Recent Vets Struggle For Jobs

The US Senate’s Joint Economic Committee says veterans from the post 9/11 era are having a hard time finding and keeping jobs. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania who chairs the committee released the report “Meeting the Needs of Veterans in Today’s Labor Force” yesterday.

The report found that the unemployment rate among Post-9/11 veterans in April was 10.9 percent, compared to the overall veteran-unemployment rate of 7.7 percent. The report goes on to note that nearly 2.5 million men and women have left active duty in the Armed Forces since September 2001

Of the Post-9/11 veterans who are employed more than two-thirds work in the private sector. However the report finds that federal programs aimed at helping vets transition into the civilian workforce must be improved.

Casey has introduced legislation that he said would modernize the Department of Labor’s Veteran’s Employment and Training Service program. Another bill aimed at boosting federal services to vets is also making its way through the upper chamber. Casey said he was pleased to be a co-sponsor for the “Hiring Heroes Act” introduced last month.

Sen. Casey Talk Tough on China

JATCO Machine & Tool Co. on Ohio River Blvd in Bellevue makes the molds that other manufacturers use to make plastic parts that go into everyday products. Co-owner Ed Sikora says he can walk into any store or sit in any car and find parts made by his molds. However, he says his workforce is a third smaller than it was 10 years ago.

US Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania says much of the decline can be blamed on China refusing to allow its currency to trade on the open market. He says if the Obama administration will not force China to change its monetary policy congress will take action. A recent study from the Economic Policy Institute found undervaluation of the Yuan provides a 40% subsidy to China’s exports. “It is imperative that we crack down on Chinese currency manipulation before consideration of any free trade agreement,” says Casey. The Obama Administration is expected to send congress three trade agreements this year.

Sikora says his business gets squeezed from both sides. As manufacturing firms leave the US for China he loses customers and at the same time he has to compete to do work for the smaller pool of customers with machine and tool companies in China.

David Frengel is with Penn United Technologies, which does similar work as JATCO. He says it is not just an issue of working smarter or paying less. “We can compete with foreign companies, we can’t compete with foreign governments and that’s why our industry is going away.” Frengel says the low cost of goods from China even makes it impossible for him to compete for market share in Europe, Africa and other continents.

Still No Deal on Budget

The federal government is less than two days away from a federal shutdown that Pennsylvania Democratic Senator Bob Casey says could have dire economic consequences.

The House passed another one week spending bill this afternoon, as President Obama continues to negotiate a budget deal with Republican leaders, but in a brief phone interview, Casey said another stop-gap measure isn’t a viable answer. “We need to move on. We need to get an agreement, avoid a shutdown and begin the debate about the 2012 budget,” he said. “That’s what we should be working on. And that includes not just the budget itself, but cutting spending more and reducing deficit and debt.”

Republican Senator Pat Toomey has also said he’d be reluctant to vote for another stopgap bill, and President Obama is threatening to veto the measure. (Toomey’s office declined a request for a phone interview this afternoon.)

The current stopgap spending bill expires at midnight Friday. If a deal isn’t signed into law before then, the federal government grinds to a halt. That means no tours of National Parks Service sites like Independence Mall and the Gettysburg National Military Park, among other implications. The shutdown would have particularly poor timing, when it comes to sites operated by the Parks Service: the 150th anniversary of the Civil War is just days away, and National Parks Week kicks off April 16th. A Gettysburg spokeswoman declined to comment on the possible shutdown, instead directing reporters to a statement from the Department of the Interior. “Visitor activities that require a permit, including public events, will not be allowed or will be cancelled or postponed,” the statement reads. “Visitor centers will be closed and access to park areas denied, including the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Independence Hall, Alcatraz, and the Washington Monument. Visitors using overnight concession accommodations and campgrounds will be notified and given 48 hours to make alternate arrangements.”

Experts say a short-term federal shutdown wouldn’t have much of an impact on Pennsylvania state government. State programs that rely on federal funding would run into problems, however, if the impasse lasts several weeks.

Casey is spending the afternoon in meetings about the budget negotiations, and the ramifications of a possible federal shutdown. “For taxpayers, everything from how people file tax returns to getting a loan for a small business – a whole range of services – won’t be available or will be substantially cut back,” he said.

President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner are apparently just $6 billion apart, according to Politico and other news outlets. Casey said he’s hoping for a compromise. “For weeks now, for months now, we have worked with Republicans to reduce spending in a substantial and unprecedented way. And I would hope that folks on the other side are at least trying to meet us halfway. I think in some ways Democrats have gone well beyond halfway.”

Casey: Health Care Repeal Doesn't Make Sense

A day after a Florida federal judge struck down the entire Affordable Care Act as "unconstitutional," the White House and Democratic lawmakers continue to warn about the negative impact of repealing the law.
U.S. District Judge C. Roger Vinson said through through the law, Congress exceeded its power to regulate interstate commerce. Vinson agreed with the plaintiffs that the law cannot force citizens to obtain health insurance or face a fine. He is the first judge to strike down the entire act while 2 other courts upheld the health care law. However, Vinson did not issue an injunction to prevent the law from proceeding pending appeal.
White House Deputy Senior Advisor Stephanie Cutter said the President has indicated that anything can be improved and he's willing to work to make the law better and care more affordable but not re-fight the battles of the last 2 years.
Pennsylvania's senior U.S. Bob Casey says he agrees with the President ...
"There are plenty of reasons to have discussions about changes we can make. But the idea of repeal and turning the clock back on families in Pennsylvania makes no sense, especially when we're trying to fully recover from a horrific recession."

Casey says repeal would mean insurance companies could again deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, and could deny or cap coverage unexpectedly.
Although the House voted to repeal the health care overhaul law, the Democrat-controlled Senate is highly unlikely to do so, and President Obama would veto it.
Casey says he's still reviewing the Florida judge's ruling....
"I just want to make sure that as we have a debate, it won't just be a debate that takes place in the courts with and among lawyers, that this is a debate across the country. I think it's important
that people understand the stakes."

Casey, Specter to Vote For Obama Compromise Bill

Both Pennsylvania U.S. Senators are supporting President Obama’s tax cuts for unemployment compensation legislative deal. Democrats Bob Casey and Arlen Specter both supported the compromise measure on a procedural test vote yesterday, and say they’ll be “yeas” when the bill comes up for a final vote as soon as today.
Casey says there are aspects of the measure he doesn’t want to vote for, but argues the overall package is needed.

"As much as I can point to the estate tax provision, which I don’t like, I was open to the idea of a a two-year extension of the upper income tax brackets, as long as the middle class, middle income folks got a longer break. That probably won’t happen. So that part is hard for me to swallow."
Casey says he’s looking past aspects of the bill he doesn’t like, in order to pass what he calls critical aspects of the measure.

"You got to figure out ways to compromise. Because the key thing here – the overriding objective here is the economy and jobs. And I think this – getting this resolved and having a compromise will help on a lot of fronts."

Casey says he also supports earned income tax credits and a child tax credit in the bill, along with the extended emergency unemployment compensation.
The state’s Department of Labor and Industry is urging people whose benefits have expired to continue filing claims, so they can speed up payments if and when the bill becomes law and extended compensation goes back into effect.

Extended Jobless Benefits to Expire

Nearly 2 million Americans, including 83,000 Pennsylvanians, are set to lose their extended weekly unemployment benefits starting tomorrow, December 1st. That's because Congress has not reauthorized the program that extends the benefits for many jobless up to 99 weeks.
U.S. Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania says reauthorizing the emergency benefits is the right thing to do "to help people get from here to there...meaning a point in their lives where they're jobless to a point where they're back to work. These are folks who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own and just need a little help to get over that bridge."

However, there is also no vote scheduled in either the House or Senate. Casey says he and 28 other Senators have circulated a letter calling for a unanimous consent resolution on the floor late this afternoon that calls for a vote on the extension. But if a Senator stands up on the floor and says "no," then the resolution asking for a vote is defeated..."then we have to think of another way to get it done."
Casey says in addition to helping the jobless, there is a bang for the buck even though the cost would add to the deficit........."Goldman Sachs has said expiration of these benefits will cause economic growth to fail by one half of a percentage point...that's a big number. The Economic Policy Institute says extending the benefits would increase the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) by 7 tenths of a percentage point...that's also a bit number in the context of keeping the recovery moving in the right direction."

Casey rejects suggestions by critics of the program that extending benefits discourages people from looking for work.

Unless Congress acts quickly, beginning tomorrow, people who apply for the first time can expect a maximum of 26 weeks of benefits, while many of those receiving them now will lose them before the 99 weeks are up.

Sen. Casey Speaks About Gov. Casey

Democratic US Senator Bob Casey says his party has become more receptive to anti-abortion candidates since his father, Governor Robert Casey, was in office. Casey made his comments last week as part of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s ongoing series about former governors. Governor Casey stepped into the national lime light by not being allowed to address the National Democratic Convention in 1992 because of his prolife view. Sen. Casey spoke about his father’s book “Fighting for Life.” In the memoir, Governor Casey makes the case Democrats should be more receptive to anti-abortion candidates. Sen. Casey, who also opposes abortion rights, says things have changed over the past 14 years. “In terms of the Democratic Party nationally, my election, and others, but my election was evidence that they weren’t going to use a litmus test on abortion to prevent you – on being pro-life – from running for the US Senate. So I think there was substantial progress made on that.” Casey spoke at length about his dad’s early career, saying he reinvented the office of Auditor General, hiring certified public accountants and making reports public for the first time. “School district audits – the results of a school district audit – in the newspaper for the first time. Maybe in state history at that time. The results of state programs, in the newspaper for the first time. It created a structure of accountability that had never been there before,” says Casey. Casey also praised a bill his father sponsored as a state senator. The measure required hospitals to test newborns for a condition that can lead to mental retardation, if not properly treated. “It was both a simple test, and the test was inexpensive to administer. So they passed a law. And he said that simple test, and the law that undergirded that simple test, saved lots of children from that fate.”

Casey: Drilling Industry Growing Too Quickly

With public hearings at the municipal, county, state and federal levels, the question is who should play a role in regulating drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation?
Senator Bob Casey says the federal government needs to play a role in regulating natural gas drilling.
Casey has pushed for federal standards requiring drilling companies to disclose the chemicals in hydraulic fracturing fluid.
Casey has introduced a bill setting strict guidelines for how drillers respond to fires and other emergencies at wells.
The Democrat says Congress needs to play a larger role regulating natural gas drilling.

"Some states will do a good job on issues like this. Some states won’t. I think safety and protecting health and safety should be the subject of national standards. If a state wants to do more, they can. There should be a minimal level of protection."

The lawmaker says he’s “very concerned” by recent mishaps at Allegheny and Clearfield County wells. The Clearfield County incident in June involved a blowout of a Marcellus Shale gas well. No one was injured but natural gas and frack water spewed from the well for 16 hours before it was capped.
The accident in Indiana Township, Allegheny County July 23 was at shallow gas well, not a Marcellus Shale well. 2 workers doing maintenance on an oil storage tank were killed in the blast and fire.

Senator Casey is hesitant to back a full moratorium on drilling, saying he needs to take a closer look at the details and implications of a halt on the practice.
But he’s urging environmental regulators to slow down permitting and drilling, so lawmakers and officials can make sure the right environmental and safety standards are in place.

Casey Not Ready to Give Up on FMAP

Governor Rendell will sit down with legislative leaders soon to begin figuring out how to trim 850 million dollars out of this year’s budget. Rendell warns of 20-thousand layoffs, but the State Senate’s top Republican is skeptical of the governor’s figure.
Nearly a month after Pennsylvania passed its budget, the U.S. Senate still hasn’t approved extended medical assistance for the states. Pennsylvania’s spending plan banks on 850 million dollars from the FMAP measure.
Rendell is growing increasingly pessimistic FMAP will ever be signed into law, and he’s invited legislative leaders to a budget meeting next week.
State Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi doubts the reductions will lead to the 20-thousand layoffs Rendell is promising.
The Republican argues the governor’s figures have changed several times, over the past few months.

"I think what the governor has been trying to do is to say reduced spending will cause some layoffs in state employee ranks, and trying to make that point more dramatic in using large numbers."

Pileggi says he wants Rendell to eliminate the budget’s 250 million dollar increase in basic education spending, if the FMAP money is taken out of the spending plan.

Democratic Senator Bob Casey is still holding out hope for FMAP approval....

"Look, we hit a wall on unemployment insurance, and we finally broke through that and were able to pass it. So I think that’s a pretty good model for how to proceed. To keep pushing, and keep explaining to people what the stakes are."

Casey says he’s hoping for a vote within the next two weeks. He says if FMAP doesn’t pass then, Democrats will push the issue yet again in September.

Hearing on Emergency Response in the Marcellus Shale

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) chaired a hearing on emergency response in the Marcellus Shale region on Monday at the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh.

He heard testimony from the head of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, an engineering professor, energy company executives and a resident of Washington County who lives in direct proximity of horizontal gas wells.

They all testified on emergency preparedness at gas drilling sites throughout the region.

Casey said he called the hearing because of the recent incidents at gas well sites.
"We hope that what we can put in place is not just a response but a series of rules that would prevent an emergency from becoming a tragedy," he said.

On Friday two contracted maintenance workers were killed in an explosion in Indiana Township, Allegheny County. However, that was a shallow gas well, not a Marcellus Shale well. In June, there was a blow out at a Marcellus Shale gas well in Clearfield County. No one was injured but natural gas and fracking water spewed for 16 hours before the well was capped.

Anthony Iannacchione is the Director of the Mining Engineering Program at The University of Pittsburgh. He said there specific plans should be in place for drilling in different areas.

"When you drill in a remote area like Clearfield county and a populated area like Allegheny County probably the likelihood something will go wrong will be similar but the consequences will be much different," he said.

Casey has introduced legislation to improve emergency response procedures at gas and well sites. His bill would require that an emergency response trained employee be present at the well during exploration and drilling, and that operators must contact first responders within 15 minutes that an emergency arises.

Casey Pushes for Release Of Montgomery County Man

Democratic Senator Bob Casey is back in Washington, DC, after a five-country tour of the Middle East.
Casey visited Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel and Lebanon with other members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
He says he spent a lot of time pressing for the release of three young Americans who have been detained by Iran for the past year.

"We have to just keep trying and keep pushing and keep bringing attention to this, so that the pressure doesn’t start to wane on the Iranians for their outrageous act arresting and imprisoning three Americans who are totally innocent."

One of the hikers, Josh Fattal, is from Montgomery County.
Casey says the three Americans who were detained while hiking in the mountains along the Iran-Afghanistan border and need to be released.
Casey was in Baghdad over the Fourth of July holiday, when Vice President Joe Biden visited the capital to talk to top Iraqi officials.

Big Hole IN PA Budget Without "FMAP" Bill

Democrat Bob Casey says he’s frustrated by the Senate’s inability to pass an extension in federal Medicaid funding.
States across the country have budgeted the increased federal medical money into their spending plans.
Virginia, for instance, counts on the money to fill a 400 million dollar hole, and Washington State is expecting 480 million dollars from the FMAP bill.
Governor Rendell’s spending plan relies on 850 million dollars from the proposal.
But last week, two test votes on the measure failed, as Republicans and a group of Democrats voiced concern about more federal spending.
Senator Casey argues the spending boost will ultimately bring the deficit down, since it will save and create state jobs.

"The best way to attack deficits is to have a fully recovered economy, where you’re getting growth. Like we did in the 90s. where you have growth and the pie’s getting bigger and you can dedicate more dollars to deficit reduction."

Casey says he’s hoping for another vote this week.
Rendell has said he’ll start moving the 850 million dollars into budgetary reserve if the bill doesn’t pass Congress by July 1. The governor says that translates to thousands of layoffs.

Rendell: Thousands of Layoffs Without FMAP

Pennsylvannia Governor Ed Rendell is urging Congress to pass a bill expanding federal medical benefits as quickly as possible.
Rendell’s budget counts on 850 million dollars from the anticipated FMAP expansion.
He says if Congress doesn’t pass the bill, he’ll have to cut that money out of the state’s spending plan...

"To lay off 20-thousand people – they would be teachers, state workers, firemen, policemen, case workers. To lay off people like that would just have an incredibly breaking effect on the somewhat significant resurgence in the economy. It makes no sense at all."
Rendell says Pennsylvania isn’t alone, and that a majority of states are also banking on the federal aid.

"And last year 47 governors sent a letter to the Congress saying the FMAP extension is essential. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s tough to get 47 governors to agree that today is – what is today, Tuesday? That today is Tuesday."

The Senate could vote on the bill this week. Pennsylvania's junior Senator Bob Casey supports the bill…

"This is a jobs issue, a fiscal issue, and an issue of whether or not we’re going to protect very vulnerable people."

Pennsylvania is already facing a 1.2 billion dollar revenue gap, and the next fiscal year begins in less than three weeks.
Several Senate Republicans are hesitant to endorse the bill, though, saying federal spending is already way too high.

Health Group: Pre-Existing Conditions Rife in PA

Health care advocacy group Families USA has released a report saying more than one in five Pennsylvanians less than 65 years old has a diagnosed pre-existing condition.

Families USA Executive Director Ron Pollack says although 2.3 million non-elderly state residents are diagnosed with pre-existing conditions, many more remain undiagnosed. Anyone with a such a health problem can be denied health insurance, including nearly 178,000 children across the state.

The national health care reform bill passed this March will outlaw that practice, but Pollack says Families USA released the report anyway because many people aren’t aware of the contents of the act.

Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey says children with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage starting September 23 of this year. He says that right will be extended to adults in 2014.

“It’s inexcusable that we allowed this to persist year after year, decade after decade, when we were literally putting families in the path of a system that was harming them, literally,” says Casey.

Pollack says nearly three quarters of Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions have incomes more than double that of the national poverty level – at or above $44,100. Governor Ed Rendell signed an executive order last week to begin implementing the new federal health care law. He says the immediate priority is to apply for $160 million in federal aid to set up an insurance program for those with pre-existing conditions.

Anti-abortion Activists Protest Casey

Anti-abortion protesters disrupted an event sponsored by Senator Bob Casey in Harrisburg Monday, but the pro-life Democrat says the Senate’s health care bill would reduce the number of abortion procedures in the United States.
The event in the main rotunda was meant to highlight hunger and poverty in Pennsylvania, but as soon as Casey began to speak, a protester stood up to confront him.

"Do not trust this man! He’s funded abortion in other counties – China, Africa and America. You can’t feed the hungry if you kill them. Why are you killing children, sir?"

Four people yelled at Casey, and Capitol police took them all away. Afterward, Casey argued he’s led the effort to make sure federal dollars aren’t spent on abortion in the new health care bill. He also backed a pregnant women’s support fund and pushed for adoption tax credits.

"Now some are not interested in reducing the number abortions, they just want to fight about the issue. I’m interested in reducing the number."

The protesters said they were from the group Insurrecta Nex, which labels itself online as a hard-line anti abortion group devoted to overturning Roe V. Wade. The organization also picketed Casey’s house in December.

PA Delegation on President's Afghanistan Plan

Members of Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation are weighing in on President Barack Obama's new war strategy for Afghanistan. Senator Arlen Specter says he opposes the president's plan to send an additional 30 thousand troops there starting in January. Specter says Al Qaeda can operate out of other countries like Yemen and Somalia, so it doesn't make sense to center the fight in Afghanistan, where no one has succeeded in the past.
Senator Bob Casey, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee, travelled to Afghanistan in August. He issued a statement saying the country deserves a full accounting of the challenges posed in Afghanistan. Casey's committee plans to question Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Democratic Congressman Jason Altmire of Pittsburgh's North Hills says he fully supports the Administration’s decision to provide commanders in Afghanistan with additional troops. "Make no mistake, the war in Afghanistan is still the central front of the war on terror. In order to keep our country safe, we must take the actions necessary to stabilize Afghanistan and to ensure that it will never again be a safe haven for Al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups.”
Congressman Joe Sestak, who is challenging Specter in the May Democratic Primary, says
the president has presented a plan to allow the nation to complete a mission that is as indispensable today as it was 8 years ago....
"It is a difficult decision. After years of war and with economic challenges at home, the American people are justified in their concern about an increased commitment in Afghanistan. But the President has made the right call. If we leave Al Qaeda behind in a safe haven and are struck again, what can we ever say to those we swore to protect?"

Sestak added that the clear emphasis of the overall goal must remain focused on eliminating the safe haven in Pakistan. And second, we should measure our progress not by a fixed timetable, but by benchmarks of achieving America's security.

Casey Wants Changes to Obama Health Care Overhaul

Pro-life Democrat Bob Casey says he wants to see changes to President Obama's health care overhaul, but he's confident the measure will pass the Senate by year's end.
Casey says Democrats don't have the votes they need to pass health care legislation yet, but argues the reform movement has gained momentum, and will clear the Senate in December.
Casey supports a push to make sure the proposed public option doesn't use public dollars to fund abortions.

"I think there's a consensus in the country not to have federal tax dollars pay for abortions and I think that's the intention of people in both parties here in Washington. But I don't think we're there yet in the current version of the bill."

Casey didn't say whether he'd support barring private plans offering abortion coverage from the public exchange, saying the proposal "complicates" things.
He says since there's no template for that type of initiative, it's difficult to tell whether the Hyde Amendment would apply.
Both Casey and Democrat Arlen Specter voted to begin debate on health care this past weekend.
Specter says health care may not pass this year--but he's confident it will pass the Senate.

"We're going to work at it, but it is more important that it is done right than it is done fast. We're dealing here with a big chunk of the economy. We're dealing with health care for America, and we're going to do it right. And if it takes a little longer we are going to take our time."

Specter says he thinks the final bill will include a public option.

Casey to AFL-CIO Time to Act is Now

US Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania went before thousands of AFL-CIO members Monday in Pittsburgh at their annual convention and told them delay is not an option for healthcare reform and the employee free choice act. Casey says he understands why fellow senators, house members and the president all want to debate the employee free choice act but he does not want them to talk the bill to death. He says, “I know there are discussions, very serious discussions and negotiations and that’s a good thing but I hope that people in both parties don’t use that process to slow this down. We should pass the employee free choice act this year. In 2009. Don’t wait for 2010. Pass it this year.” Casey says the act is about protecting justice, choice and the middle class. The senator also told the convention that the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee has been as bipartisan during the healthcare reform debate and now is the time to act before anymore Americans are denied healthcare due to pre-existing conditions. Caroline Kennedy also spoke to the convention Monday. She praised her uncle Edward Kennedy and outgoing AFL-CIO President John Sweeney for their tireless efforts to provide healthcare to all Americans. She says now is the time for the next generation to step forward and take up the cause. President Barack Obama will speak to the convention Tuesday.

Casey Talks Health Care

Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey (D) stated his stance on health care in a news conference this afternoon. Casey, a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, says reform legislation is under way in the House and Senate and should be ready for action in the fall.

Casey says he supports a low-cost, public health care option that would help bring down prices of private insurers. He says he’d also like to increase insurance quality and nix any restrictions against those with pre-existing medical conditions. “After all of the trauma that’s caused for American families, why would they not just agree to do that? But we have to legislate that to force a policy that if you have a pre-existing condition, that will not prevent you from getting the health care you deserve,” says Casey.

The senator says a public option for health care is a necessity. “The worry, if we don’t have it, is that you’ll have health insurance companies be fairly cooperative for a couple of years and then go back to their old ways of driving up costs and not being nearly concerned enough about quality,” says Casey. He says bipartisanship is good, but required for the passage of this bill. “If Democrats support the bill and Republicans don’t, that’s just the nature of the legislative process. We’ve tried very hard to try to get proposals in place that are bipartisan, but that might not be possible. I think the important thing is to get reform passed and get a bill done,” says Casey.

Fed Lawmaker Talks PA Budget

A US Senator is getting involved in the Pennsylvania budget process. Sen. Bob Casey of PA toured the state yesterday with Pennsylvania Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak. The two were touting the Governor’s budget proposal and bashing the version passed by the Republican controlled state Senate. The Republican plan would reduce state spending for education and use $728 million in stimulus money to keep overall funding at a level pace. On the other hand, Governor Ed Rendell’s plan would use a combination of state and federal dollars to increase the education budget. Sen. Casey says he understands the need to cut spending, but wants lawmakers to look elsewhere. He says, “At a time when we’ve got a terrible economy—people have lost their homes or their jobs and their hopes and their dreams—the worst thing we can do is cut education funding.” Republicans says the Rendell Administration is exaggerating the impact of their budget, which they say reflects Pennsylvania’s reduced revenue. The House Appropriations Committee has rejected the Senate spending plan, so it now has no chance of becoming law.