The House of Representatives remains committed to adequately and equitably funding our schools as final budget negotiations continue with the State Senate.

On July 14, I was proud to vote YES as the House passed a comprehensive $50.6 billion budget which included historic investments in education. This budget includes the education funding levels proposed by Governor Josh Shapiro in February. The House budget includes $75 million more for Basic Education, $40 million more for Special Education, and $526 million to address adequacy and equity funding gaps identified in a Commonwealth Court decision two years ago. Bethlehem Area School District is one of the underfunded school districts in our state and would receive $4.5 million in additional adequacy funding under the House-approved budget.

I appreciate the Governor’s commitment to fairly fund our schools, and I am hopeful that the strong commitment to education set forth in the House budget will be shared by the State Senate as budget negotiations come to a conclusion. The chart above lists how the education funding in the House budget would impact the BASD.

Pennsylvania’s PACE and PACENET programs help qualified residents aged 65 and older access prescription medications at a lower cost. These programs work alongside Medicare Part D and other drug plans—such as those offered through retiree plans, employers, Medicare Advantage, and Veterans’ benefits—to reduce the out-of-pocket costs for your medications.

For more information about these programs, you can visit this website or contact my office at 610-867-3890 or RepSamuelson@pahouse.net.

College students interested in state government are encouraged to apply for the Spring 2026 House Legislative Fellowship Program, based at our State Capitol Building in Harrisburg. Applications are due October 1, 2025.

Fellows are assigned to House Committees or House Leadership offices, receive compensation for their work (which may also include college credit), and have the opportunity to draft and present their own legislation. They will also attend meet-and-greets with various public officials and staff, tour some of the commonwealth’s historic public spaces, and participate in many other enriching activities.

Qualified applicants will be:

• College juniors or seniors, graduate students, or law school students.
• Enrolled in a Pennsylvania college or university, or a Pennsylvania resident enrolled in an out-of-state institution.
• Pursuing any major with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

For more information and to apply, go to www.pahousefellowship.us.

We had a busy summer, but we were fortunate to have help from three outstanding interns who spent their summer with us.

Aminata Coulibaly, a graduate student at Lehigh University from Brooklyn, NY, returned for a second time! She previously interned with us two falls ago, spent last summer at an internship at the White House, and wanted to come back and work with us again. Here she is meeting Speaker Joanna McClinton. (above left)

Aileigh Mulligan, a Bethlehem native and current undergraduate at Elizabethtown College, spent her summer assisting with rebates, registrations, constituent outreach, and other tasks. Her infectious positivity was a welcome addition to our office and to our constituents. (top right)

Emily Hojnoski, also a Bethlehem native and a student at American University, rounded out the summer. Her last day will be tomorrow, after which she will head to the London School of Economics before returning to AU. (bottom right)

On Friday, September 5, I visited the new location of the Pennsylvania Youth Theatre and presented a citation recognizing their 40th anniversary. PYT has moved from the old Banana Factory to their own location in a former church on Easton Avenue, tripling their space from 7,000 to 21,000 square feet. The pews were removed from the sanctuary, creating a beautiful performance space; the narthex now serves as the lobby, and the Sunday School rooms have been converted into studio spaces. Founding Director Madeleine Ramsey was in attendance, and current Artistic Director Jill Dunn Jones, along with Managing Director Valerie Reinhardt, unveiled the new space and plans for the season.

On Tuesday, September 9, I attended the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission Tribute to the Arts event and presented citations to the honorees. This year’s event was hosted in the church that formerly housed the Unitarian Universalist Church, now the private home of Mike and Molly Bianco. Mike and Molly have converted the sanctuary into a home theater, and it was in this room—resplendent with upholstered couches—that the event took place. Afterward, Mike offered tours of the home, which features many eclectic furnishings, and several rooms converted into studios for leatherworking, casting, and more.

2025 TRIBUTE TO THE ARTS WINNERS (above, from left to right)

• Elise Schaffer: Advocate for Accessibility in the Arts 
• Michael Freeman: Blind Abstract Artist and Advocate for Accessibility and Disability
• Steven Lichak: Media Specialist and Cultural Conservationist 
• The Ice House PAC (Performing Arts Collective): Nonprofit Arts Programming Venue (pictured are Doug Roysdon and Silagh White) 

Remember, you can always contact my office if you have questions about anything in this email or other state-related issues. Give us a call at 610-867-3890, email RepSamuelson@pahouse.net, or stop by and see us at 104 E. Broad St. in Bethlehem.

District Office

104 East Broad Street
Bethlehem, PA 18018

(610) 867-3890

Pennsylvania State Capitol

209 Irvis Office Building

PO Box 202135

Harrisburg, PA 17120-2135
(717) 705-1881