House Speakership – Search for Bipartisan Solution Continues 

Simply put, we need a Speaker who can serve as a pragmatic leader and protect the integrity of our institutions. As I’ve shared with many of you already, I’m looking for a leader who favors bipartisanship over extremism. My vote for speaker will continue to reflect this priority. Specifically, I’m calling for a Speaker who: 

• Recognizes the 2020 Presidential election as free and fair 

• Commits to keeping the government open to pay our service members, keep our seniors’ lights on, support small businesses, and so much more 

• Supports democracies abroad including Israel and Ukraine 

• Shows a deep respect for our legislative institutions and willingness to compromise 

I want to be very clear: no matter how deeply frustrating we find this situation, I remain willing to work with my Republican friends, many of whom I’ve been in regular contact with, to find a bipartisan path forward. It is my hope we find a resolution as quickly as possible. 

As we inch closer to the November 17 deadline to fully fund the federal government, I am doing everything in my power to get our chamber back to work. Last month along with my co-founders on the Bipartisan Fiscal Forum, we introduced the Fiscal Commission Act of 2023 which would establish a bipartisan and bicameral commission to tackle our country’s long-term debt instead of dealing with our current flawed process that sometimes leads to stalemates like we have right now.  

I believe that Congress will once again come together to avert this crisis. As always, my office will provide you with all the information you need on how a potential government shutdown may impact you.

I am heartbroken by the worsening conflict between Israel and Hamas. It’s essential that we support our democratic ally in the Middle East, Israel, as it defends itself. As we support democracy in the region we must also protect the many innocent lives caught in this conflict. That’s why I sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. I was glad to see President Biden heeded that call when he visited Israel and announced the U.S. would be sending humanitarian aid to Gaza and the West Bank. 

At the same time, we are reminded of another ally that is fighting for the democratic values we share: Ukraine. The Ukrainian people are still being impacted by Russia’s war daily, and we must continue to act in support of their democracy. I have faith that once the House returns to regular order, we will successfully negotiate a bipartisan bill to help our allies and address the ongoing humanitarian crises abroad. 

President Biden and The Department of Energy recently announced that Southeastern Pennsylvania has been designated as a “Hydrogen Hub,” which means our region will be on the frontlines of producing clean energy infrastructure! This translates to thousands of new, good paying jobs, which will boost economic growth in our community and help to expand our domestic energy production.  

I know some of you might have questions about how this will impact our region. Rest assured my office will make sure to keep you updated through each phase of this project. 

American Rescue Plan Funds to Rebuild Pennsylvanians’ Homes

There’s another local initiative made possible by federal dollars that I wanted to make sure you saw. That effort is called the Whole Home Repairs Program, which provides direct assistance to Pennsylvanians to repair their homes. Specifically, the program provides grants to low-income families for home improvement and loans to landlords to repair their properties.  

This great program is only happening because of the American Rescue Plan, which I voted for last Congress, and is another example of federal investments at work in our community. 

Learn more about this assistance and how to apply here. 

This program was also available for Berks County residents, but they are no longer accepting applicants due to an overwhelming number of applicants. For Berks residents looking for more information, click here. 

My team and I are committed to advocating for our community members and we can assist you with a variety of federal issues, from passport requests to Social Security benefits.  

Recently our office was able to help Aman, when he reached out regarding his parents’ residency. My team worked tirelessly on their behalf, and we were able to reunite three generations of his family!

To learn more about how our office can assist you, visit our website. We are ready and able to help! 

Serving as our community's representative is the honor of my lifetime, and I hope to hear from you soon about any issue that concerns you.  

As always, please contact my office if you need assistance. 

Be well and see you soon! 

Chrissy Houlahan 

U.S. Member of Congress