Senator Pat Toomey's E-Update

Press Release

Standing Up For Free Speech

Recently, Americans learned that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was attempting to police the nation's newsrooms through a new bureaucratic study.

This study would have investigated how editors and producers select their news stories. It would have also identified "perceived station bias" and examined whether news stations devoted enough time to reporting stories the administration deemed "critical." After a national outcry, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler suspended the study and indicated it would be "revised."

The American people deserve an accounting of this outrageous effort to threaten our First Amendment rights. I have joined my Senate colleagues in a letter to the FCC chairman demanding an explanation of this intrusion into America's newsrooms.

Speaking For Officer Danny Faulkner

Watch my floor speech on Mumia Abu-Jamal and Officer Danny Faulkner

With Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams, I wrote a bipartisan op-ed in The Wall Street Journal opposing the nomination of Mr. Debo Adegbile to head the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Mr. Adegbile's work distorting the facts about an unrepentant murderer should disqualify him for this post.

Mr. Adegbile volunteered to defend Mumia Abu-Jamal who murdered Philadelphia police officer Danny Faulkner in 1981. It is one thing to provide legal representation and quite another to seize on a case and turn it into a political platform from which to launch an extreme attack on the justice system.

For this reason, I will continue to urge my colleagues to oppose Mr. Adegbile's nomination.

Talking Tax Reform

This week on CNBC, I shared my ideas on how we can reform our ridiculously complicated tax code to grow the economy and spur hiring. Sadly, Americans aren't seeing any leadership from the President on this issue, which is critical to increasing economic opportunity for all Americans.

Meeting With PA Members Of Disabled American Veterans

I'm grateful to Pennsylvania members of Disabled American Veterans Kevin Noel, Carmen DeSanti, Dr. Robert Cudworth, and Timothy Dunn for visiting me in Washington to discuss veterans' issues. We thank them, and all veterans, for their service.

Celebrating Black History Month: Marian Anderson

Born in humble circumstances in Philadelphia, Marian Anderson became the first African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. When Marian was barred from singing at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. because of her race, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt arranged another high profile venue - the Lincoln Memorial. Marian sang before a radio audience of several million on Easter Sunday, 1939.

I was happy to meet with members of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau in Washington this week. An 8 a.m. meeting might be early for a lot of people in D.C., but not for our farmers!

Pennsylvania's wing of the Civil Air Patrol was also in D.C. this week to brief me on their vision for future service to our state and nation. They work with the National Guard to help keep Pennsylvanians safe with missions ranging from search and rescue to fire scouting.

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