Dear John,

On Tuesday evening during the State of the Union Address, President Biden delivered a message of unity and progress that really hit home. 

This year's address highlighted the remarkable bipartisan successes of the past two years.

We have seen jobs created and significant investments in infrastructure and manufacturing and the reduction of prescription drug costs. Congress worked together to pass a record number of bipartisan bills like The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which allocated a historic $66 billion to reestablish America's rail lines. 

Chris Barrett, president and CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau, joined me in Washington as my guest. I enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with him and discuss the future of rail in our region.  

Chris has been a vocal supporter of my efforts to restore passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City. Amtrak's analysis estimates that the corridor will see 450,000 riders a year and generate $87 million for the local economy annually. 

While we celebrate these enormous achievements, we know there's still work to be done. Looking ahead, I am committed to building on the success of the past two years and continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for the good of the American people. 

You can read my full statement about this year's State of the Union here. 

Every child deserves the opportunity to pursue the American dream, and that starts with a high-quality early childhood experience.

That's why I signed on as a cosponsor of the Child Care for Every Community Act.

This legislation ensures universal access to high-quality, affordable child care and early childhood education for every American family regardless of their zip code or socioeconomic status. It caps child care costs for all families, invests in child care workers and provides children with essential social-emotional developmental services.

I have long been a supporter of early childhood education, and I've helped secure millions of dollars in federal funding for Northeastern Pennsylvania Head Start programs. 

When we invest in our youngest citizens, we are investing in and securing the future of our region and nation. 

As we look forward to warmer days and plan our summer vacations, now is a great time to check your passport expiration dates and the travel document requirements for your destination. 

It's only February, but the State Department is already seeing an increase in applications, resulting in longer processing times for passports. 

The turnaround time for routine passport processing is 8 to 11 weeks, and you can expect expedited processing to take 5 to 7 weeks. You should also note that these processing times do not include mail delivery service estimates. 

Remember, some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board your flight if this requirement is not met. Passports are valid for ten years for adults and five years for children. 

You can learn more from the State Department here. 

There was a great response to the question I posed on my Facebook page on National Pizza Day asking your favorite place to get a cut or a slice of pizza in our congressional district. I'm sure those recommendations will be put to good use with the Super Bowl coming up this weekend.

Be safe and well,