Frankel applauds budget agreement, says PA House should send it to governor while urging action on revenue policies
Rep. Dan B. Frankel July 12, 2026 | 2:43 PM
HARRISBURG, July 12 – Pennsylvania House Health Committee Chair Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, today applauded the bipartisan budget agreement approved by the Senate and said he will proudly cast his vote to send it to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk, highlighting a long-fought cost-of-living adjustment for thousands of retired teachers across Pennsylvania.
“Even in a time of divided government and deep political polarization, our responsibility is clear,” Frankel said. “As Washington pulls back from investments that support working families, Pennsylvania must continue doing the work of governing and ensuring our communities have the resources they need.”
The COLA adjustment will boost payments to nearly 60,000 educators who retired prior to 2002.
"Our retired educators devoted their careers to Pennsylvania's children and our communities," Frankel said. "After 25 years without a cost-of-living adjustment, this long-overdue increase honors that commitment and helps retirees keep pace with the rising cost of living."
The agreement also includes $10 million in nonprofit security funding; a highly successful program created in the wake of the 2018 attack on the synagogues in Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life building.
“I fight every year to ensure that community organizations have the support they need to keep Pennsylvanians safe as they worship, gather and celebrate who they are,” Frankel said. “The threats facing houses of worship and other nonprofits continue to grow, and we must meet those threats by providing organizations with the resources they need to protect their communities.”
Frankel noted that programs supporting transit, health care access and the health care workforce, childcare and other priorities simply will not get what they need until the General Assembly reaches a deal on taxing skill games or legalizing recreational cannabis.
“As these crucial programs continue to go underfunded, the costs of addressing those unmet needs go up and up,” Frankel said. “It was important to pass a budget to keep the lights on. Now we need to finish the job by passing the revenue measures that will allow us to make the investments Pennsylvanians are counting on.”
Important provisions in the agreement include:
- $24.2 million for rape crisis response, which nearly doubles funding for that vital program;
- a 20% increase, to $30 million, for the Child Care Recruitment and Retention Program.
- a 9.1% increase for early intervention services for children with developmental delays.
- a 31% increase for Grow PA Scholarships, which offer grants to in-state students who attend college in Pennsylvania, pursue a degree in a high-demand industry and agree to live and work in that industry in Pennsylvania after graduation.
- maintained funding levels for the program that provides cash grants to counties for the purchase and distribution of food to low-income individuals and for farmers market food coupons – both of which received large increases in the previous budget.
- $6 million for avian flu surveillance and response.
- a requirement for daily recess for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, recognizing the importance of physical activity, play and student well-being.
- critically needed increases for Pennsylvania’s medical assistance and Children’s Health Insurance Program, along with funding to transition to chip-enabled cards for food assistance recipients.
- increased oversight and transparency requirements for data centers.
“This budget demonstrates that even in challenging times, we can come together to make responsible investments that strengthen our communities and improve the lives of the people we represent,” Frankel said. “I’m proud to support this agreement, and I look forward to completing the remaining work needed to deliver the investments Pennsylvanians deserve.”