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Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes Urge Senate Republicans to Return to Negotiations as House Votes Down Unserious Budget and Transit Bills
HARRISBURG, PA – August 13, 2025 – Today, the House Rules Committee and the House Appropriations Committee voted down HB 257 and SB 160, respectively. Passed in the Senate yesterday evening, these bills represented unserious and unagreed-to budget proposals that were...
PA Senate Democrat Leaders React to Unserious Transit Funding Proposal from Senate Republicans
Senator Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes Express Frustration, Urgency as Senate Republicans Fail to Meaningfully Advance Budget Negotiations, Transit Funding
HARRISBURG, PA – August 12, 2025 – Today, the Senate of Pennsylvania convened for session. Instead of advancing bills to bring the 2025-26 budget process to a close and to fully fund public transit, roads, and bridges, Senate Republicans chose to advance HB 257, a...
Senators Jay Costa and Vincent Hughes Discuss an Overdue 2025-26 Budget and Transit Funding
Lawmakers, and Advocates Sound the Alarm on Looming Burdensome SNAP Rules
PHILADELPHIA, PA – July 18, 2025 – On Friday morning, State Senator Art Haywood (D-4) was joined by fellow lawmakers and nonprofit leaders at a press conference in Philadelphia to sound the alarm on new federal work requirements for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition...
SNAP Cuts from the Big, Ugly Bill
Senator Vincent Hughes Announces New Laptops for Philadelphia Nonprofits
PHILADELPHIA, PA – July 18, 2025 – State Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, has announced Pennsylvania Digital Connectivity Technology Program (DCTP) grants for two organizations in the 7th senatorial district. “Pennsylvania is taking...
Senate Democratic Leaders Urge Senate Republicans to Act After House Passes Budget Bill
HARRISBURG, PA - July 14, 2025 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed HB 1330, an important step to closing out this year’s budget: ...
Celebrating Summer Reading with Sheryl Lee Ralph and Read to Succeed
PA Senator Vincent Hughes Issues Statement on Passage of Republican “Big” Bill in the US Senate
July 1, 2025 – Today, Pennsylvania Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, issued the following statement in response to the passage of President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” in the US Senate. If the legislation now passes in the US House of...
Senate Democrats Continue to Sound Alarm on Catastrophic Impacts of Trump’s Reconciliation Bill on Healthcare, Hospitals, and Food Access Across Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG, PA − June 30, 2025 − On Monday, June 30, members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus gathered in the East Wing Rotunda to draw attention to the urgency of stopping Trump’s domestic policy bill from becoming law. In its current form, the bill poses an existential threat to Medicaid, SNAP, and rural hospitals across Pennsylvania.
Stop the Big BAD Bill
Fund the Schools!
Fulfill and Pass the PA Promise
Affordable Housing in Mantua
More Investments for Community Anti-Violence Groups
Senator Hughes Announces Over $14M for Affordable Housing Development in Philadelphia and Montgomery County
June 13, 2025 − Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, announced over $14M in Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE) grants for affordable housing projects in Philadelphia and Montgomery County. The...
Senator Hughes Announces Over $1.6M for Community Health, Safety, and Abuse Recovery in Philadelphia and Montgomery County
June 12, 2025 – Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, announced over $1.6M in grants for Philadelphia and Montgomery County to support substance abuse education and recovery, victims of child abuse, and violence prevention. The grants were...
Senator Vincent Hughes’ Prescription Drug Cost Transparency Legislation Passes the Pennsylvania Senate
Harrisburg, PA – June 12, 2025 – On June 10, 2025, Senate Bill 95 passed the Senate with a unanimous vote. The Senate Bill included Amendment A00975, introduced by Senator Hughes, that would require pharmacies in Pennsylvania to disclose cost information about...