State Senate Hearing Focuses on Funding Public Schools

Monroeville, June 14, 2012 — Education experts, labor leaders, area school administrators and school board members today laid out disastrous financial problems at a state Senate hearing on the impact of state public school funding cuts. Held at Sen. Jim Brewster’s...

Democratic Leaders Seek Details on Shell Agreement

HARRISBURG, June 4, 2012 – Top Senate Democrats today asked Gov. Tom Corbett to release details of the deal that will bring a petrochemical cracker plant to Western Pennsylvania. In light of recent reports asserting that the deal with Shell Chemical was sealed with...

Senate, House Democrats Denounce Asset Test on SNAP Recipients

HARRISBURG, May 1, 2012 — State Sen. Shirley Kitchen, along with her Democratic colleagues in the Senate and House, today denounced the reinstatement of an asset test on Pennsylvania’s 1.8 million Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. Under the...

Senate Democratic Leaders React to the Independent Fiscal Office Report

HARRISBURG, May 1, 2012 –Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes offered the following comments regarding today’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) Revenue Estimate Report, which stated that the projected shortfall...

Senator Hughes Talks Issues on Washington Watch with Roland Martin

On Sunday, April 22, 2012, I was pleased to join MSNBC political analyst Karen Finney; Michael Fletcher, national economics correspondent for “The Washington Post”; and Deborah Simmons, senior correspondent for “The Washington Times” on Washington Watch with Roland...

Senator Hughes to Host Financial Aid for College Conference

PHILADELPHIA, April 4, 2012 — State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Phila./Montgomery) will join with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation, The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, The Mayor’s Office of Education and The College Access Center  to...

Report: National Employment Growth, Job Decline in Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, March 14, 2012 – – Pennsylvania’s stunning loss of 9,000 jobs in January is astounding considering there was robust national employment growth of over 730,000 new jobs during the past three months, Senate Democratic leaders said today.

Senator Hughes Decries Proposed DPW Budget Cuts

HARRISBURG, February 28, 2012 – – Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes (D-Phila./Montgomery) took Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Secretary Gary Alexander to task regarding egregious cuts to human services proposed by Governor Tom Corbett at the department’s budget hearing today.

Clarification Needed on Education Funding Numbers, At-Risk Schools, Hughes says

HARRISBURG, February 27, 2012 – – At today’s Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearing, Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes (D-Phila./Montgomery) questioned Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Ronald Tomalis about the potential impact of Governor Tom Corbett’s $400 million in proposed education budget cuts.

Senator Hughes to Talk Proposed Education Budget Cuts at Cook-Wissahickon School

PHILADELPHIA, February 22, 2012 – – In light of Governor Tom Corbett’s budget proposal, which includes deep cuts to basic education, state Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Phila./Montgomery) will tour Cook-Wissahickon Public School and hold a community meeting to discuss public education and the impacts of the proposed budget cuts.

Senator Hughes to Hold a Veterans Benefits Seminar

PHILADELPHIA, February 21, 2012 – – State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Phila./Montgomery) will join with the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and Veterans Support Group to hold a Veterans Benefits Seminar. The event is aimed at assisting veterans in finding jobs, housing and health care benefits for themselves and their families.

Senator Hughes: Immediate Aid is Needed to Stem Foreclosure Crisis in PA

PHILADELPHIA, February 17, 2012 – – In reaction to a report released by RealtyTrac on Thursday indicating that foreclosures in Pennsylvania have risen 24 percent since January 2011, state Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Phila./Montgomery) said that immediate aid is needed to assist homeowners in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure.

Hughes Says Focus Must be Job Creation, Economic Investment

PHILADELPHIA, February 9, 2012 – Responding to Governor Tom Corbett’s budget address, which lacks a plan to stimulate Pennsylvania’s economy, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Sen. Vincent J. Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) held a news conference today to discuss a plan to boost job creation and economic investment in Pennsylvania.

Senator Hughes: Governor’s Budget Proposal Hurts Pennsylvania’s People, Economy

“With this budget address, Governor Corbett has once again proven his disconnect with Pennsylvania citizens. Despite what the governor may have said today, the reality is Pennsylvania’s job creation has been stagnant, economic development is at a standstill and public education – which is still dealing with last year’s billion dollar body blow – is getting hit again.

Judiciary Should Be Allowed to Make Budget Presentation, Hughes Says

HARRISBURG, February 1, 2012 – Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Sen. Vincent J. Hughes strongly suggested that Senate Republicans reconsider their decision to cancel the budget hearing for state courts and allow justices to discuss their financial needs before...

Democrats Lament Corbett’s Lack of Leadership on Transportation

Pittsburgh, January 31, 2012 – Noting the six months of inaction since Gov. Tom Corbett’s blue ribbon transportation commission released its final report, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) today joined county and legislative leaders in Pittsburgh to...

Democrats Question Omission of Budget Hearings for PSU, Other Universities

Harrisburg, January 31, 2012 –Led by State Senator Vincent J. Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), Senate Democrats today urged the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Chair to reconsider his refusal to schedule budget hearings for Penn State, Pitt, Lincoln and Temple, State System schools and community colleges.

Senate Democrats Say Budget Should Move PA Forward

Harrisburg – January 25, 2012 – Senate Democrats, led by Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes and others, today called on the governor to make job creation, tax fairness, education funding, shale and the restoration of funds for safety net programs budget priorities.

Democrats to Governor Corbett, GOP legislature: Where’s the leadership?

HARRISBURG, Dec. 20 – Democratic leaders from the state House and Senate joined together today to urge Governor Tom Corbett and leaders of the Republican-controlled legislature to end their extreme ideological crusade and to begin leading on the issues that matter to working, middle-class families.