Version del boletin en español aqui. Dear John,
It’s been a busy time in our district over the past few weeks — so much so that I couldn’t fit all of my activities into last week’s newsletter. I want to make sure you see all the exciting progress in our community, so this week I’ll report a bit more on my visits, celebrate one of our happy constituents, invite you to a passport event, and share information about the upcoming inauguration. |
In Kennett Square, I was honored to be one of the panelists at a Q&A session on veterans' mental health sponsored by the Kennett Library. It was a great opportunity to listen, learn, and discuss veteran care with community members. My fellow panelists were specialists in areas that support our veterans through physical, mental, and emotional programs. Thank you to the Coatesville VA Medical Center, The Center KSQ, Veterans and College Athletes Together (VCAT), and Sculpt Your Life with Jessica Lewis, CPT, CNC for the rich and insightful conversations. Special thanks to the Kennett Library for hosting this important conversation and consistently looking for new ways to make the library a space for all members of our community. |
On a sunny day in West Chester, I got to see more of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act at work in our community! A key component of this landmark legislation is the removal of lead pipes. We now know that lead pipes used for drinking water are harmful but getting them out of the ground and replacing them with non-toxic pipes has been difficult. Thanks to funding from the IIJA and work from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and local partners, lead pipes will be removed across the country. We watched a crew remove a lead service line and replace it with a brand new, lead-free one in the front yard of a West Chester resident. As an engineer and former chemistry teacher, this really spoke to my inner geek, and it was fascinating to get up close and watch the replacement process! I’m very proud to have supported the IIJA and delivered safe, clean water to families. I will continue working with the EPA and our community partners to ensure every household can access safe drinking water. |
I also had the opportunity to visit not one but two chocolate companies in our community. Don’t I have the best job?! Neuchatel Chocolates in Oxford has been serving our community and driving innovation in the chocolate business for over four decades. I got to taste-test new holiday treats and watched the process of coating Herr’s potato chips with chocolate. It’s an impressive operation. Next, I visited R.M. Palmer Chocolates, where I received an update about their recovery following last year's tragic explosion. I had the chance to talk with long-time employees about my Aldyl A Hazard Reduction and Community Safety Act, which creates rules and standards to help prevent future piping-related factory explosions. The PUC recently closed its public comment time on October 7 related to accelerating the replacement of problem pipes, and I am pleased to see some progress being made here. |
Lastly, I visited Olivet Boys & Girls Club in Reading! I started by walking with students from 16th and Haak Elementary to the club, then hosted a mini-town hall with a brief presentation about my work in Congress. The Olivet Boys & Girls Club has been serving children and families in our community for over 100 years! I loved having the time and opportunity to connect with our young community members, tell them about the life of a Congresswoman, and get them excited about government. |
How We Help Our Community |
After a driver with the USPS damaged her fence and she was having trouble getting them to fix it, Susan from West Chester called us for help. We were able to get the USPS to expedite her request and send her a check for repairs. If you need help with a federal agency, please contact us for help here or call our office at (202)-225-4315. |
You’re Invited to a Special Passport Event |
On Wednesday, November 13, we’re hosting a special passport acceptance event at Avon Grove Library with officials from the Department of State. If you need assistance in the passport application process, sign up here while spots are available! |
Looking for tickets to the 2025 Presidential Inauguration? |
Election day is November 5! Thank you for voting! The inauguration of the next President will occur on Monday, January 20. Many of you have contacted my office for tickets or more information. We won’t know how many tickets each Congressional office gets until January but if you’d like to go, please let us know. Assuming we have more requests for tickets than tickets to give out, we will randomly select people from our community to receive them. If you are interested in attending the inauguration, please visit my inauguration page here. |
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
Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for my newsletter here.
Please note that replying to this email will not direct your message to the right place. To contact the Office of Representative Houlahan, please click here. |
|
