 |  | | Standing Against Animal Abuse | | There is absolutely no place for the abuse of animals in our society. It is blatantly inhumane and astonishingly cruel. This is why I am renewing my partnership with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to pass the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, which would outlaw a heinous, deadly form of animal maiming and torture known as "crushing." The PACT Act would be the first-ever federal law to grant all animals federal protections against cruelty and abuse. Despite taking steps in 2010 to ban the sale of videos depicting animal crushing, Congress did not make the underlying act of crushing a federal crime. This means that-even when there is overwhelming evidence that torture is taking place-federal law enforcement is currently unable to protect animals from abuse or even arrest known abusers. The Senate passed the bipartisan PACT Act unanimously in the last session of Congress. The PACT Act is endorsed by the Humane Society of the United States, National Sheriffs' Association, Fraternal Order of Police, Major County Sheriffs' Association, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association. Read more about the PACT Act in Philly Voice, the York Dispatch, or the Ellwood City Ledger. | | |  | | Continuing the Fight against Opioid Abuse | | Last Wednesday, the Senate unanimously adopted a bipartisan resolution I offered with four of my colleagues aimed at raising awareness of the devastating role played by illicit fentanyl as part of the country's heroin and opioid overdose epidemic. Among other stated actions, our resolution provides that it is the responsibility of the governments of the United States, China, and Mexico to stop both the production and trafficking of illicit fentanyl, which can be 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin, into the United States. The scourge of opioid abuse is a public health crisis that has not spared any area of Pennsylvania. While there is no silver bullet on how we can fix this problem, we need to up our efforts to keep dangerous substances, like illicit fentanyl, out of the United States by cutting off production at the source. This includes holding China and Mexico accountable for what is trafficked from their countries into the United States. Read the full resolution here. | | |  | | Honored by the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste | | I have repeatedly said that Congress must bring spending under control and have a federal government that lives within its means. I am proud to have a record that reflects this priority. Last week, I was honored that the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) chose to highlight my record. Since 1989, the CCAGW has shined a light on members of Congress who work in support of the best interest of taxpayers. For my work in 2016 supporting taxpayers against waste and abuse, the CCAGW graciously named me a "Taxpayer Super Hero." Learn more about the CCAGW here. | | |  | | President Trump's Budget Blueprint | | Last week, President Trump offered his first budget proposal. This blueprint proposes a significant increase in spending to strengthen national security, rebuild our neglected military, and honor our commitment to veterans with additional resources for the VA. To pay for these changes, it proposes reductions to non-defense programs. After years of overspending, I am encouraged that the President has proposed actual spending cuts and has committed to maintaining the overall cap on discretionary spending. As Congress will soon start the process of approving funding for the 2018 fiscal year, I look forward to carefully examining each of the proposed reductions in this budget proposal. | | |  | | Meeting with Young Scientists | | Finally, I recently had the opportunity to meet with two budding Pennsylvania scientists who stopped by my Washington office. Aaron Yeiser of Perkiomen Valley High School (Montgomery County) and Natalia Hajlasz of Allderdice High School (Allegheny County) are Pennsylvania's representatives this year in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, which is a research-based science and math competition for high school seniors. Both Aaron and Natalia are great students and have terrific futures ahead of them! | | |
