Making our Community Better

Since 1992 I have been able to obtain millions of dollars in state community development dollars to help our libraries, parks, trails, athletic associations and volunteer emergency companies provide the services that make our community such a great place to live and work. 

Preserving Open Space

Open space and farmland are among the most valuable assets of our region, but they are threatened by development.  As a former farmer and lifelong outdoorsman, this concerns me as well, and I have made farmland preservation and protecting the outdoors one of my main legislative goals.

Sportsmen

As an avid outdoorsman my entire life, I am recognized as one of the leading voices in Harrisburg for the rights of hunters and anglers in Pennsylvania. Our state has some of the finest fishing and hunting opportunities in the country—nearly a million hunting licenses and more than 800,000 fishing licenses were sold in the state in 2005.

Building our Economy

Keeping our economy strong through creating more jobs, keeping Pennsylvania’s tax and regulatory climate fair, and helping small business has always been a top priority of mine.  I have spoken out for small government that taxes less and have been awarded the “Guardian of Small Business” award from the National Federal of Independent Business.

Supporting our Children’s Education

North Penn and Souderton school districts are two of the finest in the state, and I have worked on their behalf to ensure that they, and the taxpayers who support the districts, receive the state financial support they deserve and need to provide a high quality education to our students.

Stopping Domestic Terrorism

Pennsylvania now has a law I developed that will fight ecoterrorism, a crime the FBI has identified as a serious growing threat to our nation’s security.  Act 27 will help us fight ecoterrorists by giving our law enforcement officers the tools they need to prosecute these types of criminals.

Encouraging Organ Donation

I am very proud to be the author of a new law that will further encourage bone marrow and live organ donation.  Act 65 provides a tax credit for businesses that grant a paid leave of absence to employees for the purpose of bone marrow or living organ donation. 

Keeping Insurance Affordable

As a senior member of the House Insurance Committee, I have focused my efforts on making sure Pennsylvania families have access to the best health and car insurance available at a cost they can afford.

Access to Quality Doctors

We need to keep quality physicians in Pennsylvania, and we can’t do that unless we stop the high cost of medical malpractice insurance that has threatened to erode our health care climate.

Preventing Insurance Fraud

Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime and it cost insurers—and eventually all of us—an estimated $30 billion nationally in 2004. I have introduced a major package of legislation to combat insurance fraud.