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In this Update:
Community Highlights
This year we had a beautiful sunny day for Upper St. Clair’s community day! I had a fun time participating in the parade and speaking at the opening ceremony.
I was happy to stop by the Aleppo Township Volunteer Fire Department to speak about community safety projects with Tom and honor the department for their 75+ years of service.
I had a wonderful evening at the the Italian Son’s and Daughters of America’s 48th Debutante Ball! It was great to see so many people including National President Basil Russo.
The Veterans Breakfast Club always puts on wonderful events to honor local veterans and share their stories. I was glad to attend their recent breakfast meeting at Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park. Thank you all for your service.
Robinson Celebrates Grand Opening of NSABP
“State of the art” is an understatement! I was honored to participate in the grand opening for the new location of NSABP Foundation’s Division of Pathology/NRG Oncology Biospecimen Bank on the Northside’s Nova Place Campus. NSABP is a uniquely Pittsburgh institution in changing and improving standards of care and research. Their work is critical to giving every Pennsylvanian a fighting chance, and I am committed to this fight through my legislation, Senate Bill 954. This legislation would provide better access to personalized treatments following a diagnosis of cancer and other specific diseases through biomarker testing and precision medicine. You can read more here. Mammography Month in PA
Mammography Month continues in PA, and so does the fight against breast cancer. One year ago, we passed historic legislation to eliminate all costs associated with breast MRI, ultrasound and BRCA-related genetic testing and counseling for individuals with high-risk factors insured under PA law. I had the pleasure to cosponsor this legislation and witness it signed into law on May 1, 2023. Thirty-eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer each day in Pennsylvania. Let’s continue working together to change these statistics by encouraging the women in our lives to schedule their mammogram. Early detection is critical! Find more information here. Senate Passes Bills to Help Veterans
On Memorial Day – which is Monday, May 27 – we will pay tribute to the fallen warriors who fought to preserve our American ideals. Let us say a prayer in gratitude and remembrance. The Senate has also focused on helping living veterans by passing bills to award them with new benefits and make sure their families are aware of benefits that have already been granted. Both bills await consideration from the House of Representatives. Senate Bill 973 would provide Korean Americans who served in the Vietnam War with the same state veterans benefits as their U.S. counterparts. There are more than 3,000 naturalized Korean American citizens who served in the Vietnam War as a part of the Korean Armed Forces, including hundreds who now call Pennsylvania home. Senate Bill 1139 would help grieving families of deceased U.S. military veterans access their federal Department of Veterans Affairs burial benefits. Funeral directors, funeral parlors or cemetery companies would be required to notify the director of the county veterans assistance office when a veteran living in the county passes. They would also have to provide the deceased veteran’s family with contact information for the county director. Job Seekers and Employers Can Connect on Free Job Board
Veterans, National Guard members and military family members can use a free job board that has nearly 10,000 employment and internship postings. While it is Pennsylvania-centric, there are listings in dozens of other states. It’s easy to manage your job search process with application history and saved jobs. The system even allows applicants to store multiple versions of their resume for flexibility when applying to different jobs. The Pennsylvania National Guard Associations’ job board also offers employers the opportunity to post jobs, search the resume database and create resume alerts. ‘Fish for Free’ on Sunday, May 26
On Sunday, May 26, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will host a “Fish for Free” day to allow anyone (resident or non-resident) to legally fish on all Pennsylvania waterways. No license is required, but all other fishing regulations will still apply. This is the first of two dates set by the PFBC to enhance fishing opportunities. The next day is Independence Day, Thursday, July 4. This is a great way to expose the next generation of anglers to the outdoors. Unemployment Compensation Hints for School Bus Drivers
It continues to be challenging to find bus drivers so children can safely and reliably travel between home and school each day. When the problem is bad enough, it can even shorten the school day and limit the learning students can accomplish. To avoid impacts to students’ education, it’s important to retain as many bus drivers as possible. Of course, they are not needed in the summer and aren’t able to collect a paycheck during that time. Unemployment compensation (UC) helps to bridge the gap until the school year begins so bus drivers aren’t forced to abandon their critical roles to pay their bills. Information is available to help school bus drivers who will be laid off during the summer successfully claim their unemployment compensation. First, it’s crucial to claim during the correct week: the first week in which they are actually unemployed. Second, understand that UC and workers’ compensation are different when filling out the UC claim form. Please reach out to my office if you still have issues with your claim. Win Money for Your Child’s Education
In honor of PA 529 Day on May 29, new PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) accounts opened between May 1 and May 31 with at least $10 in contributions are eligible for a chance to win $5,529 or $2,529. Current PA 529 GSP account owners are also eligible to win $5,529 if they had a balance of at least $10 as of April 30 and receive a contribution of at least $10 in May. The PA 529 GSP helps families save for future college and career education expenses by keeping pace with rising college tuition. They offer tax-advantaged savings and the flexibility to pay for a wide variety of education expenses, including at any qualified educational institution, from K-12 to college and career training programs. Funds can also be used for room and board, tuition and books. Anyone – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family friends – can contribute to a PA 529 plan. Saving with a PA 529 plan does not impact a student’s eligibility for Pennsylvania state financial aid. Memorial Day
We must always honor the memory of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms. Let us all take time this weekend to reflect on the brave men and women who put their country before themselves and gave their lives so that we may continue to have peace in ours. My offices will be closed on Monday, May 27th in honor of Memorial Day, and normal office hours will resume on Tuesday, May 28th. Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend.
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