Local Elected Officials Announce Plans for 2021

Three local elected officials have announced their committee assignments and plans for 2021.

State Sen. Judy Ward (R-30) was reappointed today by Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-34) to serve as the chair of the Senate Aging and Youth Committee.

U.S. Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) was appointed to serve on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It is the oldest continuous standing committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and has the broadest jurisdiction of any authorizing committee.

State Rep. Jim Gregory (R-Blair) has been assigned to four committees for his second term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Gregory's committee assignments are Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Gaming Oversight, Labor and Industry, and Tourism and Recreational Development.

Sen. Judy Ward

State Sen. Ward, a Republican, was first appointed to serve as chair of the Senate Aging and Youth Committee last January. The panel is responsible for reviewing legislation that affects the programs and services dedicated to senior citizens and younger Pennsylvanians.

As chair of the committee over the past year, Ward led the Pa. Senate's effort to review the Wolf Administration's management of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee also considered legislation last year to designate essential caregivers for residents of long-term care facilities during emergencies and improve newborn health screenings.

"It is an honor to be asked to lead a committee that plays such a critical role in protecting some of our state's most vulnerable citizens," Ward said. "Pennsylvania has one of the largest senior populations in the nation, and protecting the programs they rely on most is an important part of the committee's work. We have also made great strides in safeguarding young people against neglect and abuse in recent years, and the committee will continue to play a critical role in that effort going forward."

State Rep. Jim Gregory

Rep. Jim Gregory (R-Blair, 80th) took the oath of office Tuesday, Jan. 5, to start his second term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Gregory's priorities for the 2021-22 legislative session include work to allow sexual abuse victims greater access to filing lawsuits, helping small business owners recover from the economic downturn, aiding farmers and the dairy industry to preserve Pennsylvania as an agricultural leader, and helping to secure veterans benefits for those who qualify for blind and severely handicapped monthly assistance.

U.S. Rep. Joyce

Issues under the Energy and Commerce Committee's jurisdiction include:

• health care, including mental health and substance abuse

• health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid

• biomedical research and development

• food, drug, device and cosmetic safety

• environmental protection

• clean air and climate change

• safe drinking water

• toxic chemicals and hazardous waste

• national energy policy

• renewable energy and conservation

• nuclear facilities

• electronic communications and the internet

• broadcast and cable television

• privacy, cybersecurity and data security

• consumer protection and product safety

• motor vehicle safety

• travel, tourism and sports

• interstate and foreign commerce

Republican Congressman John Joyce, M.D., represents the 13th District of Pennsylvania. Before taking office in 2019, Dr. Joyce practiced medicine in central Pennsylvania for more than 25 years.