Weekly Recap: Fighting For You
As we kick off a new week of working together to combat COVID-19, I wanted to share what our office has been working on to support families in our region.
Lead push for answers from HHS & CMS on COVID-19 funds
I was proud to join Senator Casey in leading a group of members of the Pennsylvania delegation to express concern as to how the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are choosing to allocate the first $30 billion of the Public Health and Social Services Relief Fund created under the CARES Act.
Future funds must be released expeditiously so that our providers can deliver uninterrupted, high-quality service during this extraordinary time. That said, we urged changes in funding allocations because distribution of the first $30 billion disadvantaged Pennsylvania and many of our key providers.
Read more about our areas of concern here: https://medium.com/@repmgs/casey-scanlon-lead-push-for-answers-from-hhs-cms-on-covid-19-funds-172fa88a624c
PA Capital Star: https://www.penncapital-star.com/covid-19/pa-s-casey-scanlon-call-for-fairer-distribution-of-covid-19-relief-fund-money/
Hosted a tele-town hall on personal finances during COVID-19
I know for many of you the past couple weeks have been challenging, and I understand the financial uncertainty and anxiety many of you are feeling. That’s why I hosted a town hall with a focus on finances to give updates on what is happening to address the Coronavirus Outbreak on the federal, state, and local level.
I was grateful to be joined by Julia Simon-Mishel, Supervising Attorney at Philadelphia Legal Assistance, and Lenin Agudo, Director of Widener’s Small Business Development Center to help me answer your questions.
Check out the town hall here: https://www.facebook.com/RepMGS/videos/567685380519664/
Hosted a tele-town hall for kids on nutrition and health eating habits.
We were so happy to be joined by my friend Julie Clapp, an educator and nutritionist, to give the kids tips on staying healthy. We discussed where to find school lunches while schools are closed, growing your own vegetables, and how to make a blueberry smoothie!
Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/RepMGS/videos/888131254947986/
Called on Chairman Nadler and Ranking Member Jordan to make my Justice for Juveniles Act a priority in the next COVID-19 relief package
The Justice for Juveniles Act protects incarcerated youth from abuse by exempting them from the requirements of the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA). I believe it important to move this bill now as the impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic is disproportionately harsh on incarcerated youth as they are both more vulnerable to abuse than adult prisoners and less likely to be able to navigate the complex administrative procedures dictated by the PLRA.
Called on Speaker Pelosi to include substantial additional funding for America’s hospitals as we move forward on the next COVID-19 package
Hospitals in my district, and across the country, are confronting staggering fiscal realities resulting from this pandemic. They are faced with both significant cost increases in combating COVID-19 and dramatic revenue declines as elective procedures have been cancelled and other revenue streams have been impacted by efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Read my letter to Speaker Pelosi here: https://medium.com/@repmgs/letter-we-must-protect-our-healthcare-workers-dd88d76d100a
Celebrated Public Radio Music Day
When I was in college, I loved working at our school’s radio station. Public radio stations have always served as a source of entertainment and education. I was proud to lead the legislation to designate April 16 as Public Radio Music Day!
Read more here: https://scanlon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=134
Caught up with some friends!
Like you, I’m adjusting to socializing through a screen. It was great to catch up with freshman colleagues on House Judiciary, to compare notes about our districts and check in on each other and our families as we practice social distancing to flatten the curve!
