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senator vogel

January 26, 2022

Senate Passes New Funding for Hospitals, Health Care Workers

HARRISBURG (Jan. 26, 2022) – The state Senate this week approved critical funding for hospitals and frontline health care workers who continue to keep Pennsylvanians safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Elder Vogel, R-47, said. House Bill 253 would allocate a total of $225 million to hospitals and their employees. The additional dollars will be allocated as follows: $100 million for acute care general hospitals. $110 million for critical access hospitals, facilities with a high volume of Medicaid patients, and behavioral/psychiatric providers. $15 million for the PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program. Of that total, the major health care…

November 19, 2021

$2.5 Million In Grant Funding Distributed to Area Projects

HARRISBURG – The Commonwealth Financing Authority has awarded $2.5 million in grants to four projects located in Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties, according to Sen. Elder Vogel (R-47). Three of the grants were awarded through the Multimodal Transportation Fund Program: A $1 million grant for the City of New Castle, Lawrence County, to make roadway, sidewalk and trail improvements within the Enterprise Park section of New Castle, with all the planned work focused on making Enterprise Park safer and more accessible. Betters Real Estate Holdings L.P. has received a $1 million grant for the installation of rail lines at a…

October 29, 2021

Senate Approves Telemedicine Bill

HARRISBURG – The Senate today approved legislation that promotes telemedicine as a way to overcome barriers to quality patient care created by distance and reduce the costs of those services, according to the bill’s prime sponsor, Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver). “No one was even remotely aware of COVID-19 and the impact that it could have on our society when I first introduced this bill. But, if we take nothing else away from this pandemic, we now fully understand the critical need for this tool,” said Senator Vogel. “This bill is about building the infrastructure for telemedicine. It’s about establishing who…

October 27, 2021

Senate Approves Legislation Banning Deceptive “Spoofing” Phone Calls

Harrisburg – In an effort to crack down on deceptive and nuisance telephone calls, the Senate today approved a bill banning the practice of caller ID “spoofing,” according to Senator Elder Vogel (R-47) who supported the bill. Senate Bill 236 is designed to protect citizens from misleading telemarketing “robocalls,” particularly those that disguise their real phone number by making it look like a local number, increasing the likelihood that the call will be answered. The computerized telemarketing messages can be intrusive, and can also prey on trusting Pennsylvanians, including vulnerable senior citizens because the calls come across the Caller ID…

September 30, 2021

Senate Passes Measures to Help Pennsylvania Farmers Move Goods

HARRISBURG – The state Senate this week passed two measures to help Pennsylvania farmers make home deliveries and meet other transportation needs. “These bills will help our farmers move products to market easier and with less unnecessary regulation,” said Senator Elder Vogel (R-47). Senate Bill 736 would enable a farmer to register a farm vehicle for the delivery of milk and other agricultural products to both businesses and homes. Under current law, a farmer is required to purchase, register and maintain a separate commercial vehicle for home deliveries while also maintaining a farm vehicle to deliver products to businesses. Senate…

August 20, 2021

Riverside School District Receives Half a Million

Riverside School District was awarded $500,000.00 from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for redevelopment of the school’s natatorium. Riverside is one of the schools in Beaver County with a swimming pool that not only offers recreation to the students within the district, but to the public as well. Installed in 1976, the pool is in need of multiple repairs and redevelopment. Between inadequate regulation slope depth for diving, lane line anchors, cracks in the aluminum, and a need for a new air filtration system, the pool, while still functional, needs these repairs. “We are very pleased that the Department has awarded…

July 9, 2021

$201,600 Green Light-Go Grant Awarded to New Castle

New Castle will receive a $201,600 state grant to improve traffic safety under Pennsylvania’s “Green Light-Go” program, according to Senator Elder Vogel. The city was awarded the grant to modernize the Butler/Taylor traffic signal. New Castle was among 50 municipalities statewide sharing more than $15.6 million in the current round of Green Light-Go funding. The program provides funding to install light-emitting diode (LED) technology, perform regional operations such as retiming, develop special event plans and monitor traffic signals, as well as upgrade traffic signals to the latest technologies.

May 14, 2021

Ellwood City School District Receives $7,481 State Grant

The Ellwood City Area School District was awarded a $7,481 state grant by the Department of Agriculture, according to Senator Elder Vogel. The school district will use the Ag & Youth Program funding for the Garden at Perry Project. The Pennsylvania Ag & Youth Grant Program provides direct and matching grants to help fund eligible projects, programs and equipment purchases conducted or made by organizations composed mainly of youth and organized to promote development in agriculture, community leadership, vocational training, and peer fellowship. “It’s good to see the state take an active role in promoting agricultural studies and activities in…

April 28, 2021

Vogel Bill Would Improve Work Zone Safety for Workers, Motorists

Even as Pennsylvania recognizes National Work Zone Awareness Week from April 26-30, Senator Elder Vogel (R-47) is introducing legislation intended to provide workers with a safe environment and prevent accidents. “Pennsylvania’s road work is often a topic of discussion. Between tolls, bridges and future projects, we spend a lot of time talking about our infrastructure, but not enough time focusing on the safety of the workers,” said Senator Vogel. “In connection with National Work Zone Awareness Week, I am introducing Senate Bill 614 to enhance penalties for offenses in active work zones that do not result in an accident. By…

February 26, 2021

Senator Vogel to Host March 9 Virtual Town Hall on COVID-19 Vaccines

Senator Elder Vogel will discuss the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan and answer questions regarding the vaccine during a virtual town hall meeting set for 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 9, 2021. Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam and Norm Mitry, President of Heritage Valley Health System, will be special guests during the conversation to answer questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine. Community residents can register to participate in the virtual town hall by visiting www.senatoreldervogel.com/access-live. The virtual town hall format allows community residents to participate in the discussion without the need to travel throughout the region. Participants can ask questions or…