HARRISBURG, Jan. 27 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., and state Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Phila., issued the following statement, expressing optimism in response to news that Gov. Tom Wolf will be proposing a budget with “significant resources” for asbestos removal and toxin cleanup in school buildings: “We are glad Gov. Wolf is prioritizing the needs of Pennsylvania students and educators in the upcoming budget. The issue of toxic school conditions is most prominent in Philadelphia — where six schools have been closed this academic year because of environmental concerns. But make no mistake, schools across the state are facing similar infrastructure needs that are just as pressing in nature. We must adopt a plan that addresses the immediate concerns, as well as a long-term strategy to ensure every child is able to attend a healthy, safe 21st century school.” Wolf previously sent about $12 million in aid to Philadelphia, but the crisis remains substantial and affects students statewide. Fiedler and Hughes have introduced legislation that outlines $125 million in emergency funding to schools across the state with exposed asbestos, lead paint and crumbling buildings. Fiedler said, “Right now, our educators and students are in the middle of a public health emergency. It is a moral outrage that the toxic conditions continue in our schools. Every single Pennsylvania student, educator and school Read more
To protect our community, and slow the spread of COVID-19, our office will be closed for appointments and for walk-in services until further notice, beginning Monday, March 16th. We will remain open for constituent services via telephone or email. Health officials have directed that the best way to slow the spread of coronavirus is to increase our 'social distance' - keeping apart from one another as much as possible. Our office staff remains available to work with you by telephone or email on your state-level needs and concerns Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Please call us at 215-271-9190 and leave a message, or email us at RepFiedler@pahouse.net . We will get back to you! Read more
State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila; Rep. Jordan Harris, D-Phila., House Democratic whip; and Rep. Maria Donatucci, D-Phila./Delaware, issued the following statement on the prospective opening of a safe injection site in South Philadelphia:“First and foremost, let us be clear that the opioid epidemic is a public health crisis that demands our attention. Opioid and fentanyl-related deaths have skyrocketed in Philadelphia and our city has the unfortunate distinction of having one of the highest overdose death rates in the nation. That’s why we’ve unequivocally supported legislation aimed at combating this crisis and worked with Governor Tom Wolf to increase funding for treatment and recovery. Read more
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HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – The House Democratic Philadelphia Delegation today lauded Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2020-21 budget proposal for including many of the priorities they identified as important to improving the quality of life for Philadelphians and for people across Pennsylvania, according to Delegation Chairman Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila. Wolf outlined his proposal before a joint session of the General Assembly this morning. Led by Dawkins, members of the Philadelphia Delegation met with the governor earlier in the year to stress their budget priorities, including state funding to rid Philadelphia schools of toxins and fix crumbling infrastructure; funding to reduce waiting lists and provide more support for seniors, people living in poverty and those with disabilities; raising the minimum wage to a living wage; creating good jobs with an education plan to provide the skills to fill them; and addressing poverty and gun violence as a public health crisis. “The Philadelphia Delegation is grateful for Governor Wolf’s vision for the state in this, his sixth budget plan,” Dawkins said. “His proposals are people-focused and seek to provide more opportunities for everyone, not just the privileged few. We will be a loud voice in making sure they are included this year.” Dawkins said the governor’s budget proposal includes $1.1 billion to ensure students, teachers and staff can learn and work in classrooms that aren’t Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 29 – Members of the House Democratic Philadelphia Delegation, led by Rep. Jason Dawkins, today applauded Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to include funding to address lead issues in public schools, including those in Philadelphia, in the budget. “Our children deserve to learn, and our teachers deserve to teach, in schools that don’t make them sick,” said Dawkins, chairman of the Philadelphia Delegation. “This is something that we can all agree on. But for far too long, our children, teachers and anyone else who has entered school buildings in Philadelphia have taken their own lives into their hands because often lead and asbestos were lurking inside. “My delegation colleagues and I are overjoyed at the news that Governor Wolf will be making investments in lead and asbestos remediation projects in our schools. Finally, we can take the steps to make our school buildings safe places to learn and to teach,” Dawkins said. “After so many of us have fought for so long to bring attention to this crisis, we are so grateful that Governor Wolf is making this a priority.” Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., secretary of the Philadelphia Delegation, agreed that it’s great news Wolf plans to prioritize the funding to allow schools to get rid of toxins. “We won’t rest until this money is a reality,” Fiedler added. “Every single Pennsylvania student Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 14 – Today, state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., and Liz Hanbidge, D-Montgomery, hosted a Capitol news conference to discuss legislation that would require informed patient consent for all procedures performed while under anesthesia. The bill will be introduced this week. “Right now, patients who walk into the hospital for a procedure, may not be aware of what happens while they are under anesthesia. No patient should ever be subjected to an exam or procedure without their explicit consent, especially if they are under anesthesia,” Fiedler said. “It’s time for that to stop; we must protect a patient’s right to decide what happens to their own body.” “Think about the necessary trust that we place in our physicians to allow them to work on our bodies, so often we are literally putting our lives in their hands. It never occurs to one that they are going to violate that trust. And there are different levels of violation of trust, but physical intrusion in this manner is one of most grave,” Hanbidge said. “Our legislation protects people against non-consensual pelvic, rectal and prostate exams. We are asking our colleagues to continue supporting this legislation, protecting women, and making sure that every voice is heard and every body is protected.” Fiedler and Hanbidge were joined at the news conference by Amal Bass from Women’s Law Project and Keren Sofer, an Read more
Materials from a joint House-Senate Democratic Policy Committees public hearing hosted by State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler. Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 18 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., hosted a rally in the state Capitol to today to demand emergency funding to fix unhealthy and unsafe school building conditions. “Make no mistake, the conditions in our schools are a public health emergency. No educator, student, or staff person anywhere in the state should ever wonder if they’re suffering from cancer or asthma because of the time they spent in one of our public schools,” Fiedler said. “The state has the financial ability to fix the asbestos, lead and mold. Let’s make people’s lives a budget priority.” Fiedler has introduced legislation that outlines $125 million in emergency funding to schools across the state with exposed asbestos, lead paint and crumbling buildings. She was joined at today’s rally by students, parents and teachers from affected schools and community organizations like POWER, PCCY, PFT, AFL-CIO, Vietlead and more. Read more
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HARRISBURG, Nov. 21 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler today announced she will re-introduce legislation to establish a $125 million grant program to fund emergency repairs at public schools across the C ommonwealth . “Many schools across Philadelphia and Pennsylvania include asbestos, lead and other toxins,” Fiedler said. “Our children, teachers and their families are facing a public health emergency. It is a moral outrage every day that goes by without addressing these conditions! “This funding will allow public school districts to remediate issues that endanger our children and our educators ,” Fiedler said. “ This emergency funding is needed to address a true emergency in our schools, it is by no means a fix for the dramatic and repeated underfunding of our public schools. It will simply help to ensure our school buildings do not pose a threat to the health and wellbeing of students and teachers.” Fiedler and colleagues, with labor, education and community partners, are holding a rally to demand action on toxic conditions in schools at 10 a.m. on Dec. 18 in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg. Students, teachers, staff, parents, union leaders and legislators are expected to attend from across the state to call for the bill’s passage. “Everyone who cares about having safe and healthy school Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 1 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., today announced that the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society received a $53,157 grant through the Department of Community Economic Development for renovations to the Emily Street Garden in South Philadelphia’s 184 th Legislative District. Funds are provided through the department’s Local Share Account – Philadelphia Program, or LSA, and will be used to renovate the Growing Home Community Garden, located at 728-742 Emily Street. The garden serves as an essential resource for the hundreds of Burmese and Bhutanese refugees residing in South Philadelphia to cultivate culturally significant healthy and affordable produce. “This local community garden has been integral in helping South Philly’s Burmese and Bhutanese communities rekindle pieces of their respective cultures in a foreign environment,” Fiedler said. “Congratulations to the Growing Home Community Garden for receiving this grant to help continue its purpose of cultural preservation through agriculture.” LSA distributes a portion of slot machine license fees from facilities operating in the city. Funds are available for economic development, neighborhood revitalization, community improvement and other projects in the public interest within Philadelphia. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 4 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., announced that a $2,500 state grant is headed to VietLead in South Philadelphia’s 184 th Legislative District. The grant, funded by the state’s first-of-its-kind Urban Agriculture Grants program, will be used for low tunnels, irrigation, refrigerator, and greenhouse supplies to support Philadelphia’s Vietnamese and Southeast Asian communities to cultivate culturally significant crops. “VietLead has been instrumental in supporting the Vietnamese and Southeast Asian communities in the district and throughout the city,” Fiedler said. “These grants will help VietLead continue their mission of cultural preservation through agriculture.” In July, Gov. Tom Wolf signed Act 40 to create the Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Program, part of the state’s first-ever Pennsylvania Farm Bill, which provides micro grants for one-time projects or single applicants and up to $2,500 in funding for projects that demonstrate cooperative, or regional efforts with multiple partners and up to $50,000 in funding. The $500,000 in total urban agriculture grant funding approved will benefit dozens of projects across the state. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 24 – Joining advocates, former recipients of General Assistance and state senators, state Reps. Malcolm Kenyatta, Melissa Shusterman and Elizabeth Fiedler repeated the call for the General Assembly to restart the program that many vulnerable residents depended on in the commonwealth. “Ending General Assistance was one of the cruelest legislative decisions that has been made in this body since I became a member. There is no logical excuse or argument for denying support for the most vulnerable communities when they needed it most. It was like kicking them while they’re down,” Kenyatta, D-Phila., said. “That is why I’ve introduced House Bill 1709 to bring this vital resource back. I’m urging my colleagues across the aisle to understand the severity of the harm this has caused for Pennsylvania families and fix it now.” Kenyatta is the main sponsor of H.B. 1709, which would provide emergency relief to those Pennsylvanians who previously received support through the General Assistance Fund. The program provided $200 a month in cash assistance to those who were unable to work, those caring for loved ones who were sick or disabled, veterans, victims of domestic violence and those receiving treatment for substance abuse, among others. In June, the General Assembly voted to end the program, despite the pleas from many, including Kenyatta and Shusterman, Read more
Materials from a House Democratic Policy Committee public hearing hosted by State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler. Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 4 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., today hosted a House Democratic Policy Committee public hearing on toxic conditions in school buildings and emergency funding at the Horace Furness High School. Fiedler requested the hearing to discuss what more the state can do to improve conditions in Philadelphia schools for students and staff. The hearing ended with a tour of the high school to see the conditions firsthand. Legislators from across the state joined Fiedler, including Policy Committee Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster. “Nearly half of the school buildings in Philadelphia are decades old with antiquated systems, including heating, cooling, lighting and electrical. These basic comforts are in dire need of replacement. In addition, these buildings have mold and other hazards that are creating serious health problems for our children,” Fiedler said. “We need to come up with policies that will ensure our schools receive adequate funding, so our children receive a quality education in hazard-free and safe environments.” Sturla added, “The children in Philadelphia and throughout the commonwealth should not have to learn in unhealthy and outdated conditions. The House Democratic Caucus seeks to provide all students with a high-quality education, so they are prepared to either go on to an institution of higher education or to join the workforce. I thank Representative Fiedler for her leadership in spotlighting Read more
Listen to what your friends and neighbors had to say about the issues that matter Read more
Every state around Pennsylvania has raised its minimum wage. Here in Pennsylvania, it's been more than a decade since we increased minimum wage. It's time we take action. Read more
General Assistance serves about 11,000 people across the state, including many of our neighbors in South Philly. It’s a vital program I fought to save, but despite our best efforts, the program will end Aug. 1. The PA Department of Human Services 2-1-1 hotline can connect you with local services that may be able to provide assistance. My staff is also available to help in our office at 9th & Ritner, by phone at (215) 271-9190 or RepFiedler@pahouse.net Read more
HARRISBURG, June 27 – The recent Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery fire and subsequent expected closure of the site have sent shockwaves across the Philadelphia region, where state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., whose district includes both refinery workers and residents living near the refinery, has been working to craft solutions to the economic and environmental impact on workers and the nearby community. She issued the following statement: “We need to make sure these refinery workers are made whole. We need to hold the corporations that operate in our state accountable for their duty to both the workers, whose labor they profit from, and the land that’s been polluted for decades. Additionally, we need to make sure the community gets a responsible neighbor that doesn’t endanger their health and safety. We can no longer allow big corporations to divide working people, while also presenting us with false and dangerous ultimatums, such as putting food on the table or polluting the air our children breathe. “We need to demand better- together- as strong supporters of unions, of environmental justice and as leaders who are committed to the future. This includes a determination to bring more jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency to Philadelphia and the entire commonwealth. We can and must do all these things!” Read more
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