HARRISBURG, April 6 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, chair of the Subcommittee on Progressive Policies for Working People, is partnering with state Sen. Vincent Hughes to host a public hearing to discuss the current state of toxins in schools and the impacts they have on health and learning outcomes. The hearing will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 8 . The media and public are invited to watch online at www.pahouse.com/policy or on the committee’s Facebook page--@PADemPolicy. Media inquiries may be submitted via email to policy@pahouse.net . Fiedler will be joined by Chairman Ryan Bizzarro and members of the House Democratic Policy Committee for members to learn more about repair and remediation options available to schools and how the General Assembly can support efforts to address the issue. Additional hearing information will be available by clicking here . Read more
COVID-9 updates and vaccination resources, district events and community calendar, net neutrality and public hearings. Read this week's newsletter. Read more
COVID-19 information, AAPI advocacy, families with incarcerated parents, and our community calendar. Read more
COVID-19 vaccination resources, economic mitigation updates, community news and events, and other useful information. Read more
Reflection after one year of COVID-19 in the city, vaccination sites, SEPTA guidance, childcare centers, work in our District, #YouthArtMonth. Read more
Report from Harrisburg, fair funding for schools, COVID-19 resources, tax tips and unemployment information, Pennsylvania's birthday and Women's History Month. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 2 -- State Reps. Liz Fiedler and Rick Krajewski hosted a House Democratic Policy Committee hearing Monday to highlight how an education budget focused on the people could best impact Pennsylvania students, especially the neediest populations. The committee heard testimony from a panel of pre-k advocates, including Shalonda Spencer, director of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Trying Together; Damaris Alvarado-Rodriguez, CEO of Children's Playhouse Early Learning Center; and De’Wayne Drummond, president, Mantua Civic Association Parent Engagement Specialist, Head Start at Philadelphia School District. The panel shared concerns regarding workforce retention, low pay and the need for additional funding so they can increase pay for workers. The panel also described the devastating mental and emotional toll COVID-19 has taken on them, and on childcare center workers and families. They called for renewed investment in the care and education of Pennsylvania’s youngest residents. “I am deeply invested in the equitable education of Pennsylvania’s children from birth on up. As a mother, it’s personal for me and as a legislator, it’s my mission to ensure our children have access to high-quality care and education,” Fiedler explained. “We must draw a line and refuse to let some children be viewed as less valuable than others by the General Assembly. That starts by valuing the labor of the Read more
PHILADELPHIA, March 2 — Nearly one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, which has dramatically changed life in Philadelphia and across the world, a group of elected officials who represent South Philadelphia in city, state and federal government called for improved vaccine access in South Philadelphia. State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., said that while acknowledging doses remain limited, it is nonetheless concerning that the city’s map of vaccination sites clearly shows that South Philadelphia is dramatically unserved. “I hear from constituents everyday who have spent the last year just trying to get by. Many South Philly senior citizens are unable to travel the considerable distance that is currently required of them to get the vaccine. I am advocating for them to get local access to a shot that could save their life!” Fielder said. Fiedler was joined by state Rep. Regina Young, state Sen. Nikil Saval and city Councilman Mark Squilla in sending a letter to city Health Department Commissioner Thomas Farley calling for the city to work quickly to add vaccination sites in South Philadelphia. They identified the need for vaccination sites for senior citizens specifically, as well as supporting a proposal submitted to the city by Jefferson Health, in partnership with SEAMAAC and others, to create a vaccination site at their new health clinic -- the Wyss Wellness Center -- along with other possible Read more
Letter to city Health Department Commissioner Thomas Farley calling for the city to work quickly to add vaccination sites in South Philadelphia. Read more
COVID-19 vaccine status in Philadelphia, report from Harrisburg, fighting for safe schools in PA, community mental health virtual fair, unemployment resources, community updates. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 26 -- State Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler and Rick Krajewski, both D-Phila., will host Monday’s House Democratic Policy Committee meeting on the state’s early childhood and k-12 education budget. The hearing will be held at 3 p.m. March 1. The public and media may tune in at www.pahouse.com/policy or the committee’s Facebook page --@PADemPolicy. Media inquiries may be submitted to policy@pahouse.net . Policy Committee Chairman Ryan Bizzarro will join Fiedler, Krajewski and House Democratic colleagues for a look at how the education budget should take a fair and equitable approach that provides quality educational opportunities regardless of zip code. This hearing is part of the People’s Budget project which includes public hearings on environmental policy, education and infrastructure. The committee hopes to generate legislative policy that upholds Pennsylvania’s constitutional obligation to provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the commonwealth. Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 25 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, with city and state partners, held a virtual mental health fair Tuesday, Feb. 23, to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and to connect constituents with mental health support and resources. Fiedler partnered with state Rep. Regina Young, City Councilmember Kendra Brooks, and City Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson to hold the event. “Many people are struggling with job loss, housing and food insecurity, virtual schooling, and the physical toll of COVID-19,” Fiedler said. “We are now nearly one year into the pandemic and it has taken other tolls on our families as well: trauma, stress, anxiety, intense fear and loss. There is a lot of stigma around asking for mental health help, but it’s critical for us to break down those barriers, to get through this pandemic and beyond.” Andrea October from the Department of Behavioral Health & Intellectual disAbility Services encouraged viewers to “validate, center and allow space,” especially for teenagers and children who may be coping with the stress of the pandemic in a different way than adults in the home. Chantay Love, from EMIR Healing Center which provides education and advocacy, talked about the additional struggles many families face due to ongoing gun violence. “Grandparents are raising grandkids during a pandemic,” she Read more
Mental health virtual fair, COVID-19 status and updates, raising minimum wage, fighting for safe schools, financial fraud tips. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 19 – State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Phila./Montgomery) and Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Phila.) were joined by several Democratic House and Senate members from across Pennsylvania on Friday to call for repairs to hazardous and toxic schools across Pennsylvania . Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland), Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and Rep. Kyle Mullins (D-Lackawanna) pointed to public school buildings in their districts in desperate need of repair during the virtual news conference. The legislators spoke in support of recently unveiled proposals in the House and Senate pushing for significant investment in school infrastructure. “Today’s event addressed conditions in schools all across the commonwealth, and make no mistake, these same hazardous and toxic conditions exist in communities represented by the Republican caucuses,” Hughes said. “Rural, suburban and urban communities alike face daunting challenges because of our aging public school buildings. We cannot wait any longer to act. I am grateful to my colleagues for their support on this legislation, as well as the awareness they are helping raise for this important issue.” The first proposal would expand the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program by $1 billion to help address health hazards in public school buildings across Pennsylvania. Gov. Tom Wolf put forth the RACP proposal as a top priority in his recent 2021-22 budget address. “Our Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 12 – State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Phila./Montgomery) and Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Phila.) unveiled two proposals that would address toxic, unsafe conditions in public schools across the commonwealth. The two said that concern about school conditions, including ventilation, is not new. However, air quality concerns require even more attention and immediate action amid the COVID-19 pandemic and potential return to schools. The first proposal would expand the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program to help address health hazards in public school buildings across Pennsylvania, which Gov. Tom Wolf put forth as a top priority in his 2021-22 budget address. The second proposal would create the Public School Building Emergency Repair and Renovation Grant program, which would distribute grants to public schools for emergency repairs, including lead and asbestos abatement or remediation, HVAC repair or replacement, electrical system repair or replacement, plumbing repair or replacement, roof and window repair or replacement and other repairs or replacements that present a health or safety issue. This proposal would rely on federal funding provided through the American Rescue Plan. “Pennsylvania’s legislature cannot defer addressing our public-school infrastructure problems any longer,” Hughes said. “The lives and long-term health of our children, teachers and school staff are put in danger through the time they spend in Read more
COVID vaccinations, legislative updates, news from Harrisburg, community happenings, unemployment resources. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 10 – One week after Gov. Tom Wolf announced his budget priorities, Rep Fiedler joined nearly 30 state lawmakers and advocacy groups to call for a People’s Budget process, so Pennsylvanians can voice their budget priorities. Together they called for a more transparent process that brings equity and inclusion front and center. “Across the commonwealth we’re all connected by common human needs for a home, a good school for our kids, health care that won't bankrupt us, a job where we’re treated with dignity and respect,” said Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., chair of the House Democratic Policy Committee’s Subcommittee on Progressive Policies for Working People. “We’ve been told for so long that the status quo is the best we can get, but that is not true. Our state’s budget is built using taxpayer dollars and those same working people deserve to have a voice in how their public money is spent.” In their announcement statement, the lawmakers indicated they support many things in the Governor’s budget, and that the People’s Budget represents a long-term vision to create a more open process for allocating public taxpayer dollars. The People’s Budget will build on work that has been done by legislators and advocacy groups in previous sessions. Learn more about the People’s Budget here . Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 8 – Thirty members of the Fund Our Facilities Coalition, including lawmakers, unions and advocacy groups sent a letter to Philadelphia School Superintendent Dr. William R. Hite Jr. and Mayor Jim Kenney calling for them to devote themselves to transparency about decision making and to completely remedying building concerns before proceeding to reopen schools. State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., is among the members of the coalition and has been working with the group over the past two years to dedicate state funding and find other resources to fix unhealthy and unsafe building conditions in Philadelphia public schools. The letter can be read here . Read more
COVID-19 vaccine roll-out and pre-registration, Pennsylvania budget, property tax / rent rebate program, community calendar, and more. Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 28 – The Philadelphia House Democratic Delegation sent a letter today to Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley demanding answers to the COVID-19 vaccine problems between the city and Philly Fighting COVID, the organization tasked with administering vaccines to Philadelphia residents, according to the delegation’s chairman, state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila. “This is a completely unacceptable turn of events,” Dawkins said. “The people of Philadelphia have relied on the city to ensure they are able to access vaccines in this critical time, and if this organization is who was designated to do the job, not only did they fail to vaccinate but also failed the people of the city by then compromising their personal information. What’s worse, to then learn the organization’s CEO was allegedly taking vaccine home. If this is true, it is completely unacceptable. How did this organization even get chosen to administer the city’s plan? It is disturbing and upsetting, and answers must be given. We all have a right to know.” “People in my district are struggling to get the vaccine while this guy is taking them home,” said state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Phila. “I’m not a lawyer, but it seems to me that what he did was illegal, and he needs to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” Kenyatta represents the 181st Legislative Read more
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