News Releases
Senator Costa Applauds Pittsburgh’s Financial Recovery & Termination of Act 47 Status
Pittsburgh – February 12, 2018 − After 14 years of financial recovery, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and local officials today signed Pittsburgh’s official release from this status. “This has been a long road for the City, but I...
Senator Costa and Representative Dermody Send Joint Letter to Governor on Republican Map Submission
Harrisburg, PA − February 9, 2018 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody send letter to Gov. Wolf condemning the congressional redistricting map shared with his office saying this: "This map was not the product of...
An Update on the Opioid Crisis in Pennsylvania
February 7, 2018 − State Senator Jay Costa has been leading the effort to stem the terrible impact of the opioid epidemic for years. As the Senate Democratic Leader, co-chair of the PA HOPE caucus (the Pennsylvania Heroin, Opioid Prevention and Education Caucus) and a...
Costa: $10 Million in State Funding to RIDC Southwestern PA Growth Fund for Hazelwood Green
Pittsburgh, Pa. – January 23, 2018 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa announced the award of $10 million to Regional Industrial Development Corporation (RIDC) Southwestern Pennsylvania Growth Fund to transform a former industrial mill in Hazelwood into a...
Senator Costa Condemns Trump Administration Move to Undermine State Medical Marijuana Policy
Pittsburgh, PA – January 3, 2018 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa today decried a move by the federal government to rescind state protections for medical marijuana programs. “Pennsylvania went through a very thorough process backed by expert testimony, public...
Senator Costa & Representative Gainey Announce $475,000 Grant for Wilkinsburg
Pittsburgh, PA – January 3, 2018 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and State Representative Ed Gainey announced $475,000 in state support today to rehabilitate the Ardmore Linear Park in Wilkinsburg. “I’m pleased to have worked with the Borough of Wilkinsburg to...
Costa Announces $2.5M in Keystone Innovation Zone Funding to Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA – December 29, 2017 – Democratic Leader Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) announced more than $2.5 million in funding to local businesses in the Oakland-based Keystone Innovation Zone. “We need to retain the bright, young college students who...
Costa: $7 Million in State Grants to Help Fund Key Local Projects
Hazelwood Green, Susquehanna Street Phase II among local projects funded Harrisburg – Dec. 22, 2017 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said the $7 million in state grants released today for a variety of local projects will generate jobs, improve the...
Costa: $2 Million Grant for Penn Hills School District Approved
Harrisburg – Dec. 22, 2017 – The state Department of Education has approved $2 million in grant funding to help the Penn Hills School District tackle severe fiscal issues, state Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said today. Costa, who has been meeting with officials...
Senate Hearing in Pittsburgh Focuses on Mandated Drug Addiction Treatment
Pittsburgh, December 8, 2017 − At the request of state Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, the state Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held a hearing on Costa’s legislation that would enable families to seek court-ordered addiction treatment for their...
Costa and Frankel Announce Grant for Wightman Park Rehabilitation and Development
Pittsburgh – December 5, 2017 – Wightman Park, located in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, will be rehabilitated and further developed with a $500,000 grant from the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), according to state Sen. Jay...
Senator Jay Costa and Representative Dan Frankel Secure $500,000 for City of Pittsburgh Project on Pitt Campus
Pittsburgh, November 14, 2017 — Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Representative Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) announced today that the City of Pittsburgh will receive $500,000 from the Commonwealth Financing Authority for a reconstruction project on the...
Senator Jay Costa & Representative Gainey Secure $225,000 for Borough of Wilkinsburg Park Project
Pittsburgh, November 14, 2017 — Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Representative Ed Gainey (D-Allegheny) announced today that the Commonwealth Financing Authority approved $225,000 in funding for the Borough of Wilkinsburg for the rehabilitation of Whitney...
Senator Costa Hosts ACA Mobile Enrollment Tour
Pittsburgh, November 14, 2017 — The Pennsylvania Senate Democrats’ ACA Mobile Enrollment Tour will make a stop in Pittsburgh on Thursday, December 7. Constituents can come to enroll in the individual insurance marketplace or Medicare. Enrollment experts will...
PA Senate Democrats Push Back on Trump’s ACA Enrollment Changes
HARRISBURG, November 1, 2017 — Following President Trump’s efforts to undermine the Affordable Care Act by limiting open enrollment, the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus will ramp up efforts to ensure eligible individuals gain health insurance through...
Lawmakers Applaud Measure Creating Trust Fund for Youth Impacted by Prison System
HARRISBURG, October 31, 2017 — A bipartisan group of state lawmakers and Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel applauded the passage of legislation to establish a public charitable trust to aid children impacted by the prison system and reverse...
Democratic Senators Detail Impact of Trump Actions on Affordable Care Act in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG, October 18, 2017 — State Senate Democrats today blasted President Trump’s latest actions regarding the Affordable Care Act in Pennsylvania and detailed the debilitating impact on Pennsylvanians that his latest acts will have...
Senator Jay Costa Commends Angels’ Place Inc. for Receiving Seal of Excellence
Harrisburg – October 13, 2017 – Senator Costa’s office announced today that Angels’ Place Inc. located in Pittsburgh has been awarded the Seal of Excellence by the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO). “I want to congratulate the Board and staff...
Costa Statement on Credit Rating Downgrade
Harrisburg – September 20, 2017 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) released the following statement today concerning the downgrade of Pennsylvania’s credit rating by S & P Global Ratings due to failure to adopt a revenue plan with sufficient...
Senate Democrats Hail Gov. Wolf’s Call for Testing of Young Children
Senate Democrats have been in the forefront of efforts to address exposure to lead Harrisburg – Sept. 1, 2017 – State Sen. Vincent J. Hughes and Senate Democrats applauded Gov. Tom Wolf’s support of universal testing of children under the age of 2 to determine their...
Costa, Dermody: House Republicans Using Universities as Budget Pawns
Harrisburg – July 19, 2017 – State Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Representative Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) today issued the following statement in reaction to the House Republican leadership’s continuing refusal to call the House into session to...
SPC Votes to Move Mon-Fayette Expressway Project Forward, Costa Says
Harrisburg – June 26, 2017 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) issued the following statement after the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) acted today to move the Mon-Fayette Expressway project as a part of the 2017-2020 Transportation...
Lawmakers Rally to Denounce ‘Repeal and Replace’ Health Care Plan
HARRISBURG, June 26, 2017 — Lawmakers from the state Senate and House of Representatives, along with Wolf Administration officials and advocates, denounced the latest attempt in Washington to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act during a rally today at the State...
Lawmakers Unveil Legislation Creating Trust Fund for Youth Impacted by Prison System
HARRISBURG, June 21, 2017 — A bipartisan group of state senators and Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel today unveiled legislation to establish a public charitable trust to help children impacted by the prison system and reverse the direction...
Costa Thanks Attorney General Shapiro for Opioid Marketing Investigation
Harrisburg – June 15, 2017 – State Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) issued the following statement thanking Attorney General Josh Shapiro for joining the investigation into potentially misleading pharmaceutical marketing campaigns. “We can’t simply wish this problem...
Costa Takes Steps to hold Pharmaceutical Industry Accountable for Opioid Crisis
Harrisburg – June 15, 2017 – State Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) today signaled his intent to introduce a resolution urging Governor Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro to file suit against the pharmaceutical industry for deceptive and unfair marketing...
Senate Democrats, Pittsburgh Mayor Advance Efforts on Climate Change Despite Trump
Harrisburg – June 13, 2017 – Committed to positioning Pennsylvania as a leader in the battle against global climate change, Sens. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) and Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia/Delaware), along with Pittsburgh Mayor...
Costa, Fontana React to Trump Paris Accord Decision; Redouble Efforts in Pa
Harrisburg – June 3, 2017 – Stunned at President Donald J. Trump’s dismissal of climate change and abandonment of the Paris climate accord, Senators Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) today stated their intentions to position Pennsylvania to lead...
Costa: Local Community Revitalization Efforts Bolstered by State Grant Funds
Harrisburg, May 18, 2017 — Two local organizations focused on community revitalization will share $375,000 in state grant funds to further their efforts, State Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) announced today. “We’re so fortunate to have organizations in our...
Costa Legislation Will Protect Kids from School Lunch Shaming
Harrisburg – May 10, 2017 – Concerned at reported mistreatment of children with low balances on school lunch accounts, State Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) today introduced legislation that would prohibit “lunch shaming” by school administrators and staff. “These...