DV Journal

“AI is the new steel,” said Joanna Doven, executive director of the AI Strike Team, a regional group to promote artificial intelligence.

Doven spoke to a joint Republican state Senate and House policy committee hearing. “We grew economies throughout Pennsylvania by producing the steel that defeated tyranny. Now we must build the AI that does the same,” she said.

Doven was among several experts who spoke about the potential of companies that develop and deploy artificial intelligence (AI) to boost the commonwealth’s economy and bring jobs here.

“Pennsylvania has a remarkable opportunity to leverage cutting-edge developments in artificial intelligence to spur investment and revolutionize our economy,” said Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery) who chairs the Senate Communications and Technology Committee. “Today’s hearing will help shape the General Assembly’s approach as we look to promote, expand, and strategically harness AI technology for the benefit of our entire commonwealth.”

Doven said AI is booming in the American heartland, but not so much on the East Coast. For example, Tulsa, Okla., saw $1 billion in new annual tax revenue from a drone company. And new data centers brought Columbus, Ohio, $191 million in local and state tax revenue, up 43 percent from the previous year.

Dr. Hooman Rashidi, executive director of the Computational Pathology and AI Center of Excellence (CPACE) and Associate Dean of AI in Medicine for the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, spoke of how AI will improve healthcare through faster diagnosis, improved access in rural areas, and enhancing “interdisciplinary decision making in tumor boards and other collaborative care settings.”

Among other things, he recommended AI education programs for healthcare workers, developing and investing in AI tools that reduce paperwork, and improving diagnostic accuracy and results for patients.

Dr. Andrew Horchler, chief research officer of Astrobotic Technology, Inc., detailed how AI is becoming essential to deep space exploration, noting that it “empowers spacecraft, landers, and rovers to perform autonomously, efficiently, and safely in remote and extreme environments” and is essential to real-time decision-making, hazard avoidance, and data prioritization. The public hearing was hosted at Astrobotic’s headquarters.

Bruno Abreu, Ph.D., deputy scientific director for the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, said researchers at the University of Pittsburgh use AI to prevent buckling or breaks in railways, improving safety.

Abreu said that includes “key systems that unlocked AI research and applications.”

“Investments in cyberinfrastructure designed to handle these large-scale scientific computing and AI workloads will give Pennsylvania a significant competitive advantage by enabling leading-edge innovation, supporting advanced research, and enhancing collaboration, all critical factors for staying ahead in a competitive landscape,” he said.

Pennsylvania needs more energy for data centers to power AI, said Doven. Another issue is the slow permitting process in Pennsylvania compared with other states.

“In southwestern Pennsylvania, they have .97 megawatts of data centers but are second in the amount of natural gas in the country,” said Doven. But the Homer City plant that’s coming online in two years will improve things. The Pittsburgh region received $1.87 billion in venture capital investment last year.

“We need immediate policies (to encourage) companies getting that venture capital, from Silicon Valley, to stay here, thicken, and grow” said Doven. “We need to encourage them to stay here.”

The area is eighth in AI patents, she said.  The Pittsburgh region has the third-highest AI-trained workforce behind Boston and Silicon Valley, she said.

Pennycuick is concerned that “our energy policy is going to hold us back.”

“We do not have a strategic energy plan in Pennsylvania and I hope this is an eye-opener for all of us to get together and figure that out.  I’m a huge supporter of portable nuclear reactors.  And I think nuclear is the way to go with these data centers. And, we’ve got all this natural gas. We need to jump in, both feet, and take the plunge and just get it done.”

Rep. David Rowe (R-Snyder) said Doven’s testimony shows that the state needs power, fiber and “permitting ready to go.”

“We are losing the power war to China,” said Rowe. “Not a single gas project has started since 2019. Gov. Wolf and Gov. Shapiro brought the sword of Damocles, that is the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), that is a billion-dollar energy tax into the picture. By contrast, China grew almost 100 gigawatts in thermal energy development last year alone…We’re losing that energy race despite the fact that we (are) the second largest natural gas producing state in the nation.”

On the permitting side, Rowe said, “Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-Ark.) famously said, ‘We will have you open for business before Pennsylvania even gives you a permit for construction.’ And he was right. That $3 billion steel mill is now open in Arkansas and not here in Pennsylvania.”

In his district, a small business wants to fix a cracked drainpipe to keep its basement from flooding. Regulators “strung them along” for two years, he said.

Sen. Dave Argall (R-Carbon), who chairs the policy committee, said, “Artificial intelligence is the future. Today’s testimony from the experts at the forefront of this emerging industry is crucial as we prepare Pennsylvania to effectively harness this world-changing technology.”

The Big Tech boom is driving advancement through artificial intelligence, but it is also putting increasing demands on America’s electric grid. The result could be a “strange bedfellows” alliance between fossil fuel and green energy.

The issue is simple and obvious: Environmental advocates want to move America’s energy use from gasoline and heating oil to electricity to reduce carbon emissions. The more successful they are, the more electricity Americans need.

On top of that is the surge in electricity consumption by the data centers at the heart of the new AI economy.

A recent report from the Department of Energy estimates that energy usage for data centers tripled over the last decade, primarily due to increased server capacity for AI. That energy usage is expected to again triple by 2028. Data centers are critical to AI systems and domestic manufacturing, among other industries.

Now, energy analysts are raising concerns that the power draw required by data centers — especially the large facilities run by Facebook, Amazon, Google and other tech giants — will outpace U.S. electricity generation.

For years, advocates for coal and natural gas have argued that a reliable baseload of electricity is vital to the nation’s grid. Green energy proponents have pushed back, insisting that the future is with wind and solar power.

However, with data centers’ power consumption growing from 58 terawatt-hours in 2014 to an estimated 580 TWh by 2028 — 12 percent of all electricity generated — experts on America’s energy grid say the “either/or” moment has passed.

“AI data centers are multiplying across the U.S. and sucking up huge amounts of power,” Bloomberg in December. “New evidence shows they may also be distorting the normal flow of electricity for millions of Americans. While many facilities are popping up near major U.S. cities and adding stress to already fragile grid, this trend holds true in rural areas as well.”

The solution: More electricity. Unfortunately, policies backed by some green energy advocates have restricted the ability to generate power using fossil fuels. At the same time, increased wind and solar production have failed to keep up with demand.

Trisha Curtis, the president and CEO of PetroNerds, says it’s time to stop fighting and start producing. “In the U.S., we need more energy, so it’s really about building more power generation capacity,” she said. “Then you can argue politically about what you’re going to fuel it with. Coal and natural gas are energy-dense, reliable baseload power sources that are not intermittent,” she said.

Curtis said that the United States has “more than enough” natural gas, noting the challenge there is in building the infrastructure to move the gas to power plants.

Coal, too, has to be part of the domestic energy strategy.

“Stop decommissioning coal,” she said. “You dig it out of the ground, put it next to a power plant, and use it when you need it. Wind and solar aren’t going to cut it — there’s not a lot of power density.”

Last month, 21 congressional Republicans signed a letter urging their GOP colleagues to maintain green energy tax incentives.

“Countless American companies are utilizing sector-wide energy tax credits — many of which have enjoyed broad support in Congress — to make major investments in domestic energy production and infrastructure for traditional and renewable energy sources alike,” they wrote.

In 2024, wind and solar power generation surpassed coal production for the first time, according to a report by Ember, an energy think tank.

The Energy Information Agency reports natural gas consumption set new winter and summer monthly records last year — more proof that natural gas will remain a critical part of the nation’s energy economy.

In 2024, more than any other source, natural gas accounted for 43 percent of U.S. utility-scale electricity generation.

“Pennsylvania is the second largest natural gas producing state in the nation, and the largest exporter of electricity,” said Patrick Henderson, vice president of government affairs and communications for the Marcellus Shale Coalition.

“Pennsylvania literally helps keep the lights on for our neighboring states. Detrimental state policies, however, hinder our ability to maximize use of this clean, abundant and affordable resource, which is necessary to meet growing electricity demand at a time of historic power plant retirements.”

As the demand for power from AI data centers climbs, America’s grid operators are addressing the challenges.

For example, Indiana Michigan Power, part of American Electric Power, recently finalized a large load tariff settlement with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google and the Data Center Coalition that requires the companies to make significant, long-term financial commitments to ensure grid reliability and availability of electricity for commercial and residential ratepayers.

Meanwhile, some states are attempting to attract data centers — and the jobs and investments they bring. Indiana, for example, is pushing a robust energy plan that includes the development of nuclear power plants — the cleanest energy source available.

Nearly a year has passed since Gov. Josh Shapiro first announced a “new era” of leadership in energy with a program he claimed would create 15,000 jobs, save energy customers $664 million and generate $11.4 billion in investments in “clean, reliable energy resources.” He’s traveled the state making promises of lowering utility costs while touting questionable agreements and feel-good programs that are nothing more than a band-aid for a broken bone.

Time and time again, the governor fails to address, or recognize, the root cause of the price increases all Pennsylvanians are facing – the lingering threat of his RGGI electricity tax and the premature, misguided shuttering of thermal baseload generation facilities without a plan for adequate replacement. It is as simple as supply and demand. And, when supply does not meet the anticipated demand, prices increase.

In the next 10 years, under the most conservative estimates, our electric grid is facing a shortfall of 80,000 megawatts of electricity.  Again, conservatively, Pennsylvania operations generate 25 percent of the electric power flowing into the grid.  Simple math says we need to build at least 20 generation plants of 1,000-megawatt capacity if we are to maintain our position in the grid as a supplier of electricity. We have none under construction and none planned.

In fact, since RGGI was proposed, there have been no new investments at all in baseload electric generation in Pennsylvania. The governor is right, doing nothing is not an option. However, doing the wrong thing over and over again increases the magnitude of the problem. Until he disavows RGGI and abandons his efforts to impose a carbon tax, it is difficult to take seriously any statement claiming he wants to help ease the burden of rising utility costs and combat the power deficit we face in the coming years. Pennsylvania needs real solutions that focus on attracting energy development, investing in modern grid infrastructure and streamlining permitting and the regulatory process to ensure enough power is available to meet demand.

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee has prioritized responsible energy development and protecting the reliability of the PJM electric grid through commonsense policy measures and collaboration with our friends in energy-generating states. Last session, along with legislators from Ohio, we convened for a series of hearings to discuss challenges related to PJM.

We’ve advanced several measures aimed at addressing grid reliability, including legislation to establish an Independent Energy Office in Pennsylvania, legislation to protect the power grid from purposeful damage and legislation to place decisions regarding energy restrictions within the purview of the legislature. Unfortunately, these measures were only supported by Republicans on the committee. Recently, I announced plans to introduce a bill to address electric generation shortfall by establishing the Grid Stabilization and Security Act. Plans to reintroduce a bill from last session establishing a Pennsylvania Baseload Energy Development Fund are underway.

Saying we must diversify our energy sources and create clean, reliable and affordable energy is doing nothing but rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Wind, solar, batteries and other unproven, unreliable sources do not answer this one question: where does my electricity come from at 3 a.m. on a cold, calm winter night? We are racing towards the iceberg and have no plan to slow down, let alone stop, before we get there. We must encourage and implement construction of thermal baseload electric generation capacity now. I hope the governor joins us in this effort.

Failed initiatives and misguided mandates leave Pennsylvania residents footing the bill for unreliable power.

From the energy crisis of the Carter administration to President Joe Biden’s policies targeting the oil and gas industry, Democratic approaches to energy have consistently fallen short. Now, Gov. Josh Shapiro is continuing the legacy of disastrous energy policies.

In November 2023, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)—a failed program designed to cap and reduce carbon emissions—levied an unconstitutional tax on Pennsylvania energy consumers. The ruling effectively prevented Pennsylvania from participating in RGGI. But instead of complying with the court’s order and working with the legislature to recover the estimated $7 billion lost in private investment tied to the initiative, Shapiro appealed the ruling to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, where it is still unresolved.

In the meantime, Shapiro has developed two more radical ideas, drawing sharp criticism from energy stakeholders and even members of his own party. His first proposal, the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS), imposes strict mandates on energy sourcing. The mandates—centered on intermittent, unreliable and unproven energy generation sources—raise significant concerns. Renewable resources like wind and solar undoubtedly have a place within a diversified energy portfolio, but requiring their use without guarantees of reliable, scalable, and on-demand output jeopardizes economic and energy stability for residents of the Commonwealth. A balanced approach that considers the practical realities and limitations of each energy source is crucial to safeguarding the interests of both individuals and businesses in the region.

The governor’s second energy proposal is the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction (PACER) Initiative, a cap-and-trade program that mimics RGGI. PACER would require taxpayers to subsidize nonreliable sources of energy in addition to paying higher energy costs. Worse still, the bill’s vague language raises concerns about whether Pennsylvania taxpayers would subsidize in-state nuclear generation despite already allowing subsidies for out-of-state nuclear energy.

Both plans would pass the financial burden of those regulations onto electric consumers and ratepayers in Pennsylvania, particularly hurting low-income residents who already struggle to afford their energy bills.

These proposals by Shapiro faced such significant opposition that House Democratic committee chairs refused to advance the bills last session.

After four years of rapidly rising inflation and the financial fallout from RGGI, Pennsylvanians now face even higher electric bills in 2025. Attempting to shift the blame for this unmitigated failure, Shapiro filed a frivolous lawsuit against PJM Interconnection, the mid-Atlantic’s largest electricity wholesaler. He claims requiring PJM to lower its price cap—the maximum rate they can charge per unit—will address the rising electricity prices. However, the governor’s complaint fails to address the fundamental drivers of the escalating costs. The real issue lies in surging energy demand and the premature decommissioning of power plants—consequences directly linked to initiatives like RGGI. Moreover, PJM has been sounding the alarm for over two years about the potential for power shortages in certain regions during periods of peak demand.

This looming possibility has been exacerbated primarily by state and federal policies that Shapiro himself has championed. His inability to take responsibility for his shortcomings is a disservice to the people he is supposed to serve.

The livelihood of Pennsylvania is reliant on the state’s energy economy. A robust, dependable, and economically viable energy landscape across the commonwealth means taking a comprehensive approach to power generation and distribution. Harnessing a diverse array of resources, from traditional fossil fuels to renewable alternatives, is paramount in ensuring a resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure.

As the Biden administration’s policies of reliance on foreign oil come to a close, Republicans have a chance to lead with a bold, balanced energy plan that prioritizes affordability, reliability and economic growth for all Americans.

The Commonwealth Foundation, a free market think tank, has announced its Better Pennsylvania Plan, which includes 30 policy ideas for improving life in Pennsylvania. And with it, they’ve released polling they say shows Pennsylvania voters are on board with their key issues.

Among those issues: More support for the state’s Lifeline Scholarships for children in failing public schools and opposition to higher energy costs.

Commonwealth Vice President of Policy Elizabeth Stelle said the Better Pennsylvania Plan is “a commonsense policy roadmap that we think can release Pennsylvania’s potential, make us a leader across the nation, and create more prosperity for future generations.”

The statewide poll of 800 registered voters found 52 percent of Pennsylvanians believe the state was on the wrong track, and 71 percent want the governor and state legislature to address “pocketbook issues.”

Some 89 percent of those polled believe access to an excellent K-12 education is extremely or very important. And 81 percent want energy costs reduced, while 71 percent want energy production increased.

Some 44 percent gave the state’s current educational system a “C” grade.

“The problem in Pennsylvania is the funding doesn’t follow the child,” said Stelle. “So you have wide discrepancies. You have inequity in education.”

It’s a popular idea, according to their poll with 83 percent of respondents saying Lifeline Scholarships for students in failing schools should be expanded.

During a recent press conference, Stelle said, “I think there is a tremendous opportunity to see reform happen in this (legislative) session.” More than 70,000 students are on the waiting list for the Lifeline Scholarships.

She noted that Gov. Josh Shapiro had campaigned on expanding Lifeline Scholarships, and while the GOP-controlled state Senate needs to fight hard for the program, in the end it will be up to Shapiro.

“It’s incredibly rare to have a governor line-item veto one of his campaign promises,” Stelle noted.

And it’s not just the Lifeline choice program that’s popular. Open enrollment — letting families pick any public school for their child, regardless of their address — is supported by 75 percent of Keystone Staters. Charter schools remain popular, though no new charter schools have been approved in the state in six years.

Some 78 percent surveyed would like an independent agency to authorize charter schools, instead of school districts, a sign voters have concerns about the level of bureaucracy that comes with the public school system.

Erik Telford, Commonwealth senior vice president of public affairs, said the poll also showed Black and Hispanics in urban areas have “very strong support” for Lifeline policies.

If Shapiro seeks reelection in 2026, he will need to show results, Telford said. “Voters want to see more leadership from him.”

DVJournal asked how likely the education programs are to pass given the powerful teachers’ union opposes them and the legislature is divided.

“I think there is tremendous opportunity to see something significant in education to happen this session,” said Stelle. “In particular, in this current budget cycle we’re moving into.  And the reason I say this is number one: Gov. Shapiro campaigned on it, so he is looking to make good on all his promises to voters. And he’s running out of time to do that.

“And secondly, it’s an extremely popular idea. The polling shows that. So what I think we’re going to see is some sort of compromise that will expand choice for these families and empower them to find a better solution for each of their students.”

On energy, the poll found 71 percent of Pennsylvanians oppose new taxes on energy that could increase electric utility rates as much as 30 percent, including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the proposed PA Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER).

Reliability is also a concern for 56 percent of respondents, and 88 percent would like the legislature to create an electric reliability standard that doesn’t favor any specific energy source and focuses on the most affordable ways to generate power.

Also, 80 percent would reject government programs and taxpayer-funded subsidies for politically favored energy industries.

“Pennsylvania is a major energy producer,” said Stelle. “We have a lot of natural gas, we’re the largest producer in the nation, we also have a lot of coal, we have a lot of nuclear. We are the number one energy exporter. We export more electricity than any other state. We also have a big part to play in national energy security.”

Stelle said Shapiro’s policies so far will make electric power less affordable. He’s suing to impose a carbon tax [RGGI] and proposing his own carbon tax, PACER.

“What the governor is doing is the exact opposite of making energy more affordable,” said Stelle

In his inaugural speech Monday, President Donald Trump promised to increase energy production and manufacturing–and most Pennsylvania political leaders were happy to hear it.

“I liked the speech,” said Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), who told DVJournal he was sitting just 15 feet away from the president as he delivered it.

“He was direct. His thesis was, in a nutshell, that we are in a period of decline. That decline stops today, and renewal begins,” McCormick said, adding, “It was uplifting.”

McCormick, who sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, also praised Trump’s pledge to unleash U.S. energy production.

“Trump said he’s going to declare an energy emergency, which will allow him executive authorities to do things very rapidly on energy which would be to reduce regulations, increase production, possibly make big investments in infrastructure. That’s a big deal,” said McCormick.

Sen. Dave McCormick at President Trump’s inauguration ceremony.

State Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery) agreed.

“Pennsylvania has an extraordinarily diverse energy portfolio, including nuclear power, coal, renewable energy, and is the second largest producer of natural gas in the United States. As he did in his first administration, President Trump will unleash our ability to ship LNG, chemicals, and other energy products throughout the world growing our economy and good paying jobs,” said  Pennycuick.

Pennsylvania political professionals also gave Trump’s inaugural address high marks,

Guy Ciarrocchi, a Republican political commentator who ran for Congress in Chester County, praised the speech.

“President Trump’s closing remarks are amongst the boldest and most uplifting since Ronald Reagan in 1981. This pledge to unity and a common future reminds us of Lincoln. His call to Mars harkens us to Kennedy’s call to the moon. It was quintessential Trump, and thoroughly American.”

Fellow GOP strategist Charlie Gerow was impressed with Trump’s opening line, ‘The Golden Age of America begins right now.”

“President Trump was clear that he intends to follow through on the promises of the campaign. He was very clear about a very ambitious agenda, including the executive orders he will put in place immediately. President Trump spoke of the mandate he has. He also enjoys record-high popularity, a Congress under his allies’ control, and the wind is at his back. It really is time to Make America Great Again!”

Not surprisingly, Pennsylvania Democrats were less enthusiastic, but they weren’t negative, either.

“As governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — the birthplace of that democracy — I want to congratulate President Trump on his inauguration,” said Gov. Josh Shapiro (D). “President Trump, after being duly elected by the American people, now holds the sacred duty of leading this nation forward for the next four years.

“I remain committed to those commonsense Pennsylvania priorities, and where our priorities are aligned, I stand ready to work with the Trump administration to continue our progress here in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) made headlines of his own by showing up for the speech in the capitol rotunda wearing his usual hoodie and shorts. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he sent a fundraising email Monday saying that while “Trump is officially back in the White House,” he wouldn’t be “backing down from fighting for what’s right.”

But he also wrote, “I’ll work with Trump where I can to get wins for Pennsylvania,” echoing Fetterman’s previous comments that his door was open to Donald Trump, despite their political differences.

In Harrisburg, Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) praised Trump’s inauguration address.

“President Trump spoke to the people not above them by promising a more prosperous future by restoring American values through commonsense and integrity,” said Ward. “President Trump also declared an energy emergency which is a necessary and commonsense step required to revoke policies like the Green New Deal that have eroded our way of life by increasing the cost of everyday products.

According to Ward, “No other state has the potential to prosper like Pennsylvania if we take advantage of this opportunity to unleash our energy sector and align our state policies to advance our manufacturing competitiveness and grow our energy sector.”

Christine Flowers, a local immigration lawyer and pundit, was particularly focused on the border issue.

“I listened to President Trump’s comments on immigration, and I found myself agreeing with a good part of it, including the designation of drug cartels as members of terrorist organizations,” Flowers said. “The damage they do to our population is at least as dangerous, and arguably more widespread, than Al Qaeda and other Islamist organizations.  The odds that you will encounter a descendant of Osama Bin Laden on American shores is nil, whereas the odds that you or a family member will be devastated by the drug plague is nearly 100 percent.

“That said, his obsession with eliminating birthright citizenship is bound to fail, and it’s another sign of his scattershot approach to immigration, and his failure to address the root causes of the problem,” said Flowers. “You cannot simply ‘undo’ what has been for at least a century considered a constitutional right by a unilateral executive order.”

Joe Guzzardi, an analyst with the Institute for Sound Public Policy, said, “For years and under Democrat and Republican White Houses, American voters have yearned for common sense immigration. Clinton, Bush II, Obama and most definitely Biden have refused to support a commonsense immigration agenda that works for Americans. Trump has given citizens hope that he’ll deliver what Americans want—-a secure border and safe communities.”

Trump’s assertion that the government will recognize only two genders, male and female, was welcome news for Bucks County parent Jamie Walker.

“As a parent of two daughters, I am thrilled we have a president and administration now that actually knows what a woman is! Women’s rights are now protected. Males won’t be allowed to compete against girls in sports or use their locker rooms. I am hopeful the Trump administration can help get public schools to focus on academics and not progressive ideology.”

Trump’s overall message was that supporting U.S. jobs and manufacturing by boosting energy production is a good fit for the Pennsylvania economy, said Carl Marrara, executive director of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association.

“With a renewed focus on domestic manufacturing by the Trump administration, state economic competitiveness is more important than ever before. Whether it’s reshoring an entire plant to the United States, or expanding existing domestic operations, Pennsylvania will be competing for those business investments and needs to act to make it the smart business decision to locate here.”

It is a few days before Christmas and across the commonwealth. Pennsylvania families are busy looking for last-minute holiday gifts, planning family gatherings, and engaging in charitable efforts to help those in their communities during the holiday season.

However, this season is another stark reminder that every Pennsylvanian is facing the same staggering reality: The cost of Christmas is higher than it was last year and the ability to provide for a meaningful family celebration during this holiday season is increasingly out of reach.

Despite the federal government’s continued assurances that inflation’s impact on family budgets is waning, the numbers speak for themselves in terms of the continued negative impact increasing costs are having on family budgets across the country.

November’s recently released Consumer Price Index numbers show year-over-year inflation increased 2.7  percent with a .3 percent increase over the prior month. More regionally, the northeastern part of the United States saw year-over-year inflation increase an even higher 3.5 percent.

As it pertains to Christmas, PNC’s annual “Christmas Price Index” whimsically showed the cost of the 12 gifts of Christmas increased 5.4 percent over last year. Its review took a turn for the serious when PNC Asset Group’s Chief Investment Officer Amanda Agati said, “Believe it or not, we’re still seeing the cause and effect of the pandemic-inflation hangover, even nearly five years later…With years of steep price increases, we’d think inflation has nowhere to go, but we’d be wrong.”

Those numbers mean little for the Pennsylvania parents trying to put Christmas gifts under the tree or host a nice Christmas dinner for their family. The numbers they are looking at are more real; they are the dollars and cents of a bank account that is stretched too thin by rising energy, housing and food costs.

What they need is the financial pinch that continues to steal their Christmas to end and real relief to come to their budgets.

As we enter a new legislative session, that is something Pennsylvania’s House Republicans will be keeping at the forefront of our attention.

We are excited to continue our work to bring transformational change to Pennsylvania’s system of education and reduce government’s regulatory burdens.

In addition, our members will focus with urgency on ways that we can meaningfully put more money in the pockets of Pennsylvanians.

Last session, Republicans in both the House and the Senate stood unified in calling for a tax cut for Pennsylvania families. Now, it is incumbent upon us to continue an examination of our state finances to find ways to support and advance policies that return taxpayer investment directly back into the pockets of Pennsylvanians.

We also have much work we can do on the back end of cost savings.

While continued reduction of the Corporate Net Income Tax is smart policy, we need to examine the bipartisan-supported repeal of the sales tax prepayment that affects many small businesses, increases their business costs and ultimately costs consumers.

In addition, we must examine the energy cost driver impacting the bottom line of many Pennsylvania families.

We have been saying it for years, and it remains true today: Pennsylvania is an energy rich state. It is a failure of policymakers that we are not able to turn our home-grown energy assets into appreciably lower energy costs for Pennsylvanians.

Not only do we need to look at outside-the-box ways to help Pennsylvanians afford to heat and cool their homes and turn the lights on, but we also must also find tangible and short-term ways to increase both production of Pennsylvania-based energy resources and enhance our transmission capabilities to get our products to market.

Increasing production and transmission will not only lead to lower energy prices for Pennsylvanians, but will increase job opportunities and educational offerings, and grow communities to create an abundantly sustained Commonwealth.

By supporting policies that will directly put money back into the pockets of Pennsylvanians and lowering energy costs in both the short and long terms, Pennsylvania’s House Republicans are focused on stopping the financial pinch who stole Christmas in the past and making Christmas affordable again in the future.

Pennsylvania Sen. Kim Ward, the first woman to serve as Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore, will continue serving as interim pro tempore and is expected to be reelected in January.

Ward (R-Westmoreland) spoke to DVJournal about what she hopes to accomplish for Pennsylvanians.

“This election spoke volumes,” said Ward. “People don’t want to hear about social issues. Obviously, the Democrats ran full speed on abortion. [People] don’t want to hear about boys in women’s sports. They want to hear about how you will help them put food on the table and pay their utility bills.

“And we need to work on our energy,” said Ward. “We have an abundance of energy in Pennsylvania, and we have room in this commonwealth for every type of energy. But the Democrats have declared war on fossil fuels.

“Pennsylvania is sitting on the second biggest pot of gold in the United States,” said Ward. “We need to be able to unleash that to give people really great jobs that pay well so they can take care of their families.”

One reason electric bills are so high now is because former Gov. Tom Wolf (D) “unilaterally” took the state into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

“We went to court to say a governor does not have the unilateral ability to tax, and that was a tax.  Well, Gov. (Josh) Shapiro said he supported our stance but then, when we won in court, he appealed it. But you know, that’s the way it goes with him.” They are waiting for a decision on that appeal.

“But [RGGI] is one of the big reasons we’re having higher electric bills, because the companies have come out with higher rates,” she said.

“The Democrats have closed down our coal-fired plants. Meanwhile, China’s building them. They’re not closing them down in Ohio. They’re not closing them down in West Virginia. But in Pennsylvania, we’re saying, ‘Oh, no thank you.’”

This is “one of the big issues that we should be pushing because I think it affects our families,” said Ward. “It affects jobs across the board, affects incomes. It affects people’s ability to pay the bills they have to pay every month.

“And I think that’s energy we have to unleash, and we need to unleash our potential here in Pennsylvania,” said Ward.

Ward said the best thing about being a state senator is being able to help people. Asked about the most important things she’s accomplished as Senate pro tempore, she said the bill to fight breast cancer was “huge.”

And the corporate net income tax cut from 8.99 percent to 8.49 percent “was important to getting Pennsylvania on the right track.”

Also, raising the child tax credit to match the federal government was important. “I’d like to go further,” said Ward. “Those are the kind of issues that matter to people.”

Asked about working with a Democratic-led House, Ward said, “It’s like we live in two different countries.”

The Senate Republicans send the House “commonsense bills” that return like “a loaded up cherry tree.” One example was her bill to move up the state’s primary date, which the House sent back with so many other provisions it could not pass the Senate.

Asked if it was difficult working with a Democratic governor, Ward said, “No, I can’t call it difficult. I would say that it’s a challenge to get him to commit to one side or the other.”

For the next term, Sen. Joe Pittman (R-Indiana) was reelected Senate majority leader; Sen. Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster) was reelected majority whip; Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) was reelected as majority caucus chair:

Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-Beaver) was reelected Senate majority caucus secretary; and Sen. Scott Martin (R-Lancaster) was reelected as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

On the Democratic side, Sen. Jay Costa, Jr. (D-Allegheny) was reelected minority leader. The caucus whip will be Sen. Tina Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia); Appropriations Committee chair will be Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia); Sen. Maria Collett (D-Montgomery) will be caucus chair;  Caucus Secretary will be Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks);  Policy Committee Chair will be Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh) and the administrator will be Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks).

“I am honored and humbled to announce that I will be serving as the leader of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus for the next two years,” said Costa. “I’d like to thank my fellow Democratic senators for entrusting me with this responsibility. I look forward to the fight ahead.”

Former President Donald Trump says he’ll make America’s economy great again.

And, according to the Trump campaign, the latest jobs numbers show American workers are in trouble and it’s time for a change.

“Just 114,000 jobs were created in July, while unemployment shot up to 4.3 percent — its highest since October 2021 — as economists warn the U.S. is in the early stages of a recession,” the Trump campaign said in a statement Friday.

A day earlier, Trump gave a speech on economic policy to the New York Economic Club, where he said a key to returning economic greatness is America’s energy sector, particularly in Pennsylvania.

“Energy [policy] is what caused our problem initially. Energy is going to bring us back.”

He contrasted his approach to that of Vice President Kamala Harris, who he said “wants four more years to impose a radical left agenda a threat to every American family.”

Trump laid out a plan to increase domestic oil and gas production.

“First, I will end Kamala Harris’ energy crusade and implement a policy of energy abundance, energy independence, and even energy dominance. We have more liquid gold under our feet than any other country, including Russia and Saudi Arabia. We’ll be using it. My plan will cut energy prices in half, or more than that within 12 months of taking office.”

By bringing gasoline prices lower than $2 a gallon, other prices, from airfares to electricity, will go down, he said.

“Meanwhile, Kamala Harris cannot bring down the price of anything because her energy policies are driving up the cost of everything. Everything is up, way up,” said Trump.

The Biden-Harris administration shut down the Keystone pipeline in America “on day one” while allowing the Russian Nordstream 2 pipeline to go through, Trump reminded his audience.

“If I was president, oil production would be four times higher than it is right now,” said Trump. Additionally, he had opened up the ANWAR site in Alaska to drilling but the Biden-Harris administration closed it.

And, the Biden-Harris EPA has shut down “more than 50 power plants…setting the stage for a catastrophic energy shortfall that will make inflation far worse than it has ever been.”

Trump said he would issue an energy emergency declaration to cut through bureaucratic red tape to open more energy plants.

“We will blast through every bureaucratic hurdle to issue rapid approvals for new drilling, new pipelines, new refineries, new power plants, new electric plants, and reactors of all types.

Prices will fall immediately in anticipation of this tremendous supply that we can create very quickly. And we’ll be the leader instead of the laggard,” said Trump.

Trump said Harris wants to “ban fracking in Pennsylvania and everywhere else, take away your private health insurance and perhaps most pertinent to the very brilliant people in this room, raise your business and corporate taxes, and unbelievably she will seek a tax on unrealized capital gains…She’s been after this for years and as everyone knows, she’s a Marxist who destroyed almost singlehandedly San Francisco.”

“Kamala Harris is the first major party nominee who fundamentally rejects freedom and embraces Marxism, communism, and fascism,” Trump said.

As for her claim that she’s reversed her position on fracking and now opposes a ban, Trump dismissed it as unbelievable.

“Harris recently said her values have not changed,” Trump said. “That’s what she wants.”

“Communism is the past. Freedom is the future, and it is time to send Comrade Kamala Harris back home to California,” Trump added.

Trump also promised to end the “Green New Deal” and its mandates for electric vehicles; cut unnecessary regulations; prioritize government efficiency, saying Tesla CEO Elon Musk agreed to help; encourage domestic manufacturing; and improve affordable housing by reducing inflation to lower mortgage costs.

“She’s promising communist price controls, wealth confiscation, energy annihilation, reparations, the largest tax increase ever imposed, and mass amnesty and citizenship for tens of millions of migrants who will consume trillions of dollars in federal benefits and destroy Social Security and Medicare,” Trump said.

The Harris campaign said Thursday, “Vice President Harris has a plan for a new way forward on the economy to boost the middle class, working Americans, and small businesses. She has an agenda that is responsible, funding her plans by ensuring billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share. She has an agenda to reduce Americans’ grocery, healthcare, and housing costs and other everyday expenses where most Americans just need a little help.

“Trump may try to distort objective reality on his dangerous plans, but mainstream experts agree on the devastating results of his agenda: shrinking the economy, undermining job growth, driving up inflation, exploding the national debt, and raising taxes on the middle class.”

Trump argues he’s the best choice for the economy.

“For four straight years, I fought for American workers like I would fight for my own family,” Trump said. “I took care of our economy like I would take care of my own company. In every decision I asked, will I create jobs here or will I be sending jobs overseas? I always put America first.”

Please follow DVJournal on social media: X@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

When Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night, voters will be listening as she outlines her vision for America’s future. Her speech to the delegates, the American public, and audiences around the world will likely include a preview of a potential Harris-Walz administration energy policy.

For the sake of the Democrats’ election prospects in November, not to mention American security and prosperity, Harris should deliver a clear message that the U.S. will remain energy independent under her leadership.

The vice president has an historic opportunity to align her party with the majority of Americans who say the U.S. should harness the power of American hydrocarbon energy. A June 2024 Pew Research Center poll found only 29 percent of Americans want to phase out fossil fuels entirely, while a full 69 percent favor a combination of fossil fuels and renewable energy sources to power the national economy.

Americans understand that the country’s energy revolution of the past decade has not only strategically advantaged the U.S. as a global power but has also underpinned our record economic growth. For instance, the Dallas Federal Reserve estimated that oil prices would be 36 percent higher without the fracking technology and production advances from America’s Shale Revolution. With the advent of hydraulic fracking and horizontal drilling in shale formations, U.S. output reached 12.8 mb/d by the end of 2019. That increase of 7.9 mb/d since 2007 has all come from shale. The Dallas Fed also calculated that the Fracking Revolution contributed to 10 percent of GDP growth from 2010-2015. This was no small feat, and that energy boost helped President Barack Obama shepherd the economy back from the impacts of the Great Recession.

Interestingly enough, the places that benefitted the most were the rural parts of America, those most hard hit by the recession and poor healthcare which caused population flight to the big cities and shortened lifespans. They need economic development, good jobs, and social services to strengthen their communities and lighten the burden being absorbed by the urban centers. The American people are not just more prosperous because of our natural resources, they are also protecting future generations by aiding in the reduction of emissions.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the transition from coal to natural gas in electricity generation as a result of the increase in domestic natural gas exploration and production led to a 65 percent decrease in emissions of carbon dioxide in the electrical power sector.

And a groundbreaking 2024 study found U.S. LNG was significantly better for the environment than burning coal or other nations’ (i.e. Russia) natural gas, from production to end use. That’s why it’s encouraging that in 2023, the U.S. became the world leader in LNG production and exports. Worldwide electricity generation from coal hit a record high in 2023, and the U.S. would be well-poised to offer the world cleaner alternatives like U.S. LNG.

Despite the science, the Biden-Harris administration made the unprecedented decision in January to freeze new LNG export projects. The policy has been nothing short of counter-productive for the U.S. economy, our allies’ energy security, and our emissions’ reduction goals. Rather, we should be using it as a full-fledged transition fuel to bridge us to the future that Harris envisions. It will also create prosperity opportunities in the rural districts that were once dependent upon much dirtier coal. Harris’ vice presidential nominee, Gov. Tim Walz, will see the tremendous value for economic development in the rural districts that have a special place in his heart.

Gone are the days of having to accept Washington climate activists’ binary choice between preserving our planet and saving our economy. By fostering the American Energy Revolution, a Harris administration would help add billions to the economy, support middle-class families with their prices at the pump, and remove countless tons of greenhouse gasses from the environment as a result.

Harris and Walz must consider the impact that policies like the LNG export freeze earlier this year will have on U.S. strength in the world, and on Americans’ bottom line. We as a nation cannot afford to experiment with energy policy that denies science and undermines our national interest.

Instead, at this year’s convention I encourage our presidential nominee to send a signal to the world that her administration would harness the power of American energy and propel us to economic and geostrategic greatness. This is what the American people unambiguously want, and it is what voters will consider as they vote for the 47th president of the United States in November.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: X@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal