MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) announced his fiscal year (FY) 2027 Community Project Funding requests for projects benefitting communities across Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District.

Rep. Kelly’s 20 funding requests cover all six counties in the district. The House Appropriations Committee will review these requests during budget negotiations in the months ahead. A final decision on the projects is expected to be announced later this year.

“As we review projects each year, we are always looking for those that provide the greatest return on investment for taxpayer dollars. These projects certainly do just that,” said Rep. Kelly. “I believe it’s important for everyone to remember: this isn’t Washington’s money. These are your tax dollars at work in your community.”

Below are the projects requested by Rep. Kelly, categorized by county:

BUTLER COUNTY

Project: Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company Engine Replacement
Recipient: Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company
Address of Recipient: 180 Main Street, PO Box 242, Connoquenessing, PA 16027.
Amount: $1,325,000
Benefits: The project supports the replacement of the Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company fire engine. The current first due engine and first due rescue vehicle are 30 and 15 years old respectively, which exceeds National Fire Protection Association standards for service life and safety. Replacing these two aging vehicles with a single fully equipped combination fire rescue engine saves money and ensures faster response times with a full crew of firefighters and rescue technicians. Furthermore, deploying a modern vehicle that meets current standards is essential for the safety of volunteer fire personnel.

Project: Brush/Utility Truck
Recipient: The Harrisville Volunteer Fire Company
Address of Recipient: 313 East Mercer Street Harrisville, PA 16038
Amount: $300,000
Benefits: This project supports the Harrisville Volunteer Fire Company in acquiring a new brush/utility truck. The current vehicle’s mechanical issues have compromised its reliability. This acquisition will provide the community with a dependable resource and improve response times, decreasing the reliance on neighboring fire companies.

Project: Groundwater Treatment Improvements
Recipient: Chicora Borough
Address of Recipient: 111 Water Street, Chicora Borough, Pennsylvania, 16205
Amount: $1,232,000
Benefits: This project will replace the existing water filtration system and associated equipment in Chicora Borough. The current water filtration system is antiquated and requires upgrades to maintain compliance with safe drinking water regulations.

Project: Bed Innovation and Safety Project
Recipient: Butler Memorial Hospital
Address of Recipient: One Hospital Way, Butler, PA, 16001
Amount: $2,500,000.00
Benefits: This project upgrades hospital equipment to improve patient care, reduce complications, and lower overall healthcare costs. By improving patient outcomes and reducing preventable adverse events, the project can lower avoidable healthcare costs borne by public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. It also strengthens local access to care, supports emergency preparedness, and sustains a major regional employer and economic anchor. Investing in safe, modern hospital infrastructure protects community health, enhances operational efficiency, and delivers measurable value to taxpayers by preventing more costly problems in the future.

Project: Route 19 Waterline Replacement Project
Recipient: Cranberry Township
Address of Recipient: 2525 Rochester Road, Cranberry Township, PA, 16066
Amount: $2,521,535.00
Benefits: This project replaces aging, failure-prone infrastructure along a key commercial corridor, ensuring reliable water service for residents and businesses. By completing a previously funded multi-phase effort, it helps prevent costly emergency repairs, protects public health and safety, and supports continued economic activity.

Project: US 422 Shawood Pipe – MPMS #83611
Recipient: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation – District 10
Address of Recipient: 2550 Oakland Ave Route 286 South, Indiana, PA, 15701
Amount: $7,000,000.00
Benefits: The project involves major highway construction at the US 422/I-79 interchange to fix critical infrastructure issues. It will replace a collapsed drainage pipe and improve slope stability in areas with unstable soil. The work is planned over two construction seasons and will move forward through an approved contractor to improve safety and long-term roadway reliability.

CRAWFORD COUNTY

Project: Allegheny Lab for Innovation & Creativity @ Bessemer
Recipient: Allegheny College 
Address of Recipient: 764 Bessemer St. Meadville, PA 16335
Amount: $982,000
Benefits: The proposed Allegheny Lab for Innovation & Creativity @ Bessemer would provide hands-on, industry-aligned training using modern equipment that reflects real-world production environments. Every dollar invested in technical workforce development generates long-term economic returns through higher wages, increased tax revenue, and reduced reliance on public assistance. Furthermore, skilled workers attract and retain employers, creating a multiplier effect across the regional economy.

Project: Fellows’ Club Volunteer Fire Department & Ambulance Service
Recipient: Fellows Club Fire Department
Address of Recipient: 1015 Strawberry Alley PO Box 355, Conneautville, PA 16406
Amount: $850,000
Benefits: This project replaces a 35-year-old pumper with a pumper tanker that is able to enhance public safety and fire response in areas both with and without a municipal water supply.

ERIE COUNTY

Project: Mercyhurst University Police Academy 
Recipient: Mercyhurst University Municipal Police Academy
Address of Recipient: 501 East 38th St. Erie, PA 16546 
Amount: $1,000,000
Benefits: This project represents an investment in public safety and law enforcement efficiency, directly benefiting both officers and the communities they serve. By providing advanced tools, such as high-performance driving simulators and virtual reality technology, the program will enhance officer preparedness, improve response times, and promote safer policing practices. Additionally, the driving simulator may be made available to community organizations for safety training, increasing public awareness and engagement regarding road safety.

Project: Corry Regional Public Safety Building
Recipient: City of Corry
Address of Recipient: 100 South Center Street, Corry, PA 17407.
Amount: $2,000,000
Benefits: This project will construct and equip a consolidated Corry Regional Public Safety Building to house the City of Corry Police Department and Fire Department, modernize 19th-century facilities, and strengthen emergency response and regional resilience to serve urgent community need.

Project: Belle Valley Fire House
Recipient: Millcreek Township Fire Department
Address of Recipient: 3608 West 26th Street, Erie, PA, 16506
Amount: $7,000,000.00
Benefits: This project will replace an outdated fire station that can no longer meet the needs of the township. A new Belle Valley Fire Station will improve response times, better support personnel, and protect critical equipment, ensuring reliable emergency services for a growing population of over 54,000 residents. Ultimately, it will strengthen public safety by allowing first responders to operate more effectively and be closer to emergencies when every second counts.

Project: Port Authority Continued Demolition of Multiple Structures at Erie, PA Coke Site
Recipient: Erie Western PA Port Authority
Address of Recipient: 1 Holland Street, Erie, PA, 16507
Amount: $2,000,000.00
Benefits: This project will clean up and redevelop 100 acres of polluted Lake Erie waterfront that is currently abandoned. It will turn the area into space for homes, businesses, and expanded port operations to support trade. Funding will help start a long-term effort that is expected to boost jobs, economic activity, and tax revenue.

Project: Union City Borough Police Department & Administration City Building – Phase 3
Recipient: Borough of Union City
Address of Recipient: 13 South Main Street, Union City, PA, 16438
Amount: $375,000.00
Benefits: The project completes a phased, already-initiated rehabilitation plan, of the Union City Borough Police Department & Administration City Building. This project enhances an existing public asset and strengthens downtown operations and long-term municipal efficiency. Union City is a small rural municipality with limited fiscal capacity and completing this coordinated rehabilitation strategy protects prior investments and ensures that the City Building remains a fully accessible and operational center of local government for decades to come.

LAWRENCE COUNTY

Project: Wilmington Area Agricultural Workforce Innovation Center
Recipient: Wilmington Area School District
Address of Recipient: 300 Wood Street, New Wilmington, PA 16142
Amount: $1,500,000
Benefits: This project funds the construction of Agricultural Education barn and year-round multimodal school farm. The Agricultural Education Barn, a planned multimillion-dollar facility designed to integrate traditional farming with modern, high-tech agricultural laboratories. The facility will provide students with hands-on experience in high-demand fields.

MERCER COUNTY

Project: Mercer County Cooperative Extension & Emergency Center Renovations
Recipient: Mercer County
Address of Recipient: 125 S. Diamond Street, Suite 103 Mercer, PA 16137
Amount: $ 551,081
Benefits: This project modernizes the Penn State Extension Mercer County office and invests in public safety, transforming the facility into a resilient emergency operations center and backup courthouse. By installing a backup generator, fire alarm systems, and security cameras, the project ensures the continuity of judicial and emergency services for a rural community vulnerable to infrastructure gaps. Beyond safety, these taxpayer-funded upgrades revitalize economic and youth development by restoring a modernized kitchen for agricultural training and providing ADA-compliant spaces for 4-H programs. Ultimately, these energy-efficient renovations create a secure, high-tech hub for civic engagement, reducing long-term operating costs while ensuring all residents have equitable access to essential county services.

Project: Sharon Regional Health System Medical Imaging Modernization Project
Recipient: Sharon Regional Medical Center
Address of Recipient: 740 East State Street, Sharon, PA, 16146
Amount: $1,355,000.00
Benefits: The project would be used for procurement of a CT Machine to be installed at Sharon Regional Medical Center (SRMC) flagship hospital. This project supports high-quality cardiac imaging, helping SRMC keep patients in the community for timely diagnosis and treatment rather than delaying care or shifting cases to more distant facilities – reducing transportation and transfer-related costs for families and the healthcare system.

Project: From the Founding to the Future: Connecting Grove City Parks/Recreation Opportunities through Facility, Street and Trail Improvements
Recipient: Borough of Grove City
Address of Recipient: 123 West Main Street Grove City, PA 16127
Amount: $2,734,248.00
Benefits: The project is an investment in public infrastructure throughout Grove City and the surrounding Mercer County region. The project will modernize aging roadway, park, and trail infrastructure while creating safe, ADA-accessible connections between Cunningham Mill Park and Hunter Farm Park. The project will expand access to public parks, support youth sports programming, and improve transportation safety for residents.

Project: Lincoln Avenue Corridor Infrastructure Modernization Project
Recipient: Borough Of Grove City
Address of Recipient: 123 W. Main Street Grove City, PA 16127
Amount: $3,100,000.00
Benefits: The project addresses essential public infrastructure needs in the Lincoln Avenue corridor, which serves one of the district’s major manufacturers and provides a key connection to regional freight routes. Improving the roadway, sidewalks, and truck turning movements ensures safer and more efficient transportation for residents, employees, and commercial carriers. The project also upgrades the stormwater system to eliminate chronic flooding that damages public infrastructure, disrupts access, and increases long-term maintenance costs.

Project: Shenango Valley Multipurpose Community Center Rehabilitation Project
Recipient: City of Hermitage
Address of Recipient: 800 N. Hermitage Road Hermitage, PA 16148
Amount: $2,100,000.00
Benefits: This project repurposes a National Guard Armory building that is being decommissioned and reserves it for community use. The project addresses an existing gap related to indoor recreation and community space by rehabilitating the existing building. The building is ideally located to serve the youth, seniors, and other adults living in the Shenango Valley.

VENANGO COUNTY

Project: Venango County Public Safety Radio
Recipient: County of Venango
Address of Recipient: 1174 Elk St, Franklin, PA 16323
Amount: $4,000,000
Benefits: The project would establish an improved radio system that reduces operational risk, increases public safety, and provides a durable asset that maximizes the value of taxpayer dollars. Taxpayers benefit through safer communities, reduced duplication of services, and more efficient use of public safety resources.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) announced that he has filed a discharge petition for the Faster Labor Contracts Act. The bill will speed up the process of finalizing a first contract between a newly certified union and the employer.  

“The right of workers to form a union and collectively bargain is crucial to improving wages, hours, working conditions, and so much more. I know because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Donald Norcross, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “Right now, employers can delay negotiations on first contracts for years. The Faster Labor Contracts Act will force employers to act in good faith and come to the negotiating table quickly. This is a bill that’s supported by members from both parties on the left, right, and center. Since Speaker Johnson won’t bring this bipartisan bill to the floor for a vote, we’re left with no choice but to file a discharge petition.”

“In the wealthiest country in the world, if you work hard and play by the rules, you should have the opportunity to live the good life. No one has done more to defend this American dream than our nation’s unions and organized labor,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “At a time when the right to organize is under assault, it is unacceptable that when hardworking Americans come together to form a workplace union, employers can stifle that progress by refusing to bargain. The discharge petition on the Faster Labor Contracts Act, which will soon get the 218 signatures necessary to force a vote on the Floor of the House of Representatives, strengthens worker protections and compels employers to come to the table. I thank Congressman Norcross for his leadership and for standing up for working families across the country.”

“For many workers, the hard part doesn’t end when they vote to form a union— it begins there.  Reaching a first contract can take months, even years.  In some cases, it never happens at all.  Workers sit through endless delays, shifting proposals, and stalled negotiations, all while trying to balance their jobs, their families, and their livelihoods.  When workers choose to organize, they are choosing a voice—but without a first contract, that voice can be effectively silenced.” said Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “Dragging out fair negotiations is a second chance for corporations to break up a union.  The Faster Labor Contracts Act brings accountability to this process.  It sets reasonable timelines and ensures that both sides engage in serious, good-faith negotiations.  It helps prevent delay tactics and keeps the focus where it belongs—on reaching an agreement that works for everyone. Ensuring workers can quickly and efficiently reach a first contract is also one of the many important provisions of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act).  I support the Faster Labor Contracts Act because it similarly advances the rights of working people, and I thank Mr. Norcross for his leadership on this issue.”

“In America today, workers are forced to wait 458 days on average before obtaining a first union contract. This is unfair, it’s un-American, and it must be fixed,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said. “This bill needs to move, and it needs to move fast, because working people in this country have been waiting long enough.”

According to Bloomberg Law, it takes an average of 458 days for unions and employers to agree on a first contract. This bipartisan legislation will ensure that when workers vote to form a union, employers are not allowed to drag out negotiations on first contracts.

 

The Faster Labor Contracts Act would amend Section 8(d) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), to require that:

• Employers begin negotiating with a newly certified union within 10 days of receiving a written request. 
• If no agreement is reached after 90 days of negotiation, either party can request mediation from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). 
• If mediation fails after 30 days, or additional periods agreed upon by both parties, the dispute will be referred to a binding 3-person arbitration panel to secure an initial contract.  
• That initial contract is binding for 2 years unless both parties agree to amend it.

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced this bill in the Senate.

Read the full text of the legislation here.

Read the one-pager here.

Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) and Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) were joined by the following members in introducing the Faster Labor Contracts Act: Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-08), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02), Jared Golden (D-ME-02), Tim Kennedy (D-NY-26), Nick LaLota (R-NY-01), Rick Larsen (D-WA-02), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03), Riley Moore (R-WV-02), Emily Randall (D-WA-06), Josh Riley (D-NY-19), Michael Rulli (R-OH-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Chris Smith (R-NJ-04), Haley Stevens (D-MI-11), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02).

The bill is endorsed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), American Compass, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division–International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (IW), International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, International Union of Operating Engineers, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (M.E.B.A.), National Education Association (NEA), National Employment Law Project, Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM), Transport Workers Union (TWU), United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA), United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC), United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), United Steelworkers (USW), Utility Workers Union of America.

 

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Norcross.house.gov – Twitter – YouTube – Facebook – Instagram

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced the Veterans Legal Support Act, which would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide funding to law school clinical programs that provide pro bono legal services to veterans, including assistance with disability claims and foreclosures. Currently, there are more than 20 law schools nationwide that have clinics focusing on the legal needs of veterans, including the William & Mary Law School Veterans Benefit Clinic, which was the first recipient of a “best practice” certification from the VA. Allowing the VA to provide funding to these clinics would allow other law schools, like the University of the District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law, to start their own VA-certified clinics.

“Countless veterans are currently stuck in limbo, waiting for the VA to process their claims. The clinical programs at certain law schools provide these veterans with the free, expert legal assistance they need to navigate a complex system and secure their hard-earned benefits. This bill builds on the proven success of existing law school clinics across the country, ensuring we sustain and expand the vital legal resources our veterans deserve.”

Norton’s introductory statement follows:

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

On the Introduction of the Veterans Legal Support Act of 2026

April 21, 2026

Today, I introduce the Veterans Legal Support Act of 2026, which would allow the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide support to law school clinical programs that provide pro bono legal and support services to veterans, including assistance with disability claims and foreclosures.  There are at least 22 law schools that have clinics devoted to veterans’ legal needs, including the William & Mary Law School Veterans Benefits Clinic, which was the first recipient of a “best practice” certification from the VA. There are many other law schools, such as the University of the District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law, that are interested in starting their own VA-certified clinics.  More needs to be done to sustain and increase the number of these programs.

I was a tenured professor at the Georgetown University Law Center and continued to teach a seminar there after being elected to Congress.  I saw the expert assistance that clinical programs provide their clients. 

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, a concrete measure that would assist our veterans, who put their lives on the line for this country.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT HONORS THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF FORMER SENATOR JOHN A. BELL, SR.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

Case Statement On The Passing Of Former Governor George Ariyoshi

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — This evening, Speaker Johnson – joined by Rep. Cleo Fields, Leader Steve Scalise, and Rep. Clay Higgins – led a moment of silence for the eight children tragically killed in Shreveport on Sunday. Before the moment of silence, Speaker Johnson delivered remarks on the House floor and said, “Life is a sacred gift from God, and as this horrific event reminds us, it can be too short.”

Click here to watch Speaker Johnson’s remarks.

Below are Speaker Johnson’s remarks as delivered:

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, our hearts are broken tonight, as they have been since Sunday morning. The news out of my hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, a city that is represented in part by Congressman Cleo Fields here with me now. Everyone has seen the stories in the news, but we stand here with one voice as members of the Louisiana Delegation, to express our deep sorrow for the lives that were taken too soon.

Eight young, innocent children, all between the ages of 3 and 11, were lost in a tragedy that can only be described as senseless, unspeakable evil. Jayla Elkins was 3 years old. Shayla Elkins, 5. Kayla Pugh, 6. Layla Pugh, 7. Markaydon Pugh, 10. Sariahh Snow, 11. Khedarrion Snow, 6. And, Braylon Snow, 5. As the details of their killing unfold, it’s difficult for us to put our emotions into words.

This tragedy confounds the minds and hearts of every parent in America, and we’ve been thinking a lot about this. We encourage mothers and fathers to go home tonight and hold your loved ones extra close. I think all of us are doing that. Life is a sacred gift from God, and as this horrific event reminds us, it can be too short.

The entire community of Shreveport needs our prayers right now. The first responders and law enforcement who descended swiftly on the scene, the classrooms and empty seats, and missing friends at school today, and most of all, the families whose lives have been forever changed by this tragedy. Hold all of them close in your hearts and your prayers, if you will. And we trust that God is close to the brokenhearted, as promised to us in Scripture.

And now, if we could all please join in a moment of silence in honor of the eight young and precious lives that were lost far too soon. Mr. Speaker, I ask that the House now observe a moment of silence.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference where he highlighted that while prices are soaring and Donald Trump’s disastrous war of choice continues, Republican sycophants refuse to do anything to make life more affordable.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Earlier today, Donald Trump’s top economic advisor said that costs are going down in America and the ‘Golden Age’ that Donald Trump promised the country during his inauguration is upon us. These MAGA extremists are completely clueless. Costs aren’t going down in the United States of America. Costs are going up. And a big part of the problem right now, particularly as it relates to skyrocketing gas prices, is Donald Trump’s reckless and costly war of choice that is making life more expensive for the American people. And several of Donald Trump’s top Cabinet officials, including the Secretary of Energy, have acknowledged that gas prices are going to remain high for the foreseeable future. This is a direct result of Donald Trump plunging our country into this reckless and costly war of choice with no evidence that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, no plan, no strategy, no clear objectives and no way out in a way that benefits our troops and the American people.

Donald Trump and Republican control of Congress has been a complete and total disaster on all the things and in all the ways. They’ve certainly failed on the economy, failed on healthcare, failed as it relates to immigration enforcement. And Donald Trump has failed to keep his basic promises to the American people, which include his promise on election night that Donald Trump wasn’t going to start wars, he was going to stop them. Donald Trump and Republicans have started a reckless and costly war of choice in the Middle East. And they are spending billions of dollars a day to drop bombs overseas, but are unwilling to spend a dime to make life more affordable for the American people. And House Democrats remain committed to ending this reckless war of choice and to focusing on the things that matter, starting with driving down the high cost of living for the American people as opposed to what Republicans have done, which is to continue to jam their extreme policies down the throats of everyday Americans, which is making life more expensive.
 
Full press conference can be watched here.

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