Weekly Recap: What You Might Have Missed
We all feel a sense of urgency to help our community during this extraordinary time, and one of the easiest things that each of us can do to help, right now, is to participate in the 2020 Census. Doing the right thing has never been easier, safer, or more critical.
The coronavirus pandemic substantially delayed the Census Bureau’s operational schedule, pushing back many of the Bureau’s programs to encourage Census completion amongst hard-to-count communities. The enumeration deadline is now set for September 30, 2020, which leaves us with less than a month to get everyone counted.
Learn more about the impact the census has on our community in an op-ed I penned for Newsweek here: https://www.newsweek.com/mary-gay-scanlon-census-2020-covid-19-1502015?amp=1&__twitter_impression=true
You can respond online at 2020census.gov or you can respond by phone at 844–330–2020. You can respond by mail by returning your Census form to the U.S. Census Bureau, National Processing Center, 100 Logistics Avenue, Jeffersonville, IN 4714.
I cannot express how important it is that we count everyone in our community — particularly those who are often overlooked — children, people for whom English is a second language, families who don’t have internet access or permanent housing, and to make it worse, those who are more likely not to be counted are often the ones who will most benefit from the extra federal dollars that we would receive.
Your voice matters now more than ever. October 19th is the deadline to register to vote. Don’t procrastinate! Register to vote or update your registration at http://Register.VotesPA.com. Already registered? Sign up to vote by mail-in ballot at http://VotesPA.com/ApplyMailBallot.
Here’s how I spent the past week working for you:
Reflected on September 11th, 2001
When we think of 9/11, we remember the families whose lives were changed forever, the bravery and courage of our first responders, and that, even in our darkest days, Americans showed the world the very best of who we are.
Remembering this day in the midst of the challenges our country is facing now weighs heavily on all of us. What I know for certain is that the resilience of the American spirit is what made it possible for our country to come together, to grieve, console, and rebuild following this tragedy — the same spirit we continue to see in our communities now.
Read my reflection here: https://link.medium.com/x5g4H9lkH9
Attended memorial service for Brad Blackman, a Delco EMT and volunteer firefighter for over 37 years who died of COVID-19.
Kicked off our second annual Congressional Youth Cabinet
One of my favorite parts of representing our district is meeting and hearing from so many incredible young people — our future leaders. In 2019, our office launched the PA5 Congressional Youth Cabinet, a non-partisan initiative which engages high school students from our district in discussions of and crafting solutions to current issues.
I was thrilled to spend this Sunday morning connecting with over 75 engaged and brilliant young constituents. We used the first meeting to get a feel for the issues students were passionate about. I can’t wait to learn more from this passionate group! I have never been more certain that this generation has the energy, optimism, and drive to create a more equitable, and just world.
Led the bipartisan, unanimous passage of the Justice for Juveniles Act in House Judiciary
Young people in our prison and juvenile justice systems have long been victims of physical and mental abuse. When widespread abuse was exposed at Glen Mills School in Delaware County. last year, I introduced the Justice for Juveniles Act.
This bill exempts youth from the requirements of the Prison Litigation Reform Act to ensure that they are properly protected from abuse when they are detained.
We must protect the wellbeing of all children, including those housed in corrections facilities. Not only are juveniles more likely to be subject to abuse but they are less likely to be able to remedy it because of their youth. Our bill aims to eliminate obstacles to juveniles seeking relief against abusers under the PLRA and I am thrilled that our bill is now ready to head to the floor for a vote with strong bipartisan support.
Read more here: https://link.medium.com/C1loQV7HF9
I continue to meet with our local public health leaders each week as we work together to map out 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. 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.
