Burns appointed deputy caucus chairman for House Democrats
Will use role to build bridges with peers for policies to help working families
Rep. Frank Burns March 7, 2019 | 10:22 AM
EBENSBURG, March 7 – Saying it strengthens his working relationships with members of the House Democratic Caucus to advance issues of common interest, such as helping working families, state Rep. Frank Burns, has begun serving in the newly created role of deputy caucus chairman.
Burns, D-Cambria, said his selection as someone tasked with running caucus meetings in the absence of Democratic Caucus Chair Joanna McClinton, D-Phila., shows that House Democrats are interested in allowing a cross-section of viewpoints to be heard and given consideration in the crafting of policy and legislation.
“As a Democrat who’s conservative on social and fiscal issues, I may not always be in lockstep with Representative McClinton and many others with whom I share the caucus meeting room,” Burns said. “But on the matters where we do agree – such as being pro-labor, pro-working families and pro-economic development – we can and should find common ground.”
Burns said this new role fits squarely into his guiding principle as an elected official: that he’ll work with anyone, from either party, to advance initiatives that benefit working people in his district and across Pennsylvania.
“We cannot allow narrow self-identities or political labels slapped on us by others to define who we are, as people or state representatives,” Burns said. “As a conservative voice, I’ll continue working within the House Democratic Caucus to build bridges that help ensure a path to prosperity for everyone.”