CAPITOL ROUNDUP: $5M proposed investment to help people with disabilities find, retain employment
Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed 2025-26 budget calls for an additional $5 million investment in L&I's Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) to assist people with disabilities in finding employment through personalized services such as goal setting and counseling, vocational guidance and job placement.
"At L&I, we're not just raising awareness — we're transforming lives by breaking down barriers for Pennsylvanians with autism and other disabilities," said Jill Moriconi, director of the Commonwealth Technical Institute at HGAC. "Through our work at HGAC, we're creating pathways to independence and meaningful careers where every person is supported and celebrated."
Established in 1959 and operated through OVR, the HGAC campus includes the Commonwealth Technical Institute (CTI), an accredited post-secondary trade and technical school specializing in education for individuals with disabilities. CTI offers three associate degree programs that prepare students for work in medical offices, the culinary arts, and networking technology. CTI also offers five diploma programs for careers in automotive technology, culinary assistant, early childhood education, nurse aide, and welding technology.
The Governor's proposed 2025-26 budget looks to build upon these investments in Pennsylvania's workforce, across multiple sectors.
Annually, more than 50,000 individuals with disabilities receive services through the vocational rehabilitation program and an additional 17,000 students with disabilities utilize OVR's pre-employment transition services that become available to Pennsylvania students with disabilities starting at age 14.
Rep. Meuser co-sponsors legislation to unleash American energy
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, this week co-sponsored the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025 (H.R. 1949) — legislation aimed at cutting bureaucratic red tape and lifting burdensome energy export restrictions imposed by the Biden administration.
Rep. Meuser said under President Biden, the administration halted LNG export approvals, which jeopardized thousands of jobs, threatened U.S. national security, and reversed years of American energy progress. Rep. Meuser said on his first day in office, President Trump lifted these restrictions, reopening global markets for American natural gas and restoring U.S. energy dominance.
Rep. Meuser said H.R. 1949 would depoliticize LNG export decisions by removing the Department of Energy's (DOE) authority over export approvals and placing that responsibility solely with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). He said this reform would ensure that American energy projects are evaluated on their merits rather than stalled by political or partisan agendas.
For Pennsylvania, Rep. Meuser said the stakes are incredibly high. He said the Marcellus Shale region — essential to the state's economy — supports more than 123,000 jobs and contributes over $25 billion to the state's GDP annually. Nationally, Rep. Meuser said the natural gas industry fuels more than 10 million jobs and generates nearly $1.8 trillion in economic activity.
"The Biden Administration's decision to restrict U.S. natural gas exports was a strategic misstep that undermined our economic strength and global leadership," Rep. Meuser said. "President Trump reversed course, putting America back on track as the world's energy powerhouse. LNG exports are essential to maintaining our role as the economic 'arsenal of democracy' — especially in times of global instability. This bill cuts through unnecessary red tape by removing the DOE's export approval authority and ensures projects are evaluated on merit, not politics. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense step toward American energy independence and security."
H.R. 1949 has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee for further consideration.
U.S. senators request full retroactive payments under Social Security Fairness Act
U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and John Cornyn (R-TX) recently sent a letter to Social Security Acting Administrator Leland Dudek requesting that the Social Security Administration (SSA) review agency policy and grant maximum retroactive payments to all protected spouses under the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA).
The SSFA, co-authored by Sen. Collins and co-sponsored by Senators Fetterman, Cassidy, and Cornyn, restores earned Social Security benefits for millions of public employees and their spouses by repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset.
The SSFA also provided for retroactive payments to January 2024.
"Over the past few weeks, several constituents have contacted our offices regarding the retroactivity of their spousal benefits under the Social Security Fairness Act," the Senators wrote. "The law provides for retroactivity to the year the bill was introduced, first being applied to the January 2024 payment. These spouses, including widows and widowers, have shared with me that when they contacted the Social Security Administration years ago inquiring into spousal benefits, they were told by SSA employees that their spousal benefits would be reduced to $0 due to the Government Pension Offset; and therefore, there was no need to file an application for spousal benefits. Now, these same spouses are being told to file a claim for spousal benefits yet are only being granted a maximum of six months retroactivity from their most recent date of contact with the SSA."
Nationally, since implementing automated benefit adjustments under the SSFA, SSA has paid more than 2.2 million beneficiaries a total of $14.6 billion in retroactive benefits.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
28 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Why the surprise over Scots' reaction to Trump? Respect must be earned
Re: Mary Anna Mancuso's Aug. 1 op-ed, 'Scotland's protests should concern every American.' Why is she surprised by the Scots' reaction to President Trump's visit? What does she expect? Respectfully disagreeing with Trump gets one libeled on his online platform. Continuing to disagree gets one taken to court (and paying for that may require filing for bankruptcy). If one continues to strongly disagree, then threats of bodily harm against one and one's family begin. And when one is physically assaulted, Trump and his people laugh! The Scots are only giving Trump what he gave them: insults. His Scottish neighbors protested how he ran roughshod over the environment surrounding his golf courses, his attempts to stop energy-producing windmills from spoiling his view and his superior attitude toward them. They actually have to live with the results of his schemes. To get respect, one has to earn it. Threatening everyone who refuses to bow down to you won't earn you any respect. Corey Mass, Miami Beach Senate's carelessness In early 1972, I accepted an appointment by then-U.S. Sen. Edward J. Gurney of Florida to serve as an attorney to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. I traveled to Washington with aspirations of improving the federal judicial system. Then Watergate broke out. During the next two years, while assisting Gurney, who served on the Judiciary and Watergate Committees, I had a worm's eye view of the tumult, including revelations great and terrible. I witnessed young men of great promise and ability go to jail, but I also watched the testimony of Elliott Richardson and Bill Ruckleshouse, who resigned office rather than carry out an order they deemed wrong (if not legally, then morally). It made me realize that principles matter and that our government requires constant loyalty to the Constitution and the rule of law. Today, I see many parallels to the Watergate years, particularly when young lawyers disregard ethical considerations to further political ends, as by counseling defiance of court orders. Yet one distinction glares: during Watergate, the Senate joined the courts in investigating wrongdoing. I have every confidence today's courts will suffice under the doctrine of separation of powers, as federal judges are demonstrating daily, regardless who appointed them. I also have confidence that our military will withstand attempts to politicize it. However, it surely would help if the Senate were as concerned with the Constitution and the usurpation of their powers as they are with just getting reelected. R. Thomas Farrar, Miami Multiple articles have been published about the horrific boating accident last week on Biscayne Bay. Many of them referred to which boat had the 'right of way.' This terminology is misleading. On water, no boat has the 'right of way.' There is the 'give-way vessel,' which must take action to avoid a collision, or yield the right of way. There also is the stand-on vessel, which is supposed to maintain course. However, if it appears that the give-way vessel is not taking appropriate or adequate action to avoid a collision, the stand-on vessel then has the responsibility to maneuver to avoid a collision. While this might seem like semantics, it is important for all individuals operating a boat to know and understand. As has been mentioned in several articles, the determination of the give-way vessel and stand-on vessel varies based on many situations. Boating is a wonderful activity. Over the past few years, there have been many new recreational boat owners on our South Florida waters. Hopefully, they have been thoroughly educated in boating safety and operation and take care to avoid accidents. None of this will bring comfort to the victims and families of the recent tragedy, but education and knowledge will hopefully prevent future incidents. Seth Rosen, Pinecrest As a former high school social studies teacher, I would have to give Gov. Ron DeSantis a failing grade in American history and an A+ in making it up as he goes along. His 'civics excellence' program for Florida teachers is full of flat out lies, delusions, distortions and derangements, which fit very well within the core curriculum of his role model in the White House. Reconstructing the past to fit a delirious present is a slippery slope and depends on the assumption that Floridians are as ignorant as their chief executive. If that is the case, Florida has much larger problems than its residents can possibly comprehend. A search and destroy mission against the truth will have major unintended consequences. Undermining democracy requires the proper combination of fake news and fake history. Good luck with that recipe, Chef Ron. Craig Corsini, San Rafael, CA Last week's departure of ABC from WPLG Channel 10, after seven decades of affiliation, is quite alarming. I am old enough to remember when there was no ABC, but a Blue Network which was part of NBC, before breaking off into two networks. Apparently, Disney, which now owns ABC, offered less programming and higher fees, according to WPLG, hence their breakup. I also remember Disney when it was just happy producing films, then theme parks and now controlling Paramount and a broadcast network. Maybe Mickey is getting too big for his britches. Roger Shatanoff, Coral Gables In the Aug. 1 op-ed, 'Red states lead the charge to healthier living,' a Heritage Foundation analyst asserts that Florida's fluoride ban is an example of states' political and cultural realignments that will 'begin to change the health trajectory for their constituents.' True, but not in a good way. Why would anyone desire a political legacy that includes rotting kids' teeth? Bob Ross, Pinecrest As a high school senior who actively rides the Metrorail, I've been following the Miami Herald's recent stories on the impact of construction delays on local traffic. According to a July 7 report, the Future-Ready Modernization in Action plan to expand Miami International Airport will result in a 20 million passenger increase by 2040. Even though 2,240 additional parking spaces are planned to accommodate this growth, it's unclear that our roads can absorb the increase in rental cars, taxis and Ubers. Projects like the Signature Bridge will increase highway capacity; however, the completion date has been delayed by two years. Short-term solutions should be made available to daily commuters. We should use something like Miami-Dade's 'Better Bus Plan.' I took Metrorail to school using this six-week, fare-free promotion. It was clean, efficient and reduced my commute. Charles Holleman, Miami The detention center dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' hosted by Gov. Ron DeSantis, President Trump and their own military with cult followers, mirrors what Argentina experienced during its period of dictatorship. That regime's detention center/prison held in isolation those it snatched from daily life, then deported them. Without human rights, legal process or outside communication, detainees were drugged, abused and tortured. Pregnant women were allowed to live until after giving birth. In some cases, their babies were given to military officers' families wanting a child. View some of the documentaries about Argentina's 'Dirty War' to understand our own political unrest. Our political climate is repeating this history. Are U.S. citizens so blinded with loyalty to this type of leadership, or lack thereof, not to realize the destruction to our Constitution? It's time to take back control of public education, fact-based news and publications and the judicial system. Reel in religious institutions that spew hate and white supremacy in preaching while enjoying a tax-free platform. Jail the real criminals. Kimberly Cole, Kendall
Boston Globe
28 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Immigrant police officers have made our communities stronger
Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up NYPD pallbearers carry the casket of slain NYPD officer Didarul Islam during his funeral at Parkchester Jame Masjid on July 31, 2025 in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx borough in New York City. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Advertisement Generations of immigrants have embraced that mission. As Chuck Wexler, head of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based think tank, That melting pot mentality has also been good for law enforcement. As Wexler also noted, 'Officer Islam is part of a long history of immigrants improving American communities through policing.' Advertisement In policing, diversity is not a curse; it is a positive force. For example, More recently, Wexler's post cites other examples in police departments around the country where immigrants contribute greatly to the communities they serve. Some, like Islam, died in the line of duty. When tragedy strikes, the police officer is a hero. Their country of origin is important only because it shows the starting point of an officer's life and how much they were willing to risk in service to their new country — everything. We live in a time of great suspicion and hostility toward immigrants in every walk of life. Police are on the frontlines, caught between the actions of masked federal agents who snatch people off the streets and the communities whose trust they need in order to do their job. Advertisement Police, he said, are totally supportive of a focus on violent offenders who are here illegally — however, trust with immigrant communities is threatened when you arrest those who have been working here for 20 years, at a wide range of jobs that make them an integral part of their cities and towns. With that comes concern people will be afraid to come forward to either report crime or serve as witnesses. Today's domestic violence incident could be tomorrow's homicide. Wexler believes it is the job of Congress to come up with a solution. 'Instead of comprehensive immigration reform, it has been left to ICE and police to do what Congress isn't able to do,' he told me. Police should not be feared by immigrants who have committed no crime other than coming to this country. Nor should it take the death of a police officer for people to value the promise of immigrants who come here seeking a better life, like Islam and his family. But it does. Advertisement We should never forget that we are a country of proud immigrants — some of whom, like Islam, die in service to that country. Thousands of members of the NYPD and other law enforcement agencies attended the funeral of Officer Didarul Islam on July 31, 2025, who was killed during a mass shooting while working a private security detail assignment in midtown Manhattan. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Joan Vennochi is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
San Francisco Chronicle
28 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Texas dispute highlights nation's long history of partisan gerrymandering. Is it legal?
When Democratic lawmakers fled Texas to try to prevent the Republican-led Legislature from redrawing the state's congressional districts, it marked the latest episode in a long national history of gerrymandering. The word 'gerrymander" was coined in America more than 200 years ago as an unflattering means of describing political manipulation in legislative map-making. The word has stood the test of time, in part, because American politics has remained fiercely competitive. Who is responsible for gerrymandering? In many states, like Texas, the state legislature is responsible for drawing congressional districts, subject to the approval or veto of the governor. District maps must be redrawn every 10 years, after each census, to balance the population in districts. But in some states, nothing prevents legislatures from conducting redistricting more often. In an effort to limit gerrymandering, some states have entrusted redistricting to special commissions composed of citizens or bipartisan panels of politicians. Democratic officials in some states with commissions are now talking of trying to sidestep them to counter Republican redistricting in Texas. How does a gerrymander work? If a political party controls both the legislature and governor's office — or has such a large legislative majority that it can override vetoes — it can effectively draw districts to its advantage. One common method of gerrymandering is for a majority party to draw maps that pack voters who support the opposing party into a few districts, thus allowing the majority party to win a greater number of surrounding districts. Another common method is for the majority party to dilute the power of an opposing party's voters by spreading them among multiple districts. Why is it called gerrymandering? The term dates to 1812, when Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a bill redrawing state Senate districts to benefit the Democratic-Republican Party. Some thought an oddly shaped district looked like a salamander. A newspaper illustration dubbed it 'The Gerry-mander' — a term that later came to describe any district drawn for political advantage. Gerry lost re-election as governor in 1812 but won election that same year as vice president with President James Madison. Is political gerrymandering illegal? Not under the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court, in a 2019 case originating from North Carolina, ruled that federal courts have no authority to decide whether partisan gerrymandering goes too far. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote: 'The Constitution supplies no objective measure for assessing whether a districting map treats a political party fairly.' The Supreme Court noted that partisan gerrymandering claims could continue to be decided in state courts under their own constitutions and laws. But some state courts, including North Carolina's highest court, have ruled that they also have no authority to decide partisan gerrymandering claims. Are there any limits on redistricting? Yes. Though it's difficult to challenge legislative districts on political grounds, the Supreme Court has upheld challenges on racial grounds. In a 2023 case from Alabama, the high court said the congressional districts drawn by the state's Republican-led Legislature likely violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting the voting strength of Black residents. The court let a similar claim proceed in Louisiana. Both states subsequently redrew their districts. What does data show about gerrymandering? Statisticians and political scientists have developed a variety of ways to try to quantify the partisan advantage that may be attributable to gerrymandering. Republicans, who control redistricting in more states than Democrats, used the 2010 census data to create a strong gerrymander. An Associated Press analysis of that decade's redistricting found that Republicans enjoyed a greater political advantage in more states than either party had in the past 50 years. But Democrats responded to match Republican gerrymandering after the 2020 census. The adoption of redistricting commissions also limited gerrymandering in some states. An AP analysis of the 2022 elections — the first under new maps — found that Republicans won just one more U.S. House seat than would have been expected based on the average share of the vote they received nationwide. That was one of the most politically balanced outcomes in years.
