Weekly Recap: What You Might Have Missed

5 min readNov 30, 2020

I hope you all had a restful and happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for doing your part during this difficult time to keep your loved ones and community safe. With two promising vaccines now moving towards approval, there is light at the end of the tunnel. But, we have some months to go before they are generally available. With cooler weather and holidays where we would ordinarily gather indoors with loved ones, we cannot let our guard down. Please. Wear a mask, maintain social distancing, wash your hands, and be safe.

Here is how I spent the past week fighting for you:

Spoke on the House floor about the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color

More than 1 in 4 residents of PA05 is Black, and our communities have been devastated by the disparate impact of this virus. Each day that we don’t deliver relief for families, businesses, local governments, and our frontline workers, the impact of this pandemic grows that much more disastrous — and disproportionately so for communities of color. After 7 months of inaction, the Senate needs to come to the table to pass a relief bill.

Listen here: https://twitter.com/repmgs/status/1329126591809646596?s=21

Observed Transgender Day of Remembrance by lifting up the names and stories of Black transgender women who faced violence this year in Philadelphia

We’ve lost at least 36 transgender or gender non-conforming people to fatal violence motivated by anti-transgender bigotry. The intersections of employment, housing, and other forms of discrimination put too many transgender people, particularly transgender women of color, at risk. We cannot address this violence if we do not acknowledge it, so today, and every day, we must recommit ourselves to honor those lost, and the survivors, with action.

Listen to my remarks here: https://twitter.com/repmgs/status/1329784005110206467?s=21

Voted to pass the National Apprenticeship Act

Historically, apprenticeships made up the backbone of our vocational education programs, and unions and building trades have done amazing work to lead these efforts.

I was proud to support the National Apprenticeship Act this week when it passed the House with bipartisan support. We cannot rebuild our economy without connecting the millions of Americans out of work with good paying jobs, and providing a way for young people to develop skills that will set them on viable career paths. This legislation will help employees prepare to meet jobs for the future.

Saw Madelyn Kieh’s beautiful portrait hung in the Capitol along with the other Pennsylvania winners of the Congressional Art Competition

Madelyn Kieh, a senior at Penn Wood High School, won our 2020 Virtual Congressional Art Competition this past spring with her piece “This is Me.” Her beautiful self portrait will hold a position of honor in the halls of Congress for the next year.

Read more about the competition here: https://link.medium.com/Fy0ABMABzbb

Introduced Ending Bankruptcy Discrimination Act of 2020

As COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly throughout the country, Americans face a multitude of economic crises, including the prospect of a tidal wave of bankruptcies. Currently, private employers have the right to refuse employment to individuals who have filed for bankruptcy relief. While prospective government employees are protected from this form of discrimination, ambiguity in Section 525 of the U.S. bankruptcy code has left the courts to decide with respect to the private sector, resulting in these employers being allowed to refuse employment based on current or past bankruptcy status.

As we navigate the challenges presented by the global health and economic crisis, we cannot allow private employers to discriminate based on bankruptcy status.

Met with Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

On average, we lose 100 people to gun violence every day. This violence has become the second leading cause of death for children in this country. Our thoughts and prayers are not enough. We must mobilize all levels of government to act.

The Congressional Task Force Met this week to begin mapping the policy path forward in the 117yh Congress. The US House has passed multiple gun violence prevention bills this term which the Senate has yet to consider.

Last month, I introduced the Stop Online Fraudulent Sales of Firearms Act, a bill to prevent gun sellers from circumventing technology companies’ terms of service by making it illegal to fraudulently sell firearms and ammunition online. This bill would make it illegal for gun sellers to circumvent websites’ terms of service and continue the underground proliferation of firearms. It’s part of a larger effort that needs to be taken to stop the plague of gun violence in our communities.

Read more about my bill here: https://link.medium.com/pvl8JTPOzbb

Launched the #PA5Heroes initiative

As we all grapple with the serious challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, countless members of our community have stepped up to help those in need. From first responders and frontline workers to volunteers at food and clothing drives, to teachers navigating virtual classrooms, we are grateful for those who have gone above and beyond to meet the needs of our community.

Do you know a local hero making a difference during this pandemic? Please nominate them here so that we can recognize them! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxRVWhEeXsDvW382r84GbHV8dIzzJsBMCSNnodh4WwOtUkzA/viewform

Met with the Irish Ambassador to discuss progress with respect to the Brexit negotiations in Ireland

Delaware County is often called the 26th county of Ireland due to the large number of Irish immigrants and descendants who live in the region. More than one in four people in PA05 claim Irish descent, including myself. As a member of the Friends of Ireland Caucus, I keep current on issues affecting our Irish allies, particularly as the UK negotiates changes to their relationship under Brexit. I look forward to bringing Irish leaders to the district for discussions in the coming months.

Spoke with local Girl Scouts working on civics and government badges

This week, I had the opportunity to meet virtually with Girl Scout Troop 566 from Drexel Hill and participate in a virtual town hall with Girl Scouts participating in Scout Days at the National Constitution Center. These young leaders of tomorrow had great questions about government service and the process of running for office.

I continue to meet with our local public health and community leaders each week as we work together to map our path out of this pandemic and towards recovery. Thank you for everything you’re doing to keep your friends, family, and neighbors safe. Keep social distancing. Keep wearing your mask, And wash your hands frequently. We know that these are challenging times, but we can support each other to come through stronger.

Our office is here to help as we navigate this crisis together. You can reach us by phone at 610- 626 — 2020 or by sending me a message through our website at scanlon.house.gov/contact.