Newsroom
Corbett’s Action on Budget Illustrates Republican Dysfunction
Harrisburg – July 10, 2014 – Members of Senate Democratic Leadership issued the following statements concerning Gov. Tom Corbett’s line-item veto of funding for the General Assembly and his renewed call for lawmakers to consider pension reform: Senate Democratic...
Senator Vincent Hughes Denounces “Sham” Budget Passed by PA Senate
HARRISBURG- June 30th, 2014- Senator Vincent Hughes issued the following statement in response to the passage of HB 2328 by the Pennsylvania Senate: “Today, in an effort to pass a budget bill before the start of the new fiscal year, Senate Republicans advanced a $29.1...
Senator Vincent Hughes Applauds Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee for Unanimous Passage of Veteran Housing Bill
HARRISBURG- June 18th, 2014- Senator Vincent Hughes issued the following statement in response to the passage of Senate Bill 1135 by the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee: “Today, the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee passed new legislation which...
Senator Vincent Hughes Applauds Philadelphia School Reform Commission for Refusing to Pass Draconian Budget, Calls on State to Provide Additional Revenue
Philadelphia – May 30th, 2014 – State Senator Vincent Hughes released the following statement in response to the announcement that the School Reform Commission (SRC) will not approve a budget that does not include new revenue to restore vital programs in...
Pennsylvania Senate Unanimously Passes Resolution Expressing Sympathy to Victims of Mass Kidnapping in Nigeria
Harrisburg, May 7th, 2014 – The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously approved a resolution sponsored by State Senator Vincent Hughes expressing sympathy to the victims of the recent mass kidnapping in Nigeria. More than 300 teenage girls were abducted from a local...
Senator Vincent Hughes Reacts to More Than $1.2 Billion Revenue Shortfall, Urges Lawmakers to Pass Shale Tax and Other Measures to Balance the State Budget
Philadelphia – May 1st, 2014 –Senator Vincent Hughes released the following statement in response to news from the Independent Fiscal Office that declining April revenue collections reveal that Governor Corbett’s proposed budget over estimates available revenues by...
State Lawmakers Highlight Growing Bipartisan Support for Tax on Marcellus Shale to Fund Education
Harrisburg, April 9, 2014 – Today a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the Senate and House voiced their support for imposing a severance tax on natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania. While there was no clear consensus among the legislators on the exact terms of the...
State Senator Vincent Hughes Announces Legislation to Tax Natural Gas Drilling, Fund Public Education and Other Critical Programs
Philadelphia – March 27th, 2014 – At a news conference today, Senator Hughes announced his support for new legislation that would impose a severance tax on natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania at a 5 percent rate. The new levy, which will...
Senate Democrats Unveil Pension Reform Proposal to Save Billions for Taxpayers
HARRISBURG, March 12, 2014 – State Senate Democrats today said they would save Pennsylvania taxpayers billions of dollars and solve the state’s pension problem if their proposal to further reform pension rules, refinance billions and help school districts avoid...
Senate, House Democrats Question Corbett Budget Assertions, Unveil Fact Check Website
Harrisburg – February 20, 2014 – Senate and House Democrats said today that Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget speech and follow up opinion pieces and interviews have painted a picture of Pennsylvania that is blurry, inaccurate and badly in need of correction. Senate...
Senate Democrats Deride Gov’s Budget as Election-Year Pandering
Harrisburg, February 4, 2014 – Senate Democratic leaders today called Gov. Tom Corbett’s 2014-15 budget proposal election-year pandering and woefully lacking on multiple levels. “The governor really needs to stop promising and start delivering for Pennsylvania.”...
Senate Democrats Detail Budget Priorities, Highlight Corbett Budget Failures
Philadelphia, Jan. 30, 2014 – Senate Democrats gathered in communities across Pennsylvania yesterday to challenge Gov. Tom Corbett to produce a spending plan that is aligned with the needs of the Pennsylvania.
Senator Vincent Hughes Hails Decision to Find Voter ID Law Unconstitutional
Philadelphia – January 17th, 2014 – Today, Senator Vincent Hughes released the following statement on the decision by Judge Benard McGinley of Commonwealth Court finding that Pennsylvania’s Voter ID law is unconstitutional: “This decision is a tremendous victory for...
Senator Hughes calls for another “Healthy PA” hearing in Philadelphia
January 6th, 2014 Secretary Beverly Mackereth Department of Public Welfare P.O. BOX 2675 Harrisburg, PA 17105 Dear Secretary Mackereth, We were pleased to hear that nearly 300 people had signed up to participate in the Department of Public Welfare’s two hearings on...
For PA’s Minimum Wage Workers, Christmas Unaffordable, Tartaglione, Hughes Say
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 17, 2013 – With thousands of Pennsylvanians buying the most popular Christmas gifts and planning family get-togethers by plane, train and automobile, state Sens. Christine M. Tartaglione and Vincent Hughes today said too many people will not be able...
Senate Democrats Outline Billion Dollar Budget Savings and Revenue Plan
Harrisburg – Dec. 10, 2013 – In advance of the governor’s planned mid-year budget briefing, state Senate Democrats today announced details of a plan to generate more than $1 billion in budget savings and revenues they say can be used to make key investments, avoid...
Senator Hughes: Expanding Traditional Medicaid is the Best Way to Provide Insurance to Low-Income Individuals in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG – December 6th, 2013 – Senator Vincent Hughes issued the following statement on the need for Pennsylvania to expand Medicaid: “Gov. Tom Corbett has begun to offer more details about his proposal to expand health-care coverage for low-income individuals...
Senator Hughes Votes for Funding for Critical Transportation Needs, Calls It Major Job Creation Initiative
HARRISBURG – November 20, 2013 – Senator Vincent Hughes issued the following statement on the passage of House Bill 1060: “I am pleased today that the Pennsylvania Senate passed a major transportation funding package and has now sent that amended bill to members of...
Senate Democrats Announce Legislative Plan for Veterans
Harrisburg – November 19, 2013 – At a Capitol news conference today, Senate Democrats outlined a comprehensive package of legislation designed to help veterans and their families deal with issues as they return to civilian life from military service. According to...
Senate Democrats Cite New IFO Report as Evidence of Corbett Leadership Failure
Democratic Leaders Outline Specific Revenue Initiatives Harrisburg – November 15, 2013 – On the heels of the Independent Fiscal Office’s (IFO) release of its budget outlook report suggesting that Pennsylvania is facing a structural deficit of $839 million next year,...