Heffley Says ‘No More Excuses’ for PA House Democrats in 2024

December 7, 2023

HARRISBURG – Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) issued the following statement regarding Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton’s recent explanation for the low number of session days for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2024:

“I can’t help but question the speaker and her Democratic colleagues, especially considering that this Legislative Session has set a new record for the least time spent on the House floor dedicated to working for our constituents.

“The rationale provided by Speaker McClinton, declaring a three-month hiatus until mid-March due to an urgent need to address a leaky roof, doesn’t add up. The water leak was discovered almost a year ago, and it raises the question of why this supposedly critical issue wasn’t addressed efficiently on days when the House was not in session. 

“In reality, we speculated for weeks that the speaker wanted to adjourn session because a Democrat House colleague is set to retire, thereby shifting us to a 101-101 split. The proposed delay until March conveniently aligns with the earliest possible time for a special election to occur. I see this as a calculated plan, and the speaker just needs to be honest with the people of Pennsylvania.

“It’s time to refocus our efforts on legislative responsibilities, there’s plenty of work to be done in Harrisburg. The residents of Pennsylvania work in all kinds of conditions; I think we can all withstand a little water and work for them – exactly what we’re elected to do.