HARRISBURG, June 22 – In response to the House Judiciary Committee’s political maneuver on his legislation and other tactics on bills to address gun violence in Pennsylvania, state Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, issued the following statement today: “It has become quite clear with this week’s move and previous procedures earlier this month with other commonsense gun legislation that the Republican majority cares more about the gun lobby than saving Pennsylvania lives. “Tragically, we are seeing more shootings happen across the country with the same type of military-style rifles being used by the perpetrators and more victims being tragically killed or having to live with wounds for the rest of their lives. We cannot live in a society that accepts mass shootings as a norm and we cannot become complacent. The violence must stop. “I have said gun reform is one of my biggest issues as both a legislator and a parent. After witnessing the horrific and tragic images from the Uvalde, Texas, shooting last month, where an 18-year old purchased two AR-15 rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition for his birthday and massacred 19 elementary schoolchildren and two teachers, and a similar tragic story that unfolded in Buffalo, N.Y., where another 18-year-old legally purchased his AR-15 and took a 200-mile trip to the Topps Supermarket and murdered 10 people, it's well past time to act on commonsense gun reform measures. "These mass Read more
Pa. state Rep. Peter Schweyer is frustrated with the way his GOP colleagues are choosing to ignore the public’s call for sensible gun safety reform. Most notably, his legislation which would have raised the legal age to purchase an assault riffle from 18 to 21 was gutted by the House Judiciary Committee. The entire language of House Bill 717 was replaced with unrelated language that would remove some existing requirements for handgun background checks. Read more
The House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to amend Rep. Peter Schweyer’s, D-Lehigh, bill that would have prevented anyone under 21 from obtaining the types of weapons used in school shootings in Uvalde, Texas; Newtown, Conn.; and elsewhere. Read more
Unless police see someone light a firework’s fuse, they can’t take any action against them for detonating fireworks illegally, and aren’t allowed to confiscate any unlit fireworks, Schweyer said. The bill in the Senate would allow officers to confiscate fireworks. Read more
Schweyer filed a new resolution to force action on his long-stalled bill to outlaw possession of assault weapons by people under 21. Read more
Pa. state Rep. Peter Schweyer speaks on the need for his bill to restrict ownership of AR-15-style so-called “modern sporting rifles” to adults aged 21 and over. The AR-style rifle is overwhelmingly the weapon of choice in mass shootings, and a ban of this type would have kept the rifle out of the hands of the Buffalo and Uvalde shooters. Read more
At a Capitol news conference, Pa. state Rep. Peter Schweyer discusses the HOPE for PA plan which would invest $100 million to address the growing mental health crisis across Pennsylvania. Schweyer says the pandemic has shown just how overworked our mental health services are and these dollars would provide much needed resources that would really make a difference. Read more
ALLENTOWN, June 14 – State Reps. Peter Schweyer and Mike Schlossberg today announced state funding totaling $15,000 was awarded to help support Allentown fire and police departments. “This funding is crucial to the safety for everyone who lives and works in the city of Allentown, and it ensures our police officers and fire personnel have the equipment they need to keep themselves and the people they protect every day safe from harm,” said Schweyer, D-Lehigh. “I am pleased to support projects like these, which help make our city a safer place.” “The LSA program provide a significant savings to the people of Allentown,” said Schlossberg, D-Lehigh. “Without funding like this, the city would have to rely on taxpayers to pay for the critical public safety equipment. It’s a win-win, our departments are able to get the tools they need to serve and protect us without a financial burden on residents or businesses.” The legislators added the Commonwealth Finance Authority approved funding for the following two projects in the city of Allentown: $10,000 for the Allentown Fire Department for equipment and furnishings for the Allentown Fire Academy. $5,000 for the Allentown Police Department for surveillance cameras at the public safety building. The Local Share Account includes funds from casinos located in host or contiguous counties and are distributed by the Department of Community and Economic Development Read more
As Americans, we cannot turn a blind eye to gun violence. We must address this crisis of gun violence that has destroyed so many innocent lives by comprehensively addressing the issue and enacting common sense gun safety measures. Read more
The bill, sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Peter Schweyer, would hike the fee for birth and death certificates by $2 to establish a permanent funding source for a grant program aiding organizations that are working to reduce suicide deaths among veterans. Read more
Responding to the many concerns they have heard from local residents, Lehigh Valley lawmakers today voted to put some sensible restrictions on the use of consumer fireworks. Read more
Pa. state Rep. Peter Schweyer wants to work with the Pa. House Republican Caucus to support veterans. His father was a Vietnam veteran and taken from him much too soon as a result of his battles with addiction. He's working to invest in veteran support programs to help those struggling with PTSD and substance abuse disorder as a result of their service. Read more
Schlossberg said it was “about giving law enforcement the tools they need” to make streets safe. Schweyer said, “Ultimately, the goal is to be able to seize these vehicles when they’re being used in a manner that is unsafe.” Read more
"We can't get our arms around something that is literally killing America's children on a daily and weekly basis. It is shameful. It is the great shame of our generation," said Rep. Schweyer. Read more
ALLENTOWN, June 3 – Area veterans, who may not be aware of the services or benefits available to them or their families, are encouraged to participate in state Rep. Peter Schweyer’s next monthly support program at his district office in Allentown. A representative from the American Legion will be available for in-person appointments from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, June 17 at Schweyer’s district office , 1501 Lehigh St., Suite 206. The representative will be able to discuss pensions and other compensation, as well as education, health care and death benefits. The representative is available for appointments on the third Friday of every month . “We need to ensure our veterans have the care and support they need following their service to our country,” Schweyer said. “This is a great opportunity for veterans to learn about all of the available benefits and programs and receive assistance with the application process.” Legion membership is not required; however, anyone interested in speaking with the adviser should schedule appointments by contacting Schweyer’s office at 610-791-6270. Masks are required and CDC guidelines must be followed during the appointment. Read more
“The workforce marketplace has changed dramatically,” said State Rep. Peter Schweyer at the talk, noting the impacts of the pandemic on the economy. “We have to be competitive, and we have to acknowledge that it’s the commonwealth’s responsibility to do that.” Read more
Pa. state Rep. Peter Schweyer is calling on the House Republicans to bring stalled gun reform legislation to a vote in the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas. A parent of children in the Allentown School District, he is pushing for the legislature to advance the bills before Tuesday’s tragedy happens again. Read more
Lawmakers from across Pennsylvania attended a hearing today about ATV riders and dirt bike enthusiasts taking to the streets, terrorizing law-abiding traffic, and threatening their own safety and anyone in their path. Read more
Schweyer, who represents the Lehigh Valley, said he’s confident that the policy hearing will increase interest in sponsoring a bill to tackle illegal ATV and dirt bike use. Read more
In response to Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin’s announcement that he will have detectives monitor both in person and via video the county's ballot drop boxes to make sure voters are returning only their ballot, Reps. Mike Schlossberg, Peter Schweyer and Jeanne McNeill are taking action. Read more
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