Hump Day. It’s all downhill from here, right?

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Did You Know? “To encourage more domestic sugar production, the government imposed strict limits on sugar imports. As a result, Americans now pay almost twice as much for sugar as people elsewhere around the world.”

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Top Story

1. Trump Can’t Wait for ‘Liberation Day.’ Now the White House Has to Sell It

“In the dining room at Mar-a-Lago on Friday night, President Donald Trump and around two dozen advisers, friends and club members sat to celebrate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz. But the brimming undercurrent was excitement for “Liberation Day,” a day that could become one of the signature moments of Trump’s second term.

“He was looking forward to it. And so was Howard Lutnick, who was there. And so was Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary. They were all excited about it,” former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who was present, told NOTUS in an interview about Trump’s planned splashy Rose Garden rollout for his new tariff program. The president, Ross said, “is very much of the view that this is the greatest thing in a long time.”” (NOTUS)

Elsewhere

​​Funding Cuts and Tariffs: What Federal Shakeups Could Mean For Pennsylvania Agriculture. “Trump’s administration has cut a funding stream that kept Pennsylvania food banks stocked with produce from local farms. The intensifying international trade wars could have consequences for agricultural exports to other countries. And meanwhile, in Congress, agricultural funding is on the chopping block as lawmakers debate their budget reconciliation plans.” (USA Today Network)

Shapiro Slams Tariffs’ Possible Harm to Wood Industry. “On the eve of anticipated sweeping tariffs imposed by the federal government, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro seized an opportunity to promote the state’s ag and hardwood industries.” (Lancaster Farming)

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie Bucked His Party on Allowing New Parents in Congress to Vote By Proxy. “Mackenzie, who has a nearly 1-year-old son, said his work in the Pennsylvania statehouse creating a maternal mortality review committee helped inform him on what new mothers and parents go through.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Rep. Perry to Host Phone-In Town Hall Amid Growing Backlash to Trump. “Republican Rep. Scott Perry will host a rare public event Wednesday as demands grow nationwide for members of Congress to talk directly to their constituents about how they’re responding to the Trump administration.” (PennLive)

Congressman Buys Up To $600K In Bitcoin ETF After Selling $1 Million In Goldman Sachs Stock: Committee Assignment Could Be Red Flag. “While the price of Bitcoin has fallen since Trump took office, potential plans for a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve could place optimism in the United States buying the leading cryptocurrency and sending the value of BTC higher. Senator David McCormick could be hedging his investments on this very scenario. Benzinga previously reported that McCormick bought between $65,000 and $150,000 in shares of the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF.” (Yahoo!Finance)

State

2. Gov. Shapiro Wants You to Know He’s Pushing Back on Trump

“On Tuesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro visited a timber business in Reedsville to highlight his administration’s investment in agricultural companies in the commonwealth.

But Shapiro had another message as well.

Ahead of the visit, his press team touted the appearance as an effort to showcase“efforts to support Pennsylvania farmers and agricultural innovation in the face of economic uncertainty.” During his speech, Shapiro framed his administration’s investments in Pennsylvania businesses in contrast with expected tariff announcements from President Donald Trump on Wednesday.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Elsewhere

Shapiro Joins Multistate Lawsuit to Protect Public Health in PA. “Gov. Josh Shapiro joined a multistate lawsuit with 22 other states and the District of Columbia to protect public health in Pennsylvania after the Trump Administration abruptly and arbitrarily canceled more than half a billion dollars in public health grants for Pennsylvania state agencies.” (PoliticsPA)

Records Reveal Shapiro Admin Stopped Tracking Why Older Adults Die During Abuse, Neglect Investigations. “The Shapiro administration last year stopped collecting information on why older adults in Pennsylvania die during open abuse and neglect investigations, and no longer examines whether delays or other investigative failures by county agencies might have played a role.” (Spotlight PA)

GOP Lawmakers Question Shapiro’s $25M Cut to PA Bird Flu Fund. “The Shapiro administration is proposing a $25 million cut to a state bird flu recovery program, arguing that its $61.5 million reserve is enough to aid Pennsylvania farmers affected by the aggressive virus. But the move has sparked concern among some Republican lawmakers who fear the state won’t be prepared to respond to a surge in cases.” (Spotlight PA State College)

PA Senator Looks to ‘Safeguard’ Elections By Requiring Citizenship Proof. “The legislation, authored by Sen. Doug Mastriano, is designed to enhance the transparency of elections by requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Currently, the Commonwealth does not require proof of citizenship as part of voter registration.” (YourErie)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Philly Labor Unions Split Over Who They Want to Be District Attorney

“The largest labor organization in Philadelphia will not endorse a candidate for district attorney this year, a slight to progressive incumbent Larry Krasner, whom the group backed for reelection just four years ago.

The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, which represents more than 100 unions comprised of some 150,000 workers, voted last week to not endorse Krasner or his Democratic primary opponent, former Municipal Court Judge Patrick Dugan.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Elsewhere

Dugan Challenging ‘Do-Nothing’ Krasner in Dem DA Primary. “Former Municipal Court President Judge Patrick Dugan is on a mission to save Philadelphia.” (DV Journal)

Lawsuit Claims Musk Failed to Make Promised Payments Over 2024 Petition Signatures. “A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Pennsylvania accuses billionaire Elon Musk and the political action committee he started of failing to pay a suburban Philadelphia man more than $20,000 for getting people to sign a petition in favor of free speech and gun rights.” (AP)

Some Philly-Area Schools Are Sticking With DEI, Despite Trump’s Orders. “Phoenixville’s school board president says he’s “fighting back.” Other local districts are quietly trying to defy Trump’s orders to end DEI programs.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Bucks County’s Moms for Liberty Has Grown the Largest Leadership Team of Any U.S. Chapter. “Bucks County’s chapter of Moms for Liberty has a bigger leadership team than every other branch in the country, according to a review of the organization’s websites.” (Bucks County Courier Times)

Editorial

4. Speak Your Mind

• Another Week in Donald Trump’s Fear Industry. (Gene Collier) 
• A Rabbi Speaks Out: Not in My Name. (Rabbi Ariana Capptauber)
• The Great Experiment: One Small Step. (Emily Greene)
• Josh Shapiro’s Taxpayer-Funded Self-Promotional Horror Show. (Erik Telford)
• When Progressives Turn Their Backs on Women. (Josue Sierra)
• Rural Pennsylvanians Deserve School Choice, Too. (Emily D’Vertola)
• Why Won’t the Dated-Envelope Lawsuits Die? (Greensburg Tribune-Review)
• SNAP Judgment: We Aren’t Doing Enough to Help Food-Insecure Pennsylvanians. (Stuart I.R. Haniff and Rep. Emily Kinkead)
• Trump’s First Months: More Poetry Than Prose. (Bruce Yandle)

1 Thing

5. Where to See the Redbuds

“Each spring, vibrant pink Eastern redbuds brighten Pittsburgh’s riverfronts and cityscapes.

Why it matters: The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy launched the Redbud Project in 2016 and has since planted thousands of the native trees, creating a striking seasonal display while supporting pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Zoom in: Top spots to catch the blooms include Point State Park, The Three Rivers Heritage Trail from Acrisure Stadium past PNC Park and outside Jim Ludwig’s Blumengarten Florist in the Strip District.” (Axios Pittsburgh)

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