Advocacy Information
Federal, State and Local
Congressman John Joyce
HALT Fentanyl Act protects American lives
by John Joyce, M.D., Member of Congress
The health and security of all Americans was significantly enhanced through action taken by the U.S. House of Representatives in early February.
In a bi-partisan show of support, my House colleagues and I overwhelmingly passed legislation that will save lives by cracking down on the illicit fentanyl flowing across our borders.
The HALT Fentanyl Act classifies fentanyl analogues as Schedule 1 drugs and empowers our law enforcement officers and border patrol agents to effectively seize these substances.
A Schedule 1 drug is defined as a drug or other substance that has a high chance of being abused or causing addiction and has no FDA-approved medical use in the United States.
Significantly, the HALT Fentanyl Act will result in harsher penalties for the criminals who produce, traffic, and sell these poisons.
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2023, an individual died of overdose every two hours. More than three-fourths of those overdose deaths were the result of fentanyl use.
Nationwide, illicit fentanyl poisonings are now the leading cause of death among adults aged 18 to 49.
For communities across the nation and all future generations, the HALT Fentanyl Act is a defense against a scourge that doesn’t discriminate by age, gender, economic status, or educational background. I was proud to support this legislation.
Get Ready for REAL ID
While I believe that Real ID requirements are a vast overreach by the Federal government, the reality is that they will begin to be enforced in May. If you don’t have another valid form of ID and would like a Real ID, my office is ready to assist you.
As of May 7, you will have to present a federally accepted form of identification to board a commercial domestic flight or visit a secure federal building that requires ID at the door. Federally accepted forms of identification include a Pennsylvania REAL ID driver’s license or ID card, a U.S. passport or passport card, or a military ID.
While all Pennsylvanians must comply with the new law, obtaining a state-issued REAL ID is not mandatory. PennDOT will continue to offer standard-issue driver’s licenses and photo IDs.
Governor’s Proposed $51.47 Billion Budget: More Than Pennsylvania Can Afford
The 2025-26 state budget process officially began this week when Gov. Josh Shapiro presented his budget address to a joint session of the General Assembly on Feb. 4.
His proposed $51.47 billion budget represents an increase of $3.57 billion, or 7.5%, over this year’s spending. However, with revenues projected to rise by just 2.8%, Shapiro’s plan would fully deplete the state’s surplus funds and once again draw from the Rainy Day Fund. At this spending rate, Pennsylvania faces future tax hikes or significant budget cuts in the near future.
This approach is unsustainable. Instead, we should prioritize policies that foster economic growth and create family-sustaining jobs. There is immense growth potential in Pennsylvania’s energy sector, but the governor’s proposal includes economically harmful energy taxes like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER).
While there are areas that we agree require investment to strengthen our workforce, economy and support those in need, these priorities should be balanced and strategic. Key areas for investment include career and technical education, improving rural health care and enhancing support for Area Agencies on Aging.
The budget address marks only the first step in the annual state budget process. Both the House and Senate Appropriations committees have begun hearings to scrutinize the details of the plan. The House hearings began on Tuesday, Feb. 18 and continue through Thursday, March 6.
​Franklin County Commissioners:
Commissioner John Flannery
Commissioner Dean Horst
Commissioner Bob Ziobrowski
