Dear John,

Northeastern Pennsylvania is home to the hardest workers I know, and I was proud to introduce some of them to U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh on Wednesday. We visited GMS Piling Products, a steel fabrication company in Hanover Township that makes products we’ll use to modernize our infrastructure.

It's important to me that officials from the Biden Administration come talk to real workers and business owners in our area about crafting an infrastructure package that serves them. 

The American Jobs Plan would invest $115 billion in repairing roads and bridges. That means more demand for companies like GMS, but they’ve been struggling to find skilled workers for a while.

Another key to accelerating our economic recovery is to get vaccinated, so that all Americans feel safe returning to work. I took Secretary Walsh to the Kirby Memorial Health Center so he could meet health care workers on the frontlines of the vaccine rollout.

Our national identity is deeply tied to the many freedoms we enjoy and celebrate as Americans. But as we all know, those freedoms are not free. 

Throughout our nation’s history, brave and patriotic individuals have valiantly served their country all over the world. And while many made a safe return to their families and friends, too many did not come home. 

It was my sincere honor to spend Memorial Day weekend at home honoring the nearly 50,000 veterans living in Northeastern Pennsylvania and those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of our great nation.

Left image: Rep. Cartwright speaking at VFW Post 25/City of Scranton Memorial Day Ceremony.

Right image: Rep. Cartwright attends Hawley Memorial Day Parade hosted by American Legion Post 311.

I am humbled to represent so many selfless veterans from our area, and I work every day to make good on my promise to prioritize veterans' needs. I wrote for the Times Leader about how we need to support our veterans after such a difficult year. Read about how I'm taking real action to ensure veterans are not being left behind:

Modern and reliable public transit is critical, especially in a growing city like Hazleton. Hazleton Public Transit has weathered the pandemic – although not without challenges – and its success will be important as our recovery continues and our region's economy really gets moving again.

That's why I was proud to support $19 million in federal funding to build a new bus storage and maintenance facility in Hazleton.

Federal investments in modernizing our public transit infrastructure will boost the local economy and make it easier for hard-working Pennsylvanians to get to work and school safely and on time. On Tuesday, I was honored to join my local colleagues in breaking ground for the new facility. 

This week, we're celebrating the fact that 50% of Pennsylvanians are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19! The vaccines are key to changing the course of the pandemic and getting back to doing the things we love.

If you're unsure, talk to someone you trust like your doctor or a family member so you can make an informed decision about getting your vaccine.

Be safe and well,