 |  | | Meeting with
Judge Neil Gorsuch | | This week, I sat down with Judge Neil Gorsuch, who is President Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court of the United States. We enjoyed a wide-ranging discussion. It is clear to me that Judge Gorsuch is eminently qualified and understands the proper role of a judge. I believe he will apply the law and U.S. Constitution as written, and not pick winners and losers based on personal or partisan policy preferences. Justice Scalia has left big shoes to fill. But I am optimistic that Judge Gorsuch is up to the task. Our discussion indicates to me he will neutrally apply the law, even when doing so leads to a policy outcome he personally opposes. Judge Gorsuch's record indicates that he has the character, intellect, and experience to make an excellent addition to the U.S. Supreme Court. I will look forward to Judge Gorsuch's confirmation hearing and his responses to my colleagues. | | |  | | Talking with Pennsylvanians | | On Thursday afternoon, I hosted my 48th tele town hall meeting with Pennsylvanians. There has been a lot going on in Washington over the past few weeks. As such, many Pennsylvanians have reached out to make their voices heard on a range of issues. Thursday's tele town hall provided me with ability to talk with Pennsylvanians directly about their concerns. In total, 7,000 people listened to the tele town hall over the phone and another 8,000 listened online. I was able to address about a dozen questions and I know there are many more. If you'd like to get a message to me, please visit my website, toomey.senate.gov. That is a quick and easy way to pass your message along. During the town hall, I provided a brief legislative update and took questions regarding Russia, the confirmation of Betsy DeVos, sanctuary cities, and more. If you'd like to listen to the tele town hall, please click here. | | |  | | Standing with Israel | | Israel is our most valued and trusted ally in the Middle East. With this in mind, I was very eager to meet with President Trump's nominee to serve as our next Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman. Mr. Friedman and I had the opportunity to sit down and talk this past week in my Washington office. During our conversation, I was pleased to see that Mr. Friedman shares my passion for standing with Israel, especially amidst the ongoing threats Israel faces every day. | | |  | | Dr. David Shulkin of PA
Unanimously Confirmed to Head the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | | As a fellow Pennsylvanian, it was my pleasure to vote for Dr. David Shulkin to lead the VA. Not long ago, he took over the Veterans Health Administration. Despite the difficult tasks with which he was entrusted, he never forgot his focus on medicine and serving our veterans. Dr. Shulkin is a graduate of the Medical College of Pennsylvania - now part of Drexel and did his residency at the University of Pittsburgh. He came back to Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania and served in a number of roles including Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer for the UPenn Health System. I was very impressed with Dr. Shulkin. His extensive knowledge and insight have been forged by a career as a top administrator in some of the nation's largest hospital systems and his personal experience as a physician. I have said many times that our veterans should be first in line for the best possible health care. In addition to our Pennsylvania roots, Dr. Shulkin and I share this commitment. I am heartened to know Dr. Shulkin will now be leading the charge. We can do better for our veterans and we must. | | |  | | A National Championship for Saint Hubert's | | Congratulations are in order for Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls, which is located in Northeast Philadelphia. Last week, Saint Hubert's varsity cheerleading squad won the annual National High School Cheerleading Championship held at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This is a terrific accomplishment for Coach Lisa McNesby and her squad! | | |
