Blog
On June 7, 2011, history was made at the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology (CPI). Two young ladies – Tricia Reich and Anna Krishak – graduated from their Automotive Technology Program at the highest level possible offered by CPI. These non-traditional students in the Automotive Technology program earned their diploma along with state, national, and worldwide certifications in their field of study.
Earlier today, I joined Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26) on the House floor for a discussion on the current and future challenges America faces with the rising cost of health care. Rep. Burgess and I serve as the co-chairs for the Congressional Healthcare Caucus, a caucus dedicated to educating other Members of Congress and fellow Americans on the issues surrounding health care policy. Much of our discussion focused on the recently released Medicare Trustees Report, which shows that Medicare will become insolvent even sooner than expected.
I wanted to make sure everyone saw the following article based on my recent interview with Feedstuffs, The Weekly Newspaper for Agribusiness. In April, I testified before the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over funding the U.S. Forest Service. At the hearing, I discussed the importance of the local timber industry to rural communities such as those in and around the Allegheny National Forest and the numerous benefits harvesting will have on a forest’s overall health.
Earlier this week on the House floor, I recognized the Coudersport Moon Tree located in Potter County, PA. The Coudersport Moon Tree was among dozens of seedlings on board Apollo 14 in 1971 as part of a joint project with NASA and the US Forest Service, known as the "Moon Trees," to see whether space flight affected seeds' ability to sprout. The resulting seedlings were planted throughout the United States as a tribute to the Apollo program. The Coudersport Sycamore, among numerous others, was reported as missing by NASA.