Press Releases
Two Reading Organizations Receive $420,000 in Gun Violence Reduction Grant Funding
Reading, PA − September 8, 2021 − Two Reading area non-profits, RIZE and The Village of Reading, received a total of $420,000 in Gun Violence Reduction Grant Program funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). RIZE, a youth arts...
State Senators Saval and Schwank to Introduce State Mask Legislation
Harrisburg, PA – August 30, 2021 – Today, State Senators Nikil Saval and Judy Schwank announced they will soon introduce legislation to support Governor Tom Wolf’s call for mask mandates in the state. Senator Schwank’s forthcoming bill would require general indoor...
Schwank Hosts Telephone Town Hall on Back-to-School Health and Safety
Reading, August 16, 2021- State Senator Judy Schwank (D-11th district) is hosting a telephone town hall on back-to-school health and safety for the upcoming school year on Tuesday, August 17 at 7 p.m. Guests will include: Olubunmi Ojikutu, Chair, Department of...
Local Legislators Announce $475K in Grant Funding for Berks
READING, PA − August 2, 2021 − State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th district) and Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-126th district) announced three Berks County organizations received a total of $475,000 in Keystone Communities Program (KCP) grant funding from the Pennsylvania...
Three Boroughs Represented by Schwank Receive Grant Funding for Traffic Safety Improvements
Reading, PA − July 7, 2021 − Kutztown, Shillington and Wyomissing Boroughs were awarded Green Light-Go grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) totaling over $780,000, according to State Senator Judy Schwank. Kutztown received...
Uptick in Unemployment Fraud Scams
Reading, PA − June 29, 2021 − My office has seen a significant uptick in calls related to unemployment fraud since the implementation of the new Unemployment Compensation (UC) system. As many are aware, the rollout of this new system has been very difficult....
Schwank Sponsored Milk Bill Passes Senate
Harrisburg, PA − June 23, 2021 − The Pennsylvania Senate voted 50-0 to approve a bill that would allow milk processors more flexibility in labeling. The legislation stems from a dairy industry study Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th district) requested in 2018 which...
Berks County Awarded Grant Funding from Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency
Reading, June 10, 2021 Three projects put forward by the Berk County will receive $884,403 in grant funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) for three projects according to Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th district), Rep. Mark Rozzi...
Legislators Reaffirm their Commitment to Protecting Access to Abortion Hosted by PA Women’s Health Caucus
HARRISBURG, PA − May 25, 2021 − Chairs, members, and advocates of the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus (WHC) gathered today to reaffirm their commitment to protecting abortion access in response to the recent anti-abortion hearings in the Pennsylvania House...
Schwank Announces $200k Grant Funding for District 11
Reading, May 25, 2021 − The city of Reading and the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Berks have been awarded state Blight Remediation Program grants totaling $200,000 by the Commonwealth Finance Authority, State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th district) announced...
PA Senate Democrats Hold Policy Hearing on the Impact of the State System of Higher Education Redesign Plan
Harrisburg – May 17, 2021 - At the request of state Senators Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and Lindsey M. Williams (D-Allegheny), the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual public hearing on the impact of the Pennsylvania state system of higher...
PA Senate Democrats Introduce Spending Plan for $7 Billion in Federal American Rescue Plan Funds – The New Deal For PA
Harrisburg, Pa. – May 12, 2021 – Today, Pennsylvania Senate Democrats unveiled the “New Deal for PA” – a $6.15 billion investment of federal funds coming to the Commonwealth pursuant to the American Rescue Plan. “My Senate democratic colleagues and I today...
PA Women’s Health Caucus Responds to Today’s Dangerous Anti-Abortion Hearing in the House Health Committee
Harrisburg, PA − May 4, 2021 − The co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus (WHC), Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Senator Amanda M. Cappelletti (D-Montgomery, Delaware), Representative Morgan Cephas (D-Philadelphia) and Representative Mary Jo Daley...
PA Senate Democrats Joined by PA Sec. of Ag & Second Lady Gisele Fetterman for Policy Hearing on Food Insecurity in Pennsylvania
Harrisburg – April 30, 2021 - At the request of Pennsylvania State Senators Judy Schwank (D- Berks), Tina Tartaglione (D- Philadelphia), and Sharif Street (D- Philadelphia), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual policy hearing to discuss the issue of...
Berks Legislators Announce Act 13, MultiModal Grants
HARRISBURG- April 21, 2021- The Commonwealth Financing Authority approved $1.55 million in grant funding for transportation, recreation and environmental projects in Berks County, according to members of Berks County’s legislative delegation. Three projects received...
Senate Votes to Strengthen First Amendment Rights for Teachers
HARRISBURG – April 19, 2021 – The Senate of Pennsylvania unanimously approved a measure to align Pennsylvania with every other state in the nation in preserving and protecting First Amendment rights for educators, according to the measure’s sponsors, Senators Kristin...
Berks County Lawmakers Announce $100K Grant for City of Reading
HARRISBURG, April 16, 2021 – State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th district) and state Reps. Mark Rozzi (D-126th district) and Manny Guzman (D-127th district) announced a grant totaling $129,230 has been approved for the city of Reading through the state’s Multimodal...
State Lawmakers Announce $499K Grant for Albright College
Reading - April 13, 2021 - Berks County state lawmakers Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th district) along with Reps. Mark Rozzi (D-126th district) and Manny Guzman (D-127th district) announced a $499,711 PASmart Advancing Grant has been approved for Albright College to expand...
Schwank to Discuss Coronavirus Vaccines with PA Dept of Health Acting Sec. Beam, local health experts at Zoom Town Hall Meeting
READING, March 30, 2021 – State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th district) will host a Zoom town hall tomorrow at 7 p.m. on issues associated with the coronavirus COVID-19 vaccines. Joining her are medical professionals including: Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Health...
Democratic Senators Intervene in Fracking Lawsuit Against DRBC
BUCKS COUNTY − March 12, 2021 − State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) was joined by Democratic colleagues today in New Hope to announce their action to protect clean drinking water for millions of Pennsylvanians from the environmental hazards of fracking. Their...
Schwank Announces Three Non-Profit Security Grants Awarded in Berks
Reading, March 10, 2021 − Three Berks organizations each received a Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) Non-Profit Security Grant to improve the safety and security of their facility, State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11) announced. The grants, which...
PA Women’s Health Caucus Chairs Join PA Advocates to Share their Legislative Agenda for the 2021 Session
HARRISBURG, PA − March 8, 2021 − Chairs, members, and advocates of the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus (WHC) gathered today to share their legislative agenda for the 2021-2022 Legislative session. Chairs of the caucus, Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Senator...
Schwank Implores State to Provide Berks Specific Vaccine Distribution Plan
Reading − March 8, 2021 − In a letter to Pennsylvania Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam, State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th district) asked that Berks County officials and residents be provided with an update specific to Berks regarding the COVID-19...
Schwank Hosting Second Lady Fetterman, Secretary Redding in Roundtable Discussion on Food Insecurity in Berks County
Reading, February 24, 2021 State Senator Judy Schwank (D-11th district) is hosting a virtual Roundtable Discussion on Food Insecurity in Berks County on Wednesday, March 3, at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The panel of guests includes: Second Lady of Pennsylvania Gisele Fetterman,...
House, Senate Democrats call for repairs to hazardous, toxic schools across the commonwealth
HARRISBURG – February 19, 2021 – State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) and Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia) were joined by several Democratic House and Senate members from a cross Pennsylvania on Friday to call for repairs to hazardous and toxic...
PA Women’s Health Caucus Chairs Respond to Today’s Joint Policy Hearing on Maternal Health Caucus
Harrisburg, PA − February 10, 2020 − Today, the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus (WHC) hosted a Joint Policy Hearing with the PA House and Senate Democratic Policy Committees on the topic of Maternal Health Amidst COVID-19. Co-Chairs of the WHC include Senator Judy...
State Legislators Issue Joint Letter to Governor Wolf Urging Use of Reprieve
HARRISBURG − February 8, 2021 — In response to soaring rates of COVID-19 infection and death among incarcerated people and throughout the Pennsylvania prison system, nearly three dozen State Senators and State Representatives have issued a joint letter to Pennsylvania...
Schwank Hosting BCTV Show on Pennsylvania’s Economic Outlook for 2021
Reading, January 25, 2021 − State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) is hosting a live telecast on BCTV on Thursday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m. The program is on Pennsylvania’s Economic Outlook for 2021 and will include a panel conversation between Matthew Knittel, director of the...
PA Women’s Health Caucus Joins PCCY to call on Governor Wolf to restore Subsidies to Child Care Centers
HARRISBURG − January 22, 2021 − Yesterday, members of the Pennsylvania’s Women’s Health Caucus (WHC), Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY), and other elected officials held a press conference to call on Governor Tom Wolf to restore subsidies to child...
Schwank to Chair Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee, Takes on Leadership Role
Reading, January 15, 2021 − Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th district) will continue her post as the Democratic Chair of the Senate Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee for the 2021-2022 legislative session, Senate Minority Leader Sen. Jay Costa (D-43rd district)...
PA Senate Democrats Release Statement on Violent Protest in DC
Harrisburg, PA – January 6, 2021 – The PA Senate Democrats released the following statement on the violent protest today in the nation’s Capitol: The First Amendment is one of our most sacred. It is not political and it is not partisan. The rights to free speech,...
Schwank Applauds Grant Award to Address Sexual Assault
Reading, January 5, 2020 − State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) is thrilled to see Albright College receive an “It’s On Us PA” grant award for nearly $30,000. Albright College was awarded $29,969 to address campus sexual assault through Gov. Tom Wolf’s “It’s On Us PA”...
Albright College, Alvernia University to Receive State Grant Funds
Reading, December 23, 2020 Two Berks County institutions of higher learning will receive $5 million in state grant funding, announced State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th district). Alvernia University will receive $4 million from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance...