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Capitol Report
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#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Touring Dickinson College Farm in South Middleton Township
On Thursday I welcomed Gov. Josh Shapiro and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding to the district for a tour and press conference at Dickinson College Farm. I appreciated the opportunity to see the facilities in South Middleton Township, where I offered remarks about how Pennsylvania agriculture is an amazing economic driver and why we need to support its innovation. We are blessed to have thriving farms and producers that include Dickinson College Farm, and the nearby Land O’Lakes plant I toured last year.
Agriculture plays a crucial role in Pennsylvania’s economic competitiveness, so it is imperative we support the farming community to preserve this way of life for a new generation. I am proud to represent a variety of businesses from all areas of the agricultural industry in the 87th District.
To see more photos from the tour and press conference, please click here.
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Expanded Services for Vets Coming to American Legion Post 109
I was grateful for the opportunity to visit the folks at Mechanicsburg's American Legion Post 109 this week. We toured the facility, discussed the rich history of the Legion, which was founded in 1919, and discussed its plans to expand services to our local veterans.
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Celebrating Monroe Community Day
My team and I were glad to participate in Monroe Community Day last Saturday! We had a legislative table with state-related information and resources, and greatly enjoyed chatting with everyone who stopped by to see us. There were also great performances by local musicians, delicious food vendors, games, fireworks and hayrides. Thank you to all who came out!
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A Fun Time at the 94th Jubilee Day
On Thursday, Mechanicsburg Borough had its 94th Jubilee Day. At the largest street fair on the East Coast, food vendors, artists, musicians and performers filled the streets! It was great to see so many constituents at our legislative table and to catch up with folks around the community. The summer fair season is always a fun time in Cumberland County!
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Keystone Boys State Visits the Capitol
This week, participants from Keystone Boys State (KBS) came to Harrisburg for a tour of the Capitol. KBS is the Commonwealth’s premier boys’ leadership program that uses state government as an example to instill civic engagement and patriotism in future generations of Pennsylvania leaders. I had a great time meeting the students and chatting with them about state government and my role as a legislator!
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New Law Supports Disabled Veterans
Recognizing the service and sacrifice of disabled veterans across the state, a new law will exempt 100% of their benefit payments from income calculations for any Commonwealth programs or benefits.
Act 27 of 2024 ensures veterans who receive disability compensation will not have those payments counted against them when applying to programs such as the Real Estate Property Tax Exemption, Education Gratuity Program, Veterans Temporary Assistance Program and Military Relief Assistance Program. It also extends the exclusion of the veterans’ compensation benefits to their unmarried surviving spouses.
The law will take effect in mid-August.
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Stay Cool and Keep Your Energy Costs Down
As the hot weather continues into the weekend, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is offering tips to help you stay cool and conserve energy.
Tips to Stay Cool
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Fan yourself. Fans circulate the air, keeping you feeling cooler even at higher temps. |
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Follow the shade. Spend time in rooms that do not receive direct sunlight. |
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Block the heat. Use window blinds and coverings at the sunniest time of day to reduce heat buildup. |
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Don’t add extra heat. Postpone using heat-producing appliances like clothes dryers, dishwashers and stoves until it is cooler. |
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Cookout, anyone? Consider using outdoor barbecue grills or microwaves instead of stoves or ovens, which can increase indoor heat. |
Tips to Save on Your Electric Bill
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Check your thermostat. The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your cooling bill. |
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Clean is “green.” Regularly clean and replace air conditioner filters and ensure air circulation paths are clear. |
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Power off. Turn off non-essential appliances and lights to reduce power use and unwanted heat. |
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Don’t cool unneeded space. Close off unused rooms and adjust air vents or thermostats to avoid unnecessary cooling expenses. |
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Keep the heat outside. Seal cracks to prevent warm air from leaking into your home. |
For more energy-saving tips, visit PAPowerSwitch.com and check your utility's website for conservation and efficiency resources.
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Celebrating PA Dairy
June is Dairy Month in Pennsylvania, the perfect time to enjoy an extra dish of ice cream or yogurt, another piece of cheese or a tall glass of milk!
Dairy is our Commonwealth’s largest agricultural industry, helping to generate $14.7 billion of economic activity each year. We rank second in the nation in terms of the number of dairy farms, and seventh nationally in milk production.
Nearly all the Commonwealth’s dairy farms – an estimated 99% of them – are family-owned, and the industry supports more than 52,000 jobs statewide.
If you’d like to support Pennsylvania dairy, be sure to check the milk you purchase at the grocery store and look for the PA Preferred logo or milk with a plant code beginning with “42.” Plant codes are usually printed near the top of the container or on the lid, or sometimes they’re printed right on the label. The first, and most important, part of the code will always be two numbers (between 01 and 56). This identifies the state where the milk was processed. Pennsylvania’s magic number is 42!
Learn more about the state’s dairy industry here.
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