Hey, Thursday! A winning $1B PowerBall ticket was sold but not to me.

PA Weather
Charleroi | Partly Sunny, Chance of T-Storms, 85
McConnellsburg | Partly Sunny, 85
Oxford | Partly Sunny, Chance of T-Storms, 86

PA Sports
Phillies (52-43) | Milwaukee 3-5 | Thu vs. Milwaukee
Pirates (42-54) | Cleveland 7-5 | Fri-Sun vs. LA Angels
USWNT | Fri vs. Vietnam

What’s Happening
President Joe Biden will get a noontime tour of the Philly Shipyard and speak at 1 p.m. on ‘Bidenomics.’ Also, Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting will consider Julia Munley’s nomination to be a U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania at 9:30 a.m.

What We’re Hearing
“We intend to keep the promises we made to the American people to cut federal spending, reduce the size and scope of the woke and weaponized federal bureaucracy, and ensure their security.” – Rep. Scott Perry in a letter to Speaker Kevin McCarthy, saying he and others will vote against funding bills if their demands aren’t met.

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Top Story

1. Biden Pushes For Strong Role For Unions In Tech Jobs, Even As Potential Strikes Are On The Horizon

“President Joe Biden is courting unions as a cornerstone of the country’s economic future with a speech at a Philadelphia shipyard on Thursday — just as some major unions are weighing strikes that could disrupt the growth he wants to campaign on in 2024.

Tensions are rising between unions and companies about a rapidly evolving economy in which artificial intelligence, clean energy and e-commerce are rewriting some of the basic rules of work. ” (AP)

Related

Biden Debt Relief Plan Will Forgive Federal Student Loans For Roughly 30,000 PA Borrowers. “State-by-state data released by the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday showed an estimated 29,840 borrowers in Pennsylvania, which ranks among the highest in the nation for the most debt, are eligible for a combined $1.34 billion in student debt relief.” (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

Sununu’s Exit Spells The End Of A Whole Breed Of Republican Governor. “Victim: Moderate Republican governors in Democratic-leaning states. Time of death: 12:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Cause: Donald Trump.” (POLITICO)

How John Fetterman Came Out Of The Darkness. “When he looks back on the past year – a year in which he nearly died, became a U.S. Senator, and nearly died again – it is the debate that John Fetterman identifies as the ­breaking point.” (TIME)

How Seriously Should We Take A Potential No Labels Candidate? “It’s understandable why Democrats are openly fretting about the prospect of a No Labels third-party candidate making the ballot in 2024.” (Cook Political Report) ($)

State

2. Innamorato Resigns From State House To Focus On Allegheny County Executive Bid

“State Rep. Sara Innamorato has resigned from her position representing the 21st House District to focus on her bid to become the next Allegheny County executive.

Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton announced the move Wednesday morning. She has scheduled a special election for the district to take place Sept. 19.” (WESA)

Related

Back To Even. Innamorato Resigns From PA House. “State Rep. Sara Innamorato (D-Allegheny) announced her resignation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives today.” (PoliticsPA)

• Democrat Quits PA House, Leaving Chamber Tied At 101-101. (AP)
• Innamorato Resigned From The State House, Costing Democrats Their One-Seat Majority During A Budget Fight. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Another PA House Resignation Leaves Democrats To Defend Their Majority (Again). (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Dark Money Group Puts Pressure On PA Lawmakers After Shapiro Vows Voucher Veto. “As Pennsylvania’s budget impasse drags on, a group that keeps its donors secret is pressuring key lawmakers to support publicly funded private school vouchers. The group, Commonwealth Action, announced it was launching its ad campaign the day state budget negotiations broke down in Harrisburg.” (Spotlight PA)

The Debate Over Lifeline Scholarships In Pennsylvania. “The scholarship program would direct funding to students living in the lowest-performing public schools in the state and allow them to spend the money on private school tuition and other education costs.” (Ballotpedia)

Poll: 2 In 3 Think Shapiro Broke Deal To Fund Lifeline Scholarships. “Sixty-five percent of those surveyed either strongly or somewhat agreed when posed with the question, “Governor Shapiro made a bi-partisan deal with the State Senate to support scholarships for children attending the state’s worst performing schools. He should honor the deal he made and fund the scholarships.” (PoliticsPA)

Bozinski Resigns As Luzerne County Democratic Chair; Takes Job With DCED. “Kathy Bozinski said she resigned effective Wednesday and will start work Monday as deputy communications director at DCED. Bozinski formerly worked as a television and radio journalist and as spokesperson for United Way of Wyoming Valley. She also once served as Luzerne County’s public information officer.” (Times-Tribune)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Penn State’s Post-Sandusky Misconduct Reforms Falter

“Penn State overhauled its ethics policies and misconduct reporting systems after the Sandusky scandal to protect students and employees. Years later, distrust is rampant and many fear retaliation if they speak up.” (Spotlight PA)

Related

State Lawmakers Are Holding Up Funding For Pitt. Here’s What That Means. “For more than 50 years, the University of Pittsburgh has received state funding to reduce the cost of tuition for thousands of Pennsylvania students. But partisan division has so far blocked attempts to approve the funding, creating uncertainty over in-state families’ tuition bills for the upcoming school year.” (Public Source)

AFP-Action Endorses Dave McCormick, Offers Support For Potential Senate Run. “The early support is a signal that AFP-Action’s grassroots activists would be ready to support him should he launch a bid against incumbent Sen. Bob Casey Jr.” (PoliticsPA)

Lee Opposed Another Pro-Israel Resolution: ‘I Cannot Vote For Unconditional Support’  “U.S. Rep. Summer Lee again found herself in a small minority this week as she and some of the House’s most progressive members shrugged off Republican efforts to tout American support for Israel. ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Buttigieg On Pittsburgh’s Role As Workplace Hub. “As First Lady Jill Biden noted in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Pittsburgh has been named one of five workplace hubs in America. But what exactly does that mean?” (KDKA)

After A Near Upset In 2022, Kevin Dellicker Again Focuses On China And The Economy For His PA-07 Race. “As Kevin Dellicker tells it, he would prefer not to be challenging Rep. Susan Wild for control of one of the country’s most contested congressional districts in next year’s election.” (LehighValleyNews.com)

Allentown City Council OKs Salary-Hike Ballot Questions, But Rejects Term-Limit Measures. “Allentown voters will see several questions on their ballots this fall after city council on Wednesday approved measures that could land big raises for its members and the city controller.” (LehighValleyNews.com)

State Budget Delay Impacting Butler County Government. “The delay in passing a state budget is beginning to impact state-funded county operations and could hamper the county food bank’s ability to meet increased need.” (Butler Eagle)

Meadville City Council Targets Crawford County For Lawsuit. “Meadville City Council members on Tuesday voted unanimously in favor of suing Crawford County in hopes of forcing the first full-scale countywide reassessment of property values since the year Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first walked on the moon.” (Meadville Tribune)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

• Stop Playing Politics With Student Education. (David Messineo)
• The Far Right May Wrap Themselves In The Flag, But Patriotism Demands That We Put The Common Good First. (Rep. Chris Deluzio)
• On University Open Records Laws, PA Republicans Are Right, But For The Wrong Reasons. (Taran Samarth)
• Summer Lee Voted Wrong, And Her Explanation Didn’t Help. (Ruth Ann Dailey)
• It May Be Hot, But We Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet. (Doug Morris)
• How Democrats Revived The Equal Rights Amendment From A Long Legal Limbo. (Deana Rohlinger)
• State Needs To Make Greater Investment In Mental Health. (Rep. Mike Schlossberg, Rep. Stephen Kinsey)
• 2024: An American Watershed. (Jerry Shenk)
• Pick A Side: Push For Open Primaries Would ‘Water Down The Electorate’  (Dwight Weidman)

1 Thing

5. Dog Receives Cash Reward For Assist In Catching Fugitive

“A chocolate Lab mix in Warren County is getting spoiled after his owners were presented Tuesday with $2,000, part of a reward authorities had offered for information leading to the apprehension of jail escapee Michael Burham.

Ron and Cindy Ecklund were given $2,000 cash from Warren County Crime Stoppers for the role they and their dog Tucker had in Burham’s Saturday arrest, according to the Times Observer in Warren.” (Tribune-Review)

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