Dear [firstname],
America’s 250th birthday is less than two weeks away, and I hope everyone in our community has an opportunity to celebrate this special occasion and Pennsylvania’s important role in the founding of our country. Especially because this is such a challenging time in our country, I welcome America250 as an opportunity to remember the best of our nation – the values we aspire to, the future we can build, and the communities that have shaped us and make America what it is.
You may know that my office has launched PA in Pictures, a district-wide project collecting photos of your favorite memories and meaningful places in Pennsylvania. We want our offices to reflect everything that makes you proud to call PA home. I hope you’ll add your favorite photos to our collection by submitting them here or dropping them off at either our West Chester or Reading offices by next Thursday, July 2. |
I spent all of last week in our community, and I am grateful to every constituent who took the time to talk with me. It’s important to me to hear regularly and directly from you and our neighbors about the issues that matter most. In the spirit of our PA in Pictures project, I am sharing some of the highlights of my week in pictures, too. |
On Monday, I had the opportunity to join local leaders in Reading for a roundtable about gun violence and how we can build safer communities. June is Gun Violence Prevention Month, a reminder of the importance of these conversations and the work still ahead of us. Despite the gravity of the issue, it was encouraging to see such a diverse group of community members across law enforcement, education, and advocacy come together around a shared commitment to prevent gun-related tragedies. |
In 2022, I voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This law provided increased mental health counseling, resources for school safety, and support for law enforcement officers. This was a common sense, bipartisan law enacted for the safety of communities across our country. Sadly, the Trump Administration cut $1 billion of funding from these programs that were creating positive change. This is why these conversations are so important. This is why, together with our community’s dedicated leaders, I will keep pushing for real, meaningful solutions on this issue. |
I also visited two farms in our district, Highland Orchards and Lundale Farms, to hear about how we can support our local agriculture industry.
Recently, farmers in Chester and Berks Counties have had to face an array of challenges. Tariffs are driving up costs, environmental factors like freezes and droughts are hurting crops, and cases of screwworm in cattle could threaten serious losses. All of this contributes to |
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our domestic food supply and the higher prices we see at the grocery store, too.
My conversations with our local farmers are a valuable reminder that the work we do in Washington has a real, tangible impact. I have called for federal support for Pennsylvania growers whose crops were destroyed by the unusual early spring freeze, and I’m still pushing to get our farmers in Chester and Berks Counties compensated for their losses.
Beyond this, we could be doing more to relieve financial pressure on farmers and bring down food costs for all of us. For example, President Trump could walk back the harmful tariffs he imposed last year. My Republican colleagues in Congress could choose to invest in preventing outbreaks like screwworm rather than slashing the budget for proactive programs. Our farmers, and by extension our whole community, deserve these fixes, and they deserve a government that understands and protects their interests. |
Another highlight from last week was my visit to Chester County Hospital, where I was able to talk with frontline healthcare workers about the growing challenges in providing care.
Cuts to healthcare in the Republican budget mean more people are getting sicker, putting additional strain on our hospitals and neighborhood clinics. At the same time, healthcare workers are harder to recruit and, once working, report diminished morale and even threats to their safety. Still, they show up to take care of their patients each and every day – and we have to take care of them, too.
Since I first came to Congress in 2019, I have worked to pass legislation supporting healthcare workers as they |
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support us. Now, I am proud to continue these efforts by cosponsoring the Save Healthcare Workers Act, which protects hospital employees from violence in the workplace. Our entire community is stronger when our healthcare workers can do their jobs safely and without fear, and that is the reality I’m working to create. |
I also want to tell you about my visit to the President’s House, an exhibit in Philadelphia around the corner from the Liberty Bell that tells the story of slavery in the region. On Thursday, just a few minutes before I arrived at the exhibit, a federal appeals court ruled that President Trump could force the exhibit to be removed.
After the Trump Administration took the exhibit down earlier this year, Governor Josh Shapiro and Philadelphia Mayor |
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Cherelle Parker sued to restore it. The courts agreed but unfortunately, it’s at risk again.
The President’s House shows us something that everyone should see and understand: lessons about the injustices of our past, which help us appreciate the progress we have made and remind us of the work still to be done. This Administration can try to replace it, whitewash it, or hide it away, but they cannot rewrite history – not the shameful parts we learn from, nor the freedoms we celebrate. |
Finally, I visited the American Legion post in Kennett Square for a flag dedication ceremony. With fellow Chester County leaders, including State Representative Christina Sappey and Kennett Square Mayor Matt Fetick, I reflected on the American flag and all of the hope it has inspired through the years.
When the first American flag was created 250 years ago not far from our district, it represented the brand-new promise of a brand-new nation. It was designed for a country that did not yet exist, sewn together as a vision to believe in – a country where all of us are truly free. In the decades since, generation after generation of Americans have strived to live up to that vision and looked to the flag for a sense of hope. |
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Our country has faced real and brutal challenges throughout our history. We still have work to do make sure every American can build a great life for themselves. But through every era and every struggle, the flag waves above us, there to remind us that progress is always possible. We only have to take a moment to look up. |
Chrissy Houlahan U.S. Member of Congress
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