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Protecting Kids
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Every day seems to bring a new report of a child robbed of his or her innocence by someone they should've been able to trust - a teacher. So far this year, more than 275 teachers have been arrested for sexual misconduct with a child. Just this year.
I have introduced the bipartisan Protecting Students from Sexual and Violent Predators Act to protect America's children from predators in the classroom. It requires schools to perform background checks on all new and existing employees, and bans schools from helping a child molester find a new teaching job.
Recently, a York Dispatch editorial shed more light on this critical issue. |
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Standing Up To Vladimir Putin
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Last week, Ukrainian separatists, supplied with sophisticated weapons systems by the Russian government, shot down a commercial airliner full of civilians. All 298 passengers were killed.
We need to be very clear about who Russian president Vladimir Putin really is: a thug with the blood of not only his own people on his hands, but also the blood of each of those passengers.
It is time for the United States to impose tougher sanctions against Russia. They should be directed at Putin, personally, and his cronies who have collectively robbed the Russian people of billions of dollars.
The United States needs to make Vladimir Putin an international pariah. We have the ability to do that. And we should. |
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Working To Fix PA's Damaged Bridges
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I have filed an amendment to the Senate transportation bill to make it easier to rebuild roads, highways, and bridges that have been damaged during natural disasters. Current law requires these repair projects to undergo additional, mandatory environmental reviews that slow down recovery efforts.
My bill would exempt these repair projects from these reviews, thereby speeding up the rebuilding process and saving taxpayer dollars.
I've seen the damage that natural disasters can have on a community. In the aftermath, relief efforts to repair homes and businesses are often stymied due to significant roadway damage. To get help quickly to victims, states and municipalities should be able to make essential infrastructure-based repairs without having to navigate excessive red tape.
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Filling PA's Judicial Vacancies
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At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week, Senator Bob Casey and I introduced four judicial nominees for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania: Wendy Beetlestone, Jay Leeson, Jerry Pappert and Mark Kearney. Sen. Casey and I jointly recommended these nominees to President Obama, and we appreciate their willingness to serve on the federal bench.
I've worked closely with Sen. Casey on judicial nominations to help confirm qualified, experienced individuals with unquestioned honesty, ability, and integrity. I'm confident these nominees will live up to these standards and hope that the Senate confirms them in a timely manner.
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| Honoring Our Veterans |
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I'm working to make it easier for veterans to travel and visit the national war memorials dedicated in their honor. My new bill would direct the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to provide expedited and dignified passenger screening services for veterans traveling via the Honor Flight Network.
 Harry Stephey (center) commanded a squadron of B-24 Liberators and flew more than 20 sorties during WWII. While he was visiting the WWII memorial with Honor Flight, several students came over to tell him "thank you."
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