Government Helps/Hurts
Over the past two years, the Biden-Harris administration and the Democratic-run House and Senate acted to lower healthcare and drug costs; fight climate change and reduce energy costs; invest in mental health care; and invest in American manufacturing and infrastructure.
Shapiro will also nominate his former deputy attorney general, Michelle Henry, to take over as the commonwealth’s top lawyer.
Jim Gregory nominated and voted for Mark Rozzi as House speaker last week. On Monday, Gregory called for Rozzi’s resignation, saying he is “waffling” on a promise to switch from Democrat to Independent.
The new Republican-controlled House has thus far failed six separate times to elect a House Speaker—the first time such a debacle has occurred since 1923. Until the new Congress elects a speaker, the House cannot assign members to committees, introduce or vote on legislation, help constituents, or even swear in members.
With abortion rights being determined at the state level, Democratic lawmakers have introduced bills to protect that right, but their efforts have been blocked by the GOP majorities in Harrisburg.
Pennsylvania’s paltry minimum wage celebrated its 13th anniversary this year. Democratic state lawmakers have tried to increase it, but their efforts were blocked by the GOP majorities in Harrisburg.
State lawmakers proposed dozens of bills throughout the 2021-2022 legislative session aimed at addressing gun violence in Pennsylvania, from banning assault weapons to universal background checks.