Feb. 24—WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Sen. John Fetterman this week joined Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) to reintroduce bipartisan legislation to cut red tape and strengthen the domestic bus manufacturing industry by providing more flexibility for local transit systems when purchasing buses.
Current U.S. standards impose outdated, 40-year-old payment practices on our bus manufacturers and purchasers, which result in unnecessarily high costs.
Many domestic bus manufacturers have gone bankrupt or left the market, despite high demand for new vehicles.
The Bus Rolling Stock Modernization Act would help fix this problem. Specifically, it would allow bus purchasers to make advanced payments of up to 20%, helping domestic manufacturers invest in the workers and equipment needed to meet rising demand for new, cost-effective buses.
“Right now, we’re stuck with 40-year-old rules that prevent bus manufacturers from investing in the workers and equipment they need,” said Sen. Fetterman. “It’s a problem that’s hurting transit agencies in big cities and small towns across Pennsylvania. This bill fixes that by giving local agencies the flexibility they need to get buses on the road faster and at a lower cost, while helping American manufacturers meet demand. I’m proud to be part of this effort to keep Pennsylvanians moving.”
Senators Fetterman, Smith, Cramer, and Britt originally introduced this legislation in the 118th Congress.
Treasurer Garrity bans DeepSeek AI from Treasury devices
Treasurer Stacy Garrity this week announced that the use of the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) platform DeepSeek has been banned from all Treasury-issued devices due to concerns about privacy and security.
“Our team at Treasury deals with billions of dollars that belong to the residents of the Commonwealth, so keeping our computer network secure is a top priority,” Treasurer Garrity said. “There are growing fears that DeepSeek is directly linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), potentially allowing the Chinese government to obtain sensitive government or personal data. Banning DeepSeek is necessary to ensure the safety of Pennsylvanians’ hard-earned tax dollars and other important, sensitive information entrusted to Treasury.”
Treasury’s ban of DeepSeek includes all Treasury-issued devices, including laptops, cell phones, or other devices capable of connecting to the internet. Treasury’s firewall has also been updated to block access to both the DeepSeek app and its corresponding website from its network. Treasury’s systems are designed to block access to any new AI platform to allow necessary and thorough vetting.
“Treasury’s cyber-security systems monitor around the clock to protect Pennsylvania taxpayers, and the IT team mitigates them 24/7,” Treasurer Garrity said. “For example, in 2024, Treasury Firewall blocked more than 200 million requests. Building and updating our systems to best protect our data is crucial to our operations and to the security of our state and our country.”
Sen. Mastriano introduces No Patient Left Behind Act
To allow patients to have the support of loved ones, Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) this week introduced the No Patient Left Alone Act.
The legislation would ensure that all Pennsylvanians facing medical treatment or end-of-life care have the support of family, friends or an advocate.
“The medical community widely acknowledges that emotional support is just as critical as medical treatment,” Mastriano said. “Yet, countless patients have been denied this basic right due to outdated policies, bureaucratic indifference and hospital regulations that fail to recognize the human cost of isolation.”
Studies show that elderly patients left alone in hospitals experience faster physical and cognitive decline. Patients of all ages who are isolated are more likely to experience severe anxiety, depression and emotional distress.
“Hospitals should be places of healing,” Mastriano said. “However, for far too many, they have become places of loneliness, despair and unnecessary suffering.”
With passage of the bill, patients would be guaranteed the right to a support person during hospitalization, treatments and end-of-life care. The legislation would prioritize access for intensive care unit patients, the elderly, disabled individuals and those in critical or long-term care.
Hospital and care facilities would be required to implement safe, reasonable visitation policies that balance patient needs with public health protocols.
“For too long, hospitals have placed policies over people, red tape over relationships and rules over basic human decency,” Mastriano said. “The No Patient Left Alone Act is more than legislation; it’s a moral obligation.”
Florida, Texas and Tennessee have passed similar laws to ensure that no patient is abandoned by their government or health care system.
Rep. Pashinski expresses concern over proposed nearly 11% UGI rate hike request
State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski. D-Wilkes-Barre, this week expressed serious concern over UGI Utilities proposed nearly 11% rate hike, which would significantly increase natural gas bills for families and businesses across the region.
“As a public servant, it is my responsibility to protect the hard-working families and small businesses in our district from unfair burdens, and I fear this proposed rate hike will put a heavy strain on many in our community,” said Pashinski “In the midst of inflation, rising costs, and economic uncertainty, an 11% increase in natural gas rates is unacceptable.”
The proposal, which is currently under review by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, would lead to higher utility bills for residential customers, especially during the winter months when heating costs already place additional pressure on household budgets. Small businesses, which are vital to the local economy, would also face increased operating expenses.
“While we understand that utility companies must balance the costs of service, infrastructure repair and the needs of their customers, the timing of this rate increase is particularly troubling,” Pashinski continued. “Many families are already struggling to make ends meet, and this hike would only make things worse. I urge the PUC to thoroughly consider the impact this rate increase would have on the people of our district and to explore all options to minimize the financial burden on consumers.”
Pashinski is calling on the PUC to hold public hearings in affected communities to gather input from residents and small businesses before making any final decisions on the proposed rate hike. He is also urging UGI to explore alternative ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency to avoid passing this burden onto ratepayers.
“We must ensure that our utility infrastructure remains strong and reliable, striving to balance these investments with fair and affordable utility rates,” said Pashinski. “The expense for these investments cannot be initiated all at once. However, I will continue to fight for our community and work with my colleagues in the legislature to explore legislative solutions to protect consumers against huge increases in monthly energy bills. The plan to improve infrastructure must be phased in over a reasonable time frame to allow their customers to be able to attain the energy they need at a price they can afford.”
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
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