News & Brews December 18, 2025
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3 Pa. Republicans join Dems on Obamacare vote
Yesterday, four U.S. House Republicans—including three from Pennsylvania—joined Democrats on a discharge petition to force a House floor vote on extending Obamacare subsidies. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Rob Bresnahan, and Ryan Mackenzie—all in districts Democrats are targeting—joined Rep. Mike Lawler of New York in supporting the discharge petition. As the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board explains, the “sole aim” of these “Republican renegades … is to protect themselves from Democratic attacks. But signing the petition is unlikely to provide much insulation. It will instead give Democrats more confidence that they have Republicans on the run …. Democrats laid a political trap for Republicans with the expiring subsidies, and the four renegades have fallen into it. If Republicans want to vote like Democrats, why vote for a Republican majority?”
Paris leaving state police to join FBI
Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris is leaving the state police, effective January 2, to join the FBI. Deputy Commissioner of Operations Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens will become Acting Commissioner, Gov. Shapiro announced. Paris has been with the state police for 26 years.
Pa. House wants to send abortion amendment to voters
The Pa. House voted 102-101 yesterday for a proposal to enshrine abortion in the state constitution. (Reminder that to amend the constitution, both the House and Senate must pass the amendment in two consecutive legislative sessions, and then voters must approve it). Two Republicans voted in favor of the amendment, while two Democrats voted against. The Senate has indicated it “has no reason to call a vote on language that passed the House in a highly partisan manner.”
Special needs students need school choice
Commonwealth Foundation Senior Education Policy Analyst Rachel Langan writes in the Philadelphia Citizen that per a new analysis from the foundation, “PA public schools spend a lot of money to transfer special education students to better-equipped private schools…. During the 2023-24 school year, PA public schools spent more than $370 million to outsource special education to nonpublic schools for nearly 8,500 students — about $44,000 per student.” Yet, this exposes a deep inconsistency. “The public school system cannot meet the needs of all its students, and it is already relying on private schools to fill in the gaps. What’s stopping PA from extending the same courtesy to all students? It’s time to bring school choice out of the shadows and provide all PA kids with the resources they need to flourish.”
U.S. Energy Secretary visits TMI
Yesterday, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited Three Mile Island to tout the plant’s planned 2027 reopening as part of Microsoft’s plans to power data centers. Wright said, “I’m very proud of this plant starting again. I’m very proud that we’re going to change direction. We’re going to reduce the risks of blackouts. We’re going to drive down electricity prices, and we’re going to make an investment…. So players like Microsoft and all the other large American technology companies can build all the data centers that they want and have reliable electricity to power.”