Pam Iovino

Defense / Veterans

I supported Governor Wolf’s Pennsylvania GI Bill as one of the first actions as a State Senator to help returning veterans get the training they need to continue their contributions as members of our communities, and make these funds transferable for use by the children of veterans. I was also incredibly proud to have had my first bill passed focus on the veteran community, passing a bipartisan piece of legislation that created a task force to study the coordination of veterans’ services in the Commonwealth and I will continue fighting for our veteran community by looking to indefinitely extend the Military Family Relief Assistance Program here in PA. Learn more

Education

We also need to invest more in career technical training for our students, preparing them for in-demand careers here in our region. I also support incentive programs to grow small businesses, and minority owned businesses, which contribute so much to the vitality and economy of the commonwealth. I was specifically motivated to cosponsor two pieces of legislation during my first year that would help reach those goals, both aimed at enhancing our workforce pipeline and connecting businesses to job-seekers in a more efficient manner. Learn more

Finally, higher education must be affordable. Pennsylvanians carry some of the most college debt in the country. Whether a student pursues a 2-year degree, 4-year degree, or technical training, cost should not be a barrier. Learn more

As children move through our education system, they need to be taught in safe buildings with modern resources, and by teachers who are adequately trained and paid. To that end, I was incredibly proud to have brought in $3 Million in new school funding during my first year in office, as well as cosponsoring two pieces of legislation that would provide more oversight on Charter School funding in the state. Learn more

The quality of your education is directly related to your opportunities in life. That’s why every child in Pennsylvania needs access to high-quality education -- including Pre-K, which can determine a child’s success later in life. Learn more

Environment / Energy

Protecting our air and water quality do not need to come at the expense of economic growth. Our region has long-suffered from poor air and water, and we need to come to terms with the lasting health and safety effects of that. I support fully funding our environmental departments and regulators, so they can do their jobs and make sure we are safe - which was a big reason why I cosponsored a bill establish a Landslide Insurance and Assistance Program that would allocate $5 Million to help local municipalities fight the ongoing and increasingly frequent issue of severe landslides in our region. Learn more

Guns

As a retired Navy officer, trained in the safe and lethal use of multiple firearms, and sworn to protect and defend the Constitution, I am in a unique position to enact common-sense gun safety policies. We must take action to stop the violence in our schools and places of worship. I will fight for universal background checks, a PA “Red Flag” law, and to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and those experiencing a mental health crisis. Learn more

Healthcare

Health care is a human right. I believe in protecting the great strides made by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as the ACA), including passing protections for pre-existing conditions and mandating coverage for essential health benefits at the state level - which is why during my first year in office I co-sponsored four pieces of legislation cementing the key pieces of the ACA into law here in Pennsylvania. Learn more

Taxes / Budget

We need a fair tax system to continue to fund essential state programs, such as education and human services. That is why it is so important to make sure businesses in Pennsylvania are paying a fair rate. While we have a high corporate net income tax, there are so many exceptions and loopholes that many businesses are hardly contributing. I will also fight for policies to address property tax relief. Seniors in our area worked their whole lives to own their homes, and they should never be priced out of them now because of increasing property taxes - which is why passing a bipartisan piece of legislation I cosponsored that would freeze property taxes for those who are age 65 and older if they met certain criteria is crucial to protect the seniors of our state. Learn more

Wages / Job Benefits

Governor Wolf has put together a plan to immediately raise the minimum wage to $12/hour, raise it to $15/hour over 6 years, and index that value to inflation - a plan I proudly supported during my first year in office. Learn more

I support an increase to the state’s minimum wage. It has been more than a decade since workers making minimum wage have seen a raise. Pennsylvania’s workers are making significantly less than those in neighboring states. Increasing the minimum wage could significantly improve the lives of many of our workforce and their families. Learn more

The labor movement is the backbone of Southwestern Pennsylvania and expanding access to labor unions is key to the future success of our commonwealth. I will stand side-by-side with labor to ensure that hard-earned pensions are not slashed. I will oppose so-called “Right to Work” legislation, which is a race to the bottom for worker pay and protections. And I will protect our existing prevailing wage laws to make sure all workers get the benefits of the important wage gains made in Pennsylvania. Last, but not least, we also need to make it easier to join a union, not harder, so more people can benefit from fair wages and good benefits. Learn more