Press Releases
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: ...
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.
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...
House and Senate Democrats Fight to Protect Medicaid and SNAP Funding, Call on Republicans to Break Silence
Sharing personal stories, statewide data, and personal experiences, legislators urge Republicans at the state and federal level to join them in opposing cuts to critical social safety net programs HARRISBURG, PA − June 2, 2025 − On Monday, June 2, Senate and...
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes Encourage PA Senate Republicans to Speak Up as “Big Beautiful Bill” Clears US House of Representatives
HARRISBURG, PA – May 22, 2025 − This morning, Republicans in the US House of Representatives passed a budget bill that will result in 15 million Americans losing their health insurance and 3 million American families losing access to healthy food. Senate Democratic...
Senator Hughes Convenes Second Roundtable to Address Looming Federal Health Insurance Cuts and the Impact on Black Pennsylvanians
Philadelphia, PA – May 19, 2025 – Last week, Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, held a roundtable at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church with lawmakers and healthcare leaders to discuss how Black Pennsylvanians could be impacted by proposed...
Senate Democrats Hold Policy Hearing Regarding the Worker Protections
PHILADELPHIA, PA − May 14, 2025 − Today, Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chair Nick Miller held a hearing to examine ways to protect Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and economy with a skilled, protected, and reliable workforce. “The testimony we heard today from...
Hughes’ and Robinson Bold Literacy Initiative Passes Education Committee
HARRISBURG – May 6, 2025 − The Senate Education Committee today approved a bipartisan measure sponsored by Sens. Devlin Robinson (R-37) and Vincent Hughes (D-7) to ensure all Pennsylvania children are reading proficiently by the end of third grade.
Senator Hughes Announces Over $9M for Clean Water Project in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA – April 30, 2025 – Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, announced over $9 million in PennVEST funding for a lead service line replacement project in West Philadelphia. This project will include the replacement of lead and...
Senator Hughes Hosts Intergovernmental Roundtable on Federal Threats to Health Insurance
Philadelphia, PA − April 23, 2025 − On Tuesday, April 22nd, Senator Vincent Hughes hosted an intergovernmental roundtable with federal, state, and local lawmakers and healthcare leaders from across Pennsylvania. The goal was to bring a variety of stakeholders together...
State Lawmakers, Transit Riders, Workers, and Community Members Call on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to Fully Fund SEPTA
Several hundred community members from throughout the region packed the north apron portal at Philadelphia's City Hall. Attendees brought signs, shared chants, and testified to the importance of SEPTA in their lives and for their communities. Philadelphia, PA − April...
On the Anniversary of Dr. King’s Assassination, Leaders Rally to Defend Equal Education Against Federal Attacks
PHILADELPHIA, PA – April 4, 2025 − On Friday, April 4, elected officials, civil rights advocates, and education leaders gathered at Martin Luther King High School to commemorate the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and sound the alarm on...
Senate Democratic Caucus Rallies for Fair Housing Month, Calls for State Action on Safe, Affordable Homes for All
Harrisburg, PA − April 2, 2025 − Senate Democrats held a press conference on Wednesday to kick off Fair Housing Month, observed nationally every April, and call for state action on Housing. Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa was joined by Democratic...
PA Senator Vincent Hughes Announces Social Security Senate Resolution
Harrisburg, PA – April 1, 2025 –Senator Vincent Hughes has announced a concurrent resolution that addresses cuts to the Social Security Administration and harmful operational updates that are being led by Acting Commissioner Dudek and Elon Musk’s DOGE. Senator Hughes...
Fighting Back Against Housing Discrimination
Senator Hughes, federal lawmakers, and advocates gathered in Philly to call out Elon Musk’s DOGE and its unconstitutional action to freeze over $30 million in funding that has been approved for fair housing organizationsOn February 27th, over 60 fair housing groups...
Senator Vincent Hughes’ Statement on the Department of Education Executive Order: “A slap in the face to students, teachers, and parents”
March 20, 2025- Today, State Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, issued the following statement in response to the executive order President Trump has signed, directing Secretary McMahon to abolish the Department of Education: “Any move to...
Senator Hughes, Federal Lawmakers, and Advocates Fight Back Against Housing Discrimination
March 18, 2025 − Philadelphia, PA − Senator Vincent Hughes, PA Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, gathered a group of federal and state lawmakers, housing advocates, and community members to call out Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)...