Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement today regarding the Supreme Court’s decision in the cases involving Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties, an East Earl, Pa. company. “It is great news that the Supreme Court has ruled that closely held, for-profit businesses are entitled to religious protections and exempt from the Obamacare mandate. This is a win for religious liberty. “I am grateful for Conestoga Wood Specialties’ leadership in challenging this ill-conceived mandate. I congratulate them on the success and the relief this Supreme Court decision will bring for many closely held corporations that choose to follow their religious beliefs.” He supported Sen. Roy Blunt's (R-Mo.) bipartisan amendment to protect faith-based groups from being forced to violate their rights of conscience and wrote to former Secretary Sebelius expressing concern. HARRISBURG – Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25) and Senate Bankin...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) is working to help victims of child pornography obtain full restitution for their suffering. Last month, the Supreme Court limited the remedies available to victims of child pornography under federal law. The case concerned Pennsylvania resident “Amy,” whose childhood was shattered when, at ages eight and nine, her uncle raped her and then traded the images. The Supreme Court ruled that Amy would have to find each of the tens of thousands of people who have viewed the images in order to obtain full restitution—something the Court acknowledged was not feasible. The Supreme Court called on Congress to fix the law. Today, Sen. Toomey responded by introducing the “Justice for Amy Act.” “The Supreme Court’s decision is a demoralizing setback for victims of child pornography. It perversely disadvantages those most in need of help. Under the Court’s decision, the more a child has been sexually abused, the harder it is for that ch...

Washington DC- Today U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act: “The Supreme Court made the right decision in striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) this morning. As a U.S. Senator representing Pennsylvania, I have read many letters written to me by LGBT Pennsylvanians and their families who want nothing more than equal rights under the law. These letters included deeply personal statements from people across our Commonwealth and had a substantial impact on my decision to support marriage equality. I believe the Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA was a critical step in strengthening equal rights for all.” The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Jamestown, N.Y. - Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, Jr., will be speaking at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, New York, on Friday, May 17, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. According to Gregory L. Peterson, Jackson Center co-founder and board member, and Office Leader of Phillips Lytle LLP’s Jamestown office, Chief Justice Roberts’s visit is an important milestone for the Robert H. Jackson Center. “It demonstrates not only the Center’s past successes in preserving Justice Jackson’s legacy, but also the continuing role of the Jackson Center in teaching the lessons of Justice Jackson’s life and work to future generations,” Mr. Peterson said. James C. Johnson, President and CEO of the Jackson Center, said Chief Justice Roberts’s visit highlights the Center’s mission to advance the legacy of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson through education and exhibits, and by pursuing the relevance of his ideas now and for future generations. “This extraordinary event will ...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Senator Joe Scarnati is one of the people who is not happy with Thursday’s Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Health Care Act. Back in March, the state Senate approved a measure by Scarnati that would amend the state Constitution to prohibit Pennsylvanians from being required to obtain health insurance coverage or from being penalized for not doing so. “It becomes very apparent that our state’s rights and individual rights continue to be trampled, not only in Pennsylvania but across the nation,” he said today of the Supreme Court’s ruling. Scarnati said Senate Bill 10 would give voters an opportunity to say “yes” or “no” to the “individual mandate” provision of the health care act, which says Americans must purchase health insurance by 2014 or face escalating financial penalties as high as 2.5 percent of their total household income. The Supreme Court ruling did say imposing a penalty was unconstitutional, but if it’s called a tax it would...

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released the following statement on the Supreme Court's ruling on the health care law: Albany, NY -- "Thanks to the leadership of President Obama and his administration, particularly Secretary Sebelius, the Affordable Care Act will provide access to health care to millions of Americans nationwide and more than one million New Yorkers, and I am pleased the Supreme Court upheld this law. We will continue to move forward with implementing the health exchange that will lower coverage costs for New York's businesses and help ensure that uninsured New Yorkers have access to health care. We look forward to continuing to work together with the Obama administration to ensure accessible, quality care for all New Yorkers." The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Harrisburg – Governor Tom Corbett today said he was disappointed in the U.S.Supreme Court ruling upholding the federal healthcare law, known as Obamacare, but said he will work hard to limit the law’s negative impact on Pennsylvanians. Corbett, when he was attorney general, joined a dozen other states in challenging the federal healthcare reform law. When he became governor, Corbett continued that court challenge, along with 26 other states. “It appears that the Supreme Court agreed with the lawsuit brought by myself and 12 other Attorneys General finding Obamacare unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, however they did uphold the law under Congress’ taxing authority,’’ Corbett said. “Despite the President’s repeated assertions that this was not a tax, the Supreme Court today ruled that it is in fact a tax,’’ Corbett said. “Not only is it a tax, but it may turn out to be one of the largest tax increases in the history of our nation. It is a tax on our citizens ...

From CNN: Chief Justice John Roberts led the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision upholding President Obama’s sweeping health care law. The president is expected to speak later today on the ruling that supports the core legislative accomplishment of his administration. The court decided that the individual mandate that requires all Americans to have health insurance will stand and is considered a tax by the court, making it constitutional. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote about the individual mandate, citing the taxing clause: “It is reasonable to construe what Congress has done as increasing taxes on those who have a certain amount of income, but choose to go without insurance. Such legislation is within Congress’ power to tax." The court also ruled that the federal government may not remove Medicaid funding from states that refuse to take part. Voting to uphold the Affordable Care Act were R oberts and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. The di...