Working Across the Aisle

Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA) introduced the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. “Private sector workers are guaranteed the right…

Today, U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which protects the right of public employees to join unions and engage in collective bargaining on behalf of middle-class workers. In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. AFSCME to overturn more than 40…

Sixteen House Democrats voted to undo President Biden’s pause on some weapons shipments to Israel on Thursday, breaking with the White House and party leadership, who urged its members to oppose the GOP-led bill. Top Democrats on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue urged members in their ranks to oppose the bill: House Democratic leadership whipped against the…

Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) and Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) re-introduced the Help Extend Auditory Relief  (HEAR) Act to expand hearing benefits for seniors on Medicare. Approximately 15 percent of American adults (41 million) report some degree of hearing loss, according to the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). This includes nearly…

U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) and Brian Mast (R-FL-21) introduced the Comprehensive National Mercury Monitoring Act in the 118th Congress. This bipartisan bill would establish a national monitoring program to provide researchers with better data on the extent of mercury contamination in the U.S., helping to inform where to target…

This week, U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08) and Zach Nunn (R-IA-03) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced bicameral and bipartisan legislation to collect demographic data on public school teachers and principals to improve the accuracy of educator workforce data. The Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act would establish a permanent, national…

This week, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) introduced the Improving SCRA Benefit Utilization Act, a bipartisan bill that would improve awareness and modernize an interest rate reduction benefit currently underutilized by active-duty military servicemembers. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides critical protections to military personnel, including National Guard…

Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) introduced the Preparedness and Risk management for Extreme weather Patterns Assuring Resilience and Effectiveness (PREPARE) Act, legislation that would ensure that Americans are prepared for extreme weather events by establishing best practices across the government in order to protect communities while saving taxpayer money. This…

Today, U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08) and Hal Rogers (R-KY-05) introduced the Transforming Hiring in Rural Industries and Vital Economies (THRIVE) Act, legislation that would strengthen and create new economic opportunities in rural areas. This bipartisan bill would permanently establish a federal interagency council to coordinate investment in our nation’s rural areas,…

This week, Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Matt Cartwright (D-PA) filed the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act to expand seniors’ access to audiology and hearing services. This important piece of legislation fixes a long-standing access barrier that punishes both seniors and audiologists and increases the choices Medicare patients have when treating their hearing needs.…