Latest news with #Pielli
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Overstepping its constitutional bounds' Pennsylvania bill urges Trump to unfreeze funds
PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — A Representative introduced a bill that urges President Donald Trump to unfreeze previously appropriated federal funds. The bill, authored by Rep. Chris Pielli, argues that the Trump administration has continued to withhold money, against the orders of two federal judges, that Congress already appropriated. Pielli noted that this freeze has caused mass confusion, frustration and uncertainty amongst the millions of Americans who rely on federally funded childcare, food assistance and housing programs as well as those who depend on government grants, such as nonprofits. On Jan. 27, the Office of Management and Budget issued a memorandum requiring all federal agencies to 'complete a comprehensive analysis of all of their Federal financial assistance programs to identify programs, projects, and activities that may be implicated by any of the President's executive orders…[and] pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders.' U.S. District Judge Loren Alikhan, Washington D.C., issued a continuance in blocking Trump's administration from freezing grants and loans in February. Since then, numerous nonprofits and cities have filed a lawsuit, led by the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Public Rights Project, calling for the federal funding freeze to be halted. More recently, President Trump announced that the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) would have its $175 million in federal funding suspended as a result of a transgender student who competed for the school in 2022. At the time of the student's athletic career, the NCAA used a 'sport-by-sport' approach to allowing transgender athletes to participate. The student in question, Lia Thomas, competed under the NCAA guidelines, which allowed female transgender swimmers who had completed one full year of hormone replacement therapy to compete. However, the NCAA's policy has since changed as a result of Trump's executive order that bans transgender athletes from competing in girl's and women's sports. 'Over $700 million in funding for transportation projects our state critically needs and more are on the line, including infrastructure work for passenger rail service between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg and the development of new passenger routes between Scranton and New York City and between Philadelphia and Reading,' Pielli wrote. 'The funds would have also been used to install electric vehicle charging stations every 50 miles along interstate highways and special transportation corridors and replace the South Bridge on Interstate 83.' Pielli added that his legislation is meant to send a message to the Trump administration that it is 'overstepping its constitutional bounds.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Fight for freedom' Pennsylvania Rep. looks to declare Ukrainian Independence Day
PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — A Representative announced plans to introduce legislation that would declare Ukrainian Independence Day in the Commonwealth. The bill, authored by Rep. Chris Pielli (D – Chester), would designate Aug. 24, 2025, as 'Ukrainian Independence Day' in Pennsylvania. Pielli argued that the Commonwealth has made important contributions to Ukraine's defense and 'fight for freedom,' with Pennsylvania munitions plants providing critical weaponry. 'Knowing Pennsylvania's history as the cradle of freedom and democracy, it is vital that we recognize and support the same spirit of 1776 exhibited by the brave Ukrainian freedom fighters,' Pielli wrote in the legislation. On Aug. 24, 1991, Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union, with over 90% of voters in the country supporting an independence referendum. In 1994, as part of the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine agreed to completely relinquish its nuclear arsenal in exchange for an assurance that the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia would respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and refrain from the use or threat of military force. In February 2022, Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. In the three years since Pielli noted that Russia has killed tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians while destroying large swaths of Ukraine. More recently, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia was ready for a ceasefire but suggested that Ukraine had further conditions to accept before any agreement could be settled. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
