John Lewis has always been a personal hero of mine because of the way he showed a rising generation how to say “enough” to segregation, disenfranchisement, and other forms of inequality. My son, Ashok, and I were honored to join community members and some of my colleagues from the Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation at the John Lewis Good Trouble Voting Rights Rally.

In other district news, my staff and I (top left with Congressman Chris Deluzio’s staff) had a terrific time with neighbors, local officials, first responders, and other community members who attended the Ohio Township Parks and Recreation’s Community Day and Parade. Thank you to the organizers and everyone who turned out for a wonderful celebration!

It's 7/25 and the minimum wage in PA is still just $7.25/hr. It's been 16 years since we've increased our minimum wage. It's time for the Senate to pass the House bill to raise PA's minimum wage now.

Franklin Park residents: Council Member Laura Czekaj and Mayor Dennis O’Keefe will host an open house on Wednesday, July 30 at 7 p.m. to discuss moving the borough to a home rule charter form of governance. Under home rule, authority over municipal affairs is transferred from state law to a local charter approved by voters.

The open house will be held in the Franklin Park Borough Municipal Building’s meeting room, 2344 W. Ingomar Rd. I encourage borough residents to attend, learn more, and share their thoughts.

It’s Parks and Rec Month, and our office is highlighting opportunities for outdoor fun around the district! Check out upcoming events in Avonworth and Franklin Park (above) and Hampton Township, McCandless, and Ohio Township (below).

Veterans: If you are having trouble locating your DD-214 or DD-215 military discharge paperwork, the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs can help. Call 1-800-547-2838 or email RA-REQ@pa.gov to get the process started. You can learn more here.

The DMVA also assists veterans facing unexpected financial hardship. The Veterans Temporary Assistance program provides eligible Pennsylvania veterans and their surviving dependents with financial relief for necessities such as food, shelter, fuel, and clothing. More information about the program is available here.

There are reports of a new texting scam involving REAL ID. People are receiving fake messages that appear to be from PennDOT or the Department of Homeland Security. The texts try to get the recipient to click a link and enter their personal and payment information to verify or process their REAL ID. Don’t click the link – this is a phishing scheme to steal your money or personal information. 

PennDOT will never ask you to pre-scan or submit personal REAL ID documents through text or email.  

You can learn more about the scam here and file a scams complaint with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General here.

For real information about getting a REAL ID, visit this page.

This is a reminder that the state has a handy tool to help search for grants. Visit this page to search, and this page for a list of all the latest programs.

Please remember that my talented staff can help you with a variety of state-related matters, from filing for a Property Tax/Rent Rebate to obtaining a disability placard or senior bus pass – to name just a few. Contact us or stop by to see how we can help!

You can read my e-newsletter in a way that’s preferable to you by visiting my legislative website here and clicking on the accessibility icon in the lower right corner.

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Pennsylvania State Capitol

101 B East Wing

PO Box 202030

Harrisburg, PA 17120

(717) 772-2363

District Office

9800B McKnight Road, Suite 130
Pittsburgh, PA 15237

(412) 348-8028