Critical of Republican’s Political and Redundant Attempt to Subpoena Wolf Administration Officials
Harrisburg, Pa. − April 30, 2020 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. issued the following statement regarding the Senate Republican efforts to subpoena Governor Tom Wolf’s cabinet officials in the middle of a public health crisis.
“I wholeheartedly agree with the Auditor General’s decision to conduct an audit of DCED’s waiver program. The program has been criticized for inconsistencies in the granting of waivers in a transparent manner.
“The review by the Auditor General is a more appropriate venue, particularly given that DCED and the Governor’s office has agreed to participate. Furthermore, the audit by the Auditor General is exactly what Senate Republicans this week asked for in a letter, signed by members of their caucus. As such, given the granting of their request and DCED’s agreeing to participate in the audit, the subpoenas now issued are an unnecessary and redundant additional step. A duplicative review of the same program and information is a waste of taxpayer resources and takes our administration’ s officials away from fighting COVID-19.
“On the day the United States crossed 60,000 deaths from COVID-19, Senate Republicans called a last-minute Senate Committee meeting to try to attack the Governor who has decisively and steadfastly led our state through this outbreak.
“While the Republicans focus on fighting Governor Wolf and Secretary Levine, our caucus is focused on fighting COVID-19 and protecting workers.
“Our staff and member time would be better used helping to process unemployment compensation claims, plan for businesses to reopen, and work on a plan to get federal stimulus dollars into our constituents’ pockets.
“Unfortunately, this is becoming a theme with our Republican colleagues in the general assembly recently. Just last week they pushed for an anti-choice measure in a piece of telemedicine legislation that could have expanded health care access for all rural Pennsylvanians. They knew their political provision would lead to a veto, and they refused to compromise, and we do not have a much-needed telemedicine program in PA.
“I am asking that they cancel tomorrow’s planned VAEP hearing.
“The Senate and House Democrats, Governor Wolf, DCED, and DoH have been singularly focused on protecting working people, getting medical equipment for front line workers, and finding resources to keep businesses afloat while the crisis persists.”
Senator Costa, along with members of the Senate Democratic Caucus spent their day Wednesday presenting a proposal for the state to spend $5 billion in federal revenue to get Pennsylvanians back on their feet and back to work.
Republican distractions and charades since COVID-19 reached Pennsylvania have included:
- Attempting to ban access to reproductive health care under telemedicine, denying access to health care for rural Pennsylvanians
- Creating a political task force to oversee Secretary Rachel Levine
- Voting against front line workers, against paid sick leave, against hazard pay, against mandated PPE, against workers compensation expansion
- Subpoenaing Administration officials
Democratic efforts to aid Pennsylvanians during the outbreak:
- Introduction of the American Working Families Relief Action Plan, which included protections for workers, assistance in childcare, and expansion of workers compensation protection
- Fighting for all front-line workers to make sure that they are being protected and compensated for their great sacrifices during the pandemic
- Introduction of a plan to spend federal stimulus dollars to get Pennsylvanians back on their feet and back to work
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More information on the Senate Democratic stimulus plan can be found at PASenate.com/PaCARES
HARRISBURG – APRIL 29, 2020 – State Senators Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) unveiled the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus’ plan to allocate federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds Wednesday morning.
The Pennsylvania CARES Plan offers a set of spending priorities to best use the $3.9 billion in federal CARES ACT funding the commonwealth is set to receive. A major focus of the PA CARES Plan is funding initiatives that help individuals and families, such as housing assistance programs, student debt relief, veterans’ assistance, utility assistance, and food bank support.
“Our communities are hurting. Our friends and neighbors have been sick or isolated, and we’ve lost many to the COVID-19 virus,” Sen. Costa said. “As we begin to recover, we need a plan that works for everyone — particularly working families. Our strategy must get folks back on their feet and back work. We intend to focus on assistance for working people, protection for front line workers, investments in education and childcare, and loans and programs that will enable our small business community to reopen their doors and thrive again.”
Other aspects of the proposal include allocating additional assistance to frontline workers, funding for the health care industry and its workers, small business grants, and much-needed support communities disparately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. School districts and local governments would also receive support to help offset pandemic-related expenses.
“We want to lay a foundation for recovery that prioritizes the people of Pennsylvania and supports those who have been hit hardest by the pandemic,” Sen. Hughes said. “Our plan would help resuscitate the communities across the commonwealth by providing resources for workers, families and small businesses. We will get through this crisis together by supporting our people and communities, which are the backbone of our great commonwealth.”
Highlights of the PA CARES plan include:
- $1.1 billion for assistance for working people
- $900 million for education and childcare initiatives
- $650 million for health care industry, first responders & frontline workers assistance
- $425 million for small businesses
- $350 million for local government assistance
- $300 million for historically disadvantaged communities
The Senate Democrats’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic remains focused on helping working people, families and Pennsylvania’s small businesses. Members of the caucus have a number of proposals to address COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts in Pennsylvania.
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Harrisburg – April 23, 2020 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. (D-Allegheny) unveiled legislation today that would protect federal stimulus payments to people from being preyed upon by creditors and debt collectors.
Costa’s bill would prohibit the garnishment of federal CARES Act payments — such as the $1,200 stimulus or $600 unemployment compensation booster payment — from garnishment.
“Unfortunately, in this time of extraordinary financial distress there are some creditors or collection firms that will try to prey on individuals at their most vulnerable time,” Costa said. “During the pandemic, when so many are hurting, the last thing citizens should have to deal with are aggressive payment collection firms.
“The federal stimulus funds are needed by individuals and families to meet financial obligations now and should not be subject to garnishment for past debts.”
Costa said his bill would protect payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure would:
- Suspend the ability of private creditors and collections agencies to attach any federal stimulus or UC benefits for garnishment to satisfy debts;
- Suspend state and local government debt garnishment, including for medical and student loan debt collection (this would not apply to child support);
- Prohibit state-chartered banks and credit unions from seizing stimulus checks or UC payments; and
- Extend the debt collection suspension period for at least 60 days after the state emergency disaster declaration has been lifted.
Costa said that some experts have claimed that one in three Americans with debts in collection could face seizure. He said governors and Attorney Generals in other states have taken step to shield the payments from bill collectors.
“Congress passed the CARES Act to provide funds for individuals and families to survive the economic upheaval caused by the pandemic,” Costa said. “Bill collectors should not be able to step in, seize a portion of the funds and put more stress on families.”
Costa said he plans to introduce the bill in the next week.
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Pittsburgh, PA − April 22, 2020 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr., Representative Ed Gainey and Representative Austin Davis today announced the award of more than $140,000 in state grants for school districts in the 43rd senatorial district to bridge technological gaps with students learning remotely this academic year.
“The outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted Pennsylvanians of all ages, but I’ve been particularly concerned about our school-aged children who have to complete their academic year outside of the classroom,” said Senator Costa. “Online education is a great option, but not all of our students have the same access to the resources they need to make use of virtual learning. The Continuing of Education Equity grants will help districts identify those gaps and correct them.”
Schools in the 43rd senatorial district receiving grants today are:
- Steel Valley School District – $75,900.00
- Wilkinsburg Borough School District- $29,950.00
- The New Academy CS – $11,500.00
- Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh CS – $24,700.00
“In light of COVID-19 its essential that all children have the resources they need to learn, it’s a pleasure to announce some good news for the children of Steel Valley School District. The grant awarded today will guarantee that students who once lacked sufficient access to resources will now have the equipment and support they need. I look forward to the positive outcomes these grants will have for them and their families.” Representative Davis said.
“We’ve asked a lot of our hardworking teachers, educators, students and parents in the face of the coronavirus,” Rep. Gainey, who represents Wilkinsburg and the Urban Academy said. “Trying to keep teaching and learning during a pandemic isn’t easy, and it’s all but impossible if teachers and students don’t have the necessary tools to do so. We know that we need to continue to work to equitably fund our schools, and these grants are a small step in that direction. I want to thank the Wolf administration for working quickly to get this money to schools where it is so desperately needed.”
CEEG grants are designed to help provide access and inclusion for all learners by bridging the gap for students who are currently limited in their ability to participate in continuity of education.
These grants may be used to purchase computer equipment, such as laptops, tablets, and internet hot spots, or used towards providing instructional materials, such as paper lessons and coursework. Schools with the highest percentages of students lacking access to resources were given priority in receiving these grants.
In addition, the state Department of Education has partnered with Pennsylvania’s public television stations to provide instructional programming to students through the seven individual Public Broadcasting System (PBS) member stations in the state. Public television reaches over 12.4 million Pennsylvanians serving large diverse, rural and underserved audiences. These free “Learning at Home” resources are available to families and educators via www.learningathomepa.org
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Pittsburgh, PA − April 17, 2020 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa issued the following statement regarding Governor Wolf’s Plan for Relief, Reopening, and Recovery in PA:
The Governor has presented us with a robust, thoughtful plan forward. I appreciate his ongoing consultation with medical and public health experts, like Dr. Rachel Levine – and that expertise is clearly reflected in the Plan for PA. We need to prioritize health and safety as we look toward economic recovery, and the treatment of our front line workers is a large part of that. We all want to get back to a semblance of normal business operations, but rushing into it would undo all of the progress we’ve made in flattening the curve. Governor Wolf’s remarks and plan today put all of that into consideration, and I look forward to supporting this path legislatively.
Learn more about the plan here →
