An Update from Our Community

Dear John,

My time in the military and as a mother has taught me to always be flexible and always be ready. That has come in handy the last two weeks when the House Majority upended the Congressional calendar and cancelled the district work period – time set aside for members to be in their home communities – as they work to nominate a new Speaker of the House. Unfortunately, this means that I couldn’t be home in Pennsylvania like my team and I planned on and that is enormously frustrating. Luckily, my incredible staff were able to attend many community events on my behalf. I'm grateful that technology enabled me to connect with community groups I was looking forward to meeting with as well.

I cannot wait until I am able to connect face to face with residents of Berks and Chester Counties again. In the meantime, here’s a summary of some of the events our team attended and a sampling of my virtual meetings this week:

Spoke with the Rabbi from the Beth Chaim Reform Congregation
Discussed flood relief for Antietam School District with Berks County Intermediate Unit
Connected with PA Department of Transportation on infrastructure improvements
Worked to secure service commendations for our veterans
Celebrated openings and new locations for CCEDC’s Business Resource Center, Alvernia University School of Nursing, and Centro Hispano
Attended a panel on support resources for domestic violence survivors
Learned about an outdoor trail coming to our community

Checking in with Our Community

Beth Chaim Reform Congregation

This week, I spoke with Rabbi Michelle Pearlman of Beth Chaim Reform Congregation in Malvern about Hamas’ attack on Israel and how our Jewish community has been impacted. I reaffirmed my support and will continue to keep our community updated about our efforts in Congress.

Like so many who have reached out to my office, I mourn all innocent lives lost, Israeli and Palestinian alike. I remain committed to finding a lasting peace in the region.

Berks County Intermediate Unit

Next, I connected with Dr. Jill Hackman, Executive Director of Berks County Intermediate Unit to discuss collaborative next steps for the Antietam School District, which did not receive FEMA or PEMA funding to recover from flooding this past summer. It’s encouraging to know that the community is focused on assisting through a variety of methods and we will work with federal, state, and local partners to support their options.

PA Department of Transportation

We are seeing the benefits of the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, signed into law in 2021, in our own community with improvements to Route 322. I connected with the PA Department of Transportation to hear more about these improvements, and I look forward to seeing them strengthen our infrastructure by making our roadways safer and easier to navigate.

Army Board for Corrections of Military Records

Lastly, I had a call with the Army Board for Corrections of Military Records to discuss the backlog of military commendations for veterans. I have heard from several veterans in our community who are disappointed in the board’s response time, so I reached out about ways to address the root causes.

Chester County Economic Development Council’s Business Resource Center

My team was able to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC)’s new Business Resource Center in Coatesville! This new community hub was assisted by federal grant funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that I voted for in the last session of Congress. I’m so glad to see this new development is supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs in our community.

United Against Abuse: Domestic Violence Panel

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. My team attended a panel on domestic violence held at Reading Area Community College hosted by State Sen. Judy Schwank and State Rep. Cepeda-Freytiz, partnered with Safe Berks. The panel provided resources for those impacted by domestic violence and held a question-and-answer session for attendees. Each year, Safe Berks holds the Silent Witness March and Dedication, which is on Monday, October 16 and begins at Safe Berks.

Alvernia University College Towne’s Nursing School Grand Opening

Alvernia University’s John and Karen Arnold School of Nursing is open! My team attended the press conference and spoke on my behalf. This visionary project will provide state of the art learning opportunities for students and help Pennsylvania with the highly trained healthcare workforce we need. The project was funded by a combination of private donors and federal government grants.

I’m proud to have secured $2 million of funding through a Community Project Funding grant and to have supported an additional $3 million through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. I’m looking forward to returning to Alvernia’s CollegeTowne campus to meet with students and see the new facility in action!

Centro Hispano Ribbon-Tying Event

Capping off the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, our team celebrated the grand opening of Centro Hispano’s new location in Reading, The Welcome Center. The new facility provides workforce development resources, health equity education, and parental education services. I’ve proudly supported this organization through federal grant opportunities in the past and will continue to look for ways to help them grow. Congratulations to Centro Hispano and well wishes in their newest expansion!

Berks Nature Angelica Creek Trail Extension Site Visit

Outdoor recreation is important to all of us and it’s exciting to see the expansion of the Angelica Creek Trail in Berks County! My team met with representatives from We Conserve PA and Berks Nature to learn about the trail extension from the City of Reading to Shillington. Partially funded by more than $350,000 in federal ARPA grants, this trail will provide safe pathways and outdoor learning spaces for students from Alvernia University and the Governor Mifflin School District.

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,

U.S. Member of Congress