How I’m helping make Washington work for the Lehigh Valley
Editor’s Note: This is one in a series of articles by elected Lehigh Valley officials looking back at 2023 and forward to 2024.
Serving as the Lehigh Valley’s representative in Congress is an honor and a privilege. As 2023 closes and 2024 begins, I want to express my gratitude to you for putting your trust in me to serve as your representative, share some of the work I did last year for our community, and highlight just a bit of the work that lies ahead.
My focus has always been on working across the aisle to find consensus. That’s why 70% of the bills I introduced and co-sponsored last year had support from both Republicans and Democrats — because I believe working in a bipartisan manner is the best way to get things done.
While cable news and social media focuses on our divisions, I firmly believe that we are more alike than we are different: that we want to make this great country even greater and restore the faith that this is a place for equal opportunity and liberty for all.
And though Congress cannot solve every problem that exists, we can — and should — work to create opportunity for everyone, lower costs and strengthen our economy.
Toward that end, I have worked to bring down health care costs since my first day in Congress. I am proud that this year we reached a major milestone: thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act that I pushed to pass, Medicare is now empowered to negotiate prescription drug prices.
Insulin is now capped at $35 per month for Medicare recipients. We are negotiating fair prices on 10 of the most expensive drugs that treat diabetes, asthma, heart disease, and more.
These price reductions will save taxpayer dollars and combat decades of pharmaceutical industry price gouging. We must make sure that everyone gets the advantage of these lower prices, and I am continuing my work taking on pharmaceutical companies to get drug costs down for everyone.
After decades of “infrastructure week” being a punchline, we finally are seeing investments in our aging infrastructure, thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I worked hard to pass during the last Congress. Our own Lehigh Valley International Airport saw a huge modernization over the summer, expanding airport capacity and making travel smoother, all while serving as a key economic driver for our community.
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, more than $395 million in federal highway funds are coming to the 7th District to support 150 projects to fix our roads, highways and bridges. I’m proud of what we can get done for our community when Congress works together.
In 2024, I will continue my work to reduce costs and build a system of more affordable child care for working families, so that every family has the opportunity to work hard, earn a good living and get ahead. I also will continue my work on mental health care, an issue near and dear to my heart. I have heard from so many people about the struggles in their own families, and I am keeping up the push to expand quality and affordable mental health care, so that every person who needs it can access the support they deserve.
No Member of Congress can succeed without a team of people who are working for the people, and I am extraordinarily proud of my team, both here and in Washington. In 2023, we completed more than 4,140 cases for constituents, and recovered more than $10,379,440 in money and benefits owed by the federal government to our constituents. If you ever need help with a federal agency — like the IRS, Veterans Affairs or Social Security Administration, among others — please contact my office or visit one of our many mobile office hours events. It is our job to make the government work better for you, and we are here to help.
Despite chaos in Washington, I remain focused on solving problems and putting the 7th District first, to deliver for our community. In 2024, I will keep up the work to lower costs for our families, protect and expand access to quality health care, and invest in good-paying jobs here in the Lehigh Valley, so we can grow the middle class and build an economy that works for everyone.
I send you and your loved ones my best wishes for a wonderful year ahead. Representing our community in Congress is an incredible privilege, and I look forward to another year of serving you in 2024.