REPUBLICAN SPENDING BILL NOW IN THE SENATE 

With the headlines focused on conflict with Iran, it’s important to remember what else is happening on a national level right now. The Republican budget bill is working its way through the Senate, and all signs point to their version being even more draconian and dangerous than the House bill, which I voted against. This bill explodes our already large national debt and forces the middle class to pay more while the wealthiest get tax cuts. Even Fox News is reporting that most Americans oppose the Republican budget bill because it will eliminate critical health care services, hurt veterans, working class families and individuals, slash rural access to health care and close hospitals, and force senior citizens out of nursing homes. I support the elimination of waste, fraud and abuse but this is not that. It will likely return to the House for another vote, and unless substantial changes are made to it to protect Medicare and Medicaid, veterans, reproductive health care and Social Security, I will again not support it.  

Because the Republicans are in charge of the House, the Senate and the White House, it has been challenging to bring meaningful legislation to the floor for a vote. Despite that, there are many ways Representatives can serve and support their constituents. 

A TALE OF TWO POST OFFICES 

In July 2024, a fire broke out inside the Airport Road post office in West Chester. The building has been closed since then and mail services have been compromised across the region with much of the work shifting to the understaffed Gay Street location in downtown West Chester. 

And in August of last year, the post office on N. 5th St. in downtown Reading suffered flooding during a storm. This post office, too, was shuttered and has sat empty ever since. 
 
For months, constituents from across PA-06 have called and written to my office asking for updates. What is happening with the buildings? Is restoration underway? When can we expect normal mail service to resume? My team and I have reached out to the Postmaster General and our regional contacts, left voice messages, sent numerous emails--and still these critical post offices in our community are empty and out of service. 

 
Last week, we decided we’d had enough. We rolled up our sleeves and got to work. 

In West Chester, the facility looked abandoned with boards over windows, dirty yellow police tape stuck in fences, and overgrown shrubbery and grass everywhere. There were weedy vines that were, no kidding, taller than me.

We mowed. We weeded. We swept and corralled the mess, filling more than a dozen bags of yard waste and uncovering a fire hydrant immersed in grass at the edge of the property.  Another two or three bags of trash held the insulation, broken glass and garbage left behind on the night of the fire. And while the Airport Road post office is still closed--and I’m STILL pushing for answers, a plan, or a timeline from USPS--at least for a little while our neighbors will not have to look at an overgrown mess every time they drive by. 

We also visited the post office in Reading, expecting that we might have some work to do there too. I was happy to discover that the grounds are well-maintained and it is clear that the City of Reading is actively taking care of the physical plant. There are materials on site to repair the roof, and contractors are at work. So happy to see the progress and activity here! 

While we did not leave with an official reopening date for the North 5th Street post office, I did leave encouraged by the progress. I will continue to check in to make sure things stay on track, and I hope that you will reach out with concerns as they arise. Likewise, I will keep pushing the Postmaster General and the USPS team to get answers about the Airport Road facility. 

SHOWCASING BIOTECHNOLOGY IN PA-06 

Also last week, I had the honor of hosting the bipartisan and bicameral National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) for a field hearing. Congress created the NSCEB in 2022 to assess U.S. competitiveness in biotechnology, review China’s heavy investment in this area, and make recommendations for U.S. policymakers to strengthen the domestic bio-economy. The Commission released its comprehensive report in April and is meeting with leaders in the biotech space across the country. I was honored to be able to host them as one of their first stops and to highlight the robust biotech ecosystem we have in our community. 

NSCEB Commissioners Paul Arcangeli and Dr. Angela Belcher joined me at the Technical College High School in Phoenixville. We had a robust discussion with local industry, health care, and academic leaders on current issues impacting biotechnology, including the future of biomanufacturing, workforce development, and ongoing global economic competition. We were joined at the field hearing by more than two dozen companies and organizations, including Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, Johnson & Johnson, Life Sciences Pennsylvania, Progenra, PROPEL Tech Hub, VenatoRx Pharmaceuticals, Penn State and West Chester Universities, and LCH Health. 

We then toured Ocugen, a Malvern-based biotech company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel gene therapies to address major blindness diseases. Ocugen is an excellent example of the many biotechnology companies in our community, sometimes called “Cellicon Valley” for the many advances being made in medical, pharmaceutical, defense and commercial biotech applications. 

The feedback from the visit was very positive:  

“Pennsylvania can serve as a blueprint for developing a strong biomanufacturing base, and the opportunities for continued growth are significant,” said Commissioner Paul Arcangeli. “This community is poised to capitalize on the NSCEB’s recommendations, especially around educating the future bio-workforce and expanding workforce training opportunities.” 

“The future of our biotech workforce depends on developing a solid foundation for educational programs to thrive at all levels,” said Commissioner Dr. Angela Belcher. “The innovative work being done here in Pennsylvania is a great example of how a well-supported ecosystem can strengthen the future for an entire industry.” 

The NSCEB issued a major report in April that you can read in full here if you’re interested in the collective recommendations made to make sure we are able to keep American institutions and companies at the forefront of the biotechnology revolution.  

I will continue to work with the NSCEB to promote the urgent need for legislative action to support the industry. In fact, this week I announced the formation of the BIOTech Caucus in Congress, a bipartisan group of lawmakers who will focus on ensuring domestic bio-security, driving bio-innovation and unlocking opportunities in biotech, particularly for job growth here and nationally. 

MEN’S HEALTH MONTH 

I hosted a forum last week with a panel of healthcare professionals to mark national Men’s Health Month. Together with Dr. Garbely of Malvern Behavioral Health and Addiction Medicine, Ronan Gannon of LCH, Dr. Benjamin Larson of Main Line Health’s Lankenau Medical Center and Betram Lawson II of YMCA of Greater Brandywine, we explored why men are hesitant to seek medical treatment, the stigmas around male mental health, and ways we can improve health outcomes through empathy. Our panelists and our guests were able to identify tools and opportunities we can all use in our communities to encourage men to get healthy and stay healthy. Thank you to everyone who came to the event! 

JUNETEENTH 

One of the best parts of being your Representative is being invited to participate in special traditions and celebrations. I’m grateful that I was able to attend both the Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony in Reading and a reenactment in West Chester with the NAACP to mark this important date in American history. I am so proud to represent a community through which the Underground Railroad once ran, and whose history is interwoven with the true story of freedom. 

One last thing: You may have heard that a member brought a motion to impeach President Trump to the floor this week. I voted to table the motion and want to explain why. It is very clear from my voting record that I do not believe President Trump should be in office. I have voted multiple times to impeach him. The entire reason I am in Congress is because I firmly believe he should not be president.

But I'm an engineer and I know how to do math. If a motion to impeach had come to the floor for a vote, there was no chance it would pass, given the Republican majority in the House. No chance. 

The math simply does not math.

Our time is better spent pushing back against the Administration's harmful policies and bringing practical solutions to protect you and your families--your security, your healthcare and your wallet. That's why I voted to table the motion until such time that the math is in our favor. 

I look forward to seeing you in the near future. Until then, know that I am in Washington, D.C. fighting every day for you. 

Serving as our community’s representative in Congress is the honor and privilege of my lifetime and I hope you will reach out about the issues you care about. 

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

Chrissy Houlahan

U.S. Member of Congress

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