Newsroom
Sen. Fontana Announces Over $3 Million for Local Arts/Cultural Outlets
Brookline, PA – September 15, 2020– Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today announced that 13 Allegheny County arts and cultural entities will receive a total of $3.08 million in state grant funds. “Knowing how the ongoing pandemic has harmed these important...
Sen. Fontana Announces Over $2 Million in State Funds for Local Water and Sewer Projects
Pittsburgh – August 17, 2020 – Sen. Wayne Fontana (D- Allegheny) announced today that $2,193,358 in state grant funds have been awarded to local waterway and sewer improvement projects throughout his Senate district. “It is critical that our local governments have the...
PA Senate Democrats Announce $225 Million for Small Business Assistance Grants Statewide
HARRISBURG – June 8, 2020 – Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus announced the direction of $225 million in federal CARES Act funding to aid small businesses across the commonwealth. This funding was authorized by the recently enacted COVID-19...
Democratic PHEAA Board Members Tout $30 Million In Cares Act Funding For PHEAA Grants
HARRISBURG — June 5, 2020 — State Senators Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny), Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), John Blake (D-Lackawanna), and Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia touted the $30 million in funding the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus was...
Sen. Fontana’s Bill Would Make Pennsylvania a Mail-in Ballot state
Harrisburg, April 22, 2020 – Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) today introduced a bill that would change Pennsylvania’s voting system so that all elections are conducted entirely by mail. “The pandemic has compromised the health and safety of our citizens, shaken our...
Sen. Fontana: Returning Workers too Soon is too Dangerous
Harrisburg, April 15, 2020 – Insisting that sound mitigation practices and indelible worker protections must be in place before re-opening additional Pennsylvania workplaces, state Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) today voted against Senate Bill 613, legislation he...
Senator Fontana Floor Remarks on S.B. 613
PA Senate Democrats Urge Action on Legislation for Working Families, Pledge to Oppose Partisan COVID Task Force
Harrisburg, PA − April 8, 2020 − The Senate adjourned Tuesday afternoon after the House Republicans indicated they would not be taking up Senate Bill 841, legislation that would have enabled local municipalities to hold their meetings remotely, permitted e-notary use;...
Voting by Mail is No Longer the Exception
By Sen. Wayne D. Fontana
As this frightening pandemic affects every facet of our lives, more and more citizens are doing what they can to keep safe by staying at home, practicing social distancing and keeping in touch with others as remotely as possible.
We cannot be sure when this nightmare will end, or when we can return to living our normal lives. Some project it will be weeks. Others have argued that it may take months or longer. Many medical experts have even warned that a second wave of Covid-19 may target us when the weather cools this autumn.
Sen. Fontana Endorses American Working Family Relief Plan
Pittsburgh, March 18, 2020 – State Sen. Wayne Fontana today endorsed policies and legislation that would help protect workers during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The “American Working Family Relief Action Plan” addresses practices for...
Fontana Announces Grants to Improve Safety and Security for Pittsburgh Nonprofits
HARRISBURG, March 11, 2020 – Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today announced a total of $149,080 for three non-profit organizations in Pittsburgh to strengthen safety and security measures. Organizations qualify for the grants based on a Federal Bureau of...
Senator Fontana SB309 Remarks
Governor’s Budget Plan Touts Numerous Fontana Initiatives
HARRISBURG, February 4, 2020 – Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today provided the following statement on Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed $36 billion budget for fiscal 2020-21: “This budget plan would hold the line on taxes while stoking investment in education, job...
Fontana Announces $2.8 Million in State Grants for Local Transportation Projects
Pittsburgh, November 12, 2019 – Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today announced four state transportation grants in his district totaling $2.857 million. “These state funds bolster community efforts to improve efficiency, safety and enhance access throughout our...
Senator Fontana Steve Blass Remarks
Fontana Announces $460,000 in State Grants for Three Local Projects
HARRISBURG, September 17, 2019 – Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today announced a total of $460,000 in state grants for three Allegheny County projects in his senate district. “These grant dollars help local communities move forward on projects that improve...
New Student Loan Program Aimed at Helping Students Afford Post-Secondary Education
By Sen. Wayne D. Fontana
Most college students look forward to summer break and a reprieve from the classroom, but few have the resources to take the “summer off” from one of their most difficult challenges: paying for their education.
A postsecondary education can be expensive, but it is an investment worth making. Whether a student attends the Community College of Allegheny County, learns a trade, or receives a four-year degree from the University of Pittsburgh, education is the key to a better future.
Fontana Announces $15 Million in State Grants for 17 Local Projects
Pittsburgh, August 1, 2019 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today announced a total of $15 million in state grants for 17 Pittsburgh development projects. “These state dollars will support and speed up progress on innovative projects that will help create jobs, attract...
PA Senate Democratic Caucus Decries Changes to SNAP Program, Urges PA Congressional Delegation to Oppose
Harrisburg, Pa. – July 29, 2019 – Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus sent a letter to the state’s congressional delegation, urging that the federal Department of Agriculture does not end automatic eligibility for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance...