This Week In Washington

On September 11, 2001, Bucks County resident, Captain Victor Saracini, was piloting United Flight 175 when it was hijacked by terrorists and flown into the World Trade Center. In order to help keep America's air travelers safe and to honor the memory of Captain Victor Saracini, Senator Casey and I have re-introduced the Saracini Aviation Safety Act.

The Saracini Aviation Safety Act requires all commercial aircraft to install a secondary barrier, separate from the cockpit door, to better prevent access to the flight deck of an aircraft. While cockpit doors are currently reinforced, a secondary barrier will protect passengers and crew during times in flights when the cockpit door is opened.

Read my statement on the Saracini Aviation Safety Act.

Picture: Me and Ellen Saracini, the wife of Captain Saracini

Every day, America's public safety officers place themselves in harm's way to protect the rest of us. For this, they deserve our gratitude. Instead, our law enforcement officers have been unfairly maligned and, too often, attacked simply for the uniform they wear-for their decision to protect and serve.

That is why this week I re-introduced three bills to support the brave men and women of law enforcement and public safety: The Lifesaving Gear for Police Act, the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Correctional Officer Self-Protection Act, and the Thin Blue Line Act.

You can learn more about the bills on my website.

Since I was first elected to the Senate in 2010, I have believed that Congress should repeal and replace Obamacare. In Pennsylvania, 40 percent of people on the Obamacare exchanges only have access to a single insurance provider. Meanwhile, Obamacare premiums in our state have gone up, on average, 32 percent.

Given the massive spikes in premiums and deductibles so many Pennsylvania families are enduring, the loss of choices, and the collapse of individual markets, Congress has finally begun to repeal and replace Obamacare. At the same time, the administration has undertaken a series of important regulatory actions to stabilize the health care market. The bill recently passed in the House of Representatives is merely the first legislative step.

I look forward to being a part of this process as the Senate writes its own version to repeal and replace Obamacare so that Pennsylvanians can have access to quality health care at a price they can afford.

This week I had a chance to meet two very inspiring Pennsylvanians: Amanda Yang of Dresher, and Lorelei McIntyre-Brewer of Duncannon. Amanda and Lorelei were in Washington to be honored for their outstanding community service as a part of the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

Amanda, who was honored as one of Pennsylvania's top youth volunteers, teaches art classes for residents of local area nursing homes. She has also written a book to share her methods and projects with caregivers at other nursing facilities.

Lorelei was named one of America's top 10 youth volunteers for building a network that has provided over 12,000 special pillows for children around the world undergoing heart surgery. She has sent her pillows to young heart patients as far away as Ireland, China, and South Africa. She also has raised more than $25,000 to support cardiac care for children.

Lorelei and Amanda have made our commonwealth proud, and I am happy I got to meet them.