Dear John,

I had a great time getting to meet the wonderful students, teachers and staff members at Wyoming Area Catholic in Luzerne County during National Catholic Schools Week.

This year's theme was, "Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community" and I was invited by Principal Eileen Rishcoff to talk to the students about life as a congressman.

After getting to meet with students in kindergarten, and the first and second grades, we had a fantastic assembly where students asked me some very thoughtful questions.

One question that was simple, yet deeply moving was, "Why did you want to become a congressman?" Truth be told, the first thing that came to my mind was, "to help the people of northeast Pennsylvania."

You know as well as I do that we have some of the most kindhearted, hardworking people in the world living right here in NEPA who deserve the opportunity for a fair shake in life.

That's why I remain committed to helping the people of NEPA by strengthening the middle class, creating jobs, ensuring quality health care, protecting seniors, and supporting veterans and military families, because I truly care about the people in our communities.

If you ask me, my favorite parts about NEPA are the people that live here, the communities that we have built and the many stories of our region's rich history that we get to share.

They are some of the many reasons I love being your representative in Congress. I truly cherish the time throughout the year that I get to spend meeting the good people of NEPA and I will continue to fight for you in Washington.

I hope you enjoy getting to read my memos where I reflect on our journey together. I thank you for being here, and for being the most important part.

While in Wayne County, I had the honor of speaking at the America250PA event at the Hawley Silk Mill to announce the dedication of one of seven permanent bronze bells across Pennsylvania to commemorate our nation's upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026.

The Hawley Silk Mill, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was selected to honor early settlers and immigrants, particularly women, whose entrepreneurial spirit played a crucial role in shaping our nation during the Industrial Revolution.

A special thanks to Justin Genzlinger and the Genzlinger family, whose generous support and steadfast dedication to the Hawley Silk Mill has been vital to preserving this truly beautiful landmark.

We are very grateful to Cassandra Coleman, Executive Director of America250PA, and Governor Josh Shapiro, for choosing the Hawley Silk Mill and bringing awareness to the under-told story of the women and children of Wayne County that worked in the mill during the Industrial Revolution.

Mark your calendars and keep an ear open this Fall, when Hawley will become home to one of these beautiful Semiquincentennial Bells!

Learn more about America250PA here.

As a proud member of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, I stood in support of Ukraine with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to commemorate the upcoming February 24 two-year anniversary of Putin's invasion and the beginning of the Russian war in Ukraine.

This Caucus, chaired by and composed of both Democrats and Republicans, has actively worked to build strong relations between the United States and Ukraine since 1997.

The United Nations reports that more than 6.3 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded globally since the start of the war in 2022.

In 2024, supporting our allies in Ukraine has never been more important. I want you to know that in Congress I will continue to advocate for our allies and vote 'Yes' on sensible aid for Ukraine.

Democrats and Republicans agree - we must take meaningful steps to address our nationwide teacher shortage.

That's why I'm proud to have introduced the Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act alongside my Republican colleague Congressman Zach Nunn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

Research shows that a good teacher matters more to student achievement than any other school-related factor, and our nation's students deserve the best education possible.

This bill will help us train our teachers to be more effective and produce more capable, smarter students.

Learn more here.

 The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) at Temple University's Beasley School of Law provides free legal representation to qualifying taxpayers, including residents of NEPA, with federal tax issues.

The LITC's mission is to assist low-income and non-English speaking taxpayers through representation, education and advocacy.

Students and attorneys at the LITC represent low income taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Tax Court in audits, appeals, collections and federal tax litigation.

This free representation for eligible taxpayers also includes assistance with liens and levies, innocent spouse and injured spouse, litigation in tax court and district court, identity theft and preparer fraud, and worker misclassification.

To learn more about Temple University's LITC, or to see if you qualify, click here.

Please note that the LITC does not prepare tax returns or applications. If you need these services, you can visit the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs to check for eligibility and local locations closest to you.

IRS Free File also lets taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less prepare and file federal income tax returns online using guided tax preparation software for free.

This year, I want to make sure that everyone in NEPA can easily send me a message about their questions, concerns or just to say hello!

Today, you can text "Matt" to 570-365-5004, my official text message number, so you can stay up to date on how I am fighting for northeast Pennsylvania in Congress.

I will be sending out messages throughout the year to let you know when I am in the district at events near you, like this year's Coffees with Your Congressman, so be sure to stay in the know and send me a text today!

Be safe and well,