News & Brews May 20, 2025
Get News & Brews in your inbox each day: Subscribe here!
Primaries, primaries everywhere
Today is primary Election Day across Pennsylvania. In addition to the high profile Democrat primaries for Philadelphia district attorney and Pittsburgh mayor, there are also contested GOP primaries for state Superior Court and Commonwealth Court. (We are supporting Judge Ann Marie Wheatcraft for Superior Court and Matt Wolford for Commonwealth Court.) And there are a host of additional local races from Erie to Scranton to Harrisburg and more. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Lawmakers reintroduce Lifeline Scholarships
Republican state Reps. Martina White (Philadelphia) and Clint Owlett (Tioga & Bradford) have reintroduced Lifeline Scholarship legislation, which would provide scholarships to K-12 students “who either have a household income below 350% of the federal poverty guidelines or who reside in the attendance areas of the state’s lowest-performing schools.” These scholarships could be used for “qualified educational expenses, including school tuition, required textbooks and curriculum materials; specialized services for students with special needs; and tutoring or other supplemental education-related resources….” Gov. Shapiro claimed support for Lifeline Scholarships during his 2022 campaign but then reneged on his promise and vetoed them in 2023. “This legislation,” a press release from White and Owlett noted, “and the upcoming budget negotiations, provide a renewed opportunity for the governor to do the right thing for Pennsylvania students.”
Nippon ups investment pledge into U.S. Steel
Reuters reports that Nippon Steel has increased its investment pledge into U.S. Steel “as part of a last ditch effort to win approval of the merger, which has drawn fire from both Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden.” Nippon now “plans to invest $14 billion in U.S. Steel’s … operations including up to $4 billion in a new steel mill…. Under details of the plan … the company will plow $11 billion into U.S. Steel’s infrastructure through 2028. That includes $1 billion in a green field site, which is expected to grow by $3 billion over the following years and has not been previously reported.”
Judge dismisses Bucks County oil lawsuit
A judge has dismissed a Bucks County lawsuit seeking “to force six major oil and gas companies to pay for the effects of climate change.” The Delaware Valley Journal reports that the suit was dismissed “‘with prejudice,’ meaning the Democratic-majority county commission can’t refile it.” In short, the dismissal was because the lawsuit “violates a basic tenet of American law, the supremacy clause. Under the U.S. Constitution, federal law takes precedence over state laws and constitutions when there is a conflict.” The suit was one of several similar cases brought around the country. “While judges in Hawaii, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C., have upheld the cases, judges in other states ruled the suits fall under federal law, specifically the Clean Air Act, passed in 1963.”
Lawmakers examine Philly school district funding
The Pa. House Republican Policy Committee yesterday held a hearing to examine the ever-increasing funding funneled to the school district of Philadelphia, which continues to produce abysmal results. (As one student recently said, “This is not funny, we’re not learning.”) Philly spends nearly $30,000 per student in district-run schools, but last year more than 80% of fourth graders were not proficient in math or reading. You can watch the full hearing here.