Press Releases
Senator Hughes announces $50 million hazard pay grant program for front-line workers
Philadelphia — July 16, 2020 — State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) proudly announced a $50 million fund to provide hazard pay increases to front-line workers in health care, social assistance, transit, food manufacturing, food retail,...
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Sens. Hughes, Haywood join PHFA to announce upcoming financial assistance program for renters and homeowners hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic
PHILADELPHIA— July 1, 2020 — State Senators Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) and Director Robin Wiessmann from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) announced a new program that will help renters and homeowners impacted by the economic slowdown related to the coronavirus pandemic, alongside Pennsylvania housing advocates.
PA Senate Democrats Discuss Police Reform Legislative Agenda and Statewide Racial Equity Solutions Tour
Harrisburg – June 30, 2020 – Pennsylvania Senate Democrats gathered in the Capitol and through Zoom to discuss the status of their legislative agenda for police reforms, and to announce a statewide Racial Equity Solutions Tour. PA Senate Democrats introduced a...
Successful ‘Read to Succeed’ summer program goes virtual
PHILADEPHIA, PA — (June 22, 2020) — The Read to Succeed Summer Program (R2S), a free program with a track record of boosting reading skills among Philadelphia schoolchildren, is going virtual this year. Online sessions will begin on July 6, and the registration deadline for the four-week program has been extended to June 25.
Philadelphia lawmakers lay out path for a ‘Just Recovery’ in Pa.
‘Legislature must take steps to safeguard marginalized communities’
PHILADELPHIA, June 18, 2020 – Philadelphia lawmakers today held a virtual news conference to lay out the steps the Pennsylvania legislature must take to create a just recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure the calls for racial justice demanded by Pennsylvanians across the state are acted on.
Senator Hughes issues statement on SB 1166 passing the PA Senate
HARRISBURG — June 10, 2020 — State Senator Vincent Hughes issued the following statement after Senate Bill 1166 passed the senate Wednesday. An amendment from Senator Hughes was also adopted by the Senate Wednesday and would prohibit racial and ethnic...
PA Senate Democrats Announce Comprehensive Police Reform Legislation
HARRISBURG – June 10, 2020 – Today, members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus announced plans for a comprehensive package of legislation to reform policing in Pennsylvania. Two years ago, members of the caucus introduced police and community relations...
Senator Hughes issues statement on $225 million for small business assistance grants statewide
HARRISBURG – June 8, 2020 – State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) issued the following statement after Gov. Tom Wolf announced $225 million for small business relief across Pennsylvania Monday: “The announcement of the Main Street and Historically...
PA Senate Democrats Announce $225 Million for Small Business Assistance Grants Statewide
HARRISBURG – June 8, 2020 – Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus announced the direction of $225 million in federal CARES Act funding to aid small businesses across the commonwealth. This funding was authorized by the recently enacted COVID-19...
Senator Hughes responds to statewide, local calls for police reform
PHILADELPHIA — June 5, 2020 — State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) issued the following statement in response to recent calls from Gov. Tom Wolf and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney to address police use of force and law enforcement reform across...
Democratic PHEAA board members tout $30 million in CARES Act funding for PHEAA grants
HARRISBURG — June 5, 2020 — State Senators Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny), Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), John Blake (D-Lackawanna), and Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia touted the $30 million in funding the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus was...
State Senate Policy Hearing on the Impact of COVID-19 on the African American Community
Harrisburg – June 4, 2020 – At the request of state Senators Art Haywood (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia/Delaware, Vince Hughes (D-Philadelphia), and Shariff Street (D-Philadelphia), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held a...
Senator Hughes issues statement on $25.8 billion budget, $2.6 billion in aid
HARRISBURG – May 29, 2020 — Democratic Appropriations Chairman Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) issued the following statement after the Pennsylvania Senate passed bills for an unprecedented $25.8 billion interim budget and allocated $2.6 billion in federal...
PA Senate Democrats Announce $550 Million Main Street Business Revitalization Grant Program
Harrisburg, PA − May 22, 2020 − Senators Jay Costa, Vince Hughes, John Blake, Jim Brewster and Pam Iovino today called for $550 million of funds allocated to Pennsylvania through the federal CARES act to be used for a program they are calling the Main Street Business...
Sens. Costa, Hughes unveil PA CARES, a plan to allocate federal CARES Act funds
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...
Sens. Hughes, A. Williams lay out proposed temporary changes to business interruption insurance with support of small business owners, PRLA
HARRISBURG – April 20, 2020 – Several small business owners and the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association (PRLA) joined state Sens. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) and Anthony Williams (D-Delaware/Philadelphia) in the call for temporary changes to...
PA Senate Democrats Urge Action on Legislation for Working Families, Pledge to Oppose Partisan COVID Task Force
Harrisburg, PA − April 8, 2020 − The Senate adjourned Tuesday afternoon after the House Republicans indicated they would not be taking up Senate Bill 841, legislation that would have enabled local municipalities to hold their meetings remotely, permitted e-notary use;...
House and Senate Democratic Caucuses Seek Immediate Legislative Action on Needs of Workers and Middle Class Families
Harrisburg, PA − April 6, 2020 − Leaders from the Democratic caucuses of the Pennsylvania House and Senate today presented legislative solutions for working families during the COVID outbreak and business closures. They addressed issues, including: Retaliation against...
Sens. Hughes, Blake introduce bills to help PA manufacturers produce much-needed personal protection equipment
HARRISBURG – April 3, 2020 – State Senators Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) and John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) unveiled their plan to help manufacturers retrofit their facilities to begin producing much-needed personal protection...