On the Issues

At the time of his assassination April 4, 1968, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was in the midst of a fight for racial and economic justice across the U.S. Dr. King had launched a national Poor People’s Campaign and was supporting a mostly black group...

Join us on May 9th at 5 pm at the 30th Street Station for a Breast Cancer Photo Exhibit, 67 Women, 67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in Pennsylvania. Click here to RSVP or call 1-800-377-8828 x 3040. About the Exhibit 67 Women, 67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in...

“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On January 1, 2019, the PA Senate passed a resolution...

On Thursday, the entire Senate Democratic Caucus announced it has signed on to support Senate Bill 50 and Senate Bill 51,which are designed to protect essential parts of the Affordable Care Act. These bills were drafted after a politically...

Did you know that nearly 7 million African-American people were diagnosed with a mental illness in the last year? That’s more than the entire populations of Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia combined! That’s why it’s time to break the silence and shatter the stigma...

In the past few months you’ve probably received a message from me encouraging you to register to vote. The election is here. It’s time to vote. Elections, now more than ever, are key in our democracy. Every vote counts. That starts at the local level in...

  The midterm election is right around the corner and there are less than 12 hours left to register. That means there is still time to get it done, check your status and find your polling place ahead of next month’s election. Only a few hours are left to beat the...

  Held on the 4th Tuesday in September every year, #NationalVoterRegistrationDay celebrates democracy and encourages voter registration. Protest is not enough. Elections matter. Each election, too many Americans find that they are unable to vote because they have...

On this date 51 years ago, the U.S Senate confirmed Thurgood Marshall, paving the way for him the be the first African American to serve on the nation’s Supreme Court. Marshall had already proven his legal prowess prior to his confirmation, winning more...

I'm glad to announce the creation of a new scholarship program for all new born PA residents. It's called Keystone Scholars and it takes effect on January 1, 2019. As  the prime co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1130, I worked with my Republican...

On April 4, 1968, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated as he was standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, in Memphis, Tennessee.  In life, Dr. King made sacrifices and changed lives.  As word of his death spread, the world...

Helping you boost your retirement security is critical.  That’s why I’ve joined with a bipartisan group of lawmakers and public officials to strongly support a new retirement security tool.  On Thursday, lawmakers unveiled a website called...

  One of the most troubling challenges facing many students and families across Pennsylvania is the high cost of education.  This is often such a high hurdle that many students simply forgo a college education and are prevented from acquiring the...