My team and I are back with our periodic newsletter! I hope you had a great Earth Day last month! I took the time to reflect about the importance of preserving our beautiful planet. Climate change is a serious issue and threatens the very existence of all living things on Earth. I am committed to helping President Biden take decisive action against the climate crisis. Together, we can make sure our children and grandchildren can celebrate Earth Days during their lifetimes.

— Matt

Matt introduced the Veterans Agent Orange Exposure Equity Act
During the Vietnam War, a number of American veterans were exposed to the toxic chemical Agent Orange, which has had negative health effects on their lives. While there are federal relief efforts for veterans, it excludes veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange outside of Vietnam. Matt’s bill expands Agent Orange disability benefits to those veterans who served in nearby countries like Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. Read more here.

Matt endorses President Biden’s American Jobs Plan
This month, President Biden introduced a plan that would rebuild our economy and get people into good-paying jobs. This plan is a good framework to improve American’s crumbling infrastructure, invest in American manufacturing, and bring good paying jobs to Northeast Pennsylvania. The bill also invests money to clean up long abandoned mines, which will help spur the economy even further.

We had a successful “Gratitude for the Guard” Drive
Throughout the months of March and April, Matt organized a thank you card drive to show the gratitude Pennsylvanians feel towards our state’s national guard. Last weekend, Matt visited Hazleton Armory to deliver over 200 thank you cards to members of the Pennsylvania National Guard. The Pennsylvania National Guard has been a helpful resource during the COVID-19 pandemic and this drive was a small way of expressing gratitude for their actions. Read more here.

All Pennsylvanians over the age of 16 are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine
Pennsylvania has officially moved to Phase 2 of its vaccine distribution plan, which means all Pennsylvanians over the age of 16 are eligible to receive a vaccine. We highly encourage everyone to receive a dose of this safe and effective vaccine. Do your part in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and ending this pandemic. You can find more information and a vaccination site near you here.

CNN included Matt in a list of 16 Political “Unicorns”
CNN released a list of members of Congress that represent a district that voted for a different party in the Presidential election. Out of 435 members of Congress, only 16 are part of this list. Matt is getting lots of attention because he won in a district that voted for Trump in the election. We’re getting more and more indications that Republicans are paying attention to our race in 2022. This will be a tough fight, but we’re confident we can win together. Can we count on you to donate to help Matt win re-election in 2022?

Until next time!

— Matt and all of Team Cartwright