Dear John,

The September 9th storm that brought 4 inches of rain in just one hour to our region may have come and gone, but the impact is still being felt by many families and businesses in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties.

The multi-organizational collaboration and selfless service that we saw on the day of, and weeks following the storm, have been simply inspiring.

A heartfelt thank you to all of our first responders, EMTs, firefighters, police, emergency workers, PennDOT, PPL and everyone who risked their own safety for the well-being of their neighbors during this devastating disaster.

My office was happy to help those impacted by the storm through providing resource information, guidance and assistance in reporting damages at Community Outreach Events and the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) in Lackwanna County.

Trying times such as these are testaments to our hospitable, compassionate and cooperative character that we are known for in NEPA, and I for one am proud of our community for coming together during such a difficult time.

Saturday, September 23, is the final day of the MARC for those impacted by the storm.

Learn more here.

September is National Recovery Month, and I was proud to recognize the importance of addiction and alcoholism treatment centers at the ribbon cutting of the Fellowship House in Greenridge.

As a treatment center, Fellowship House offers both residential and outpatient treatment services to individuals and families affected by addiction and alcoholism.

Their philosophy is to provide a safe, therapeutic and exceedingly fun environment for patients to find joy in the fellowship of recovery, which will allow for long-term sobriety.

A sincere thank you to CEO/Founder Joe Van Wie and the entire team at the Fellowship House for your dedication to providing support, treatment and hope to those grappling with addiction.

I am proud to report that I am reintroducing the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act alongside Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL-05) and U.S Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).

This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would improve services and educational opportunities for students who are blind, deaf, deafdisabled, or deafblind.

Named for the first deaf student to be formally educated in the U.S. and for Helen Keller’s beloved teacher, the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act would shine a light on the unique educational needs of these students and enhance accountability.

A high-quality education is about opening the doors of opportunity for every child in our nation, including those with hearing and vision disabilities.

That is why I am proud to co-lead this legislative effort to ensure every single student has the chance to reach their full potential in our education system.

Our Scranton district office still has two fall internship positions available for 2023.

A congressional district office is an excellent opportunity to receive first hand experience in fields such as Political Science and Communications - all while making a difference in the lives of our families, friends and neighbors in NEPA.