At a House Appropriations Committee budget hearing with the Department of Education, Pa. state Rep. Peter Schweyer says the antiquated buildings in the Allentown School District pose health and safety concerns, particularly during the pandemic. Schweyer is asking for the necessary resources to upgrade the school district's infrastructure. Read more
At a House Appropriations Committee budget hearing, Pa. state Rep. Peter Schweyer pushes for vaccine equity, particularly in the Allentown School District, which has unique needs and challenges. Schweyer also calls for additional translations on COVID-19 vaccine materials, saying we aren't adequately reaching large groups of people who speak different languages. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 19 – State Rep. Peter Schweyer is alerting local veterans his monthly support program will resume next month by virtual appointment only due to COVID-19. A representative from the American Legion will be available for virtual appointments at Schweyer’s district office, 1501 Lehigh St., Suite 206. Appointments are available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the third Friday of every month, starting on March 19. The service officer will assist veterans and their families with benefits and services available to them. The representative also will be available to discuss pensions and other compensation, as well as education, health care and death benefits Legion membership is not required; however, anyone interested in speaking with the adviser should schedule a virtual appointment by contacting Schweyer’s office at 610-791-6270. Masks are required and CDC guidelines must be followed during the appointment. Read more
In a budget hearing with the Pa. Department of Corrections, state Rep. Peter Schweyer discusses the challenges facing local prisons due to COVID-19. Schweyer asks Secretary John Wetzel about his efforts to protect inmates and staff, and what the legislature can do to provide any additional resources he needs during this pandemic. Read more
On this episode of Community Conversation, Pa. state Rep. Peter Schweyer sits down with Melinda Stumpf from PPL Electric Utilities to discuss several assistance programs PPL offers to help customers manage their bills during these difficult times. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 3 – State Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, released the following statement regarding the proposals Gov. Tom Wolf unveiled during his 2021-22 budget address today. “The gap between the wealthiest and poorest school districts, the difference in access to health care and economic inequality have always existed and have always been grossly unfair,” Schweyer said. “But those inequities have been exacerbated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We all know this, Governor Wolf included. “I’m tired of waiting for a solution and the people I represent are tired of waiting and hoping that something will happen. I’m tired of watching neighbors and friends struggle to keep the lights on and put food on the table. I’m tired of generational poverty spurred on by underfunded schools and inequitable economic opportunities. “Clearly, Governor Wolf is tired of this as well. It has been said many times that a budget proposal really is a statement of priorities and I’m proud to share Governor Wolf’s priorities here. We must make real, structural changes to help provide people across Pennsylvania an equal opportunity to good schools, family sustaining wages and appropriate health care. “This is only the very beginning of the budget process and as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to take an active role in Read more
The PA House Democratic whip, state Rep. Jordan Harris, D-Phila., today announced that state Reps. Jessica Benham, D-Allegheny; Donna Bullock, D-Phila.; Danilo Burgos, D-Phila.; Morgan Cephas, D-Phila.; Patty Kim, D-Dauphin; Kyle Mullins, D-Lackawanna; Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh; Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester/Montgomery; Pam Snyder, D-Greene/Fayette/Washington; and Jared Solomon, D-Phila., will serve as deputy whips for the 2021-22 legislative session. Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 12 – State Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, today announced his Pennsylvania House committee assignments for the 2021-22 legislative session. “I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on these committees, which cover a wide range of issues, including Pennsylvania’s state budget, the status of our state and local economies and keeping an eye on public utility and telecommunications companies while protecting consumers from scams,” Schweyer said. “In these troubling and uncertain times, there is a great deal of work to do this session, and I have confidence that by working together we can make an impactful difference for all Pennsylvanians.” Schweyer said he will be working in the following committees for this session: Appropriations Committee on Committees Consumer Affairs Professional Licensure Schweyer has previously served on the House Appropriations and the Consumer Affairs committees in the 2019-20 legislative session. This is Schweyer’s fourth term serving the 22 nd District. Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 5 – State Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, took the oath of office at the state Capitol today to begin his fourth term representing the 22nd Legislative District. The noon swearing-in ceremony marked the beginning of the 2021-22 session of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. “2021 is time for a fresh start and facing our challenges head-on,” Schweyer said. “As always, I will focus on providing more funding for the Allentown School District, increasing PA’s minimum wage and supporting policies that will create family sustaining jobs. But this year, we have to focus also on our economic and sociological recovery from the havoc COVID 19 has created.” Schweyer’s committee assignments for the 2021-22 session will be announced later this month. Schweyer said his office can help with a variety of state-related services, including home heating, children’s health insurance, prescription drug and property tax/rent rebate assistance. His office phone number is 610-791-6270 and the email address is RepSchweyer@pahouse.net . Residents also can learn more about Schweyer’s legislative priorities and the services his office provides by visiting his website at RepSchweyer.com , or by visiting his Facebook and Twitter accounts at facebook.com/RepSchweyer and Read more
ALLENTOWN, Dec. 10 – State Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, issued a statement today in response to the latest COVID-19 mitigation efforts announced by Gov. Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine. “Today, in Pennsylvania alone, 11,972 people were confirmed COVID-19 positive. Of those, 371 were from Lehigh County and 413 from Northampton County. These are the facts. “We are not containing this virus and, in fact, the current spike of confirmed COVID-19 cases is significantly higher than any we experienced in March or April. Our healthcare professionals are legitimately scared. “No one wants to ask people to sacrifice more than they already have. No one is happy with Governor Wolf’s announcement. And, it will no doubt cause harm to those small businesses, cooks, servers and others in the restaurant industry. But honestly, at this point, we are in a real crisis and there aren’t many options left. “There is a vaccine right around the corner, so there is hope. But in the meantime, it will be on everyone to continue to pull together, to wear masks and socially distance, and to keep up our spirits in the months before the vaccine is available widespread. “If you are able, please consider purchasing restaurant gift cards as holiday gifts or even just doing take out one night. And please keep our healthcare professionals and frontline workers in mind during Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 9 – State Reps. Peter Schweyer and Mike Schlossberg, both D-Lehigh, today announced state funding totaling $1.73 million has been awarded to several local organizations to improve programs which support criminal justice and victims of abuse programs. “These programs go beyond keeping our communities safe,” Schweyer said. “They provide support and comfort to victims of abuse, young and old, every day. This funding ensures these unfortunate victims will have access to these services when they need them.” "This is another critical investment for the people of Allentown," Schlossberg said. "I am pleased the PCCD acknowledged the hard work and dedication of these organizations and this money will help them continue to have the staff and the resources needed to continue improving our criminal justive system and supporting victims of abuse." The grants awarded Wednesday in Lehigh County include: Lehigh County Chief Executive Officer, $741,623 to help fund operations at Lehigh County Victim/Witness Unit; and $125,000 for the Lehigh County STOP Violence Against Women Program. Crime Victims Council of Lehigh Valley, $239,570 for the Victims of Juvenile Offenders Program. Lehigh Valley Hospital Inc., $46,992 to strengthen the John Van Brakle Child Advocacy Center’s support of child victims of sexual and physical abuse. Lehigh County Probation, $573,536 to Read more
For those who are out of work, scraping together enough cash to pay the rent or the mortgage is often very difficult. People rely on a small unemployment check, zero out their savings accounts or cash out retirement funds all while falling deeper in debt just so their families can have a roof over their head. Community activists and anti-poverty organizations rightfully paid a great deal of attention to the issue of evictions and foreclosures during the early days of the pandemic. Gov. Tom Wolf temporarily prohibited evictions and foreclosures while he and the state legislature created a $150 million rent-relief package. These were all wise choices based on a real and understandable concern for our neighbors who, through no fault of their own, lost their jobs because of the pandemic. These efforts remain ongoing since no one wants a neighbor to lose their home, especially during these hard times. But there was another crisis that failed to get as much attention, even though it can be as equally disruptive to those struggling to make ends meet: unpaid utility bills. A few weeks back, I chaired a Policy Committee meeting in Harrisburg regarding mounting utility debt among Pennsylvanians; what we learned was heartbreaking and terrifying. In June, 800,000 Pennsylvanians were facing utility shutoffs from their electric, natural gas or water companies. By September, that number jumped nearly 25% to 970,000 residential Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 2 – State Reps. Peter Schweyer and Mike Schlossberg, both D-Lehigh, today announced two state grants totaling $46,942 were awarded to two local organizations to continue their educational and historical endeavors. The lawmakers said the funding will be shared by the following organizations: The DaVinci Science Center - $40,000. Lehigh County Historical Society - $6,942. “ Allentown is fortunate to have educational, scientific and historical programs, that both residents and visitors can readily experience at our local museums,” Schweyer said. “DaVinci and the Lehigh County Historical Society offer some hands on learning and I am pleased these funds are coming back to our district to support these museums for future generations to enjoy.” "It's not every day you get to help organizations that benefit puppies, kittens, children and education,” Schlossberg said. “But DaVinci and LCHS are two fantastic groups that help thousands of lives, including those with two and four legs. I was happy to lend my support to these efforts." The funding is part of a package of nearly $2 million in grants awarded to 155 museums and county historical societies statewide under the Cultural and Historical Support Grant Program. Administered by PHMC, the program’s goal is to strengthen the commonwealth’s Read more
Legislators ask for release of families, children in face of COVID pandemic, unsanitary conditions Read more
As of this writing, there are approximately 750,000 Pennsylvania votes that need to be counted. That is more than 750,000 Pennsylvanians who lawfully casted their vote and deserve to be heard. Counting every citizen’s legal, timely vote is imperative. As workers securely make progress on tallying the results, we must be patient. This process may take several days, but the integrity and sanctity of the vote in our state must be maintained. Last Fall, in a bipartisan showing, the Pennsylvania General Assembly agreed to allow for mail-in ballots. Since then, House Democrats have made many efforts to help clarify any confusion about the process and give local election boards the tools needed to securely and expeditiously process votes cast by mail. Unfortunately, our Republican colleagues chose political gamesmanship over a genuine effort to ensure a smooth election. Their inaction failed to allow for the early processing of ballots received – as 32 other states permit-- and, in turn, why there is a delay in knowing the outcome of this election. The ambiguity in the law did not address their local official’s concerns; nor does it protect every Pennsylvanian’s constitutional right to vote and our obligation to make sure those votes are counted. Now, more than ever, we must ensure that we uphold the freedoms guaranteed in our state and nation’s constitution. In these unprecedented times, the voters must have the final say, not the candidates or Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 30 – State Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, is reminding college-bound students and their parents or guardians that now is the time to start the application process for financial assistance. “Applying for student loans can be confusing and complicated for families,” Schweyer said. “My office is available to assist with navigating the various options and programs and complete the application process. That will make it easier to meet the deadlines set by colleges and universities.” According to Schweyer, PHEAA Student Aid guidebooks, which provide a complete overview of the financial aid process, are available in his district office located at 1501 Lehigh St., Suite 206. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person visits to the office are by appointment only by calling 610-791-6270. When arriving for your appointment please make sure you are properly wearing a mask. The guidebooks also include information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for state and federal aid programs such as the Pennsylvania State Grant and work-study employment, Pell grants, Perkins loans and Stafford loans. Many colleges also use the FAFSA to determine eligibility for school-based aid such as private grants and need-based scholarships. Schweyer noted there are other resources available to students as they prepare for college. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency has a Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 26 – State Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, today hosted a House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on utility shut-offs. Schweyer requested the hearing to discuss what the legislature can do to protect consumers faced with their utilities being shut off, especially during a pandemic. Schweyer was joined by state legislators from across the state and several utility industry leaders. “The COVID-19 pandemic has created new and unprecedented challenges for many families across the commonwealth,” Schweyer said. “With winter coming and temperatures starting to drop, people should not have to worry about having their heat, electric or water shut-off on top of keeping their families healthy and figuring out how to put food on their tables.” Testifiers during the hearing included Tanya McCloskey, acting Pennsylvania consumer advocate; Elizabeth Marx, executive director, Pennsylvania Utility Law Project; Gladys Brown Dutrieulle, chairman, Pennsylvania Utility Commission; and Terry Fitzpatrick, president and CEO, Energy Association of Pennsylvania. Hearing testimony and video will be available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=488K86I9kno . Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 22 – State Rep. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, announced today that the House Democratic Policy Committee will hold a public hearing on utility shutoffs. The hearing will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26 in Room G-50 Irvis Office Building. The media and public are invited to watch the livestream at www.pahouse.com/live . Requested by Rep. Pete Schweyer, D-Lehigh, the hearing will discuss what more the legislature can do to protect consumers faced with their utilities being shut off, especially during a pandemic. Testifiers will speak remotely, while members will participate in person and remotely. Testifiers will include: Tanya McCloskey , acting Pennsylvania consumer advocate. Elizabeth Marx , executive director, Pennsylvania Utility Law Project. Gladys Brown Dutrieuille , chairman, Pennsylvania Utility Commission. Terry Fitzpatrick , president and CEO, Energy Association of Pennsylvania. Following the hearing, testimonies and full hearing video will be posted at www.pahouse.com/policycommittee . Read more
ALLENTOWN, Oct. 7 – Amid the health concerns of the flu and the COVID-19 pandemic, State Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, is encouraging residents of the 22 nd Legislative District to attend one of his flu shot and COVID-19 testing and education clinics in Allentown. The clinics will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday October 13 and Wednesday, October 14 at Bucky Boyle Park. 10 Pump Place, Allentown. "With the flu season upon us, it is absolutely critical we protect ourselves from influenza as we continue fighting COVID-19," Schweyer said. "These clinics will provide a one-stop shop to get a flu shot, get tested for COVID-19 and learn the symptoms to watch out for and how to prevent the spread of the virus." Schweyer said his office is partnering with Saint Luke's Hospital and Health Network, the Allentown Health Bureau and other local community organizations for the clinics. Additionally, attendees will be able to learn about how his office can provide assistance on various state-related issues. Schweyer is also reminding residents about the free COVID Alert PA app which can send notifications to their smart phones if they are potentially exposed to COVID-19 when they travel through Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey or Delaware. The app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “COVID Alert PA.” Read more
Pa. state Rep. Peter Schweyer encourages all Pennsylvanians who may have lost their jobs and health insurance due to COVID-19 to visit pennie.com, the new state-based health insurance exchange for affordable coverage options. Read more
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1501 Lehigh Street, Suite 206Allentown, PA 18103-3892
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