Sen. Fontana Re-elected Vice Chair of PHEAA Board

Harrisburg – February 18, 2021 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today was unanimously re-elected to serve as the vice chairman of the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). Created in 1963 by the state...

Sen. Fontana Releases Statement on the Governor’s 2021 Budget Address

Harrisburg – February 3, 2021 – Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D- Allegheny) released the following statement following Governor Tom Wolf’s budget address: For the last 11 months, millions of Pennsylvanians have sacrificed—by protecting their loved ones, looking out for their...

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,...

Fontana Re-elected to Serve as Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman

Harrisburg, November 19, 2020 – State Senate Democrats today unanimously re-elected state Senator Wayne D. Fontana (D-Brookline) to serve as Democratic Caucus chairman for the upcoming two-year legislative session. The caucus chairman sets the daily caucus agenda and...

Sen. Fontana Committed to Reforms at PHEAA After Auditor General Report

Harrisburg – October 2, 2020 – Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale released a follow-up audit yesterday to a 2008 Auditor General report of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) where Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D- Pittsburgh) sits on the...

Sen. Fontana Announces Over $3 Million for Local Arts/Cultural Outlets

Brookline, PA – September 15, 2020– Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today announced that 13 Allegheny County arts and cultural entities will receive a total of $3.08 million in state grant funds. “Knowing how the ongoing pandemic has harmed these important...

Sen. Fontana’s Bill Would Make Pennsylvania a Mail-in Ballot state

Harrisburg, April 22, 2020 – Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) today introduced a bill that would change Pennsylvania’s voting system so that all elections are conducted entirely by mail. “The pandemic has compromised the health and safety of our citizens, shaken our...

Sen. Fontana: Returning Workers too Soon is too Dangerous

Harrisburg, April 15, 2020 – Insisting that sound mitigation practices and indelible worker protections must be in place before re-opening additional Pennsylvania workplaces, state Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) today voted against Senate Bill 613, legislation he...

Sen. Fontana Endorses American Working Family Relief Plan 

Pittsburgh, March 18, 2020 – State Sen. Wayne Fontana today endorsed policies and legislation that would help protect workers during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.   The “American Working Family Relief Action Plan” addresses practices for...

Governor’s Budget Plan Touts Numerous Fontana Initiatives

HARRISBURG, February 4, 2020 – Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today provided the following statement on Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed $36 billion budget for fiscal 2020-21: “This budget plan would hold the line on taxes while stoking investment in education, job...

Fontana Announces $460,000 in State Grants for Three Local Projects

HARRISBURG, September 17, 2019 – Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today announced a total of $460,000 in state grants for three Allegheny County projects in his senate district. “These grant dollars help local communities move forward on projects that improve...

Fontana Announces $15 Million in State Grants for 17 Local Projects

Pittsburgh, August 1, 2019 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today announced a total of $15 million in state grants for 17 Pittsburgh development projects. “These state dollars will support and speed up progress on innovative projects that will help create jobs, attract...

Sen. Fontana Comments on Highmark-UPMC Consent Decree

Harrisburg, June 24, 2019 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today provided the following statement in response to the Highmark/UPMC consent decree extension: “Today’s announcement is a victory for patients, medical access and quality care throughout...

Senate, House Members Unveil Elections Reform Proposals

Harrisburg PA – June 4, 2019 – State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) and Rep. Sara Innamorato (D-Pittsburgh) led House and Senate Democrats in announcing several voting reform proposals Tuesday in the Main Capitol Rotunda.  The legislators were...