DCED analysis: PA secured $5.2B private sector investments, created 9,500 jobs
"Since day one, my administration and I have been laser focused on making Pennsylvania a leader in economic development, job creation, and innovation," said Gov. Josh Shapiro. "From historic investments in site development, to cutting red tape, we're showing the world how we get stuff done — and we'll continue to make bold, strategic investments that create real opportunity for Pennsylvanians."
As part of the Shapiro Administration's work to implement the 10-year Economic Development Strategy, DCED created the BusinessPA team — an experienced group of economic development professionals dedicated to Getting It Done for businesses looking to thrive in Pennsylvania.
"Economic development is a team sport, and the DCED team is committed to partnering with regions across our Commonwealth to make sure Pennsylvania is open for business," said DCED Secretary Rick Siger.
Pennsylvania's appeal to businesses has not gone unnoticed. DCED was recently named a top state economic development group by Business Facilities Magazine. The Commonwealth recently ranked 10th overall in Site Selection Magazine's Governor's Cup — and third among Northeast states. Additionally, BusinessPA was honored with a Deal of the Year — Impact Award from Business Facilities Magazine for its role in GSK's expansion in Lancaster County.
US House passes bill to simplify veterans forms
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, Jr.'s legislation — H.R. 1286, the Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act.
The bipartisan bill, which passed by a vote of 386-1, would simplify forms required by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for veterans and survivors.
Bresnahan, R-Dallas Township, introduced this bill on Feb. 13, 2025, and it passed unanimously out of the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs on May 6. This is the first piece of legislation Bresnahan introduced and is his first legislation to pass the House.
"When our military members return home from serving our country, they are often tasked with filling out dozens of pages of paperwork in order to receive the benefits they've rightfully earned," Bresnahan said. "Veterans and their families should not be subjected to a VA claims process that is more difficult and stressful than necessary, which is why I am incredibly proud to see my legislation, the Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act, pass out of the House this evening.
"Pennsylvania's Eighth Congressional District is home to nearly 40,000 veterans, and I am proud to spearhead this legislation for each and every one of them and their families."
The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) requires veterans and survivors to complete standard forms to initiate and pursue claims for VA benefits, including disability compensation, pension and survivors' benefits.
These forms can often be arduous and difficult to understand for veterans or their survivors, and failure to do correctly fill them out can result in delays in processing their claim, delays in receiving a decision on their claim, or even a denial of their claim.
Bresnahan said he introduced the Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act to simplify the forms process to make VA standard forms more user-friendly.
The legislation would require VA to contract with a nonpartisan, federally funded research entity to conduct a study on, and provide recommendations for, revising VA forms to be more understandable for veterans and their survivors.
Following this study, the VA Secretary would be required to report findings to Congress and implement recommendations.
AG: Congress needs to fund PSAs
Attorney General Dave Sunday this week joined a bipartisan coalition of 38 Attorneys General calling on Congress to pass the Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act — a federal bill that aims to reduce youth drug use through research-based public education and community outreach.
The bill would employ prevention methods proven to be effective in forming public service announcements and initiatives — produced by student peers — aimed at young people when they have first exposure to dangerous substances.
"Protecting children is a core function of the Office of Attorney General, and it is crucial that young people receive this positive messaging at a time when they are most impressionable," Sunday said. "Without a doubt, the best way to solve a problem or crisis is to prevent it from happening. As a father, I am well aware of the challenges and influences facing our children. We must do all we can to equip them with the tools they need to make healthy choices."
The legislation, introduced by U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide targeted federal funding for public service announcements (PSAs), youth-led campaigns, and other outreach tools that help prevent early substance use.
All campaigns funded under the bill must be grounded in evidence, designed for cultural relevance, and adapted to meet the specific needs of local communities.
"This thoughtful and timely legislation represents a critical, evidence-based step toward reducing youth substance use through strategic public education and engagement," write the attorneys general in a letter to Senate leadership.
The Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act would fund a range of efforts to better reach youth with timely, credible and accessible information, including:
—Culturally relevant PSAs tailored specifically to youth.
—Youth-led PSA contests to drive peer-to-peer engagement and creativity.
—Federal grants for outreach across TV, radio, social media, streaming platforms and other media.
—Annual reporting requirements to measure reach and effectiveness, ensuring transparency and accountability.
PUC: Add energy efficiency to 'summer utility checklist'
With summer fast approaching and new default electric generation prices taking effect on June 1, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) this week is urging residents and businesses across the Commonwealth to #SaveInPA by taking proactive steps now to manage their utility bills — with a strong focus on energy efficiency, conservation and understanding supply options.
"As temperatures rise, so do energy costs — especially when demand for air conditioning peaks," said PUC Chairman Steve DeFrank. "Now is the time to review your past energy usage, make smart adjustments at home or work, and explore tools that can help you take control of your summer electricity bills."
—Why now? Understanding June 1 price changes
Every June 1 and Dec. 1, electric distribution companies (EDCs) in Pennsylvania adjust their "Price to Compare" (PTC) — the cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) charged to customers who have not selected a competitive supplier. These prices are based on wholesale market rates and can significantly impact monthly bills.
Note: These changes only affect customers receiving "default service" from their electric utility — that is, those who have not selected a competitive supplier. Customers already shopping with a supplier will continue paying the generation price set by their contract, but they should also be aware of these broader market trends to prepare for potential impacts when their current contract ends.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
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The Hill
8 hours ago
- The Hill
The Democratic Party is missing an opportunity to engage Christian voters
When Josh Shapiro ran for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2022, he was up against Doug Mastriano, an outspoken Christian nationalist who wanted to impose his faith on others. As an evangelical pastor myself, Mastriano and I come from the same religious tradition, but we fundamentally disagree when it comes to how we interpret Christian values. On the other hand, Shapiro and I come from different religious traditions, yet our values align around upholding the common good. My organization worked with Shapiro during his 2022 campaign as he spoke directly to faith voters both within and outside of his own Jewish faith. His message was clear: He wanted to welcome all of God's children into this campaign and promised to fight for them equally as governor. I wholeheartedly believe that this message helped Shapiro win. The theory of change isn't about running on religious ideals. It is about doing outreach differently, which could help many other Democratic candidates win their elections, especially in critical swing states. A new poll from Vote Common Good and Change Research proves that there is an opportunity for Democrats in 2026 and beyond to deepen their connection to voters of faith, including those who voted for Democrats in 2024 and some of those who did not. The generally accepted narrative is that religious voters must vote Republican, but this is not true in practice. Christian voters already make up a sizable bloc for Democrats. In fact, 77 percent of Harris voters either identified as 'born-again' or 'evangelical' Christians, or said that they pray, that religion has some importance to them, that they attend church or that they identify with a religion. In our poll, 80 percent of self-identifying Christian voters say that they are willing to vote for a Democrat, which includes 38 percent of those who said they have only ever voted for Republicans. These are the gettable Christian voters that Democrats should be looking to reach. Nearly 14 percent of Christian voters have low Christian identity, believe churches should stay out of politics and say they vote for Democrats all or most of the time. Another 3 percent of Christian voters split their ticket between Democrats and Republicans. Small hinges open big doors. In a polarized political climate where elections are won in the margin of error, it is time for Democratic candidates and their campaigns to take notice. By moving an additional 2 or 3 percent of Christian voters, Democrats could garner millions of votes and win pivotal races in key battleground states. But the poll clearly shows that there is more possibility beyond attracting 3 percent of Christian voters. Around 30 percent of respondents identify as having medium or low Christian identity, often vote for Republicans, but either aren't sure or don't think that churches should be involved in political matters or favor one candidate over another. These voters are gettable for Democrats with the right outreach. That means speaking directly to religious voters, and letting them know: 'I like you, we need you.' Again, I'm not suggesting that the Democratic Party should change its values or its policies in future election cycles. I'm also not suggesting that the Democratic Party should run religious candidates. I am suggesting that the Democratic Party should reevaluate the degree to which it engages with faith communities. In building profiles of Christians who will vote for Democrats, attitudes of Christian identity and the role of organized religion in politics will be most helpful in separating those who will consider voting for Democrats from those who won't. Don't get me wrong, serious challenges exist for Democrats. Faith voters reported a significant lack of trust in the Democratic Party and a general sentiment that the Democratic Party is unfriendly to faith voters. It will take significant investment and effort to change that. Democrats need to take the opportunities available to them — which Republicans are already doing. Just this week, the IRS decided to allow churches to endorse candidates, leveling a playing field that has been lopsided for decades. For too long, Republican politicians and their allies have spoken freely from pulpits, while too many Democrats and faith leaders held back, worried they would cross an invisible line. This decision removes that roadblock. Shapiro's campaign is a great example of how letting faith voters know that you hear them, see them and even like them, makes a big difference. In my experience, Democratic Party politicians who spend time reaching out to Christian voters see the same positive results of their efforts—the exact same way that it works with other constituencies. In recent years, we've also worked with Reps. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) from California and Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) from Minnesota to help them reach voters of faith. The Republican Party, and especially MAGA Republicans, may want to claim religion as a part of their party's identity, but it is clear that the Trump administration is not one grounded in faith or Christian principles. Voters who do not agree with what they are seeing in U.S. politics right now need to know that there is a place for them in the Democratic Party — for people like me, an Evangelical pastor by trade, who cares about the common good. Much has been written over the past six months about what Democrats need to do in order to win elections in 2026, 2028 and beyond, and I would argue that the answer is clear. To become the majority party again, Democrats cannot ignore America's religious majority — Christian voters. Doug Pagitt is the executive director and one of the founders of Vote Common Good. He is a leading voice for progressive Christianity, as well as an author, pastor and social activist.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
US electricity bills to surge amid PJM grid strain
PJM (Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland) Interconnection, America's largest power grid operator, is grappling with an unprecedented strain on its system. The 2025 summer season could see electricity bills in the 13 states it serves, ranging from Illinois to New Jersey, soar by more than 20%, as reported by Reuters. This comes as the region, which contains the most concentrated cluster of data centres in the US, experiences a surge in energy consumption that outpaces new plant construction. The turmoil within PJM has escalated in 2024/25 following a more than 800% price increase at its annual capacity auction - a cost that ultimately impacts consumer electricity rates. With the recent auction, there are concerns that prices may climb further. The auctions are critical for ensuring adequate power supply during peak demand periods and should ideally encourage new plant development. However, such growth has been slow in PJM's territory due to delays in auctions and pauses in processing applications for new plants. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated: 'We need speed from PJM, we need transparency from PJM and we need to keep consumer costs down with PJM. I think they've taken some steps in that direction which is really encouraging to me, and we're going to continue to work at it.' PJM attributes the supply and demand challenges primarily to external factors beyond its control. These include state energy policies that have led to the premature closure of fossil-fuel power plants, as well as the rapid expansion of data centres in "data center alley" in Northern Virginia and other emerging hubs throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. In the decade since 2016, more than 5.6 net gigawatts of generating capacity have been lost within PJM's network as older plants shut down without sufficient replacements coming online. In contrast, only around 5GW have been added in 2024/25, a figure lower than the additions made by smaller grids such as those in California and Texas. Compounding this issue is an expected increase in demand of 32GW by 2030 due to data centre requirements. PJM spokesman Jeffrey Shields was quoted by Reuters: 'Prices will remain high as long as demand growth is outstripping supply – this is a basic economic policy. Right now, we need every megawatt we can get. New projects totalling about 46GW – enough capacity to power 40 million homes – have been cleared in recent years, 'but are not getting built because of local opposition, supply chain backups or financing issues that have nothing to do with PJM.' In 2022, PJM halted the processing of new applications for power plant connections due to being overwhelmed by more than 2,000 requests from renewable energy projects. Each request necessitated engineering studies before the projects could be connected to the grid. "US electricity bills to surge amid PJM grid strain" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
Majority of Americans call 2025 attacks toward Jewish people 'morally wrong,' survey says
Nearly one in four Americans considered three recent violent incidents against Jewish Americans understandable, according to a new report on the alarming rise of antisemitic viewpoints in the U.S. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) published a new report on Friday, July 11 revealing that while the majority of Americans (60%) largely reject antisemitism, 24% of survey respondents justified three violent attacks that occurred in 2025. The survey assessed more than 1,000 Americans across the nation and various demographics including age, political parties and views on Israel. Respondents were asked about deadly attacks in Washington D.C. and Boulder, Colorado as well as an arson attack at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's residence on April 13. Last month, a 45-year-old man allegedly used a Molotov cocktail to attack members of the Jewish community during a march in Colorado, killing an 82-year-old woman and injuring 14 others. On May 21, a 31-year-old man fatally shot two staff members at the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. Around 22% of respondents said those attacks were not antisemitic, and 14% did not consider them hate crimes, according to the ADL. Around 13% called the attacks 'justified' and 15% agreed that the violence was 'necessary.' The survey also found that the majority of Americans consider the recent attacks on Jewish people 'morally wrong.' 'As the Jewish community is still reeling from recent antisemitic attacks that killed three people, it's unacceptable that one-quarter of Americans find this unspeakable violence understandable or justified — an alarming sign of how antisemitic narratives are accepted by the mainstream,' ADL CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt said in a news release. 34% say Jewish Americans are more loyal to Israel than US Greenblatt said antisemitic hate has continued to increase since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage in Gaza. Since then, more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, according to Reuters, and millions are suffering from acute malnutrition, starvation and illness. 'The torrent of antisemitic hate has continuously increased since Oct. 7, 2023, with Jews being harassed and targeted, blamed and attacked, wounded and killed. The bipartisan majority of the American public must act,' Greenblatt said. The ADL also shared more findings on perspectives toward the Jewish community, including that 34% of survey respondents said they believe Jewish Americans are more loyal to Israel than to the United States. Around 30% of Americans believe Jewish people have too much influence in politics and media, the report states. Meanwhile, the report says one in four Democrats and 23% of Republicans have expressed concerns about antisemitism within their own political ranks. The survey revealed that 27% of recipients said they believe Jewish Americans bear responsibility for the actions of Israel. ADL survey: Other key findings The ADL survey also revealed several other key findings, including that 29% of Americans are favorable toward anti-Israel protesters. However, that favorability decreased with age, from 59% in favor for Gen Z, 29% for millennials and 16% for baby boomers. Other findings include: Islamophobia also spiked since the Oct. 7 attacks Reports of discrimination or violence toward Muslims and Palestinians have peaked to new highs following Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). In March, CAIR reported that Islamophobia in the U.S. continues to be at an all-time high with many discrimination cases going toward 'those speaking out against genocide and apartheid.' 'Speaking out against Israel's policies of apartheid, occupation and genocide came with a price,' CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor said in the report. 'For the first time in our report's nearly 30-year history, complaints reported to us were often the result of viewpoint discrimination rather than religious identity.' During the two months after the Oct. 7 attacks, reported incidents of Islamophobia rose by 300% in the U.S., according to Vision of Humanity. The platform also reported a 270% rise in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. between September 2023 and November 2023, as well as a 200% increase in 2024.
