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In This Update:
Happy 100th Birthday to WWII Veteran Russell Sattazahn
One of the most rewarding parts of this job is the opportunity to recognize incredible individuals like Mr. Russell Sattazahn. I was proud to present him with an official Senate Citation in honor of his 100th birthday. Born in Rexmont on April 17, 1926, Russell served in the U.S. Army in France and Germany, earning two Bronze Star Medals and a Purple Heart. Following his service, he retired from RCA in Lancaster and has remained deeply involved in his community ever since. For more than 75 years, he has attended Saint Paul’s United Church of Christ. He has also served 30 years on the Schaefferstown Cemetery Committee and 45 years as a member of the Heidelberg Lions Club. Russell was married to his late wife, Georgette Corl Sattazahn, for 75 years. Together, they built a beautiful family—one daughter, three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. It was truly an honor to recognize a life defined by service, commitment, and community. Blue Mountain Christian School Visit
It was great to visit Blue Mountain Christian School in Jonestown this week. With over 100 students, it was great spending time with the students, teachers, and principal and seeing firsthand the impact they’re making. We had a productive conversation about the importance of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program (OSTC), which empower parents to choose the best educational environment for their children. These state programs provide scholarships that help students attend a private school that best fits their needs, while businesses can receive tax credits of up to 90% for supporting the scholarship organizations. I’d encourage both parents and businesses to take a closer look at these programs if you’re interested in private education. Parents deserve real choice when it comes to their children’s education, and I fully support expanding these opportunities. Senate Approves Legislation to Help Relieve PA Nurse Shortage
The Senate approved legislation to help alleviate Pennsylvania’s nurse shortage by increasing the number of qualified nursing students. Senate Bill 998 would establish the Nurse Education Capacity Expansion Grant Program, aimed at increasing the number of qualified nursing students by providing targeted support to accredited nursing schools across Pennsylvania. Nursing education programs would have to meet key performance benchmarks, including strong graduation rates, high licensure exam pass rates and successful job placement outcomes. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. Read more about Senate Bill 998 here. Measures Reinforcing Commercial Vehicle Safety Approved by Committee
A package of bills to improve safety standards for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders in Pennsylvania was approved by the Senate Transportation Committee. The measures are the result of a committee fact-finding hearing in December, which revealed deficiencies and loopholes involving criminal illegal migrants. The hearing was prompted by a fatal crash in the state of Indiana involving a Pennsylvania-issued, non-domiciled CDL held by a citizen of Kyrgyzstan. The package includes the following bills:
The bills now go to the full Senate for consideration. Hearing on Resource Adequacy, Energy Market, Barriers to New PA Power Generation
Continuing efforts to ensure Pennsylvania families and employers have access to reliable, affordable electricity, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held a public hearing to examine the latest energy market conditions and barriers to new power generation in the commonwealth. The panel heard from testifiers representing the regional power grid, PJM, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and others. ReliabilityFirst, which is responsible for ensuring the dependability and security of the regional bulk power system, projected risk to grid reliability could come in 2029 instead of in the early 2030s as previously projected. The surge of demand from data centers and the need for more skilled infrastructure workers were also discussed. You can view written testimony and the hearing video here. May 4 is the Deadline to Register to Vote in the Primary Election
This Monday, May 4 is the deadline to register to vote in the May 19 primary election. You can register to vote online, by mail or at several government agencies. To register to vote in Pennsylvania, you must:
Learn more about registering to vote here. Check if you’re registered to vote here. Mammo May: Early Detection Saves Lives
Continuing to build awareness on the importance of early breast cancer detection, the Pennsylvania Senate announced a Senate Resolution recognizing May 2026 as Mammography Month in Pennsylvania. The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 322,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer nationwide this year. In Pennsylvania alone, an average of 38 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every single day. Alarmingly, nearly one in four women aged 50 to 74 have not received a mammogram in the past two years, despite strong evidence that early detection drastically improves outcomes. Behind every mammogram is a life, a family and a future, which is why we continue to work with the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition to spread the word that early detection of breast cancer through mammograms saves lives. Mammograms are available at no cost in Pennsylvania. If you haven’t yet, use Mammo May as a reminder to schedule your mammogram – and please spread the word to the women in your life. This PA Breast Cancer Coalition resource page walks you through the steps of the mammogram process. Local Events
Saturday, May 2, 8am-2pm: Conrad Weiser FFA Native Plant and Vegetable Sale Saturday, May 2, 12am-5pm: Ephrata Rhythm & Brews Saturday, May 2, 8am-12pm: Lebanon County Master Gardners – Plant Sale Saturday, May 2, 12pm-4:30pm: Police K-9 Benefit Event Saturday, May 2, 9am-1pm: Blooms & More Festival Wednesday, May 20-25: The Myerstown Carnival 2026 Saturday, May 23, 3pm-9pm: 15th Annual Jonestown Block Party
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