๐ฃ 3 weeks of ๐๐ช๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐จ held by the Senate Appropriations Committee will begin today.
๐ The hearings will be used to review @governorshapiro`s spending plan & ask administration officials about the need for any proposed expenses.
From there, a budget that more appropriately reflects the needs of taxpayers can be developed before the constitutional deadline of June 30. ๐
For the budget hearing schedule: https://appropriations.pasenategop.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/124/2023/02/Budget-Hearing-Schedule-2023-24-REVISED-022323.pdf

โ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐๐ญ. ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ค`๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฒ! โ
"May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back."
Did you know? Pennsylvania ranks 6th for Irish population in the US!
I hope you have a fun & safe weekend! ๐

THANK YOU to the PA Senate Library for featuring me in the current exhibit โOfficers of the Pennsylvania Senate.โ What an honor!
I highly recommend a visit to the beautiful PA Senate Library to meet the knowledgeable librarians & staff. ๐
#WomensHistoryMonthinPA
More info: library.pasen.gov/Exhibitions.cfm

Last week, Senate Bill 8 unanimously passed the PA State Senate. The bill will be the first of its kind in the country if it gets through the House and signed by the governor. It will make BRCA (genetic testing) more accessible and access to breast MRI and ultrasound testing without co-pays for those who are at high risk. This came out of my personal experience while going through treatment and diagnosis for breast cancer. While I could afford to pay for testing if necessary, many women canโt. Thatโs not acceptable. This bill will result in earlier diagnosis which will result in saving lives. 1 in 8 women get breast cancer and approximately 14,000 women are newly diagnosed with breast cancer every year in PA - thatโs a lot of mothers, daughters, friends, relatives and grandmas aka Kikiโs, which Iโm called. ๐. I am the prime sponsor of this bill which is co-primed by Senators @senatordevlinrobinson and @senatorpennycuick.
Iโm extremely grateful to the 49 co-sponsors of SB8 from both sides of the aisle. โค๏ธ

Attended the the 112th Annual Convention of the Westmoreland County Association of Township Supervisors this morning. Thanks for having me!

My office was happy to meet with @duquesneuniversity pharmacy students to discuss workforce issues and industry trends! ๐๐ฉบ

Following Gov. Shapiro`s first budget address, I was joined by my Senate colleagues to reiterate our commitment to passing a conservative, fiscally responsible spending plan that strengthens Pennsylvania.
We voiced concerns with this proposal to increase spending by more than $1.3 billion above the current yearโs budget. However, the $45.8 billion budget proposal unveiled by Shapiro today does also include many priorities shared by us, including workforce development, infrastructure advancements, safe communities, and mental and behavioral health supports.
Watch our full response to Gov. Shapiro`s budget address here:
https://www.pasenategop.com/news/senate-republican-leaders-reaffirm-commitment-to-passing-a-responsible-budget/

๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ง๐๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐พ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐๐ข๐ค๐ช๐จ๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐๐จ๐จ๐๐จ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐
Senate Bill 8 improves coverage of necessary BRCA testing and screening for high-risk Pennsylvanians.
Read about it here: https://www.senatorward.com/2023/03/06/historic-breast-cancer-screening-bill-unanimously-passes-pa-senate/

I love seeing new businesses thrive in my community! @newstorycoffee352 in Mt. Pleasant has delicious baked goods, coffees, smoothies & teas. ๐คโ๏ธ
The friendly service & lemon blueberry muffins are worth a visit! ๐๐ซ

Yesterday, I joined my Senate Republican colleagues to announce our principles and priorities for the 2023-24 legislative session.
During the current two-year session, legislative efforts will be focused on protecting jobs, empowering families and defending freedoms.
We want Pennsylvanians to know the Senate Republican Caucus has their backs.
For more information: pasenategop.com/strengtheningpa/

Bushy Run won yesterday at the PA Historical Museum Commission meeting! ๐
Unanimous vote in favor of permitting Bushy Runโs 260th Anniversary to occur as it always has.
A busload of Bushy Run volunteers came to Harrisburg to speak during public comment on the importance of moving forward with the re-enactments.
This ongoing battle has come to an end!
https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/were-back-bushy-runs-2023-battle-reenactment-will-be-held/

Tasted some gooood chili yesterday afternoon at the chili cook off at the American Legion in Jeannette.
The highlight of my afternoon was meeting a veteran who was wearing a purple heart on his hat and who shared a few stories, as welll as pictures, of his time in combat. ๐
God bless all of our veterans who fought and who are fighting for our nation. ๐บ๐ธ

๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐จ ๐ผ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ is a good reminder to learn about invasive species in Pennsylvania, how to identify them & what to do if you "spot" one. ๐ต๐ผโโ๏ธ๐ฟ๐
For more information:
https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plants_Land_Water/PlantIndustry/GISC/Pages/Invasive-Species-in-Pennsylvania.aspx

โRemember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.โ
May your Ash Wednesday be a time of reflection and repentance as we prepare for our Lenten season. ๐ค

๐๐ช๐น๐น๐ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ท๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ท๐ฎโ๐ผ ๐๐ช๐! ๐๐
I am spending time giving my sweet grand-angels some extra love!

There`s no better bond than sisterhood.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐`๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฒ! ๐๐

"Say what?!"
Time to alpaca it up & go...
Tomorrow is the ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ of the PA Farm Show.
๐๐ฝ๐ฝ
Stop by before it ends!
Until next year, @pafarmshow
๐ซถ๐ผโ๐ผ
bit.ly/3VSmVwY

๐ฟ๐ค๐ฃ`๐ฉ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐๐ค๐ฌ!
โฆ because the PA Farm Show has plenty! ๐
Haven`t been to it yet? You better get MOOOving!
It runs until SATURDAY! ๐ค๐ค
๐ @FarmShowComplex

๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐๐ฒ! ๐ฅ
I canโt udder enough the importance of our PA dairy farmers! ๐ค
#thankyoufarmers

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