Recently, I had the pleasure of hosting two town halls – one in person and one over the phone! 

First, we discussed current economic conditions at our State of the Economy Telephone Town Hall. I hosted Dr. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics in West Chester, to talk about the factors influencing our economy including those that are top of mind for most of us: inflation, student loans, and housing. It is so important to have these conversations as a community, and I appreciate everyone who asked a question or just listened in.  

If you weren’t able to join us, you can find our conversation here.  

I also hosted an in-person town hall on civic engagement. We had special guests from the U.S Capitol Hill Historical Society, Chester County Intermediate Unit, and the Bipartisan Policy Center. We discussed resources to encourage civic participation such as the 'We the People' Hub.  

I was also extremely honored to receive an award – the Legislative Action Award – for my continued commitment to bipartisanship from the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Executive Director, Laura Hall. Only six Members, three Democrats and three Republicans, in the entire Congress received this award, and I could not be prouder of my team for their daily commitment to working across the aisle.  

Read more about the Legislative Action Award here, and listen to our full conversation here!  

I visited Delaware County Community College’s Downingtown Campus to discuss the far-reaching impact of the CHIPS and Science Act with local high school and college students. I toured the Downingtown campus STEM Wing, a 16,000-square-foot facility that includes state-of-the-art biology, chemistry, and earth and space science laboratories. 

Working together, President Biden, and my colleagues and I in Congress, passed the CHIPS and Science Act to reignite manufacturing in America — and it’s working. Through this generational investment, we are building the resilient, STEM-focused workforce we need to strengthen our economic and national security. Funding for STEM education supports good-paying jobs for these local students and increases domestic manufacturing of critically needed semiconductor chips – that means lower prices at the car dealership, on your phone bill, and more. Read all about the event here. 

Recently, I met with an inspiring group of young women from the Reading area. Many of them are first generation Americans and the first in their families to attend college! They shared their stories with me about their career pathways and how each of them is helping to make our community grow and thrive through their work as teachers, engineers, and business professionals. I’m so thankful for their bravery and their service to our community! 

As an entrepreneur, I know the challenges our local small businesses face when it comes to competing in our economy. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I brought together Hispanic business owners in Phoenixville! I met with owners from Magic Memories (our host), Palermo’s Pizza, Liberty Pizza, and Café com Leite, a Brazilian coffee shop. We had a candid roundtable discussion (right in the Magic Memories childcare room!) with Phoenixville Mayor Peter Urscheler on ways to support small businesses and work together to succeed. 

As you explore our wonderful community, be sure to check out these and other terrific small businesses. 

In Honey Brook, I visited a newly conserved outdoor recreational space in our district. One of the reasons so many families and businesses put down roots in southeastern Pennsylvania is because of our beautiful open spaces, and I’m proud to help preserve and expand them through federal grants. Officials from the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Recreation joined us to celebrate and share more about their efforts to provide recreational spaces while conserving wildlife habitat and protecting drinking water supplies. 

That’s not all! I also held a Black Leaders Roundtable in West Chester, toured PECO’s emergency services office, visited Penn State Berks engineering center, and so much more. 

Since my last e-newsletter, I know we were all relieved to hear of Cavalcante’s capture. I want to thank all law enforcement, especially the PA State Police, the U.S. Marshals, and the FBI, and all other first responders who worked tirelessly to protect and secure our area. This incident demonstrated not only how important law enforcement is to our shared public safety, but also how essential the collaboration of businesses like Longwood Gardens, schools, and neighbors in times of crisis. For more on this, click here. 

Lastly, we have a BIG announcement we will be sharing in the coming days about a huge milestone our office reached. Stay tuned for more! 

Serving as our community's representative is the honor of my lifetime, and I hope to hear from you soon about any issue that concerns you. 

As always, please contact my office if you need assistance. 

Be well and see you soon! 

Chrissy Houlahan 

U.S. Member of Congress