Jul. 06, 2023
HARRISBURG – In light of Gov. Josh Shapiro and House Democrats turning their backs on working families and students trapped in failing schools, House Republican Policy Committee Chairman Joshua D. Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) released the following statement:
“During his campaign, Gov. Josh Shapiro supported school choice for our students and withdrawing us from the energy tax known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). He’s now turning his back on our children and families, once again ensuring that the Commonwealth’s obstacles to opportunity remain in place.
“The Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) Scholarships, formerly known as the Lifeline Scholarship Program, would have given students who are stuck in schools in the bottom 15% of performance metrics a chance to attend an educational institution that would maximize their potential. Instead of helping children succeed, the governor and House Democrats abandoned them.
“Gov. Josh Shapiro refuses to remove Pennsylvania from the RGGI energy tax that will not only kill our jobs, but quadruple electricity rates on working families. This will inevitably raise taxes during a time when Pennsylvanians continue to decide whether to pay the bills or feed their families.
“To see a governor bow down to special interests and veto a promise he campaigned on is more than disappointing. It is exactly what is wrong with the status quo in Harrisburg. Gov. Josh Shapiro portrayed himself as a bold-talking reformer during his budget address. It appears his bravado vanishes when faced with opposition. Reversing course shows that Gov. Shapiro cannot be trusted.”