Pennsylvanians to live and work. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to working with the Economic Development Agency, in coordination with Pennsylvania state and local policymakers, to take advantage of the Recompete program to invest in workers, revitalize our communities, and build towards a more prosperous economic future. ###

Share Tweet

December 7, 2023

What Others Are Saying: “House Republicans Going Soft on China”

As Casey-Cornyn bill to screen U.S. investments in China is dropped from NDAA, conservative think tanks, national security experts, and more criticize House Republicans The Outbound Investment Transparency Act was included as amendment to Senate NDAA bill by vote of 91-6, but House Republican leadership killed the bill in conference stage National Review Editorial Board: “The House GOP is about to make a huge mistake” Heritage Foundation: “On this issue, House Republicans have it backwards” ICYMI: Sen Casey Op-Ed: When it comes to China, Speaker Johnson’s talk is cheap Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate released final text for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that omitted the Outbound Investment Transparency Act, a bill introduced by Senators Casey (D-PA) and Cornyn (R-TX) that passed the Senate by 91-6. Conservative think tanks and national security groups have urged Congressional leaders to pass the bill in NDAA. and as reports that House Republican leadership were considering dropping the bill came out, many of those experts publicly criticized that decision as “a huge mistake” and have accused House Republican leadership for “making matters worse.” Senator Casey authored an op-ed earlier this week accusing Speaker Johnson of aligning himself with Chinese President Xi by refusing to pass this bill. See below on what others are saying about House Republican leadership’s decision to drop the Outbound Investment Transparency Act from NDAA. National Review Editorial Board: “House Republicans Going Soft on China” The House GOP is about to make a huge mistake that will redound to the benefit of the Chinese Communist Party. The leadership of the House Financial Services Committee is poised to prevent a crackdown on a very troubling trend: Beijing’s use of U.S. capital flows — and the expertise that comes with private investment — to develop technologies with which it hopes to one day kill Americans. [National Review, 11/30/23] Heritage Foundation Senior Policy Advisor Bryan Burack: House Republicans “have it backwards,” “are making matters worse” “Unfortunately, rather than pushing the Biden administration to do more, some House Republicans are making matters worse by actively resisting efforts to monitor and restrict the flow of investment into China….On this issue, House Republicans have it backwards: they should be pushing for a more aggressive effort, not seeking to water down or block measures that are already too weak. As it stands, the Biden White House’s feeble executive order and the Democrat-controlled Senate’s even weaker bill amount to a more ambitious agenda than the Republican House has adopted to address dangerous investments in China.” [Heritage Foundation, 12/1/23] Oren Cass, Executive Director of American Compass: “An obvious table-stakes issue for getting serious about the China challenge” “If conservatives want to understand why we can't have nice things, watch what @PatrickMcHenry is doing in the House to block restrictions on outbound investment to China. This is an obvious table-stakes issue for getting serious about the China challenge...” [X, 11/28/23] Heritage Action President Dr. Kevin Roberts: “Failing to advance outbound investment reform would be a gift to Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party” “Failing to advance outbound investment reform would be a gift to Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party… It is long past time to stop funding our own destruction and end business as usual with Beijing. Politicians like talking the talk about being tough on China— it’s time to walk the walk.” [Heritage Action Press Release, 11/29/23] Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are also touting the broad, bipartisan support outbound investment legislation: Representative Mike McCaul, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee: A “truly bipartisan piece of legislation” On similar outbound investment legislation: “What we have here is truly a bipartisan piece of legislation that should be expedited to the House Floor. Indeed, this type of forward-looking, outbound framework is supported by nearly every senator—my dear friend Senator Cornyn has a similar bill, which got over 90 votes in the Senate….It seems like nearly the entirety of Congress—Republicans and Democrats—agree that U.S. dollars and investment shouldn’t be supporting the CCP’s development of critical technologies.” [McCaul Press Release, 11/30/23] Senator John Cornyn: “Almost everybody in the House agrees with us” Almost everybody in the House agrees with us — Chairman McCaul, [Select Committee on China] Chairman [Mike] Gallagher, [House Intelligence] Chairman [Mike] Turner — it’s Chairman McHenry who's the one who derailed it,” Cornyn told reporters Thursday. “I’ve made my request to the guy who can make it happen.” The move puts the squeeze on Johnson, who may have to choose between McHenry's less onerous approach to regulating outbound investment and the policy championed by China hawks, who have elevated criticism of Beijing to a conservative cause. [POLITICO, 11/30/23] Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: House Republicans “talk a big game on China” but “are actually sabotaging some of the best tough-on-Chinese-government accomplishments we’ve passed in the NDAA.” On the Senate floor, the New York Democrat blasted GOP resistance, which has been led by House Financial Services Chair Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.). Schumer didn't identify a specific lawmaker, but it offered a preview of future Democratic attack lines if McHenry ends up blocking the provisions. McHenry has pushed back on the inclusion of bipartisan China investment screening in favor of a sanctions-based approach that his committee has approved. He has also held up other finance-related measures in a bid to force the addition of cryptocurrency legislation. Schumer said House Republicans "talk a big game on China" but "are actually sabotaging some of the best tough-on-Chinese-government accomplishments we’ve passed in the NDAA." [POLITICO, 12/4/23]

Share Tweet

December 7, 2023

As Decision Pends, Casey, Fetterman, Cartwright Emphasize Need for President Biden to Approve Major Disaster Declaration for Northeastern Pennsylvania

On September 9, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties suffered serious damage from floods that claimed the lives of two residents and caused numerous injuries Members of Congress: “This damage exceeds the capacity of local governments’ recovery capabilities if federal assistance is not provided.” In November, the Members sent a letter urging approval of Governor Shapiro’s August request for a major declaration Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) sent a second letter to President Joe Biden urging him to approve a request by Governor Josh Shapiro for a major disaster declaration for parts of Northeastern Pennsylvania in the wake of deadly floods that caused extensive destruction across the region. As discussions about the aid continue between the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Casey, Fetterman, and Cartwright outlined the stakes for securing the necessary funds to help the region rebuild. “This damage exceeds the capacity of local government’s recovery capabilities if federal assistance is not provided,” the Members wrote. “Counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania suffered significant damage from flash floods and need assistance to rebuild damaged or destroyed infrastructure. It is critical that the request for Public Assistance funding, which provides relief to public entities for certain emergency services and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities, is provided.” If granted, the declaration could authorize individual financial assistance to help Lackawanna County residents find temporary housing, afford home repairs, and cover medical expenses and authorize emergency grants to help communities in Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties rebuild damaged or destroyed infrastructure. The full text of the letter to President Biden is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE. December 7, 2023 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: We write today to reemphasize our support for the State of Pennsylvania’s request for a major disaster declaration following serious flooding in Northeastern Pennsylvania on September 9, 2023. Governor Shapiro requested the major disaster declaration following the event, specifically asking that Individual Assistance be authorized for Lackawanna County and that Public Assistance be authorized for Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Counties. The damage to local infrastructure was severe and requires federal support. We write today to emphasize the need for FEMA to provide meaningful assistance to impacted communities expeditiously. It is our understanding that impacted local governments, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), and FEMA have been in conversation for several weeks attempting to quantify and contextualize the outstanding needs that would be eligible for federal assistance. Specifically, we understand that FEMA and PEMA have been in extended discussions about the total cost of damage to eligible infrastructure in the impacted communities. In the Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) completed for the three affected counties, PEMA estimated that damages exceeded $25.3 million, well above the threshold required to qualify for Public Assistance. This damage exceeds the capacity of local government’s recovery capabilities if federal assistance is not provided. Counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania suffered significant damage from flash floods and need assistance to rebuild damaged or destroyed infrastructure. It is critical that the request for Public Assistance funding, which provides relief to public entities for certain emergency services and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities, is provided. As the need for a major disaster declaration has been discussed further, funding sources beyond FEMA’s Public Assistance program have been raised as necessary components of a recovery plan. While we agree that other funding can and should be leveraged to facilitate recovery, that money should be a complement to the FEMA resources explicitly dedicated to assisting in these situations, not a replacement. We have heard from leaders in Northeastern Pennsylvania about the urgent need for assistance. We urge you to approve Governor Shapiro’s current major disaster declaration request. Thank you for your consideration. ###

Share Tweet

December 7, 2023

Casey, Murphy Introduce Bill to Fight Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Americans

One-quarter of adults aged 65 and older in the U.S. face social isolation The Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults (SILO) Act invests in community-based organizations that provide social connection for older Americans Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced the Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults (SILO) Act. As many older Americans face a crisis of social isolation and loneliness which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bill would help improve social connection for older adults and adults with disabilities by providing funding for Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and community-based organizations. “The COVID-19 pandemic showed us all just how devastating social isolation can be for our mental and physical health,” said Chairman Casey. “However, for older Americans and people with disabilities, isolation and loneliness have long been serious issues. The Addressing SILO Act will fund new programs to improve social connection and reduce loneliness among older Americans and help ensure that Americans do not have to spend their golden years isolated and alone.” “There are tons of local organizations already doing the important work of helping older Americans and adults with disabilities – two groups most at-risk for social isolation – combat loneliness, and we should be in the business of making sure these programs reach as many people as possible. This legislation would create a new grant program dedicated to supporting community-based organizations focused on helping their neighbors feel a little less alone. It’s a simple way the federal government can be a part of the solution,” said Senator Murphy. As of 2019, there were 54 million adults aged 65 and older in the U.S. and a quarter of those were socially isolated. Life transitions and disruptive events, like retirement, the loss of a spouse or friends, or children moving away put older adults at higher risk for social isolation and loneliness. Social isolation and loneliness pose significant public health risks, particularly for older adults, contributing to poor health outcomes, such as declines in mental or cognitive health and the onset or worsening of chronic diseases, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Social isolation not only impacts health outcomes and overall quality of life, but also it carries a heavy price tag. Social isolation among older adults accounts for an estimated $6.7 billion in annual excess Medicare spending. The Addressing SILO Act would improve social connection and reduce isolation and loneliness among older adults and adults with disabilities through grants and training programs for Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and community-based organizations. Specifically, the bill provides $62.5 million in annual funding to support AAAs and community-based organizations in: Providing training for their staff to better address and prevent social isolation and loneliness; Conducting outreach to individuals at-risk for social isolation and loneliness;? Developing community-based interventions to mitigate social isolation and loneliness;? Connecting at-risk individuals with social and clinical supports; and?? Evaluating the effectiveness of the programs developed and implemented through the grants.?? You can read more about the Addressing SILO Act here. ###

Share Tweet

December 6, 2023

In Case You Missed It - Casey: When it comes to China, Speaker Johnson’s talk is cheap

Casey: “If Johnson continues to stand in the way of this bipartisan legislation, he’ll be aligning himself with President Xi Jinping, and against the interests of the American people” Casey’s bill would provide insight into the vulnerabilities and risks posed to our national security when Chinese companies have access to our military and national security technology Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it, Senator Bob Casey authored an op-ed, “When it comes to China, Speaker Johnson’s talk is cheap” on House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Republican House leadership’s intention to squander a critical opportunity for the United States to combat China’s continued theft of American technology in critical national security sectors. As the sponsor of the Outbound Investment Transparency Act, Senator Casey called for giving the United States visibility into investments in national security sectors made in countries of concern, including the People’s Republic of China. Read Senator Casey’s full op-ed below or HERE The Hill: When it comes to China, Speaker Johnson’s talk is cheap By Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) There’s a lot of talk these days in Washington about getting tough on China, but meaningful action is proving harder to come by. As Congress works to pass the annual defense bill, we have an obvious chance to combat China’s continued theft of American technology in critical national security sectors, yet Republican House leadership seems intent on squandering that opportunity. The United States is in competition with a communist government that doesn’t play by the rules and is an economic adversary of our country. The Chinese government is willing to manipulate economic tools for national security gains and global dominance. As U.S. companies have invested in the Chinese market over the past few decades, the Chinese Communist Party has strategically sought inroads to industries critical to our national security — leaving the U.S. dependent on China for manufacturing and giving the Chinese government access to our military and spyware technology. This is a risk too great to let continue. If a U.S. company is giving American satellite or hypersonic technology to a Chinese company tied to the Chinese military, the U.S. government should know about it. It’s that simple. Three years ago, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and I began working on legislation to address this very issue. We believed that the U.S. needed insight into the vulnerabilities and risks posed to our national security when Chinese companies have access to our military and national security technology. By screening the outbound investments that U.S. companies are making in China, we can begin to understand the scope of the problem and begin to take steps to protect ourselves. Many of our colleagues agreed that this was a worthy issue for Congress to address; our bill passed the Senate by an overwhelming 91-6 vote. There isn’t much that earns the support of 91 senators these days, but members on both sides of the aisle understood what is at stake if we do not act. Now it’s the House’s turn. House Republicans so far have talked a big game on China. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) have introduced various, robust bipartisan proposals to address the issue. The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, led by Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), has done substantive, bipartisan work to outline the threats that the Chinese government poses, including endorsing outbound investment legislation. Now is the time for action. For passing legislation. For meaningful change. While efforts to address outbound investment in China have bipartisan support in the House, a small but influential faction of the House Republican Caucus has decided to object to our legislation at the 11th hour. It appears that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Financial Services Chairman Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) are stopping our bill from being passed as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act. It’s not just this proposal; Johnson and McHenry are also blocking legislation to stop the flow of illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals from China and to prevent Chinese companies from buying up American farmland. In doing so, they are putting our national security at risk and essentially handing China a win in strategic competition. In Congress, we’re used to passionate, partisan debate. But national security often transcends our domestic divisions because many of us here understand that keeping Americans safe from threats abroad — from terrorism, from military aggression, and from the type of economic coercion we’re seeing from China — is too important to let partisan infighting tear us apart. This is a crossroads moment for Johnson and his allies. We have the power to begin to take greater control of our economic future, but only if we hold the Chinese government accountable and stop them from stealing more of our technology and secrets. If Johnson continues to stand in the way of this bipartisan legislation, he’ll be aligning himself with President Xi Jinping, and against the interests of the American people. Bob Casey is the senior senator from Pennsylvania and is a member of the Senate Finance Committee and Senate Intelligence Committee. ###

Share Tweet

December 6, 2023

Casey, Fetterman Announce $144 Million to Expand Amtrak Service Between Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia

Casey fought to enhance Amtrak service between major PA cities and communities; new designation and award made possible by Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Project received $500,000 from federal development program facilitating creation and enhancement of intercity passenger rail corridors Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced $143,629,028 from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to upgrade rail infrastructure along the Keystone West Corridor between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg to accommodate a second daily round-trip of the Amtrak Pennsylvanian service. Additionally, Casey and Fetterman announced a $500,000 grant from the Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) program to plan and develop how to expand both Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian and Keystone services along the entire Pittsburgh to Philadelphia corridor, including in smaller communities like Altoona, Johnstown, and Lancaster. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will match 20 percent of the project’s total cost. “I fought for this funding because when Pennsylvanians can move quickly and easily across the state for work, study, or travel our Commonwealth thrives,” said Senator Casey. “Improving rail service means more jobs, more economic opportunities, and more time spent with family for urban and rural communities alike.” “I’m extremely honored and excited to join with Senator Casey to announce this funding for passenger rail between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Pennsylvania will see numerous benefits from this expansion, including safer and more reliable transit, reduced travel time, and strengthened local economies,” said Senator Fetterman. “I am proud to see us investing in so many rail infrastructure projects throughout the commonwealth. The more trains and public transportation options for Pennsylvanians, the better.” In March 2023, Senator Casey wrote a letter of support to the FRA urging them to consider the Keystone Corridor for the Corridor ID program. In April, Casey sent another letter to the FRA urging them to consider the Keystone West Corridor for federal investment. The $143,629,028 grant comes from the Federal Rail Administration (FRA)’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program (FSP) to help complete the final design and construction of track and signal improvements along existing rail while improving safety and Amtrak’s service reliability. The FSP funds capital projects aiming to replace, rehabilitate, or repair infrastructure, improve intercity passenger rail service performance such as reducing trip times or increasing train frequency, or expand or establish new intercity passenger rail service. The $500,000 grant comes from the Corridor ID Program, a comprehensive intercity passenger rail planning and development program established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Senator Casey fought to pass. The program is guiding intercity passenger rail development throughout the country and creating a pipeline of intercity passenger rail projects ready for implementation. ###

Share Tweet

December 5, 2023

Casey, Cartwright Announce Key Step in Restoring Scranton to New York Rail Service

Federal development program facilitates creation of intercity passenger rail corridors Designation is critical step towards federal funding for NEPA rail service Casey, Cartwright have long pushed to restore passenger rail service to region Direct rail service between Scranton and New York would generate as much as $84 million of economic activity every year, according to Amtrak study Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) announced that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has included Northeastern Pennsylvania in its Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) Program with the goal of reestablishing direct passenger rail service between Scranton, PA and New York, NY. The Corridor ID Program was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to assist with the development of intercity passenger rail corridors. “For generations, passenger rail service helped Northeastern Pennsylvanians connect with loved ones, get to school and work, and access economic opportunity and recreation. In turn, residents of other states helped to stimulate our economy and visited our region to see the best of what we have to offer,” said Senator Casey. “I have fought to restore Scranton rail service for my entire career as a United States Senator, including voting to pass the infrastructure law, because bringing passenger rail service back to my hometown and to our region will be a game-changing force for our economy, our families, and our communities.” “I am thrilled to make this long-awaited announcement. This is a significant milestone and represents years of dedicated efforts to restore passenger rail service, which will contribute to our region’s economic growth and vitality,” said Congressman Matt Cartwright, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee who worked with U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer to ensure Amtrak was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which allocated billions for rail. Cartwright has also had ongoing conversations with U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in his efforts to restore passenger rail to Northeast Pennsylvania. “This proposed rail line will create jobs, improve quality of life, and offer convenient travel options for commuters, college students and tourists, alike. It will also connect those of us living in Northeast Pennsylvania to a wider selection of health care services, sporting events, cultural activities and vacation spots. I appreciate the efforts of Sen. Bob Casey, Governor Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority officials Larry Malski, Dominic Keating and Bob Hay, and all who have worked alongside me to bring this project to this point. I look forward to getting this plan across the finish line with the support of our federal, state and local officials.” Rail service previously ran on the Lackawanna Cut-Off directly between Scranton and New York, but was discontinued in 1970. Without consistent use and upkeep, the track fell into disrepair and requires significant investment to restore train service. Senator Casey and Representative Cartwright have long advocated for restored rail service between Scranton and New York. In 2008, Senator Casey sent a letter with Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), then-Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and then-Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) in support of a passenger rail service between Scranton, PA and Binghamton, NY that would connect to existing service through to New York City. In the same year, Casey sent a letter to the Federal Transit Administration requesting information on plans to begin the Lackawanna Cut-Off project. In 2009, Casey led a letter to then-President Obama asking for continued support in the creation of this passenger rail. Senator Casey also wrote a letter in 2010 to then-Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation Ray LaHood emphasizing the need for more funding to restore the Lackawanna Cut-Off and subsequently met with Secretary LaHood to discuss increased financial support for the project. In 2015, Senator Casey sent letters to the Lackawanna County Regional Planning Commission and the Luzerne County Planning Commission, as well as the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in support of funding for the Lackawanna Cut-Off Restoration Project. In 2021, Amtrak announced the largest investment in its passenger rail since its creation, made possible by funding from the infrastructure law, which Casey and Cartwright both supported. Senator Casey visited East Stroudsburg to tout the potential for train service after Amtrak released a proposal to expand rail across the country, including restoring New York-Scranton rail service. In 2022, Casey and Cartwright led a coalition of regional partners from Pennsylvania and New Jersey in urging the Federal Railroad Administration to reestablish Scranton Rail through a once-in-a-generation investment in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s rail infrastructure. Since being elected to Congress in 2012, Cartwright has made restoring passenger rail service to Northeast Pennsylvania the top priority of his work in public life. Beginning shortly after being sworn in, Rep. Cartwright teamed up with Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority (PNRRA) officials Larry Malski, Dominic Keating and Bob Hay for dozens of meetings and hundreds of calls, all with a view toward reviving the moribund project. In January 2017, Cartwright and then State Senator John Blake (and currently District Director for Rep. Cartwright) organized and led a symposium at Pocono Manor at which the bipartisan coalition of scores of local elected officials, New Jersey rail officials and community business leaders began to come together. At that event, PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards and Federal Transit Administrator Therese McMillan provided key advice on how to position the project for success, including evaluating the repair work needed on the massive bridges over the Delaware River and the Paulinskill Creek. Beginning in 2017, Cartwright helped PNRRA secure funding from Lackawanna and Monroe counties, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Appalachian Regional Commission to fund a rail study on costs, feasibility, ridership and environmental impact. These studies were performed by recognized engineering firm Greenman Peterson and, later, Amtrak itself. In February 2021, Cartwright and Blake held a Zoom meeting with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and secured his agreement to increase the New Rail part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by $2 billion, to increase this project’s chances of success. In May that year, Cartwright founded the Lackawanna Cutoff Rail Restoration Caucus in Congress, which included inaugural Members Susan Wild (PA-7), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). As a member of House Leadership, in the summer of 2021, Cartwright heavily lobbied top leadership to treat the Infrastructure Law as a stand-alone bill and pass it. Rep. Gottheimer also aided in that effort. It succeeded, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed the House on July 1, 2021. In October 2021, Cartwright selected the Scranton Trolley Museum as the site of President Biden’s infrastructure speech, and invited Amtrak President Stephen Gardner and CEO Bill Flynn, who attended. The next month, November 15, 2021, Cartwright was joined by both men, plus Amtrak Board Chair Anthony Coscio, at the signing of the Infrastructure bill into law. In July 2022, Cartwright secured an agreement from Governor Tom Wolf to provide $3.7 million matching funds for the purchase of 43,000 railroad ties to upgrade tracks on the Pennsylvania side of the line. PNRRA will be applying for a matching grant from FRA in February. Later in 2022, Cartwright introduced Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro to the rail project and met with him several times during the campaign. After his inauguration, Governor Shapiro agreed to a January 14, 2023, discussion of the project. On that day, after a full discussion of the project, including an explanation of its widespread bipartisan support and economic benefits, Governor Shapiro enthusiastically agreed to support it. He agreed to provide $125 million in local-match funds, to have PennDOT author the application to the Federal Railroad Administration, and to seek New Jersey Transit’s co-sponsorship of the application. Under the leadership of Governor Shapiro, and Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll, that application was submitted, and NJT did cosponsor it. This past August, Cartwright and New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer led a delegation that included Amtrak's vice president of network development along with N.J. Transit and PennDOT officials on a tour of proposed station locations and other key landmarks along the Scranton-to-New York City passenger rail route. The Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) Program is a comprehensive intercity passenger rail planning and development program established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to help guide intercity passenger rail development throughout the country and create a pipeline of intercity passenger rail projects ready for implementation.? ###

Share Tweet

December 5, 2023

Casey, Colleagues Urge Federal Trade Commission to Track Artificial Intelligence Scams

In letter to FTC, Senators request information on how the agency is tracking the role of A.I. in scams targeted at older Americans Senators: “We still have a lot to learn about how AI will be utilized in the future against American consumers and older adults” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, led his colleagues Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in sending a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to request information about the agency’s work to track the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.) in scams targeted at older Americans. In the letter, the Senators pointed out the increasing role that A.I. is playing in frauds and scams, and asked the agency for information about how it is tracking A.I. powered-scams and the actions it is taking the prevent them. The Senators wrote, “Many times, the AI-powered scams seem so realistic that the victims do not know the scammers have utilized AI in targeting them. In these situations, generative AI can exacerbate the false panic and sense of urgency victims often feel when targeted, compelling them to turn over the private or financial information the scammer requests. Unfortunately, it is evident that we still have a lot to learn about how AI will be utilized in the future against American consumers and older adults…efforts to educate the public, law enforcement, and policymakers should be informed by evidence-based data” Last month, Chairman Casey held a hearing entitled, “Modern Scams: How Scammers Are Using Artificial Intelligence & How We Can Fight Back.” The hearing examined how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be utilized by scammers to deploy scams and convince targets of their veracity, and how AI technology is being deployed to enhance the next generation of fraud detection systems. During the hearing, Chairman Casey unveiled the Aging Committee’s annual Fraud Book, and also released a brochure on AI-powered scams and a bookmark featuring tips to avoid scams. You can read the letter here or below: The Honorable Lina M. Khan Chair Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20580 Dear Chair Khan: We write to request additional information about the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) work to track the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) to perpetrate frauds and scams against older Americans. Safeguarding older Americans from frauds, scams, and financial exploitation has been a long-standing bipartisan priority of the Committee. The White House, in an Executive Order issued on October 30, 2023, also joined in calling for stronger protections from AI-enabled fraud and deception, specifically encouraging FTC to consider rulemaking to protect consumers and workers from AI harms. In order to respond effectively, we must understand the extent of the threat before us; we ask that FTC share how it is working to gather data on the use of AI in scams and ensure it is accurately reflected in its Consumer Sentinel Network (Sentinel) database. Sentinel is a secure online database where FTC stores reports regarding issues consumers have experienced in the marketplace, including scams perpetrated by individuals, businesses, or networks. Similar to the Aging Committee’s Fraud Hotline, consumers can report as much or as little as they wish when they file a report with FTC. Data within Sentinel and details of each report are available to law enforcement, and FTC provides the public with an analysis of all reports received in the over year. In 2022, Sentinel received over 5.4 million consumer reports, which were sorted into 29 top categories. Consumer reports are categorized based on the contact methods deployed by scammers, payment types, and fraud losses and reports by age. Over the years, FTC has updated these categories to incorporate emerging technology, like Peer-to-Peer (P2P) payment apps or services and cryptocurrency. However, references to AI are noticeably lacking in FTC’s Sentinel. AI is a broad term that refers to technology that can simulate human intelligence. Generative AI is a sub-field of AI that can be used to create original content—generative AI can power chatbots that copy writing styles, find personal information, create fake documents, create fake photos, and more. Voice cloning and deepfakes are both examples of generative AI in use: voice cloning allows a user to mimic or impersonate the voice of loved ones, authorities, or celebrities; similarly, deepfakes are AI-generated images that can be used to spread misinformation and commit fraud. We know that AI is simply exacerbating the pervasiveness and effects of existing schemes. As FTC shared in its July 27, 2023 letter, frauds and scams involving AI typically fall into the following categories: (1) family emergency scams, where the scammer mimics the voice of a family member and asks for money; (2) romance scams, where the scammer fakes a love interest by using chatbots to send messages; (3) business-related scams, where the scammer acts as a high-ranking employee or other official to get businesses to complete wire transfers or send sensitive information; and (4) phishing scams, where scammers can easily and quickly deploy personalized email or text messages to convince targets to share their personal information. As the agency explores additional policymaking routes to put an end to these scams, older Americans are continuing to fall victim to these schemes. Where a consumer may have been able to easily identify and dismiss a scam before, now they face greater challenges in determining whether the email, text, or phone call they received is legitimate. Many times, the AI-powered scams seem so realistic that the victims do not know the scammers have utilized AI in targeting them. In these situations, generative AI can exacerbate the false panic and sense of urgency victims often feel when targeted, compelling them to turn over the private or financial information the scammer requests. Unfortunately, it is evident that we still have a lot to learn about how AI will be utilized in the future against American consumers and older adults. While public reporting indicates that more families are being targeted by voice clones in family emergency scams, the number of Americans targeted by scammers using generative AI remains unknown. Efforts to educate the public, law enforcement, and policymakers should be informed by evidence-based data, similar to what is collected in Sentinel. As FTC considers more strategies to safeguard older Americans and inform decision-making around generative AI, we request the following information by January 9, 2024. How are AI-powered frauds and scams tagged and reported within Sentinel? If they are not identified, how will FTC ensure that they are identified moving forward? If these frauds and scams have been tagged and reported within Sentinel, what subcategories do these scams fall into? Often times, consumers are unaware that scams have been deployed with the use of generative AI. How does FTC identify if AI was utilized by the scammer, if this is not readily identified by the consumer? For AI-powered scams, based on available data, what is the breakdown between chatbots, voice cloning, deepfakes, phishing, spoofing, and other types of scams? How else has FTC observed the use of generative AI in scams? How does FTC utilize AI in gathering, categorizing, and studying data reported to the agency and stored in Sentinel? Thank you for your attention to this important issue. We look forward to your response. ###

Share Tweet

December 5, 2023

Casey, Braun, Stabenow Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Rural Family Foresters to Access New Economic Opportunities

Small family-owned woodlands make up more than a third of U.S. forests Small-scale and family-owned forests are often left out of financial opportunities; legislation would open doors for these foresters to access carbon market Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, introduced bipartisan legislation to provide economic opportunities to small-scale, family foresters by allowing them to benefit from the sustainable, voluntary steps they are taking to manage their land. Family forest owners are often left out of the financial opportunities available to larger forests as companies look for ways to offset their environmental footprint. The Rural Forest Markets Act will help smaller foresters overcome financial barriers to innovative marketplaces, create new forestry jobs, and incentivize private investment in the success of rural communities while improving the environment by supporting various carbon reduction efforts. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) and Congressman William Timmons (R-SC-4). “Small family foresters have long been at the forefront of carbon reductions efforts,” said Senator Casey. “They should be able to profit off of their conversation and sustainability efforts, just are larger-scale foresters do now. This Rural Forest Markets Act will help them maximize the carbon benefits of their forests while ensuring the health of Pennsylvania woodlands.” “As a tree farmer myself, I know sustainable forest management represents both a win for conservationists and all Americans,” said Senator Braun. “I’m proud to join Senators Casey and Stabenow to reintroduce the Rural Forests Markets Act because it’s a low-overhead solution that takes advantage of private investment to notch a win for small family foresters and the environment.” “Big or small, our forests are an important part of tackling the climate crisis,” said Chairwoman Stabenow. "For too long, there have been barriers that prevent family foresters from being able to take advantage of the economic benefits of their carbon reduction efforts. This bipartisan legislation changes that by removing those barriers and ensuring that they can tap into new markets and be rewarded for their climate-smart practices.” Voluntary carbon markets enable companies, local governments, and other organizations to offset their carbon footprint by investing in large-scale environmental projects that remove or store a corresponding amount of carbon from the atmosphere. For forest landowners, participating in carbon markets provides an opportunity to earn additional income while improving forest health and mitigating climate change. However, family forest landowners are often unable to enter the carbon marketplace due to high, upfront costs. The Rural Forest Markets Act will create a program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to guarantee loans, bonds, or other investment vehicles for projects, such as the Family Forest Carbon Program, that assist private forest owners in overcoming financial and technical barriers in entering carbon markets. Read more about the Rural Forest Markets Act here. ###

Share Tweet

December 1, 2023

Casey Statement on Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the passing of former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Sandra Day O’Connor: “Today, our Nation lost a monumental figure in Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. As the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court, Justice O’Connor inspired millions of women and blazed a trail followed by some of our Nation’s finest legal minds. She was independent and demonstrated a commitment to moderation and civil discourse without compromising her values. Terese and I send our condolences to her family.” ###

Share Tweet

November 28, 2023

Casey, Cornyn Bill to Screen U.S. Investment in China Overwhelmingly Passes Senate

Outbound Investment Transparency Act gives the United States visibility into investments in national security sectors made in countries of concern, including People’s Republic of China Casey and Cornyn first introduced legislation in 2021, have worked to garner support for proposal in years since Casey made case for screening outbound investments in The Hill op-ed, “How to keep American jobs and innovation out of Chinese hands” In June 2023, Casey made case for proposal as apart of vision for American economic future in Pittsburgh speech Bill was passed as amendment to National Defense Authorization Act by vote of 91-6 Casey: “Today’s overwhelming vote shows that there is bipartisan consensus to meet the challenge posed by the Chinese government and I hope that this is just the start.” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) announced passage of their bill to screen U.S. investments in national security sectors that are made in countries of concern, including the People’s Republic of China. The Outbound Investment Transparency Act would give the U.S. visibility into vulnerabilities and risks posed when the Chinese government has access to American technology and know-how in national security sectors. The industries included under the bill are: advanced semiconductors and microelectronics, artificial intelligence, quantum information science and technology, hypersonics, satellite-based communications, and networked laser scanning systems with dual-use applications. The Outbound Investment Transparency Act passed as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 91-6. The Senate is expected to vote on final passage of NDAA at the end of this week. “The United States is at a crossroads; we can take control of our own future or we can let China eat our lunch,” said Senator Casey. “The Outbound Investment Transparency Act is a strong first step to give the U.S. insight into the risks of allowing American national security technology and know-how get into the hands of our adversaries. Today’s overwhelming vote shows that there is bipartisan consensus to meet the challenge posed by the Chinese government and I hope that this is just the start.” “When American companies invest in technology like semiconductors or AI in countries like China and Russia, their capital, intellectual property, and innovation can fall into the wrong hands and be weaponized against us,” said Senator Cornyn. “This bill would increase the visibility of these investments, which will help the U.S. gather the information needed to better evaluate our national security vulnerabilities, confront threats from our adversaries, and remain competitive on the global stage.” Senators Casey and Cornyn first introduced outbound investment screening legislation, National Critical Capabilities Defense Act, in May 2021 as an amendment to the United States Innovation and Competition Act. Since then, Senator Casey has been pushing for action so the U.S. can better understand the risks of allowing foreign adversaries to gain access to critical capabilities and technology, as well as to design and manufacture goods that are vital to U.S. economic and national security interests. Senators Casey and Cornyn have been working to garner bipartisan and bicameral support for their bill. Biden Administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan have also expressed support for increased scrutiny of outbound investment. In September 2022, the cosponsors of the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act, urged President Biden to take executive action to prevent the US from ceding our manufacturing power and technological know-how to foreign adversaries. Days later, Casey and Cornyn testified in support of the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act in front of the Senate Banking Committee, stressing the importance of assessing potential risks of American investments in adversarial countries. In December 2022, the Fiscal Year 2023 spending bill appropriated approximately $20 million in funding for the Department of Commerce and the Department of the Treasury to establish an outbound investment screening program by Executive Order, as Casey has pushed for the Administration to do. In March 2023, Casey wrote an op-ed outlining how to protect American innovation and keep American national and economic interests out of adversaries’ hands. In May, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced a new initiative to strengthen America’s global leadership, including Casey’s provision to screen U.S. investments being made in countries of concern. Ahead of the 2023 introduction of the Outbound Investment Transparency Act, Casey continued to build momentum for the policy. In June, key Administration officials testified in front of the Senate Banking Committee about the importance of screening American companies’ investments in countries of concern—testimony which supports Casey’s proposal. Later that month, Casey delivered a rousing speech to union workers and business leaders in Pittsburgh to outline his vision for the United States to take control of its economic future, including screening investments going to countries like the People’s Republic of China and help de-risk our supply chains. On July 13, he and Cornyn introduced the Outbound Investment Transparency Act as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Outbound Investment Transparency Act one-pager can be found HERE.

Share Tweet

November 27, 2023

Casey Announces $20 Million for Advanced Energy Manufacturing in Southwestern PA

Pittsburgh-based CorePower Magnetic will receive funding from infrastructure law to build manufacturing facility for electric vehicle battery components Funding will create more than 25 jobs at electric vehicle battery component manufacturing facility Casey fought to secure funding for grant program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced $20 million from the Department of Energy (DOE) for Pittsburgh-based CorePower Magnetics to build an advanced metals and component manufacturing facility. The funding comes from the DOE’s Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program, established in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and will help CorePower Magnetics retrofit a former coal fired power plant to create a domestic manufacturing facility with 10,000 tons of capacity for amorphous metals and magnetic component production. “The infrastructure law is helping America take control of its future and become the manufacturing powerhouse we know we can be,” said Senator Casey. “Southwestern Pennsylvania has long provided the power that built our Nation, and this funding will help CorePower Magnetics and its workers continue that tradition as we create the technology of the future.” Senator Casey fought to pass the IIJA, which funded this project and has delivered more than $13.8 billion in federal funding for Pennsylvania since its passage in 2021. Casey also supported the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which included his provision to provide a tax credit for clean energy projects built in energy communities like Southwestern Pennsylvania. A new report shows that, since the passage of the IRA, energy communities are leading the Nation in new clean energy investment.

Share Tweet

November 21, 2023

Casey, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Strengthen the Black Lung Benefits Program

Bill would ensure every coal miner who suffers from black lung disease receives the benefits they are entitled to Since 1968, more than 76,000 people have died from as a result of ‘Black Lung’ disease Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) and U.S. Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA-3) introduced the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act to help miners who have suffered from ‘black lung’ disease and their survivors access the workers compensation they are entitled to receive under the Black Lung Benefits Program. This legislation would ease the burdens preventing miners and their survivors from accessing the totality of their benefits such as lengthy processing times, lack of a legal representative, and inflation. “Coal miners have moved our Nation forward for generations, risking their lives and their long-term health to power our factories and heat our homes,” said Senator Casey. “This bill will ensure that every coal miner that is suffering from black lung disease receives the benefits they are entitled to. Coal miners have risked their lives for our Nation and I’ll keep fighting to make sure they aren’t left behind.” “Decades ago, Congress established the Black Lung Benefits Act to provide monthly compensation and medical coverage for coal miners who develop black lung disease and are totally disabled. Unfortunately, a 2009 GAO report found that miners often lack the necessary medical and legal resources to develop evidence to prove their claims,” said Ranking Member Scott (D-VA), House Committee on Education and the Workforce. “The Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act helps miners and their survivors access legal representation, ensures benefits are not eroded due to inflation, reduces the time for processing claims, and protects taxpayers from taking a hit when a self-insured coal company goes bankrupt and cannot pay black lung claims.” “Coal miners do some of the toughest work on earth and have played a critical role in Pennsylvania’s regional economy and powering our nation. We cannot turn our backs on them now as they deal with the fallout of extreme occupational hazards,” said Senator Fetterman. “This bill will help coal miners affected by Black Lung access the benefits they’re owed and deliver justice and care for people across Appalachia.” “Ohio miners put their health at risk to power our country,” said Senator Brown. “They’ve suffered enough. They shouldn’t have to navigate an endless claims process riddled with red tape just to get the benefits they have earned.” “Many of our nation’s miners have developed black lung disease, and we owe it to them to provide them with the care and support they need,” said Senator Kaine. “The Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act is critical to helping more miners, miner retirees, and their families receive the benefits and compensation they’ve earned following their tremendous sacrifices.” “For generations, coal miners across Virginia have made tremendous sacrifices to power America, literally risking their lives and their health to electrify our nation,” said Senator Warner. “Miners living with black lung and their survivors need easy access to the benefits they’ve earned – but far too often, red tape gets in the way. The Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act would take important steps to make sure miners can access legal representation, have protection against inflation, and more so America can keep making good on the debt it owes to victims of black lung.” “For generations, our brave West Virginia coal miners have risked their lives and health to power this nation to greatness. As a result of their enormous sacrifices, many unfortunately suffer from Black Lung Disease,” said Senator Manchin. “We must work together to ensure every miner has access to the vital medical care they have earned, which is why I am proud to reintroduce the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act with my colleagues to help expand access to these critical benefits. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important legislation and I will continue working to ensure our coal miners are not left behind.” “I express my gratitude to Senator Casey for reintroducing the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act (BLBIA). As I have emphasized previously, over the past century, more than one hundred thousand coal miners have tragically succumbed to the painful effects of Black Lung disease, a consequence of their exposure to respirable dust in their workplace. Moreover, there is a concerning surge in black lung cases, particularly among younger miners, largely attributed to the heightened presence of silica dust in the mine atmosphere,” said UMWA President Cecil Roberts. “This Act establishes a new framework for determining benefit levels, incorporating annual adjustments based on the cost of living. It is imperative for Congress to swiftly enact the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act, ensuring that miners, who have devoted their lives to working in the mines, receive the deserved black lung benefits.” Many developed coal workers’ pneumoconiosis—commonly referred to as “black lung”—a debilitating and deadly disease caused by the long-term inhalation of coal dust in underground and surface coal mines. In response, Congress established the Black Lung Benefits Act in 1976 to provide monthly compensation and medical coverage for coal miners who develop black lung disease and are totally disabled. The Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act makes needed updates to ensure Congress is fulfilling its commitment to the Nation’s coal miners by: Restoring lost cost-of-living benefit increases for black lung beneficiaries and ensuring cost-of-living increases are never withheld in the future. Helping claimants secure legal representation by providing interim attorney fees if miners prevail at various stages of their claim. Allowing miners or their survivors to reopen their cases if they had been denied because of medical interpretations that have subsequently been discredited. Prohibiting unethical conduct by attorneys and doctors in the black lung claims process and helping miners review and rebut potentially biased or inaccurate medical evidence developed by coal companies. Senator Casey has been a consistent fighter for miners’ benefits, pushing for protections to miners’ pensions and health care amid widespread coal company bankruptcies and working to ensure a permanent health care fix for retired coal miners and their families. Earlier this year, Casey joined colleagues to urge the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate the adequacy of black lung benefits to ensure they meet the income and health care needs of disabled miners and their families. Last year, he led his colleagues to introduce the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act, legislation to make needed updates to the Black Lung Benefits Act to ensure Congress is fulfilling its commitment to the nation’s coal miners. To help fulfill those promises, in August of 2022, Congress approved a permanent extension of the black lung excise tax to fund the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund that provides health insurance and a living stipend for those impacted by black lung as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Casey supports the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposal by its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to amend current federal standards to better protect the nation’s miners from health hazards related to exposure to respirable crystalline silica, or silica dust. Prior to the announcement of the proposal, he sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young, seeking additional information on the delayed announcement of a new silica standard for miners across America and urging prompt promulgation. In July of this year, Casey joined his colleagues to introduce the Relief for Survivors of Miners Act to make it easier for miners’ survivors to successfully claim benefits. The Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act is endorsed by United Mineworkers (UMWA), Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center (UCLC), and Appalachian Voices. Read more about the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act here. ###

Share Tweet

November 17, 2023

Casey, Fetterman, Cartwright Urge President Biden to Approve Major Disaster Declaration for Northeastern Pennsylvania

On September 9, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties suffered extensive damage from flash floods that claimed the lives of two residents and caused numerous injuries Follows an August request for major disaster declaration for Berks, Bucks, and Northampton counties Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to approve a request by Governor Josh Shapiro for a major disaster declaration for Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Counties in the wake of deadly flash floods that caused extensive destruction across the Northeastern Pennsylvania counties. If granted, the declaration would authorize individual financial assistance to help Lackawanna County residents find temporary housing, afford home repairs, and cover medical expenses and authorize emergency grants to help communities in Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties rebuild damaged or destroyed infrastructure. “While Governor Shapiro and his administration have worked diligently to support recovery efforts, the Commonwealth has already had a difficult year in terms of damages sustained in extreme weather events, including the severe storm and flooding that devastated communities in Berks, Bucks, and Northampton Counties in July,” the Members wrote. “To ensure that damages from the September storm and flooding in Northeastern Pennsylvania are properly and swiftly addressed, as well as to help the Commonwealth maintain sufficient resources for any unexpected future events, it is critical that federal assistance be made available to the Commonwealth.” The full text of the letter to President Biden is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE. November 17, 2023 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: On September 9, 2023, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Counties experienced historic rainfall resulting in flash flooding that took the lives of two Pennsylvanians, caused multiple injuries, and created significant destruction across the three counties. In response to the devastating flooding, Governor Josh Shapiro has requested that you declare a major disaster, authorize Individual Assistance for Lackawanna County, and authorize Public Assistance for Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Counties. We support Governor Shapiro’s request and ask that you act expeditiously to provide federal aid to the Commonwealth. Under the Stafford Act, only the President has the authority to approve a request from a governor for a major disaster declaration, an action which unlocks targeted federal resources to support recovery efforts. These additional resources are designed to accelerate recovery and ensure that communities can move forward. While Governor Shapiro and his administration have worked diligently to support recovery efforts, the Commonwealth has already had a difficult year in terms of damages sustained in extreme weather events, including the severe storm and flooding that devastated communities in Berks, Bucks, and Northampton Counties in July. To ensure that damages from the September storm and flooding in Northeastern Pennsylvania are properly and swiftly addressed, as well as to help the Commonwealth maintain sufficient resources for any unexpected future events, it is critical that federal assistance be made available to the Commonwealth. In the Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) completed for the three affected counties, it was determined that 459 Pennsylvania residences had storm- or flood-related damages, and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency estimates that damages exceed $25.3 million. We have heard from leaders in Pennsylvania about the need for federal assistance to respond to these damages. For instance, until early 2022 the City of Scranton was listed as a financially distressed municipality by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Without Public Assistance to respond to its costly damages, estimated to be several millions of dollars, the City could experience financial setbacks and increased burdens to taxpayers that risk slowing the momentum that the City has built over the past several years. In Newton Township, not far from Scranton, a bridge used by over 150 students to get to school each day and traveled by over 2,000 vehicles daily collapsed while three school buildings in the Abington Heights School District flooded. These examples are just a sampling of the severe damage to critical infrastructure that resulted from the storm and flooding. Federal assistance has the potential to make a significant difference in communities like these looking to rebuild and recover, and it is crucial that the federal government support the Commonwealth as it seeks to keep its residents safe and stable during this difficult time. We urge you to approve Governor Shapiro’s current major disaster declaration request. Thank you for your consideration. ###

Share Tweet

November 16, 2023

Stuffing Their Pockets: Casey Releases Greedflation Report Exposing Big Food and Agriculture Businesses for Holiday Price-Gouging

The price of food has risen faster than most other goods, largely as a result of greedflation Boneless chicken prices increased at double the rate of overall inflation, while potato prices are up 60% Tyson Foods, Smithfield, and other big agribusinesses have reported record profits and have been accused of illegal price fixing Read Casey’s report “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive” HERE Casey also sent letter to FTC and USDA urging them to investigate possible unfair pricing practices of major chicken and pork processors Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children & Families, released a new greedflation report entitled “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive.” The report examines how the agribusiness companies that process Americans’ food have increased prices for everyday staple foods and raises questions about why those price increases are necessary. As the holiday season approaches, the report examines how the price of food has risen faster than most other goods, straining family budgets and taking a bite out of holiday celebrations. Prices for many holiday meal staples, including chicken, pork, and potatoes, are rising faster than headline inflation, earning companies billions and costing consumers. Some of these companies have a history of engaging in price-fixing, colluding to raise prices, anti-competitive conduct, and touting their ability to raise prices without limit. “As Pennsylvania families prepare for the holidays, they’re seeing higher prices on everything from chicken to pork to potatoes,” said Senator Casey. “These higher prices are the result of greedflation—big food and agriculture businesses are gobbling up Pennsylvanians’ paychecks simply because they can. I’m taking steps to fight back so we can make corporations pay their fair share and put more money in the pockets of working families.” While inflation has stressed family budgets in recent years, data shows that it has recently moderated. Despite this drop, consumers are still feeling pinched because many corporations continue to raise prices on consumers—not to offset inflation—but to increase their own profits. This practice, known as greedflation, is costing American consumers more than ever. Senator Casey’s previous report on greedflation found that corporate profits accounted for all the inflation in the first year of the pandemic recovery (roughly July 2020 to July 2021) and 41 percent of inflation overall in the first two years of the post-pandemic recovery (July 2020 to July 2022). Today’s report goes in depth on the disproportionate greedflation hitting the prices of holiday food staples. Read the full report on “Stuffing Their Pockets: How Big Food and Agriculture Businesses Are Making Your Holiday Meals More Expensive,” here. In the report, Senator Casey outlines his strategy for fighting inflation, which includes stronger enforcement of existing consumer protection laws. Today, Casey sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission and United States Department of Agriculture requesting that the agencies use all necessary resources to investigate possible unfair pricing practices of major chicken and pork processors in the United States. Read Senator Casey’s letter here. In the letter, Senator Casey wrote, “Families in Pennsylvania and across the Nation deserve to know whether these high prices are the result of genuine economic pressures on the industry, or whether they are artificial actions taken to enrich those at the top. Inflation is real, and we owe it to working families to ensure that we are taking every action possible to prevent bad actors from making it worse for their own gain.” ###

Share Tweet

November 16, 2023

Casey Holds Hearing on Role of Artificial Intelligence in Frauds and Scams

At hearing, Casey released annual Aging Committee Fraud Book Hearing featured testimony from Pennsylvania AI-scam victim, as well as video where additional victims shared their stories Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) held a hearing entitled, “Modern Scams: How Scammers Are Using Artificial Intelligence & How We Can Fight Back.” The hearing examined how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be utilized by scammers to deploy scams and convince targets of their veracity, and how AI technology is being deployed to enhance the next generation of fraud detection systems. During the hearing, Chairman Casey unveiled the Aging Committee’s annual Fraud Book, and also released a brochure on AI-powered scams and a bookmark featuring tips to avoid scams. Chairman Casey also plans to pursue efforts to ensure that the use of AI in scams is appropriately tracked by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). “Today, we heard disturbing testimony about scammers using artificial intelligence to make their ploys more life-like and convincing,” said Chairman Casey. “Any consumer, no matter their age, gender, or background, can fall victim to these ultra-convincing scams, and the stories we heard today from individuals across the country are heartbreaking. As a parent and grandparent, I relate to the fear and concern these victims must feel. Federal action is needed to put up guardrails to protect consumers from AI—while also empowering those that can use it for good.” Chairman Casey invited Gary Schildhorn, a Philadelphia-area attorney and intended victim of an AI voice clone scam, to testify at the hearing. He testified, “There was no doubt in my mind that it was his voice on the phone—it was the exact cadence with which he speaks. I sat motionless in my car just trying to process these events. How did they get my son’s voice? The only conclusion I can come up with is that they used artificial intelligence, or AI, to clone his voice…it is manifestly apparent that this technology…provide a riskless avenue for fraudsters to prey on us.” The hearing also featured a video compiling the stories of several victims of AI scams. The full video can be viewed here. ###

Share Tweet

November 16, 2023

New Report Shows Energy Communities Leading in New Energy Investments

Report shows that PA coal communities are among the areas receiving disproportionate share of clean energy investment in the wake of the Inflation Reduction Act Casey led the passage of the Energy Communities Bonus Credit, to boost investments in energy communities Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released a statement applauding a new report which shows that energy communities are leading the Nation in new clean energy investment, thanks to his provision in the Inflation Reduction Act. According to the report, the national share of wind, solar, battery, and manufacturing investment in areas classified as energy communities is almost double their share of the national population. Senator Casey fought to include bonus tax credits for energy communities in the Inflation Reduction Act to incentivize companies to build and manufacture new clean energy projects in the communities that have powered our Nation for generations. “Pennsylvania’s coal communities have powered our Nation since the Industrial Revolution, and are uniquely qualified for new energy jobs,” said Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “It is great news that, as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act and the energy communities tax credits that I fought for, these communities are receiving the investment that they need to continue to power the future.” The report, conducted by the independent research firm Rhodium Group and MIT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, communities that once hosted coal, oil, or gas infrastructure make up only 18.6 percent of the U.S. population, but they received 36.8 percent of the new clean energy investment in the year after the Inflation Reduction Act’s passage. When the law passed, Senator Casey fought to include the Energy Communities Bonus Credit, which encourages clean energy deployment and manufacturing in “energy communities,” areas whose economies and jobs are or were dependent on the coal, oil or natural gas energy sectors. The bonus tax credit is worth 10 percent of the cost of any clean energy project placed in an energy community. You can see a full map of areas in Pennsylvania that may be eligible for the Energy Communities Bonus Credit here. ###

Share Tweet

November 15, 2023

Casey Applauds Efforts to Increase Transparency of Nursing Home Ownership

New Biden Administration rule requires nursing homes to report ownership to Medicare agency Rule will shine light on private equity ownership of nursing homes, which is associated with higher costs and worse care Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, applauded the finalization of a new rule by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to increase transparency of nursing home ownership and management. Opaque nursing home ownership structures have often made it difficult to track quality and compliance across nursing homes with the same owner. Several studies and independent investigations have reported private equity ownership is associated with higher costs for patients and the federal government, a reduction in staffing in order to deliver short-term gains, and is potentially an overall detriment to the quality of patient care. “For far too long, private equity firms have largely been able to avoid scrutiny into their ownership of nursing home facilities, which is associated with raising costs on residents while delivering worse care,” said Chairman Casey. “This final rule from the Biden Administration will allow us to look under the hood of these facilities, giving us the tools we need to better protect nursing home residents and hold negligent or profiteering facility owners accountable.” The final rule will require nursing homes to share with states and CMS additional ownership and management information. The rule also includes private equity and real estate investment trust definitions, setting the stage for the disclosure of whether nursing home owners are private equity investors or real estate investment trusts. It would require nursing homes enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid to disclose additional information regarding owners, operators, and management; for example, nursing homes would disclose individuals or entities that provide administrative services or clinical consulting services. Senator Casey has spent his career fighting to improve the safety of nursing homes for their residents. In 2009, Senator Casey cosponsored bipartisan legislation that proposed policies around nursing home ownership transparency, which was included in the Affordable Care Act, and is reflected in the new rule from CMS. In February of this year, he called on the Biden Administration to implement minimum staffing standards in nursing homes and applauded the announcement of the new rule in September. Last week, he encouraged CMS to swiftly implement the new staffing requirements. This summer, he also called on CMS to improve oversight of nursing homes, after releasing a report which detailed a crisis of underfunding and understaffing at nursing home survey agencies in states around the country. ###

Share Tweet

November 15, 2023

Casey, Fischer Introduce Legislation to Increase Investment in Rural Communities

Bill would create programs to directly support rural communities through federal investment opportunities Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act to advance economic development in rural communities and help them overcome barriers to obtaining federal funding and resources. Currently, many rural communities are unable to compete for federal investment opportunities because of a lack of adequate funding, capacity, and staffing. This legislation would address those shortfalls with targeted support and a whole-of-government effort to better support rural communities. “Our rural communities deserve a fair shot to grow their economies and improve their quality of life,” said Senator Casey. “This legislation will put rural communities on a level playing field to compete for federal resources alongside our cities and suburban areas. This is a critical moment to ensure that communities that have been the bedrock of our Nation for generations are receiving the support they need to thrive.” “Rural Nebraskans deserve to see their tax dollars invested in projects that help their communities,” said Senator Fischer. “Our bipartisan legislation would optimize federal funding for local communities and enhance their access to federal programs.” The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act will create a grant program providing multiyear, flexible awards to communities to be used to address urgent needs, including but not limited to affordable child care, housing, and job training; provide technical assistance grants to help rural communities navigate existing federal funding opportunities and ensure they’re getting their fair share of private and federal investment; and improve supportive services offered by the federal government to rural communities. This bill was endorsed by more than 50 Pennsylvania officials and organizations including: Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, Pennsylvania State Grange, County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, State Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver, Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission, SEDA-COG, NEPA Alliance, North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission (SAP&DC), Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation, Schuylkill Chamber, Community Foundation of Greene County, Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and Business, Bedford County Development Association, Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation, York County Economic Alliance, Harrisburg Regional Chamber, Lancaster Chamber, Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry, City of Meadville, Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce, Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, Somerset Commissioner Pam Tokar-Ickes (D), Crawford Commissioner Chris Soff (D), Venango Commissioner “Chip” Abramovic (D), McKean Commissioner Cliff Lane (D), Potter Commissioner Nancy Grupp (R), Potter Commissioner Paul Heimel (R), Potter Commissioner Barry Hayman, (D), Warren Commissioner Jeff Eggleston (D), Cumberland Commissioner Jean Foschi (D), Perry Commissioner Brenda Watson (D), Lebanon Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz (D), Clinton Commissioner Ang Harding (D), State Rep. Scott Conklin (D), Jefferson Commissioner Jeff Pisarcik (D), Huntingdon Borough Mayor Tom Yoder (R), Cameron Commissioner James D. Moate (R), Schuylkill Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington (R), State Rep Jamie Barton (R), Columbia Commissioner Dave Kovach (D), Schuylkill Commissioner Gary Hess (D), Adams Commissioner Marty Qually (D), Perry Commissioner-elect Frank Campbell (R), Mayor Hadzik of Weatherly (R), Berks Commissioner Michael Rivera (R), Rep Tim Twardzik (R), Indiana Commissioner Sherene Hess (D), Johnstown Mayor Frank Janakovic, State Rep. Paul Takac (D), Clearfield Commissioner Dave Glass (D), Mifflin Commissioner Rob Postal (R), Mifflin Commissioner Kevin Kodish (D), State Representative Brian Smith (R). This bill was endorsed by more than 20 national and regional organizations including: National Association of Counties, National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA), Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, International Economic Development Council, BPC Action, Farm Credit Council, National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), National Association of Towns & Townships, Cobank, Land O’Lakes, Center on Rural Innovation, National Rural Water Association, Housing Assistance Council, Communities Unlimited, Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition, National Rural Health Association, Save the Children, Main Street Alliance, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, SERCAP, INC., Enterprise Community Partners, e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, MDC. See what others are saying about the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act here. Read more about the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act here. ? ###?

Share Tweet

November 15, 2023

Casey, Cartwright Introduce Legislation to Address Pay Disparities Among Federal Workers

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) introduced the Locality Pay Equity Act to help put an end to the persistent wage disparities at Tobyhanna Army Depot and Letterkenny Army Depot by requiring the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to treat all employees working at the same locations equally. “Every worker deserves to be treated fairly, regardless of pay schedule, and time has long past for us to address this issue at Tobyhanna and Letterkenny,” said Senator Casey. “These workers are serving our Nation and they deserve fair treatment from their government. This legislation would work to create a fairer compensation system and end these pay disparities.” “The hardworking men and women at Tobyhanna Army Depot work tirelessly to keep the American warfighter equipped with the best technology. From navigational equipment to missile guidance and control, Tobyhanna is a role model for American ingenuity,” said Congressman Matt Cartwright, co-chair of the bipartisan House Military Depot and Industrial Facilities Caucus. “But the outdated and unfair federal pay system has disadvantaged workers at Tobyhanna for years. Senator Casey and I agree that we should be doing all we can to support these workers — and that includes ensuring fairness in terms of pay. This common-sense fix will help do just that.” “Under current policy, there are significant and unjust pay gaps between federal employees under the Federal Wage System (FWS) and those on the General Schedule (GS). The issue stems from outdated FWS wage area boundaries, which were mostly drawn shortly after World War II, reflecting the locations of military installations at the time. However, GS locality boundaries are up to date and more accurate according to commuting rates and other job market considerations,” said Randy Erwin, National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees. “It is fundamentally unfair that federal employees working side-by-side, for the same employer, and in the same location, are paid different wages. It is time to end these pay inequities by guaranteeing pay parity with the Locality Pay Equity Act.” "Our local leaders across Pennsylvania know that Senator Casey is a champion for pay equality between our General Schedule and Wage Grade workers. It is only fair to provide each with the same locality area for base pay and retirement,” said Philip W. Glover, District 3?National Vice President of the American Federation of Government Employees (PA/DE). “We applaud Senator Casey for continuing this fight on behalf of the federal workforce." Currently, salaried employees at both facilities, served by the General Schedule (GS), are included in higher paying locality pay areas than their hourly employee counterparts, who are served by the Federal Wage System (FWS). The Locality Pay Equity Act would prohibit OPM from including more than one local wage area within a pay locality and ensure that no employee’s pay will be lowered because of these changes. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Read more about the Locality Pay Equity Act here. ###

Share Tweet

November 15, 2023

Casey on Anniversary of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Enactment: Infrastructure Law Is Making Pennsylvania Stronger, Healthier, and More Resilient

Pennsylvania has received more than $13.8 billion for more than 300 projects from law Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the two year anniversary of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act being signed into law by President Biden: “For decades, politicians in Washington have talked about the desperate need for federal investment in our Nation’s infrastructure. Two years ago, under the leadership of President Biden and Democrats in Congress, we finally got it done and passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Over those two years, billions of federal dollars have flowed into the infrastructure that sustains Pennsylvania, from our roads and bridges to our drinking water to our internet connections. Because of these generational investments, we are building a Commonwealth and a Nation that is stronger, healthier, and more resilient.” Since the infrastructure law was passed, more than $13.8 billion in federal funds has been allocated for more than 300 projects in Pennsylvania. That includes more than $8 billion in funding for roads and bridges and more than $1 billion for high-speed internet. Below is a sample of the investments announced in just the last year: Roads and Bridges Philadelphia Tribune: MLK Bridge closes Monday for $20.1 million repair and rehabilitation WTAJ: Senator Bob Casey highlights $1.6 million rehabilitation efforts in Clearfield County Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Sen. Bob Casey: Montoursville project will improve safety, spur growth Fox 56: Fort Jenkins and Water Street bridges to get $19 million for replacement WCCS: Senator Casey Announces Funding for Bridge Projects Meadville Tribune: Sen. Casey calls for more infrastructure investment in Meadville visit Observer Reporter: Casey comes to Washington to talk about infrastructure Casey, Colleagues Push to Fund Critical I-83 South Bridge Replacement Legacy Pollution CBS Pittsburgh: Sen. Bob Casey announces new job training grant to support Auberle 412 Youth Zone Fox 56: U.S Senator Bob Casey celebrating passage of "STREAM" act Times Observer: Sen. Casey visits Warren County to talk orphaned well funding Casey, Fetterman Announce $5,527,000 to Clean Up Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells, Create Good-Paying Jobs Casey, Fetterman Announce $14 Million in Federal Funding to Clean Up Contaminated Brownfield Sites, Reinvigorate Communities Water Pollution PA Home Page: Senator Casey announces funding to improve rural infrastructures Bucks County Courier Times: These Upper Bucks homes are still using PFAS-tainted wells. That will soon change ABC 27: Senator Casey visits Lancaster County to unveil funds for Chesapeake Bay restoration Erie Times News: US Sen. Bob Casey, during Erie visit, highlights $30 million to replace lead pipes in city Casey Announces $240 Million for Pennsylvania Clean Water Initiative from Infrastructure Law Broadband Casey, Fetterman Announces $1.16 Billion for High-Speed Internet Expansion in Pennsylvania Transportation WESA: Federal officials hail Pennsylvania dam renovation as a boost to local, national economy Casey, Fetterman Announce $80 Million for SEPTA Clean Bus Infrastructure Upgrades Casey Pushes to Increase, Diversify Flow of American-Made Goods Along Major Southwestern Pennsylvania Waterways Casey, Fetterman Announce $30.5 Million to Improve Accessibility at Cornwells Heights Train Station Reconnecting Communities WPXI: State leaders announce new $1.4 million study to reconnect Pittsburgh neighborhoods Casey, Evans, Boyle Announce $1.8 Million to Reconnect Chinatown Casey, Lee Announce $1.4 Million to Reconnect North Side Communities Rail Casey, Fetterman Announce $375,000 for Bucks, Delco Rail Crossing Improvement Plan Casey, Fetterman, Dean Announce $16,063,596 for Berks County Rail Crossing Upgrades Climate and Energy Casey: Philly-Based Hydrogen Hub Will Bring Jobs, Economic Growth, Clean Energy to Region Casey: Appalachian Hydrogen Hub Will Bring Jobs, Economic Growth, Clean Energy to Appalachian Basin Airports Fox 43: Massive upgrades coming to Harrisburg International Airport security system Casey Announces $855,000 for Arnold Palmer Airport Upgrades Casey Announces $410,000 Grant for University Park Airport Upgrades Safe Streets CBS Philadelphia: $25 million federal grant aims for safer commute for 6 North Philadelphia schools Casey Announces $30 Million for Philadelphia Safe Streets Project For a full county-by-county list of investments Senator Casey has delivered for Pennsylvania since the start of the Biden administration, see here. ###

Share Tweet

November 15, 2023

What Others Are Saying: PA, National Leaders Support Casey’s Rural Development Bill

Bill is endorsed by more than 70 Pennsylvania and national officials and organizations Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act to advance economic development in rural communities by helping them overcome barriers to obtaining federal funding and resources. This bill would create a grant program to address communities’ urgent needs like affordable child care, housing, and job training; provide guidance to help rural communities navigate existing federal funding opportunities and ensure they’re getting their fair share of private and federal investment; and improve supportive services offered by the federal government to rural communities. The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act is supported by Democratic and Republican local elected leaders from Pennsylvania, including county commissioners, state senators, and township and borough officials. Local economic development groups, as well as national organizations working on behalf of rural communities, have also lent their support to the bill. See below for what they are saying about what this legislation will mean for rural communities: State Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-Sunbury): “The flexibility and financial support in the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023 would enable rural communities to break down barriers and expand opportunities for residents. Rural Pennsylvanians face a unique set of circumstances and require programs and services tailored to empower them to overcome obstacles to prosperity. Rural residents deserve the same access to opportunity that is available to their urban and suburban counterparts.” State Representative Paul Takac (D-Centre): “I applaud Senator Casey for introducing this exciting and much-needed legislation. We share a deep commitment to making crucial investments and removing barriers in order to help revitalize rural communities across our commonwealth and our country. For too long, our neighbors in rural areas have lacked such focused support and the result has been ever widening disparities and economic and community development. I look forward to working with our community partners and representatives from all levels of government to help ensure a prosperous future for all.” State Representative Jamie Barton (R-East Brunswick Twp.): “All too often, rural America does not get a fair shake when it comes to federal funding. The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023 can help to change that. The programs it creates are adaptable enough to cover the unique challenges our rural communities face.” State Representative Brian Smith (R-Jefferson and Indiana Counties): “Federal funding shouldn’t just go to the big cities. Some of the hardest-working Americans call our rural communities home. The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023 can return some of our taxpayer dollars to the places that need it the most.” Cliff Lane, McKean County Commissioner (D): “I applaud Senator Casey for recognizing the challenges faced by all of rural communities in the US, in getting financial help to address several issues that are shared by urban and rural communities. The difference being the urban communities most often have the resources available to meet the federal guidelines to access federal funds. The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023 will provide an avenue for rural communities to access these funds for child care, job training, and housing in a more flexible and less restrictive process. I fully support this Act and encourage all of the elected officials to support this ground breaking act.” Pam Tokar-Ickes, Somerset County Commissioner (D): “This Act will ensure that rural counties can equitably vie for federal resources to assist their economic growth and development. Rural programs, coupled with technical assistance to help navigate the federal government and its many funding and program sources will only increase our participation in the opportunities available and level the playing field for all.” James D. Moate, Cameron County Commissioner (R): “It pleases me immensely that legislation is being introduced to address the financial burdens of rural areas. Rural communities have always been the backbone of this great nation and it’s reassuring that the federal government may soon be taking steps to address the struggles these communities have faced for ages. The Rural Partnership Act of 2023 gives me hope for the future of rural governments and for the country as a whole.” “Chip” Abramovic, Venango County Commissioner (D): “It is nice to see rural American is getting the attention it deserves, this will help to slow the rural vs urban divide, especially now more than ever that rural America provides one of the best quality of life environments for those who want to grow and prosper.” Barron L. “Boots” Hetherington, Schuylkill County Commissioner (R): "I commend Senator Casey for introducing this legislation. As a farmer, a commissioner and a member of the USDA State Commission, I know firsthand the challenges facing rural Americans. The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act will improve economies and the quality of life for Pennsylvanians." Gary Hess, Schuylkill County Commissioner (D): “This program would help many of the municipalities in Schuylkill County . It would give the ability to do projects that would help improve the quality of life . Gives an equal ground from the urban areas.” Chris Soff, Crawford County Commissioner (D): "Senator Casey has always been a strong advocate for rural Pennsylvania, and this Bill is another example of his commitment to our local communities. We applaud Senator Casey for recognizing that rural Pennsylvania is the economic driver that continues to move us forward." Barry Hayman, Potter County Commissioner (D): “I believe the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act is perhaps one of the most direct and beneficial pieces of legislation for local, rural economic and community development since the efforts of the Great Society, if not the New Deal. For so long, local government, particularly rural local government, has served purely as a pass through for both state and federal funds with little input and even less regard for our expertise. Local government is best situated to know where funds are most needed and best applied. We are the boots on the ground and are ready and willing to be an equal partner in improving local economies and the development of our communities to not only attract new residents, but to improve the quality of life for our long-time residents. This act, and its many provisions, goes a long way to help us do just that.” Michael Rivera, Berks County Commissioner (R): “We support the ability for all communities to have access to resources and programs that are initiated or authorized by the state and federal governments that allow flexibility and local ease of use.” Marty Qually, Adams County Commissioner (D): “I fully support the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act, as it levels the playing field for rural America. The current disproportionate funding is exacerbating the urban rural divide, this Act will ensure that American success reaches out to ALL Americans. Too often smaller county and municipal governments lack the capacity to apply for or be awarded federal grants. The technical assistance support alone would be a windfall. That paired with the proposed flexibility will give local governments the opportunity to address specific challenges and create stronger, more cohesive communities. I applaud Senator Casey for his initiative to support rural communities.” Jean Foschi, Cumberland County Commissioner (D): “As a Commissioner for a County with large areas of rural communities and farmland, I am encouraged by the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023. Many of our communities struggle to make ends meet even though their residents work hard and pay their fair share of taxes. Our rural areas are often not able to compete with more populous areas of PA in terms of grant opportunities and political attention, creating a situation where federal dollars are left on the table because of inequity in terms of an ability to locate, apply, and lobby for federal dollars. Having a set of special programs in place for our rural communities as well as guiding mechanisms will help to even an unfair playing field. I’m looking forward to the passage of this bi-partisan Act.” Sherene Hess, Indiana County Commissioner (D): “Rural America is home to the coal miners, the factory workers, the steelmakers, and the farmers who built this country into the strong nation that it is. But, we’ve been hurting and facing increasing decline in our small towns and rural areas due to decades of disinvestment in our people and land. I applaud Senator Casey on this important proposal that is vital to our small and medium manufacturers so they can modernize and attract a strong workforce, so that new bridges and roads and water systems can bring abundant and safe drinking to people and so our agricultural producers can access the new technologies to be able to compete in world markets while protecting our soil and water and land and air. Rural areas have much to offer our country and I am grateful to hear that substantive policy is being considered that will help workers, children, seniors, and families throughout the country have a better life.” Brenda Watson, Perry County Commissioner (D): “Like every rural area, Perry County has extremely limited capacity to find, apply for, and administer grants for federal funding to help our residents and our 31 municipalities. We are in dire need of broadband, affordable housing, community revitalization, blight remediation, small business support, and infrastructure development. With 72% of our workforce commuting out of the county each day, coupled with an already strained tax base, we just don’t have the capacity to bring the available state and federal resources home to Perry County.” Jo Ellen Litz, Lebanon County Commissioner (D): "Lebanon County has some of the best farmland in the nation, and we need to be able to feed America with our crops and animals. We are also in the hub of Interstates that transport these goods. Add warehouse development pressures and a need for affordable housing, and we are facing uncertain times. We are in the process of developing a new comprehensive plan to pull this all together. Federal support would be most welcome." Rob Postal, Mifflin County Commissioner (R): “This is an opportunity to drive the future of rural communities toward economic prosperity. The proposed legislation appreciates that rural economic development means workforce training and available and affordable child care as well as infrastructure and broadband.” Potter County Commissioners: “Potter County has embarked on a state-funded community and economic development strategic planning project that brings together partners - many for the first time - to work as a team to determine how we can address three issues of critical importance: chronic population loss, continually increasing median age, and a declining economy. Each element of the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023 offers support for our mission - technical assistance, federal funding, and the "whole-of-government" approach which can lead to partnerships extending across the federal, state and county levels, while engaging employers as well as community leaders. We believe this is a critical element in deliberations about the 2023 Farm Bill. We stand ready to take advantage of the opportunities, potentially as a pilot rural county that has already laid the groundwork to achieve the objectives of the Act.” Mayor Tom Yoder, Huntingdon Borough (R): “The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023 providing small rural communities like Huntingdon, Pennsylvania with better access to federal programs and funding would be a much-needed lifeline during these difficult times. Huntingdon, like other rural communities, struggles to meet the needs of our citizens and small businesses, as we work to provide positive programming, a safe environment, and opportunities for business and economic growth, job creation, and development.” Mary Ann Menanno, Meadville City Manager: “As a City of the Third Class located in a predominantly rural setting, the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act would help unlock valuable resources that cities like Meadville currently struggle to access. With a stagnant tax base and nearly crippling issues with staff capacity, the proposed Rural Partnership Programs Grants and Prosperity Technical Assistance Grants through this Act would benefit the city in carrying out identified priorities in housing and workforce development. Without these types of programs, cities like Meadville will continue straining to implement programs that address these vital needs.” Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA): “This bipartisan legislation will be of tremendous benefit to rural farmers whose needs may include housing, child care, and technical support, but whose work lives often don't afford the time to write and apply for grants and other assistance. By better equipping municipalities, nonprofits, and other rural service entities to meet the needs of farm families and their neighbors, we hope this bill can reverse the decades of disinvestment and profound farm loss impacting our rural communities.” Matt Espenshade, President, Pennsylvania State Grange: “Senator Casey’s announcement on the introduction of the bi-partisan “The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act” is welcome news for rural Pennsylvanians. The Pennsylvania State Grange has long believed that our rural communities, at times, are forgotten when it comes to federal investment. This legislation will go a long way to address the needs of our members and as such we are proud to stand with Senator Casey as he introduces this bill.” Kim Wheeler, Executive Director, SEDA-Council of Governments: “The communities and municipalities in our region have unprecedented opportunities to benefit from federal investments but do not have the capacity to research, engage and apply. This Act will provide funding for technical assistance partners to serve as the administrative and programmatic entities. In addition, the Rural Partnership Program Grants will assist residents of these communities to clear the most common hurdles facing families today. This 360-degree approach will allow communities and their families to grow and prosper.” Jeffrey Box, President and CEO, NEPA Alliance: “The communities, municipalities, nonprofits and economic development agencies in Northeastern Pennsylvania are in great need for capacity building resources to be more competitive in securing Federal Resources. The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023 will help all of these rural entities in Northeastern Pennsylvania.” Frank Zukas, President, SEDCO: “Schuylkill County is home to a resilient and hardworking population that has, for generations, contributed to the rich tapestry of our nation's history. However, like many rural areas across the country, Schuylkill County faces unique challenges, including economic disparities, limited access to resources, and the need for infrastructure improvements. The proposed investment initiatives aim to address these challenges head-on by fostering economic growth, creating job oppo1tunities, and enhancing the overall quality of life for our residents. By investing in rural communities like ours, it's not just a financial opportunity; it's a commitment to nurturing the heartbeat of our nation. Project and technical assistance funding for rural communities is the catalyst that transforms challenges into opportunities. By investing in the knowledge, skills, and infrastructure necessary for progress, we empower these communities to overcome hurdles, embrace innovation, and build a future that is both sustainable and transformative. With that in mind, it's not just about assistance; it's about fostering a legacy of resilience and growth that resonates far beyond the boundaries of any one community. On behalf of my organization, I extend my support for this legislation. Any assistance you can provide to our rural communities is greatly appreciated.” Dave Calvario, Executive Director, Community Foundation of Greene County: “Rural communities across our nation face unique problems not seen in urban or suburban communities. Some of our problems include: a declining and aging population, loss of jobs, high property taxes due to lack of industry, not having the capacity to make the transition from industrial manufacturing to technology and service industries, lack of opportunities for our youth and young adults, to name a few. But at the same time, rural America assisted in building the America we know today and its infrastructure. The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023 would assist the Greene County and Career Technology Center and the Community Foundation of Greene County to go deeper in their partnership by collaborating further on blue collar programs to advance the trades among HS students and young adults in Greene County.” Muriel Nuttall, Executive Director, Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and Business: “As a county-wide Chamber of Commerce, situated in Appalachia, surrounded by communities that thrived during the coal era but who have fallen into distress through deindustrialization, this type of legislation is exciting and provides a new level of hope that, put into action, can make exponential change. In her book, ‘The Power of Hope’, Carol Graham explains, ‘…that public policy reform problems – from joblessness and labor force dropout to the lack of affordable health care and inadequate public education – can’t be solved without hope. Drawing on research in well-being and other disciplines, Graham describes strategies for restoring hope in populations where it has been lost. The need to address despair, and to restore hope, is critical to America’s future.’ These communities are trying hard to find new pathways toward growth and development. This legislation could provide an incredible opportunity to see our rural communities thrive again!” Jim Decker, Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry: “Senator Casey is absolutely "spot-on" in recognition of the inequities in access to federal funding by rural communities. Navigating the federal funding system is overwhelming to most, if not all, small rural community municipalities and economic/community development organizations who operate on shoe-string budgets and minimal staff.” Frank Thompson, Executive Director, Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission: “The communities in our region have unprecedented opportunities to benefit from federal investments but do not have the capacity to research, engage and apply. This Act will provide funding for technical assistance partners to serve as the administrative and programmatic entities. The Rural Partnership Program Grants will give residents and municipalities a fair shot at federal resources.” Jill Foys, Executive Director, Northwest Commission: “The communities and municipalities in our eight-county region have unprecedented opportunities to benefit from federal investments but many do not have the capacity to research, engage and apply. This Act will provide funding for technical assistance partners to serve as an administrative and programmatic resource, giving every community an even chance of success. In addition, the Rural Partnership Program Grants will assist residents of these communities to clear the most common hurdles facing families today. This 360-degree approach will allow communities and their families to grow and prosper.” Bette Slayton, Bedford County Development Association: “We are in support of the proposed Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023. As you are aware, rural communities lack funding opportunities and staffing resources which severely hinder our efforts to compete in the global economy. Direct federal support for economic and community development initiatives is critically important as we work to develop solutions for housing, childcare, and infrastructure improvements. Project and technical assistance will be of great value helping us to navigate the many challenges of a changing economy and declining population. Better cross-agency coordination and flexibility within federal programs will be of significant value in meeting our local needs. Those of us in the trenches of rural Pennsylvania are working cooperatively, creatively, and tenaciously to meet the many challenges facing us. It would be great to have streamlined access to federal funding and technical assistance. We'll also appreciate seeing our rural tax dollars coming back into our communities. hank you for your support and efforts to strengthen our rural communities.” Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation: “The Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation strongly supports Senators Casey and Fischer. This legislation is responsive to rural areas like Philipsburg that need comprehensive federal support to help us not only to survive, but to thrive into the future.” Greater Reading Chamber Alliance: “The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance thanks Senator Casey for introducing the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act that addresses a legitimate need in our rural communities. These areas are often constrained from pursuing federal funding because of staff limitations in the application and compliance/reporting phases coupled with inconsistent internet access. Any funding for technical assistance to aid communities in obtaining funding and managing the requirements associated with such funding would be helpful to remove some of the threshold barriers. Thank you for your leadership. We encourage anyone who represents a rural community to support this transformational proposal.” Bob Carl, President and Chief Executive Officer, Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce: “The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce greatly appreciates the leadership of U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr. in the “Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023”. This is critical for rural Pennsylvania and will assist our mission of assisting our members in critical grant issues such as affordable child care, housing, and job training. We appreciate and fully support the importance of this legislative initiative.” Heather Valudes, President and CEO, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce: “The Lancaster Chamber, as a countywide chamber representing urban, suburban, and rural communities, recognizes the unique needs of our rural areas. We support The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act as it aims to assist with the planning and implementation of multi-year strategies that will increase the quality of life for residents and provide greater opportunity for economic development that meets the needs of the community.” Kevin Schreiber, President & CEO of the York County Economic Alliance: “In York County, our 10-year Economic Action Plan lists the rural economy as a key focus area in spurring future economic growth and increasing competitiveness and resiliency as a community. This includes specific action steps to build municipal capacity and coordination to increase services for economic opportunity in rural areas. We support this legislation and encourage its inclusion in the Farm Bill to make this proposal a reality.” Vincent Valdes, Executive Director, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission: “The communities and municipalities in our region have an unprecedented opportunity to benefit from federal investments and grant programs but do not have the capacity to research, apply and administer them. This Act will provide funding for technical assistance partners to serve as the administrative and programmatic entities for these critical funds. In addition, the Rural Partnership Program Grants will provide resources to help residents of these communities overcome many of the most common obstacles facing families today. This comprehensive approach will allow communities and families to grow and prosper.” Ryan Unger, President & CEO, Harrisburg Regional Chamber: “As we in Pennsylvania work to implement our economic development strategies, we have to provide a special focus to the rural communities that too often miss out on the critical funding and resources needed to achieve these goals. This bill and its programs will go a long way toward spurring new investment and creating new jobs in the rural parts of our region and we look forward to being an active partner in supporting this legislation.” Jim Chorney, Executive Director, North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission: “In our six-county region, there's an unparalleled chance for communities and municipalities to thrive through federal investments. However, we've witnessed a significant gap in the ability to research, engage, and apply for these resources. The Rural Partnership Program Grant Act is critical for rural regions, allocating funds for technical assistance partners to step in as vital administrative and programmatic entities... this initiative is positioned to empower and uplift all our communities.” Mr. Steven Howsare, Executive Director, Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission: “The communities and municipalities in our region have unprecedented opportunities to benefit from federal investments but do not have the capacity to research, engage and apply. This Act will provide funding for technical assistance partners to serve as the administrative and programmatic entities. In addition, the Rural Partnership Program Grants will assist residents of these communities to clear the most common hurdles facing families today. This 360-degree approach will allow communities and their families to grow and prosper.” Doug O’Brien, President and CEO, NCBA CLUSA: “NCBA CLUSA applauds Senators Casey and Fischer for their bipartisan leadership to address the persistent challenges faced by rural communities. Rural America has much to offer the national economy, yet has been left behind for far too long by federal policy initiatives. This legislation is an important step in providing the critical support needed to grow economies with locally-led initiatives. We are especially pleased that the legislation recognizes cooperatives as a critical driver for economic development and as a tool to create a more resilient and prosperous rural America.” Matthew Chase, Executive Director, National Association of Counties: “Over 70 percent of America’s counties are rural and face unique challenges and opportunities every day. A strong intergovernmental partnership is critical to creating opportunities for counties and our residents to thrive. The bipartisan Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act would equip rural counties and our partners with tools to optimize historic federal resources and investments in our communities. We applaud Senators Casey and Fischer for their leadership on this important issue.” Olga Morales Pate, CEO, Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP): “Rural America is essential America, and RCAP enthusiastically supports the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023 and the critical support for technical assistance it will provide to rural communities. By bringing a whole-of-government approach to rural policy, this bill will offer communities flexibility and a fair shot at competing for funding, which is often a challenge. I applaud Senators Casey and Fischer for coming together to ensure that the Farm Bill does right by the communities that makeup the backbone of the nation.” Nathan Ohle, President and CEO, International Economic Development Council: “On behalf of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and our economic development members nationwide, I want to thank Senators Casey and Fischer on the introduction of The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023. As our members can attest, rural communities across the country often lack investment and face significant barriers in accessing federal funding and opportunities. This bipartisan legislation would address these challenges by creating programs that would direct much-needed support to rural communities through grant awards and technical assistance. We are grateful for Senator Casey’s and Senator Fischer’s leadership on this important issue as we work together to ensure that all communities have the tools and resources they need to thrive.” Caitlin Cain, Vice President, Rural, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): “The Local Initiatives Support Corporation supports the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023. The community and economic development needs of rural America can only be addressed by ensuring local communities have the capacity and resources to implement locally driven strategies. This legislation would provide the flexible and long-term resources necessary for that work. We thank Senators Casey and Fischer for their leadership in ensuring rural America has the know-how and funding to meet their goals.” Todd Van Hoose, President and CEO of the Farm Credit Council: “Our rural communities struggle to jump through all the hoops necessary to access critical federal programs. The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act aims to simplify this process and ensure rural America has a fair shot at investment. We thank Senators Casey and Fischer for their strong leadership for rural communities.” Joe McKinney, Executive Director, National Association of Development Organizations: “Many rural communities are challenged by a perpetual cycle wherein their lack of resources impedes their ability to compete for federal funds. The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023, if passed, would help address this issue by providing targeted flexible funding directly to rural communities, in tandem with needed technical assistance.” Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer, National Rural Health Association: “Rural America provides the food, fiber, and fuel for our country, and yet it has faced historic underinvestment for decades. The National Rural Health Association applauds Senator Fischer and Senator Casey’s work on the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act and we are pleased to see their commitment to bringing needed support to rural communities through grants and technical assistance that can meet the unique needs of each area.” Roy Chrobocinski, Managing Director, Domestic Federal Policy at Save the Children: "Save the Children is proud to endorse the Rural Partnerships and Prosperity Act, an important bill that prioritizes the equal sharing of federal resources for children and families living in rural America. This bill would directly increase support for persistently poor, rural communities by directly addressing the barriers faced by these communities in the federal grant process. Save the Children believes this bill will improve access to resources for rural communities so they can invest in critical programs for children, such as high quality child care centers. This bill affirms Save the Children’s commitment to serving the whole rural child, acknowledging that strong rural economies support rural children, and that by providing locally driven solutions we can promote sustainable futures." Matt Holmes, CEO, National Rural Water Association (NRWA): “NRWA and our state rural water associations have worked directly with the Rural Partnership Network to assist rural communities in accessing and navigating available federal resources in their best interest… this legislation enhances and builds off those efforts.” Neil Sheridan, President, National Association of Towns and Townships (NATaT): “As the largest representative of rural communities, the National Association of Towns and Townships wholeheartedly supports this legislation. Enhancing access to federal support through both grants and technical assistance is essential to ensuring the success of rural America. Thank you to Senators Casey and Fischer for spearheading this crucial effort.” Brian Cavey, CoBank, SVP of Government Affairs and Knowledge Exchange Division: “We are thrilled to support the bipartisan work of Senators Casey and Fischer in their efforts to bring more resources to rural America. For decades rural communities have often been forgotten and not given the resources they deserve. Your zip code should not determine your quality of life. We will continue to work to get this in the Farm Bill and support initiatives to bring more capital and partnerships to rural America.” David Lipsetz, President and CEO, Housing Assistance Council: “No amount of federal investment will succeed in creating lasting rural equity if not paired with robust local capacity building to ensure the most underserved and persistently poor rural places are in a position to access available federal resources. We applaud Senators Casey and Fischer for recognizing this truth and for introducing the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act to address the capacity needs of rural communities. Rural communities often have small and part-time local governments, inadequate philanthropic support, and a shortage of the specialists needed to navigate the complexities of federal programs. This bill would empower rural regions by supporting locally-led planning and capacity building efforts, and providing flexible funding to meet critical needs.” Tina May, VP of Rural Services and Chief of Staff, Land O’Lakes: “As a farmer and member owned cooperative, Land O’Lakes, Inc. sees firsthand the unique challenges and opportunities facing rural America. We commend Sens. Casey and Fischer for their bipartisan commitment to rural America and are pleased that they have introduced the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023,” said Tina May, VP, Rural Services and Chief of Staff for Land O’Lakes, Inc. “This bill would provide a commonsense approach to navigate federal funding to strengthen rural communities.” Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition: "There has never been a better time to invest in the rural communities of America as we seek to meet the challenges of climate, biodiversity, wildfire, and landscape resilience. The Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023 will help strengthen the stewardship economies within rural communities by removing barriers to existing funding and providing flexible grant and technical assistance programs designed to increase capacity in rural communities. We are grateful for the leadership of Senator Bob Casey and Senator Deb Fischer for putting forth policy that will provide direct support for rural communities.” Michele Stockwell, President, BPC Action: “BPC Action applauds Sens. Casey (D-PA) and Fischer (R-NE) for their leadership on the Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023. This bill would provide critical support to rural communities and directly aligns with Bipartisan Policy Center recommendations to expand rural capacity-building and technical assistance efforts, which will better enable innovative public-private partnerships, regional coordination, and economic development. We urge bipartisan momentum for this legislation and its inclusion in the upcoming Farm Bill to bolster America’s rural communities and address existing funding gaps that they face.” ###

Share Tweet

November 14, 2023

Casey Introduces Legislation to Help Child Care Providers Serve Nutritious Meals

New bill would ease financial pressures child care providers face by increasing meal reimbursements Family child care providers currently receive as little as 59 cents in reimbursement through the Child and Adult Care Food Program for each breakfast they serve Participation rates of family child care providers in the Child and Adult Care Food Program have drastically declined due to financial strains Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced legislation to address financial challenges faced by child care providers across the country who participate the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Providers such as family child care homes, child care centers, Head Start programs, and after-school programs provide meals to more than 4.2 million children each day with the support of the CACFP. The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act would increase the reimbursements rates that child care providers receive for these meals, helping to ensure that millions of children receive nutritious meals and easing the significant financial burdens for both child care providers and parents struggling to afford child care. Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Greg Landsman (D-OH-1). “Every child deserves access to nutritious meals, especially during their formative years,” said Senator Bob Casey. “The research is clear: the CACFP improves the quality of meals in child care settings. By easing the burden on child care providers, the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act will ensure that children are receiving healthy and nutritious meals and are set up to reach their full potential.” “Across the country, we continue to face an unprecedented shortage of child care workers, which will only worsen if providers don’t receive critical federal investment. Parents today depend on child care providers to meet essential needs, including proper nutrition, which is expensive,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act would address this crisis by getting long-overdue increases in reimbursements to providers so they can continue to serve nutritious meals to children. We applaud Sen. Casey for being a leader on this issue and introducing this critical bill.” Because of insufficient reimbursement rates and outdated policies of CACFP, many child care providers face financial barriers to participating in the program. This bill will increase the reimbursement rate so that a family child care provider serving seven children could receive an additional $475 a month or $5,700 a year in reimbursements and a Head Start program or child care center serving 100 children could receive an additional $600 a month of $7,200 a year in reimbursements. To increase reimbursement rates, the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act would modify the CACFP by initially increasing reimbursement rates for all eligible meals and snacks by 10 cents, after which the reimbursement rate will be tied to inflation. The bill would also eliminate the two-tiered reimbursement rate system for family child care providers in which reimbursement rates vary depending on the level of local poverty and reimburse family child care providers for meals served to their own children. Senator Casey has long fought to ensure children have access to healthy, nutritious meals during their formative years. Earlier this year, Senator Casey and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Wise Investment in our Children (WIC) Act to expand eligibility for children to participate in the WIC program. Additionally, in 2021, Senator Casey introduced the Access to Healthy Foods for Young Children Act, with 14 cosponsors, aimed at providing needed nutrition assistance to many families who are struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic and to improve CAFCP’s effectiveness. This bill is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT). The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act has been endorsed by over 40 national organizations including American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA), and ZERO TO THREE. Read more about the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act here. ###

Share Tweet

November 9, 2023

Casey, Scott Introduce Legislation to Disclose Private Equity Investments in China, Foreign Adversaries

Bill would provide the U.S. public transparency into private equity and hedge fund investments in countries of concern New Casey bill builds upon prior Casey efforts to protect American jobs, such as Casey-led amendment to screen US national security investments in China which passed in July Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the Disclosing Investments in Foreign Adversaries Act to provide transparency into investments made by American hedge funds and private equity firms in countries of concern like China and Russia. Currently, private equity, hedge funds, and venture capital firms can invest Americans’ savings and pensions in China without the American people’s knowledge. The legislation would require these private investment funds to annually disclose any assets invested in countries like China to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); require the SEC to publicly release a report of firms investing assets in countries of concern and the percentage of those invested assets; entities selling stock in the private markets would also be required to disclose the recipient of the investment, the intended location of the investment, and the investment’s intended purpose. “Americans deserve to know where and how their savings are being invested,” said Senator Casey. “It is vital to know if our money is being used to boost the economies of our adversaries who steal our technological know-how and steal our jobs. This legislation will help Americans better understand how our own dollars are being used to advance the interests of countries like China.” “Our adversaries, like Communist China, benefit from a complete lack of transparency allowing them to hide and fund bad behavior—especially when it comes to financial markets. These foreign adversaries lie, cheat and steal, and it’s almost impossible to call them out for it. It is time to stop sending American dollars to these countries of concern,” said Senator Scott. “I am proud to lead this bipartisan charge with my colleague Senator Casey as we work across the aisle to hold bad actors accountable.” “The Chinese Communist Party has been methodically exploiting U.S. capital markets and American investors to fund its economic and military rise for far too long. ASA commends Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) for introducing the Disclosing Investments in Foreign Adversaries Act, which would force Wall Street to disclose its investments in China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea,” said American Securities Association President & CEO Chris Iacovella. “A strong, bipartisan consensus in Washington has emerged that wants to end the Chinese Communist Party’s access to American capital, and this Congress should take advantage of that momentum to protect American investors and the integrity of our capital markets.” "The American people deserve to know whether their hard-earned savings are invested here at home or sent to adversaries abroad. The Disclosing Investments in Foreign Adversaries Act brings much-needed transparency to the financial sector by enhancing reporting requirements for U.S. investments in countries like China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea,” said FDD Action. “This commonsense legislation protects our national security, promotes greater financial oversight, and ensures that U.S. funds are not strengthening the technological capabilities and industrial bases of America’s adversaries. FDD Action is pleased to endorse this legislation to safeguard our financial future and strategic interests.” Without the ability for the U.S. public to monitor investments made by large private equity, hedge funds, and venture capital funds in foreign economies, American states, municipalities, universities, unions, and pension funds could unknowingly be investing in the United States’ economic competitors like China and Russia. Senator Casey has consistently led the effort to protect American workers and families and strengthen our national security against countries like China, first introducing outbound investment screening legislation, the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act, in May 2021 as an amendment to the United States Innovation and Competition Act alongside Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), to help the U.S. better understand the risks of allowing foreign adversaries to gain access to critical capabilities and technology, as well as to design and manufacture goods that are vital to U.S. economic and national security interests. Senators Casey and Cornyn have been working to garner bipartisan and bicameral support for their bill. Biden Administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan have also expressed support for increased scrutiny of outbound investment. In September 2022, as one of the cosponsors of the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act, Casey urged President Biden to take executive action to prevent the US from ceding our manufacturing power and technological know-how to foreign adversaries. Days later, Casey and Cornyn testified in support of the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act in front of the Senate Banking Committee, stressing the importance of assessing potential risks of American investments in adversarial countries. In December 2022, the Fiscal Year 2023 spending bill appropriated approximately $20 million in funding for the Department of Commerce and the Department of the Treasury to establish an outbound investment screening program by Executive Order, as Casey has pushed for the Administration to do. In March 2023, Casey wrote an op-ed outlining how to protect American innovation and keep American national and economic interests out of adversaries’ hands. In May, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced a new initiative to strengthen America’s global leadership, including Casey’s provision to screen U.S. investments being made in countries of concern. Ahead of the 2023 introduction of the Outbound Investment Transparency Act, Casey continued to build momentum for the policy. In June, key Administration officials testified in front of the Senate Banking Committee about the importance of screening American companies’ investments in countries of concern—testimony which supports Casey’s proposal. Later that month, Casey delivered a rousing speech to union workers and business leaders in Pittsburgh to outline his vision for the United States to take control of its economic future, including prohibiting certain investments going to countries like the People’s Republic of China and help de-risk our supply chains. In his speech, Casey argued for a stronger provisions to prohibit U.S. corporations from investing in our national security industries in countries of concern. However, Senator Casey remains committed to a bipartisan approach to legislation. On July 13, he and Cornyn introduced the Outbound Investment Transparency Act as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Later that month, Senator Casey’s Outbound Investment Transparency Act passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by an overwhelming vote of 91-6. In August, at Casey’s urging, President Biden announced an executive order to screen U.S. investments in national security sectors that are made in countries of concern. Read more about the Disclosing Investment in Foreign Adversaries Act here. ###

Share Tweet

November 8, 2023

Casey Slams Republican-Led Resolution to Permanently Waive Buy America Standards for Electric Vehicle Chargers

Resolution would prevent Buy America requirements for and hinder U.S. manufacturing of EV chargers Casey: “This resolution would do irreparable damage to American workers and manufacturing, weaken our supply chain security” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) voted against a resolution to effectively remove Buy American standards for electric vehicle (EV) chargers and force the United States to continue relying on China for products critical to the next generation of clean vehicle infrastructure. The resolution would require the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to return electric vehicle chargers back to the general manufactured products waiver, meaning EV chargers funded by taxpayer dollars would not need to meet any U.S. manufacturing or Buy America content value requirements. “By forever hindering our Nation’s ability to become less reliant on Chinese manufacturing of EV chargers, this resolution would do irreparable damage to American workers and manufacturing,” said Senator Casey. “Because of our domestic EV charging industry, America has the opportunity to become a world leader in the technology of the future. This cynical political ploy would force us to squander that opportunity.” Earlier this year, the FHWA issued a temporary public interest waiver phase in Buy America requirements for EV chargers, removing EV chargers from the long-standing Manufactured Products General Waiver. The temporary waiver allows EV charging infrastructure projects to immediately proceed. Today’s resolution would disapprove of the waiver, and potentially prevent FHWA from removing EV chargers from the general manufactured products waiver, permanently weakening Buy America standards for clean vehicle charging infrastructure. The resolution has been fiercely opposed by unions including the AFL-CIO, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and United Steel Workers. It also opposed by the BlueGreen Alliance, League of Conservation Voters, and the Alliance of American Manufacturing. Casey has been a staunch supporter of Buy America standards, as well as legislation to develop American EV manufacturing capacity and energy independence. He fought to pass the Build America, Buy America Act as a part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which requires that all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in infrastructure projects are produced in the United States. Casey also fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which included tax credits for individuals and companies manufacturing or deploying clean energy technologies to help lower costs and secure our energy independence, as well as his provision to provide a “domestic content” bonus credit for companies that use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods. In March, Senator Casey led a letter urging the U.S. Department of Treasury to prioritize American manufacturing and workers in the implementation of the clean energy tax credits passed in the IRA. ###

Share Tweet

November 8, 2023

Casey Provisions to Protect Seniors from High Drug Costs, Rural Hospitals from Funding Cuts Pass in Senate Committee

Finance Committee mental health and drug pricing package includes Casey’s Protecting Seniors from High Drug Costs Act Legislative package also contains Casey-led provisions to support rural hospitals and insurance assistance Committee voted 26-0 to move legislation forward Washington, D.C. - Today, the Senate Finance Committee voted on a drug pricing and mental health legislative package which contained provisions from U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) to protect seniors from high drug costs and save our safety net hospitals from funding cuts. The package now can move to the Senate floor. “We have an obligation to ensure that health care is affordable and accessible for everyone across our Nation,” said Chairman Casey. “This legislative package will help meet that obligation by protecting seniors from high drug costs and saving rural hospitals from devastating cuts. I look forward to fighting for its passage on the Senate floor.” The package included Senator Casey’s Protecting Seniors from High Drug Costs Act, which he introduced with Senator Cornyn (R-TX) earlier this year. The bipartisan bill would help bring down drug costs by prohibiting health plans and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from charging Medicare Part D beneficiaries more in cost-sharing than the net cost of the drug. It will lower cost-sharing for patients and help them afford all the prescriptions they need while ensuring that PBMs and plans are not engaging in unfair practices. The package also included a provision to delay impending cuts to the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, which helps offset uncompensated care costs for hospitals that provide care to large numbers of Medicaid beneficiaries and uninsured patients. The program was facing more than $8 billion in cuts just for the next fiscal year, which would have undermined the financial viability of many of the Nation’s safety net hospitals and threatened access to care for some of the most vulnerable Americans. Earlier this year, Senator Casey led a letter with Senator Lankford (R-OK) and 49 colleagues urging Senate leadership to prevent these drastic cuts. Also included in the package was an extension of funding for outreach and assistance to low-income Medicare beneficiaries through State Health Insurance and Assistance Programs (SHIPs). At a Finance Committee hearing last month, Senator Casey pushed for the extension of this funding. The full list of legislation in the package can be found here. The package now can move to the Senate floor. ###

Share Tweet

November 8, 2023

Casey, Wyden Lead Letter Urging Medicare Agency to Adopt Stronger Nursing Home Staffing Standard

New rule announced in September establishes minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes Casey, Wyden have long called for nursing home staffing minimums Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, led a letter to Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure encouraging the agency to finalize and implement the Biden Administration’s new proposed rule to address the Nation’s nursing home staffing crisis. The new rule directs CMS to establish minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes, which the Senators have long called for as an important step to promote safety and quality care for nursing home residents. The Senators wrote, “Our nation’s 1.2 million nursing home residents deserve high quality care that prioritizes their safety. The proposed rule takes a vital step towards ensuring residents receive this high quality care by establishing commonsense staffing minimums and improving enforcement…We urge CMS to provide for strong enforcement of a final staffing standard while ensuring state survey agencies and their staffs are adequately resourced to conduct this important work.” Senator Casey has spent his career fighting to improve the safety of nursing homes for their residents. In February, he called on the Biden Administration to implement minimum staffing standards in nursing homes in February 2023 and applauded the announcement of the new rule in September. Senator Casey released a report in May 2023 detailing the a crisis in nursing home oversight due to severe staffing shortages at state survey agencies. He and Senator Wyden previously introduced the Nursing Home Improvement and Accountability Act, which would require nursing homes to meet minimum staffing standards, ensure a registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, require a full-time infection control and prevention specialist, and provide additional resources through Medicaid to support these care and staffing improvements and raise wages. Read the full letter here or below: Dear Administrator Brooks-LaSure, We write today to encourage the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to strengthen and finalize the Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting proposed rule. We appreciate the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to addressing the serious staffing crisis in our Nation’s nursing homes and commend the proposed rule as an important step to promote safety and quality care for residents in these facilitiesand to protect the safety of nursing home workers. The connection between staffing levels in nursing homes and the safety and quality of care is well-established. For years, studies have shown that inadequate staffing levels result in lower quality of care for nursing home residents.1 More recently, a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) found that “higher nurse staffing ratios mitigated the effect of [a COVID-19] outbreak in nursing homes and resulted in fewer deaths once an outbreak occurred.”2 A recent Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) report that examined the deadly impact of COVID-19 on nursing home residents recommended that CMS establish minimum staffing requirements.3 Finally, a joint investigation by the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Special Committee on Aging evaluated a series of HHS OIG nursing home audits finding that understaffing at nursing homes contributes to inadequate emergency preparedness, leaving older adults and people with disabilities vulnerable to extreme weather events.4It is clear that a staffing standard will help improve care and save lives. Our nation’s 1.2 million nursing home residents deserve highquality care that prioritizes their safety. The proposed rule takes a vital step towards ensuring residents receive this highquality care by establishing commonsense staffing minimums and improving enforcement. Many states already have nursing home minimum staffing standards that meet or exceed those set forth in the proposed rule. We understand that developing a meaningful minimum staffing requirement involves the careful evaluation of complex and nuanced variables, such as variations in acuity levels and case mix, as well as the special circumstances of rural and underserved communities and the staff and resources available to them. In the proposed rule, CMS has proposed minimum nurse staffing standards of 0.55 hours per resident day (HPRD) for Registered Nurses (RNs) and 2.45 HPRD for Nurse Aides (NAs). However, the proposed rule does not include an HPRD for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). LPNs provide essential bedside care to nursing home residents, and they are critical to the operation of America’s nursing homes.We urge CMS to include LPNs in the final rule. Many states that already have minimum staffing standards in place for nursing homes have an LPN standard, and adoption of a federal LPN standard could allow nursing homes to more easily meet both federal and state standards. The proposed rule also requires that an RN be onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Current law requires nursing homes to have an RN onsite eight hours a day and a licensed nurse onsite 24 hours a day. The Nursing Home Staffing Study, commissioned by CMS, found in a literature review that all but one safe staffing study supported a 24/7 RN requirement. We support CMS’s historic proposal to establish a 24/7 RN staffing requirement in nursing homes as a critical measure to protect resident safety. We appreciate the recognition in the proposed rule that staffing minimums may be difficult to implement in some areas of the country, such as rural areas, given challenges in recruiting and retraining nursing staff. We encourage CMS to collect stakeholder input and incorporate flexibilities that reflect differences in workforce availability, facility size, and resident demographics as the agency finalizes the rule. Specifically, we know that some facilities will struggle to meet a 24/7 RN requirement, and we urge CMS to use the period before the rules go into effect to examine ways that may help address this concern, in a way manner that is consistent with the clinical goals of this proposal. We also appreciate that CMS is taking action to support the nursing home workforce by partnering with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to invest over $75 million to train and transition workers into nursing home careers. Building on existing workforce initiatives, we urge CMS to consider additional ways to increase and support the long-term care workforce, including partnering with states and exploring existing state or facility-run training and career ladder programs. We understand that while many factors affect job quality and turnover, creating a strong staffing standard will ultimately improve the quality of nursing home jobs, which in turn will help attract more workers and begin to resolve the issues of workforce availability in the nursing home industry. We look forward to additional details regarding this investment and urge CMS and HRSA to continue to invest further in essential workforce initiatives in this space. We are also supportive of the proposal to require state Medicaid agencies to report on the percent of payments for Medicaid-covered services in nursing homes that are spent on compensation for direct care workers and support staff. Evidence suggests that there is a connection between wages and high rates of turnover among workers in the institutional workforce. Greater transparency into the relationship between Medicaid payments and wages can help address the serious staffing crisis in our nation’s nursing homes and in turn, improve the quality of services received by and the safety of Medicaid beneficiaries. Lastly, the Administration has shared that oversight and enforcement of staffing standards would be incorporated into CMS’ existing survey and certification activities, which have not received a meaningful funding increase since fiscal year 2015. State survey agencies are also severely understaffed, which limits their ability to complete annual recertification surveys on time.5 We support the proposed rule and the Biden-Harris Administration’s actions to protect nursing home residents across the country to ensure they receive timely, safe, and quality care and to support workers in America’s nursing homes. As the final rule for minimum staffing standards is developed, we encourage CMS to continue engaging with stakeholders and to consider what additional support may be necessary to comply with a meaningful staffing standard. We look forward to continuing to work with you to protect residents and promote quality care in nursing homes. ###

Share Tweet

November 8, 2023

Greedflation: Casey Releases Report Exposing Big Corporations for Price-Gouging

Why are costs still so high for consumers when monthly inflation has fallen? Corporate greedflation is to blame Between 2020 and 2022, corporate profits rose by 75 percent—five times as fast as inflation Huggies diapers are up 6 percent while production costs fell by $75 million; Chicken prices are up 20 percent as Tyson has been ordered to pay fines for conspiring to inflate prices Corporate executives claim they’ve “earned the right” to raise prices and that their products “are worth paying a little bit more for” An average Pennsylvania family paid $3,194 in 2021 and $3,546 extra in 2022 just toward greedflation Read Casey’s report, Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families, HERE Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children & Families, released a report detailing how big corporations are using inflation as cover to raise prices and rake in record profits at the expense of middle-class American families. The report follows a day in the life of a typical Pennsylvania mom to demonstrate how her daily routine has gotten more expensive as a result of greedflation. From toothpaste and toilet paper to Ben & Jerry’s and Diet Coke, Pennsylvanians are spending more on everyday items while corporate executives brag about raising costs. The report also lays out Senator Casey’s vision to hold greedy corporations accountable and to put money back in the pockets of American families. “Corporations are raising prices at the expense of Pennsylvania families because they think they can get away with it,” said Senator Casey. “From diapers to groceries, greedflation is making everyday household items more expensive and squeezing families. I’m taking steps to fight back so we can make corporations pay their fair share and put more money in the pockets of working families.” From July 2020 through July 2022, inflation rose by 14 percent while corporate profits rose by more than 74 percent during the same period. Research by the Federal Reserve found that corporate profits contributed a large percentage to inflation in the first year of the pandemic, including accounting for all the inflation from July 2020 through July 2021 and 41 percent of all inflation from July 2020 through July 2022. Senator Casey believes more must be done to hold corporations accountable for taking advantage of American workers and their families and has a plan to lower costs for working families by following four overall goals: put more money in the pockets of working families; make big corporations pay their fair share; fight unfair corporate price gouging; and take on corporate monopolies to increase competition and lower costs. Read the full report on “Greedflation: How Corporations Are Making Record Profits on the Backs of American Families” here or click on the report below.

Share Tweet

November 6, 2023

Casey, Fetterman Announce $30.5 Million to Improve Accessibility at Cornwells Heights Train Station

To date, SEPTA had already received more than $851 million from the infrastructure law This funding builds on the $56 million that Casey announced for accessibility upgrades at SEPTA stations Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced $30.5 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to construct a new high-level pedestrian platform at Cornwells Heights Station in Bensalem Township. The funding will improve accessibility and safety for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Trenton Line commuters and Amtrak Keystone Service riders. “The infrastructure law continues to deliver results for Pennsylvanians,” said Senator Casey. “Thanks to the law, SEPTA will be able to keep commuters safe, help them reach their destinations more quickly, and ensure more riders, including those with disabilities, can access public transit. I led the effort to include accessible transit funding in the infrastructure law and I’ll keep working to make transportation more accessible for all Pennsylvanians.” “Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians rely on SEPTA every day. I’m proud to support expanded transit infrastructure that will strengthen service, help our environment, and boost the local economy,” said Senator Fetterman. “This $30.5 million for SEPTA is a significant investment and will help SEPTA deliver the high-quality transit system that Pennsylvanians deserve.” SEPTA and Amtrak will match the funding with $11,956,000 and $244,000, respectively. SEPTA will also provide $13,109,000 of other federal funds to the project to round out the $55,809,000 needed for the full project. Senator Casey has long fought to improve accessibility on public transit for people with disabilities, including through his All Station Accessibility Program (ASAP) Act which aimed to provide grants to legacy transit authorities to bring transit stations into compliance with ADA standards. Thanks to Senator Casey’s efforts, this program was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The Northeast Corridor (NEC) Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail (FSP-NEC) program was established by the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) to expand intercity passenger rail service and improve rail performance by replacing, repairing, or rehabilitating infrastructure, equipment, and facilities as well as reduce trip times, expand passenger capacity, and improve reliability. ###

Share Tweet

November 3, 2023

Casey Pushes to Increase, Diversify Flow of American-Made Goods Along Major Southwestern Pennsylvania Waterways

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to key business leaders and elected officials in Southwestern Pennsylvania reaffirming his commitment to investing in the region’s river communities and economy and outlining his goals to promote their long-term success. “Southwestern Pennsylvania’s waterways have been the bedrock of the region’s economy and carried the steel and coal that built and powered America for generations,” said Senator Casey. “I’ve long championed investments in our Commonwealth’s waterways and I will continue to advocate for policies that will keep them navigable and a preferred means of transport as we build a stronger economy for families here and across the Nation.” Understanding the need for increased federal action to not only rehabilitate Pennsylvania’s river infrastructure but to counteract the gradual decline in its usage, Senator Casey voted to pass critical legislation, like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which delivered a historic $857 million investment to replace the Montgomery Locks and Dam in Beaver County, enhancing Southwestern Pennsylvania’s ability to move goods through the region. Additionally, Casey successfully advocated for the inclusion of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers as part of the U.S. Marine Highway System, which will open up new federal opportunities along the corridors that can benefit local Southwestern Pennsylvania communities, and has pushed for more federal action to increase demand for American-made products like iron, steel, cement, and gravel and incentivize the use of American-made steel and iron in production through the Inflation Reduction Act and IIJA. Senator Casey’s plan to incentivize greater use of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s waterways and boost the region’s economy includes convening relevant industry and government stakeholders to promote waterway freight diversification and economic development along the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela River Corridor; putting the region’s energy communities—particularly those whose economies are or were dependent on the coal, oil, or natural gas energy sectors—at the front of the line for new energy and manufacturing investments spurred by the legislation Casey has passed in Congress; and stopping river communities from being sealed off from waterways networks by preventing decreases in lockage hours that would harm freight movement along the Allegheny River before new investments have time to take effect. The Save the Allegheny River (STAR) Coalition is an alliance of stakeholders in Southwestern Pennsylvania seeking to improve and maintain the viability of the region’s waterways that have historically been vital to the region’s economic success. The full text of the letter is below and the signed PDF can be found here. Dear Save the Allegheny River (STAR) Members: Thank you for writing to me about the importance of keeping the Allegheny River navigable. I appreciate hearing from you all on this issue. The three rivers that define the geography of Western Pennsylvania have also been pivotal for the region’s economy throughout its history. For decades, the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers have carried coal and coke to steel plants in Allegheny County, which then ship steel along the Ohio River to sites across the Nation. These rivers have also moved other important materials like aggregates and chemicals that help build our infrastructure and power our economy. Unfortunately, in recent years we have seen a decline in the usage of these rivers as a means of transporting raw materials and other goods. This reduction in traffic has a variety of negative impacts: an increase in the use of heavy trucks that damage roads and bridges, a reliance on more polluting forms of transportation, and economic decline in the river communities of Southwestern Pennsylvania. As your Senator, I have long been a supporter of investing in our Commonwealth's waterways and the systems of locks and dams that keep them navigable. This includes passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which made a historic, $857-million investment in the replacement of the Montgomery Lock and Dam. I was also proud to advocate for designating the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers as part of the U.S. Marine Highway System, a designation which they received earlier this year. I also have pushed for federal action to increase demand for American-made products like iron, steel, cement, and gravel through policies like Buy America provisions in the IIJA and awarding tax credits to projects that use domestic content and 100 percent U.S. steel and iron through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) It is my hope that more demand for these goods means more production in Pennsylvania and more shipments along our waterways. However, I understand that more federal support is needed to activate the waterways, including incentivizing the diversification of and general increase in freight movement along the rivers to ensure their viability in a twenty-first century economy. To that end, I have advocated and am currently advocating for three policies that I believe can be major boons for the Southwestern region and our Pennsylvania waterways. The first of these is report language through the Senate Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill that would direct the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization “to convene relevant stakeholders to discuss waterway freight diversification and economic development in the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela River Corridor.” Given the increase in federal investments through legislation like the IIJA, the IRA, and the CHIPS and Science Act, there is tremendous opportunity for shippers to make use of the waterways, but we need to be proactive in ensuring that companies and developers are aware of what the waterways and the communities along them have to offer as a place to do business. The second effort I’ve championed is a new tax credit that will put our Nation’s energy communities at the front of the line for new energy and manufacturing investments spurred by the legislation we have passed in Congress. As areas whose economies are or were dependent on the coal, oil, or natural gas energy sectors, energy communities are places with strong histories of powering and providing for our Nation. I pushed to include these tax credits in the IRA because I believe these communities need to be at the front and center of our modern economy, just as they have been historically. The entire Southwestern Pennsylvania region qualifies as an energy community, which makes the area along the region’s waterways an even better place for companies to grow. Finally, Congress is currently in the process of drafting a biennial Water Resources Development Act, which dictates U.S. Army Corps of Engineers policy. As a part of this process, I requested language that would authorize a multi-purpose feasibility study to look at how we can balance both ecosystem restoration work and navigation along the Allegheny River. Additionally, I asked for language preventing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from reducing lockage hours along the Allegheny River until 12 months after the completion of the feasibility study. It is my hope that this language will prevent decreased lockage hours and decreased freight movement, providing the time needed for new investments to take root before premature reductions in levels of service seal communities off from the waterways network. Please know that advocating for Pennsylvania’s waterways is a top priority of mine, and that I will work with partners in both parties and both chambers of Congress to make progress on this issue. ###

Share Tweet

November 3, 2023

Casey Pushes Biden Administration to Correct Inflation Reduction Act Guidelines that Undercut U.S. Manufacturers

Casey secured provision in landmark law to include strict domestic content standards to ensure projects use 100 percent American-made steel and iron Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel urging the Biden Administration to correct the Department of the Treasury’s guidance on an Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) program that would undercut American manufacturers and workers. The Senators are calling on the Treasury to reexamine their guidance for the IRA’s Domestic Content Bonus Credit to ensure that steel and iron in solar electricity generation projects are produced in the United States. Correcting current guidance will ensure that the IRA meets the intention of Senator Casey’s provision: to champion American products and American workers and not to unwittingly benefit China and other countries. “Correcting this error in the Guidance will help ensure that the steel and iron in solar electricity generation projects is produced in the United States. It also ensures that the IRA does not unwittingly benefit China and other countries that have a history of dumping their excess steel capacity in the U.S. market, to the detriment of U.S. workers and industry,” the Senators wrote. In the letter to Secretary Yellen and Commissioner Werfel, the Senators outlined specific concerns with the placement of structural steel components of photovoltaic trackers, which are mounting structures, in the Manufactured Product Category instead of the Steel and Iron category. As reported in The Wall Street Journal, the guidance currently in place “would let firms use steel from abroad and still qualify for the 10 percent” bonus tax credit. Senator Casey has consistently fought for new federal initiatives to support economic revitalization and workforce development for Pennsylvania energy communities and workers. In 2021, Casey worked to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring billions of dollars to Pennsylvania to build out clean energy infrastructure, improve roads and bridges, expand high-speed internet access, and more, all while creating good-paying jobs. Passed in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act also made major investments in new energy manufacturing, including solar panels, wind turbines, and clean battery systems. Casey fought to include strict domestic content standards to ensure projects use 100 percent American-made steel and iron. Notably, this is not the first time Senator Casey has called on the Treasury Department to put out guidance prioritizing American workers and manufacturing. In March, Casey urged the Treasury Department to swiftly implement guidance for clean energy tax credits in the IRA that incentivize companies to use American steel, iron, and manufactured goods when building new energy projects. Following his advocacy, the Treasury Department issued guidance regarding these tax credits. In June, Senator Casey delivered a rousing speech to union workers and business leaders in Pittsburgh to outline his vision for the United States to take control of its economic future by investing in American workers and manufacturing, as well as stopping investments in national security sectors from going to countries of concern, including China. In July, the Senate overwhelmingly passed Senator Casey’s legislation to screen American investments in foreign countries of concern, like China, by a vote of 91-6. Building on Casey’s efforts, the Biden Administration issued an executive order addressing the issue weeks later. Last month, Casey announced the launch of the two hydrogen hubs, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2), based in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. These hubs will bring jobs, economic growth, and energy innovation to the Mid-Atlantic and the Appalachian Basin. Additionally, Casey announced The Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG) Rapid Response Team. This team will assist Pennsylvania organizations, businesses, and local governments in coordinating federal resources they need to position the Commonwealth as a national leader in next-generation energy and train workers. The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Tina Smith (D-MN). The full text of the letter is below and the signed PDF can be found here. Dear Secretary Yellen and Commissioner Werfel: We are writing in response to Domestic Content Bonus Credit Guidance (“Guidance”) published by the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service describing rules for implementing the domestic content bonus credit requirements for solar and other renewable energy electricity generation projects under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Specifically, we are writing to request that you address a provision of the Guidance which we believe is contrary to Congressional intent. In enacting the renewable energy credits of the IRA,[1] Congress sought to incentivize the development of the U.S. renewable energy sector. With the domestic content bonus credit,[2] the intention of Congress was more specifically to incentivize the development of U.S. clean energy supply chains. Toward that end, Congress provided a domestic content bonus credit for projects that meet two requirements: that all the steel or iron in a project must be produced in the United States (herein, the “steel or iron requirement”), and that an increasing percentage of the manufactured products in a project must be produced in the United States (herein, the “manufactured product requirement”). In the Guidance, Treasury and IRS apply the steel or iron requirement to components that are structural in function. In general, we believe this decision is in line with Congressional intent. However, the Guidance departs from this principal in the table included in the “safe harbor” provisions, where Treasury and IRS include in the manufactured products category components that are clearly structural in nature. We are specifically concerned with the categorization of “photovoltaic tracker” as a manufactured product. A photovoltaic tracker is merely a mounting structure that has the capability to follow, or “track,” the position of the sun, as described in the Department of Energy’s supply chain report on solar photovoltaics in response to Executive Order 14017. The steel structural components of tracking systems, including torque tubes, foundations, and rails, therefore, must be included in the “steel and iron” category, as they are in fixed-tilt ground-mount systems. Torque tubes, while not appearing in fixed-tilt systems, are structural in nature, in that they bear the load of the solar panels, to which they are attached via rails and purlins. The fact that they rotate does not change their structural nature. We do believe that the non-structural components of tracking systems, including bearings, drive train components, and shock absorbers, are properly categorized as manufactured products. Recognizing the structural nature of tracking systems with this Guidance has great importance, because mounting structures are where the steel and iron in a solar project are concentrated. To include tracking systems in the manufactured products category has the effect of removing as much as 50 percent of the steel and iron used in a project from the “steel and iron” category, where it would be required to be of U.S. origin. Instead, categorization of tracking systems as manufactured products would permit many of the structural steel components of new solar projects in the U.S. to be imported from China and other countries, so long as the overall project met the percentage domestic content requirement. This was certainly not Congress’s intent. To avoid this result, we ask that the Guidance, specifically the safe harbor table, be amended to distinguish between the structural steel components and the other components of tracking systems. This can be done by including in the Steel/Iron category, and excluding from the Manufactured Product category, “steel or iron in module rails, support columns, torque tubes, and any other elements that are structural in function.” This change would be consistent overall with the Guidance, which, as we have noted, states, “The Steel or Iron Requirement applies to Applicable Project Components that are construction materials made primarily of steel or iron and are structural in function.” Correcting this error in the Guidance will help ensure that the steel and iron in solar electricity generation projects is produced in the United States. It also ensures that the IRA does not unwittingly benefit China and other countries that have a history of dumping their excess steel capacity in the U.S. market, to the detriment of U.S. workers and industry. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. ###

Share Tweet

October 30, 2023

Casey, Colleagues Push to Fund Critical I-83 South Bridge Replacement

High-traffic bridge has fallen into poor condition; steel beams are cracked and deteriorating Proposed weight restrictions on South Bridge would greatly harm local trucking industry and commerce Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led all 18 of his colleagues in the Pennsylvania congressional delegation in a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg in support of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) application for federal infrastructure funding to replace the aging Interstate 83 John Harris Memorial Bridge, otherwise known as the I-83 South Bridge, over the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg. The bridge is currently rated in “poor condition” by PennDOT and has developed cracks in its steel beams that are expected to deteriorate further. A full replacement is necessary to save the bridge from collapse and keep traffic flowing on I-83 in South Central Pennsylvania. “The I-83 South Bridge is an important piece of the Pennsylvania transportation network, facilitating connections to intermodal freight terminals, job opportunities, schools, and businesses large and small. With over 125,000 vehicles travelling over the bridge every day, it is crucial that this structure remain open and fully capable of carrying high volumes of traffic,” the delegation wrote. The I-83 South Bridge’s main river spans are considered fracture critical—the failure of a single girder could potentially result in the total collapse of one or more of the bridge spans. Funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is critical to fully replace the structure to keep residents and travelers safe and protect the local trucking industry, businesses, and schools. In addition to Senator Casey, the letter was signed by U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2), Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), Susan Wild (D-PA-7), Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8), Dan Meuser (R-PA-9), Scott Perry (R-PA-10), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA-11), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), John Joyce (R-PA-13), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA-14), Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), and Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17). The full text of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation’s letter to DOT is below and the signed PDF can be found here. October 30, 2023 The Honorable Pete Buttigieg Secretary U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Dear Secretary Buttigieg: We write today in strong support of the application from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) for funding to replace the Interstate 83 John Harris Memorial Bridge (“I-83 South Bridge”) over the Susquehanna River. Although this bridge is in South Central Pennsylvania, it is critical for all counties of the Commonwealth that this one-billion-dollar project receive federal assistance. The I-83 South Bridge is an important piece of the Pennsylvania transportation network, facilitating connections to intermodal freight terminals, job opportunities, schools, and businesses large and small. With over 125,000 vehicles travelling over the bridge every day, it is crucial that this structure remain open and fully capable of carrying high volumes of traffic. However, PennDOT officials have informed us that the sixty-year-old I-83 South Bridge is now in “poor condition” and at risk of having weight limits imposed. We understand that there are cracks in the steel beams of the structure that will only continue to get worse, and that the scope of deterioration means that the bridge must be replaced, not rehabilitated. The I-83 South Bridge was part of a larger collection of nine interstate bridges that the Commonwealth had intended to replace using revenue from a tolling plan. After Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court struck down the tolling plan, the Commonwealth entered a public-private partnership to replace six of these bridges, but not the I-83 South Bridge. As such, the I-83 South Bridge remains the biggest unfunded transportation project in Pennsylvania. Per PennDOT estimates, the cost of replacing this bridge is $1.1 to $1.3 billion. For reference, during the five-year lifespan of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Pennsylvania will receive $1.6 billion in dedicated funding for repairing and replacing bridges. Without funding through federal discretionary grant programs, PennDOT will have to allocate formula funding towards the project, jeopardizing dozens of other projects across the Commonwealth. As such, we write as representatives of all corners of Pennsylvania to underscore the statewide importance of this application. Funding the I-83 South Bridge replacement project will not just benefit Dauphin and Cumberland Counties, but also ensure that projects from Greene County to Wayne County receive funding and can advance. In order to maximize the historic investments from the IIJA, it is essential that the I-83 South Bridge receive federal discretionary funding. We thank you for your attention on this issue and look forward to working with your Department on this and other issues that affect Pennsylvania. ###

Share Tweet

October 27, 2023

Casey, Fetterman Accepting Applications for Federal Judgeships for Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced today they are accepting applications to be considered for appointment to the positions of Federal District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (EDPA) and Federal District Court Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (MDPA). “Pennsylvania’s senators, regardless of party, have continuously worked together to submit qualified candidates for Federal District Court seats in our Commonwealth,” said Senator Casey. “I look forward to continuing this tradition with Senator Fetterman to identify and recommend highly qualified judicial candidates who possess the necessary experience, character, and temperament for lifetime appointments to the federal judiciary.” “These applications are a critical opportunity to expand representation and restore balance to our judicial system. I encourage every qualified Pennsylvania lawyer who wants to serve the public and advance equal justice to apply,” said Senator Fetterman. “This is an incredible opportunity for lawyers of all personal backgrounds and all practice areas to put themselves in the running so we can have a judiciary that truly represents Pennsylvania.” Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators have a longstanding tradition of working together to recommend and confirm nominees to the federal bench. Senator Casey previously worked with then-Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Pat Toomey (R-PA), with whom he confirmed 38 District Court Judges for Pennsylvania on a bipartisan basis from 2007-2022. Casey and Fetterman have continued this practice. Senators Casey and Fetterman will employ the following process to fill vacancies on the Federal District Courts in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Middle District of Pennsylvania: District Commissions will be established in the EDPA and the MDPA. These Commissions will review applications and interview applicants. After interviews, the Commissions will send a list of recommended candidates to the two U.S. Senators. The Commissions will be chaired by: EDPA: Robert Ross, Founding Partner, Ross Feller Casey, LLP MDPA: Neil T. O’Donnell, Founder, O’Donnell Law Office Application: In order to be considered for a U.S. District Court Judge position in the EDPA or MDPA, interested candidates must fill out an application by visiting: https://casey.senate.gov/federal-judgeships Please note that applicants who applied during a prior judicial selection process in Pennsylvania must submit a new and updated application. The deadline for submitting a completed application is Monday, November 27, 2023. For any questions or concerns regarding the application process, please email: judicial_nominations@casey.senate.gov. ###

Share Tweet

October 26, 2023

Casey, Fetterman Announce $500,000 Coming to Southwestern Pennsylvania for Green Building Supply Chain

Funds will establish an economic hub for the green building supply chain in Upper Appalachia The project will serve and improve 113 communities in the region, and more than 500 businesses, 100 entrepreneurs, and 1,000 workers through engaged outreach Casey sent a letter to the Appalachian Regional Commission advocating in support of this funding Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced that the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is awarding $500,000 to the Green Building Alliance, an organization based in Pittsburgh, PA. The funds will establish an economic hub for the green building supply chain in Upper Appalachia. This project will accelerate the development of products, technologies, and successful workforce pipelines needed to meet the increased regional and national demand for healthy, resilient buildings and infrastructure. Specifically, the dollars will be used to connect companies and workers in the region with opportunities to incorporate highly efficient, cost-saving products into their buildings. “As the demand for a healthy and resilient built environment increases, so does the need for new materials, products, and systems,” said Senator Casey. “I fought for this award to ensure that the workers and communities in Southwestern Pennsylvania can partake in and benefit from the growth of the green building supply chain.” “I applaud the $500,000 award for the Green Building Alliance in Pittsburgh to establish an economic hub for the green building supply chain in Upper Appalachia,” said Senator Fetterman. “I came to Washington to fight for forgotten communities and the rural communities of Appalachia are all too often left behind. This funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission will help meet the increased regional and national demand for healthy, resilient buildings and infrastructure, benefiting hundreds of workers, businesses, and communities.” Senator Casey wrote a letter to the ARC in support of the funding request, which was made to the ARC’s Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) program. ARISE was launched due to ARC funding made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Senator Casey championed and voted for in 2021.

Share Tweet

October 26, 2023

As Child Labor Violations Skyrocket, Casey, Murray, DeLauro Introduce Legislation to Combat Child Labor Exploitation

New data show companies employed 5,792 children in violation of child labor law in FY23 Since 2019, child labor violations have increased roughly 88 percent New bill would strengthen labor law, give Department of Labor greater enforcement power Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3) introduced legislation to protect children from exploitative child labor practices and hold the companies and individuals who take advantage of them accountable. The Children Harmed in Life-threatening or Dangerous (CHILD) Labor Act strengthens our ability to combat child labor by cracking down on employers who violate child labor laws with stronger penalties and allowing children who have been seriously injured to sue their employers. The bill also expands child labor provisions to hold suppliers and subcontractors throughout the supply chain responsible and authorizes the Department of Labor to label goods that are produced with child labor. “Children do not belong in factories or working during hours when they should be studying, spending time with their families, or simply being children. Yet too many bad actors get away with forcing kids to work long hours and under dangerous conditions,” said Senator Casey. “It is long past time we bring our child labor laws into the 21st century and fight back against the employers, contractors, and subcontractors that violate them.” “Over the past few years, we have seen an alarming rise in instances of illegal and dangerous child labor—last year, a record number of businesses in Washington state were cited for child labor violations. We’re talking about kids, many of them migrant children, in abusive and extraordinarily dangerous work environments; kids working the night shift around heavy equipment and in unsafe conditions with no real recourse when they are harmed, and barely any accountability on the part of companies who break child labor law. This has to change,” said Senator Murray. “I’m grateful for the serious reporting that has helped shine a light on this growing problem, and the many victims who have courageously come forward to share their stories—but it’s going to take real action at the federal level to crack down on illegal and exploitative child labor, which has in many cases caused gruesome injuries and even death. This is about protecting vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse—there’s no reason Congress shouldn’t be able to act.” “Since 2019, we have seen a substantial increase in child labor violations. As Top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, I have been committed to giving the Department of Labor the necessary resources to investigate these incidents and have fought for increases at the Department’s Wage and Hour Division and the Office of the Solicitor to ensure oversight officials can investigate child labor violation claims,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “Many of these children come from vulnerable backgrounds and are being taken advantage of by a system that should be taking care of them. These children are usually invisible in their communities, work long hours for little to no pay, and are frequently abused and deprived of any chance to play or go to school. The need is clear: we need legislation to safeguard children from exploitative labor practices that hurt their development and strip them of a childhood. Children do not belong in factories working for companies under oppressive conditions. The CHILD Labor Act would strengthen child labor laws and hold companies that exploit the labor of children accountable.” In March, Senator Casey sent a letter to the Secretary of Labor to raise concerns about the alarming rise in child labor violations, applaud the creation of an interagency task force to combat illegal child labor, and provide recommendations to understand and combat this problem. He emphasized his commitment to working with DOL to utilize the full scope of government resources to protect children from unsafe conditions in the workplace and exploitative labor practices. In July, Casey asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the scope of the problem and the federal government’s response. Casey, Murray, and DeLauro’s new legislation is consistent with the concerns and recommendations in these letters. The CHILD Labor Act would protect children by enhancing the Fair Labor Standards Act to hold liable contractors or subcontractors for child labor violations in the same manner as the employer who employs the oppressive child labor; increase the civil penalty amount for child labor violations from $11,000 to $151,380—or 10 times the inflation adjusted amount; increase the criminal penalty fine from $10,000 to $750,000; require any person who violates child labor provisions to be liable to each employee affected by the violation in an amount no less than $75,000; and require federal contracts to contain child labor provisions that prohibit the use of oppressive child labor. The legislation would also authorize the Secretary of Labor to affix warning labels to goods manufactured with oppressive child labor, to issue a stop work order to any person in violation of child labor provisions, and require the Secretary to report to Congress data and recommendations concerning overall trends for work-related injuries, illnesses, or deaths to congress on an annual basis. The following Senators have joined Casey and Murray to cosponsor the CHILD Labor Act: U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The bill is endorsed by the National Employment Law Project (NELP), Child Labor Coalition, National Consumers League, and the Center for Law & Social Policy (CLASP). Read more about the CHILD Labor Act here. ###

Share Tweet

October 26, 2023

Casey Urges Biden Administration to Confront China on Fentanyl, Hamas

In letter to President Biden, Casey calls for Administration officials to push Chinese Foreign Minister Yi on two of the most pressing challenges facing the United States Casey: “I urge you to impress upon Foreign Minister Yi the importance of China’s cooperation in addressing the ongoing fentanyl crisis” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to President Joe Biden as top Administration officials prepare to meet tomorrow with Chinese (PRC) Foreign Minister and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director Wang Yi. In the letter, Senator Casey urged the President to ensure the conversation is focused on two of the most pressing challenges currently facing the United States: the fentanyl crisis and the ongoing conflict between Israel and terrorist groups like Hamas. Casey emphasized the need to confront Foreign Minister Yi about the Chinese government’s role in the ongoing fentanyl crisis, writing, “While Mexican transnational cartels…are now the largest producers of illicit fentanyl in the United States, these cartels rely heavily on PRC-sourced chemicals and ingredients, known as fentanyl precursors, to manufacture illicit fentanyl to traffic into the United States…I urge you to impress upon Foreign Minister Yi the importance of PRC’s cooperation in addressing the ongoing fentanyl crisis and precursor trafficking.” Cracking down on international trafficking of fentanyl is a major priority for Senator Casey. The Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act, which declares fentanyl trafficking a nation emergency and imposes tough sanctions on trafficking organizations, was included in the Senate-passed FY24 National Defense Authorization Act. In the letter, Casey also urged the President to sign the bill into law if given the opportunity. Senator Casey also urged the Administration to raise concerns with Foreign Minister Yi about the Chinese government’s response to Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, writing, “Over the last several weeks, however, Foreign Minister Yi has failed to condemn Hamas’ horrific slaughter of civilians and taking of hostages…I therefore ask that you impress upon him the importance of denouncing Hamas’ acts of terrorism against Israel and its military tactics of hiding behind civilians in violation of international law. I also urge that you request Foreign Minister Yi to call on Hamas to release its remaining hostages.” The full text of the letter to President Biden is below and the signed PDF can be found here. October 26, 2023 President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden: As members of your Administration prepare to meet with People’s Republic of China (PRC) Foreign Minister and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director Wang Yi, I urge you to ensure that the conversation focuses on two of the most pressing challenges currently facing the United States: the fentanyl crisis and the ongoing conflict between Israel and terrorist groups like Hamas. As you know, overdose deaths, particularly among young people, are increasing across our Nation due to the ongoing fentanyl crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that, from May 2022 to May 2023, more than 112,000 people died from a drug overdose, including over 78,000 from synthetic opioids other than methadone. This is an increase from the nearly 107,000 drug overdose deaths reported by the CDC in 2021. As of October 2023, law enforcement agencies have seized over 55 million pills of fentanyl this year and more than 9,000 pounds of fentanyl powder. Furthermore, according to an analysis reported in September 2023, accidental drug overdoses were the largest cause of death for people under 40-years-old in Pennsylvania in 2022. In 2022, accidental overdoses became the top cause of death for people under 40 in 13 states, and it is now the top cause in 37 states. To stop the flow of fentanyl into American communities, we must stop it at the source. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), prior to 2020, China was the primary source for all fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States. In May 2019, the Chinese government imposed stricter regulations in an attempt to crack down on the production and sale of fentanyl, but these regulations have merely shifted the production of fentanyl outside of China. While Mexican transnational cartels, such as the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels, are now the largest producers of illicit fentanyl in the United States, these cartels rely heavily on Chinese-sourced chemicals and ingredients, known as fentanyl precursors, to manufacture illicit fentanyl to traffic into the United States. I applaud you and your Administration for the steps that you have taken to address precursor fentanyl trafficking from China, including adding the PRC to the U.S. list of the world’s major illicit drug-producing and drug-transit countries, but we must do more. That is why I was pleased that the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act was included in the Senate-passed FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Among other things, this bill would declare the international trafficking of fentanyl to be a national emergency, and it would enhance current law so that the federal government can better combat illicit opioid supply chains by imposing tough sanctions on transnational organizations, such as those operating in China and Mexico. I will continue to fight to include the FEND Off Fentanyl Act in the final NDAA that comes out of conference, and I urge you to sign it into law if given the opportunity. Furthermore, I encourage your Administration to impress upon Foreign Minister Yi the importance of China’s cooperation in addressing the ongoing fentanyl crisis and precursor trafficking. As Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of National Drug Control Policy, wrote last year, there are common-sense measures that the PRC can take to address the global trafficking of fentanyl and fentanyl precursors. Such steps include implementing know-your-customer standards to prevent the diversion of chemicals to illicit drug manufacturing, properly labeling chemical shipments through enforcement of World Customs Organization standards, and monitoring for the diversion of uncontrolled chemicals and equipment in international flow. Additionally, I understand that in June 2023, the Chinese government indicated that it was in the process of scheduling three additional fentanyl precursors. It is critical for the PRC to engage with the United States and take the steps necessary to combat the fentanyl crisis, and I urge your Administration to press Foreign Minister Yi for updates on its efforts, including scheduling additional fentanyl precursors. The second issue I request be raised with Foreign Minister Yi is the recent escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict. I am encouraged that the Chinese government has reiterated its support for a two-state solution to bring a lasting peace to the region. However, over the last several weeks, Foreign Minister Yi has failed to condemn Hamas’ horrific slaughter of civilians and taking of hostages. I wholeheartedly agree with your description of the Hamas’ attacks as “pure unadulterated evil” and believe it necessary for China to recognize and condemn that evil—both to acknowledge the suffering of Hamas’ victims and their families, and to enable frank cooperation on a two-state solution after Israel has destroyed Hamas’ military capacity. Foreign Minister Yi also recently stated that, “Israel’s actions have gone beyond the scope of self-defense.” Any country whose citizens are brutally attacked, kidnapped, and murdered by a terrorist group should be able to respond in full force. As you have acknowledged, Israel must adhere to international humanitarian law in its engagements; but Hamas’ military tactics of killing civilians and hiding behind hostages clearly violate such law, and China is hypocritical to not say so. To criticize Israel’s defensive response without first criticizing Hamas’ indiscriminate slaughter of the innocent not only discredits China’s ambitions of moral leadership on the global stage, but also plays into Hamas’ strategy to turn the international community against Israel and its right to defend itself. In conversations with Foreign Minister Yi, I ask that your representatives impress upon him the importance of denouncing Hamas’ acts of terrorism against Israel and its military tactics of hiding behind civilians in violation of international law. I also urge that your representatives request Foreign Minister Yi to call on Hamas to release its remaining hostages. Thank you and your Administration for taking into consideration these requests.

Share Tweet

October 25, 2023

Casey, Fetterman Announce Senate-Passed Resolution in Honor of Fifth Commemoration of Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced unanimous Senate passage of a resolution to recognize the fifth commemoration of the Pittsburgh synagogue mass shooting and to remember the 11 Jewish worshippers who were tragically killed and the seven more, including five law enforcement officers, who were injured during the attack. “Five years ago, our Nation witnessed a cowardly and horrific act of violence as 11 Jewish worshippers observing Shabbat morning services across three congregations—Tree of Life, Dor Hadash, and New Light—at a synagogue in Pittsburgh were tragically killed,” said Senator Casey. “With this unanimously-passed resolution, we honor the memory of those taken from us that day and reaffirm in the strongest terms that hatred has no place in our Nation. We must continue working to root out the antisemitism and bigotry that plague our world.” “Five years ago, a shooter entered the Tree of Life synagogue and murdered eleven worshippers in a hateful, disgusting, and antisemitic attack. We will never forget this hateful act, the victims who were injured or killed, and its impact on the Jewish community in Pittsburgh and nation-wide,” said Senator Fetterman. “I am proud to join Senator Casey in this resolution to remember and honor the lives lost in this horrific massacre.” This resolution honors the memory of the victims of the antisemitic attack at the synagogue home to the Tree of Life, Dor Hadash, and New Light congregations on October 27, 2018; honors the dedicated service of first responders and those who continue to provide care for the survivors and their families, as well as the law enforcement agencies and Federal prosecutors who worked to bring the perpetrator to justice; expresses solidarity with the Pittsburgh Jewish community and those affected by the tragedy; condemns rising antisemitism in all its forms; and reaffirms the commitment of the United States to protect the right of the people of the United States to freely exercise their religious beliefs. ###

Share Tweet

October 24, 2023

Casey, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Bolster Home Care Workforce

In a 2022 report, over 70 percent of direct service providers reported they cannot fill staffing vacancies for home care As a result, 83 percent of providers said they turn away new referrals and 63 percent have discontinued some programs and services Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, led a group of 17 of his Democratic colleagues in introducing the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Relief Act, legislation to provide much-needed support to state programs that fund home and community-based long-term care services. Currently, staffing shortages at direct care providers have led to a reduction in HCBS availability, despite growing demand. The HCBS Relief Act would provide dedicated Medicaid funds to states for two years to stabilize their HCBS service delivery networks, recruit and retain HCBS direct care workers, and meet the long-term service and support needs of people eligible for Medicaid home and community-based services. “A vast majority of seniors and people with disabilities would prefer to receive care at home or in their communities,” said Chairman Casey. “Unfortunately, because of our Nation’s caregiving crisis, home and community-based care has become increasingly difficult to access. By stabilizing and investing in the caregiving workforce, we can better provide seniors and people with disabilities with a real and significant choice to receive care in the setting of their choosing.” More than 90% of those eligible for Medicaid long-term services and supports wish to receive those services in their homes. However, HCBS providers are struggling to meet the demand for their services due to extreme difficulty retaining staff and filling new vacancies. Under the HCBS Relief Act, States would receive a 10-point increase in the federal match (FMAP) for Medicaid for two fiscal years to enhance HCBS. Funds could be used to increase direct care worker pay, provide benefits such as paid family leave or sick leave, and pay for transportation expenses to and from the homes of those being served. The additional funds also can be used to support family caregivers, pay for recruitment and training of additional direct care workers, and pay for technology to facilitate services. Chairman Casey has a long record of advocating for increased federal support for state-funded home and community-based long-term care services. In January 2023, Chairman Casey introduced the Better Care Better Jobs Act, with 41 co-sponsors, to enhance Medicaid funding for home care services for older adults, people with disabilities, and injured workers to help many of the over 650,000 people on waiting lists nationally finally receive care in the setting of their choice; increase payment rates to promote recruitment and retention of direct care workers, increase wages, and develop and update training opportunities; and provide support to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to conduct oversight and encourage innovation to benefit direct care workers and care recipients. In March, Chairman Casey held a hearing to examine the economic benefit of investing in Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) as millions of older adults and people with disabilities nationwide rely on caregivers to provide everyday services like help with bathing, eating, and managing medications despite caregivers earning a median wage of roughly $14 per hour and often living in poverty. During the hearing, Casey introduced the HCBS Access Act to address lengthy waiting lists, that sometimes last years and even decades, for home care services as the majority of older adults and people with disabilities contend with being forced to live in an institutional setting to access the services they need due to long wait lists, despite a preference for receiving care at home. Read more about the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Relief Act here. ###?

Share Tweet

October 24, 2023

Casey Announces $193.5 Million to Help PA Families with Home Energy Costs Ahead of Winter Season

More than a quarter of U.S. households struggle with home energy bills Funding will help PA families stay safe and warm in their homes during the winter season Families should visit energyhelp.us to see if they qualify for assistance Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey announced $193,486,298 to help lower heating costs for Pennsylvania families this winter. The funding comes from the Low Income Home Energy Assistant Program (LIHEAP) and will help low-income households in Pennsylvania with their home heating bills in the winter and cooling bills in the summer. Senator Casey is encouraging families to visit energyhelp.us to see if they qualify for assistance. “As it gets colder outside, heating bills are rising—stretching Pennsylvania families’ budgets even thinner than they currently are,” said Senator Casey. “This funding will keep Pennsylvanians safe and warm in their homes this winter without breaking the bank. This is another example of how I’m working to lower costs for Pennsylvania families struggling to make ends meet.” Additionally, LIHEAP can be used to weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient, and during disasters and extreme weather to mitigate energy emergencies. This year, more families will be able to access LIHEAP funding than ever before, as the annual funding amount has been bolstered by an additional $100 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act FY2024 appropriation.

Share Tweet

October 24, 2023

Casey, Colleagues Introduce Anti-Bullying Legislation

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Safe Schools Improvement Act to safeguard against bullying and harassment in K-12 schools. The bill would require school districts to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics), disability, and religion. Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA-38). “Bullying and harassment at school and on social media harm the mental and emotional health of far too many students,” said Senator Casey. “Every child deserves to go to school and learn without fear or intimidation. This commonsense legislation will ensure school districts across the country take proactive steps to combat bullying and keep kids safe.” "Bullying is harmful and destructive behavior that we must take seriously,” said Congresswoman Sánchez. “Our kids should be able to wake up and go to school every day without fear of being bullied when they get there. As the mother of a highschooler myself, I know this bill will bring peace of mind to parents, teachers, school administrators and staff, and I know it will make a difference for countless students in hallways and classrooms across the country.” The Safe Schools Improvement Act will require schools and school districts receiving federal funding to specifically prohibit bullying and harassment; provide annual notice to parents, students, and education professionals on prohibited conduct and procedures for students or parents to report incidents of bullying or harassment; and support efforts to prevent and respond to incidents of bullying and harassment both in school and online through prevention programs and policies with proven effectiveness. The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OE), Patty Murray (D-WA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The bill is supported by more than 50 organizations, including the National PTA; the American Federation of Teachers; the American Library Association; Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network; the Human Rights Campaign; Unidos; the Anti-Defamation League; and the American Unity Fund. Read more about the Safe Schools Improvement Act here. ###

Share Tweet

October 23, 2023

Casey: $400,000 Manufacturing Grant Coming to North Central PA

Federal grant for North Central PA consortium awarded through nationally competitive Tech Hubs program Congress created Tech Hub program in CHIPS and Science Act to create high-tech jobs across Nation Casey advocated for rural PA-based initiative, urged Biden Administration to swiftly implement program North Central PA home to one-third of world’s powdered metallurgy and carbon manufacturing; grant will boost pressed materials manufacturing sector Announcement consistent with Casey speech on future of American workers and economy; follows other major investments in regional economy Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is announcing a $400,000 grant to further develop the manufacturing sector in North Central Pennsylvania. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has awarded the competitive planning grant to the North Central Pressed Materials Strategy Development Consortium thanks to the Tech Hubs Strategy Development Grant program, created by the CHIPS and Science Act. The grant will help to position North Central Pennsylvania as a leader in the pressed materials industry, a critical part of the in-demand electric vehicle sector. “I fought for this award to help North Central Pennsylvania realize its potential as a manufacturing powerhouse,” said Senator Casey. “When we invest in Pennsylvania’s rural communities, we create jobs in communities that were long underserved, grow local economies, and lead the way to our Nation’s economic future.” With about one-third of the world’s powdered metallurgy and carbon manufacturing facilities, North Central PA is uniquely positioned to lead the fast-growing pressed materials manufacturing sector. The grant will enable the Consortium to develop a strategy to help local manufacturers adopt new technology, grow their workforce, improve their equipment and infrastructure, and follow sustainability practices. Building on the region’s manufacturing capabilities will give North Central PA the resources and support to assume a critical role in EV production. Senator Casey advocated for the project to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, highlighting the region’s singular capabilities to lead in the pressed materials manufacturing sector. The funding comes from the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub) program, an economic development initiative created by the CHIPS and Science Act aimed at accelerating growth in technology sectors, and the high-paying jobs that come with it, in cities and communities across the country. Casey also secured a Tech Hub designation for Southeastern Pennsylvania’s life sciences sector. Casey has consistently fought to deliver jobs, manufacturing, and investments back to Pennsylvania. In 2021, he worked to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring billions of dollars to Pennsylvania to build out clean energy infrastructure, improve roads and bridges, expand high-speed internet access, and more, all while creating good-paying jobs. In 2022, he supported the CHIPS and Science Act to produce semiconductors in the United States, reducing the U.S.’ reliance on foreign adversaries, including China, for critical technology manufacturing. Senator Casey has urged Secretary Raimondo to consider Pennsylvania for future semiconductor manufacturing investments from the CHIPS law. The same year, the Inflation Reduction Act made major investments in new energy manufacturing, including solar panels, wind turbines, and clean battery systems. Casey fought to include strict domestic content standards to ensure projects use 100% American-made steel and iron. In June, Senator Casey delivered a rousing speech to union workers and business leaders in Pittsburgh to outline his vision for the United States to take control of its economic future by investing in American workers and manufacturing, as well as stopping investments in national security sectors from going to countries of concern, including China. In July, the Senate overwhelmingly passed Senator Casey’s legislation to screen those investments by a vote of 91-6. Building on Casey’s efforts, the Biden Administration issued an executive order addressing the issue weeks later. Last week, Casey announced the launch of the two hydrogen hubs, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2), based in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. These hubs will bring jobs, economic growth, and energy innovation to the Mid-Atlantic and the Appalachian Basin.

Share Tweet

Bob Casey for US Senate

Support this campaign!

Show your support for this campaign by endorsing it and sharing why!

Thank you for endorsing this campaign!

Recent endorsements