Capitol Update by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint)
 FacebookWebsiteBioLatest NewsState FormsPhoto GalleryContactCapitol Update Friday, August 11, 2023 The latest news from the State Capitol You are welcome to contact me through this link. Thank You for Coming!  Thank you to everyone who came out for the Bradford Senior Citizens Expo last Friday. We had a great turnout of seniors, their family members and caregivers, as well as exhibitors from a variety of state and local agencies and organizations. It is always a please to see familiar faces and to welcome new ones! I hope you found the event both fun and informative. If you didn’t make it to the Bradford Expo (or even if you did!), we have two more events coming up in Kane on Friday, Sept. 8, and in Roulette on Friday, Oct. 13. Mark your calendars! Touring Kane Water Treatment Plant  Thank you to Pennsylvania American Water officials, who provided a tour of their water treatment plant in Kane. We were joined by Kane Borough Councilman Gary Schul and Borough Manager Don Payne. In addition to touring the plant, we discussed infrastructure investments the company is making in the community. Celebrating Energy Producers  Congratulations to Alex Elder of Clarion County, who was awarded the Gary Hovis Memorial Award at the Pennsylvania Independent Petroleum Producers annual meeting and picnic in Bradford last weekend. I was glad to join my colleagues in addressing the group regarding energy issues we are working on in Harrisburg. Another Step Forward in PA Broadband Expansion  A multi-year plan key to securing more than $1 billion in federal resources to expand broadband access across the Commonwealth was unanimously approved by the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority this week. The five-year plan, known as “Connecting the Commonwealth,” helps pave the way to bringing affordable broadband access to unserved and underserved areas of Pennsylvania. The plan’s multi-faceted approach includes expanding infrastructure, partnering with community-based institutions to provide digital literacy training, and strengthening existing affordability programs throughout the Commonwealth. The plan will focus on currently unserved locations. These nearly 300,000 locations are homes, businesses or any address that currently cannot access modern high-speed broadband services. The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority was established by the Legislature through Act 96 of 2021. Its mission is to coordinate and facilitate funding for broadband buildout across the Commonwealth.  Emergency Medical Responder Course Set to Start Next Month Looking for a way to serve your community? Consider taking this Emergency Medical Responder class being hosted in Emporium by the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College. The course is free for Cameron County residents and just $100 for non-residents. It is being held on Monday and Wednesday evenings from Sept. 11 through Nov. 6 at the Emporium Volunteer Fire Department. Click here for details!  Economic and Financial Brief Each month, the House Appropriations Committee publishes an Economic and Financial Brief for Pennsylvania. The brief covers a variety of important economic metrics such as the unemployment rate, labor force participation, inflation and federal interest rates. Additionally, it keeps track of monthly state revenues and spending, along with other policy issues affecting the financial health of the Commonwealth. You can find the July 2023 Brief here, along with past and future reports at www.pabudget.com. Beware of Financial Aid Scams  In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding the Federal Student Loan Debt Cancellation Program, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is cautioning borrowers to be aware of an increase in harmful financial aid scams that could expose them to identity theft and significant financial loss. Last year, scammers stole an estimated $5 billion from Americans in student loan-related scams, according to a recent report. Scammers use multiple modes of communication to reach borrowers, including social media, text messages, emails and phone calls. Scammers are also very skilled at posing as government representatives and may even have look-alike government websites and logos to trick unsuspecting victims. Borrowers are encouraged to visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website, www.StudentAid.gov, for information about all available student loan debt relief and repayment plans. Borrowers should never pay for a service that is available to them for free. For a list of red flags you should look for to avoid being scammed and what to do if you become a victim of a scam, click here. |