SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR, ENERGY, & DEVELOPMENT

AN ECONOMY THAT GROWS FOR EVERYONE

Pennsylvania’s status as the keystone state relies on leveraging our location, natural resources, education system, and workforce development to maximize growth. As we make historic investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, it’s vital to examine what we need to responsibly support these improvements for both businesses and their employees. We need policies that encourage our best and brightest to stay in Pennsylvania as workers, entrepreneurs, educators, and business owners.

We can use smart economic development policies to grow our economy in responsible and sustainable ways. By centering the needs of working families, small businesses, and the next generation we can build pathways of opportunity that leads to a more prosperous and fair Pennsylvania.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Capable and committed employees will stay when they are respected at work. When we look to the future, we cannot forget the movement that built Pennsylvania and the Middle Class: organized labor. Now more than ever, protecting the right of employees to organize, and enacting policies that support collective bargaining, are crucial to our economic prosperity. Research has proven that a strong union movement benefits all workers, union and non-union, and that a labor rights are broadly supported by Pennsylvanians.

From software engineers to steelworkers, there should be a career path for every Pennsylvanian that leads to a well-paid, family-sustaining career. Now is the time to evaluate the policies that retain our best and brightest and make Pennsylvania an ideal place to live, work, and raise future generations. Pennsylvania’s world-class higher education system is ready to support and train a new generation of highly skilled workers, however, we need to engage Pennsylvania’s students earlier in their educational experience and connect high schools and community colleges with industries looking to hire and grow. The House can pass legislation that makes it easier for Pennsylvanians to access the workforce development and education programs that are ladders to prosperity for all.

RESPONSIBLE ENERGY POLICY

Pennsylvania has a long history of utilizing our natural resources to produce the energy that powers everything from large manufacturing hubs to our individual homes. During a period of global energy uncertainty, we stand on the cusp of innovating new, cleaner ways to power the world with Pennsylvania poised to take the lead on the future of energy. The federal government is making historic investments in energy innovation and infrastructure and those investments should be made here in Pennsylvania. We can combine our resources, labor force, and world class research universities to be at the forefront of a national development of the nation’s next generation energy policy.

By exploring approaches that respect workers, commit to realistic and achievable goals, and hold bad actors accountable, we can responsibly harness Pennsylvania’s natural resources and human capital to encourage a transition to safer, cleaner, and higher tech energy policy.

FAIR PLAY

The economy is changing, but while everyday Pennsylvanians are being charged more for food, fuel, and shelter, massive corporations are raking in record profits. It is now clear that obscene profit margins and lack of competition increase inflation, undercut workers' wages, and stifle entrepreneurship. It is time for government to step in and level the playing field to ensure small businesses can compete while at the same time protecting consumers and employees. Too few corporations dominate sector after sector of our economy from baby formula to health care which drives unjust outcomes for consumers and amplifies systemic inequality. This consolidation limits worker power to demand protections and fair wages, undermines innovation, sticks consumers with outdated technology, lackluster products, and endemic supply chain issues, and makes Pennsylvania less competitive in global markets. We need a suite of powerful policies, corporate oversight, antitrust enforcement, and a strong labor movement to renew the promise of the American economy and reignite the engine of innovation and prosperity in Pennsylvania.