Topper Votes to Override Wolf Veto and Fund Vital Education, Human Services

8/25/2015

HARRISBURG – Rep.  Jesse Topper (R-Bedford/Fulton/Franklin) voted to provide vital funds to human services, education, agriculture and health programs which have remained without funds since Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto of the budget on June 30.  

House Republicans today moved to fund programs which support vulnerable populations across the Commonwealth through a series of veto override votes while additional budget discussions continue.    
 
The veto override votes failed after they were unanimously opposed by House Democrats, which require a two-thirds vote in favor.  Specific line-items voted on by the House included: rape crisis and domestic violence programs, cancer screening services, community based health care services, school lunch subsidies, school district health services, services for children with special needs, and textbooks and other materials for non-public schools, among other items.  

“I am extremely disappointed in my House colleagues who chose not to provide funding for these valuable community programs.” Topper said.  “We voted on items that provided the same amount requested by Gov. Wolf and a few items that provided more funding than he requested, but still they were opposed by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle.  It is truly unbelievable that my colleagues voted against funding services to those with intellectual disabilities or victims of domestic violence.”

Governor Wolf’s complete veto of the budget has caused many human service organizations statewide to curtail or stop their services due to lack of funding.    

“These votes were not a gimmick or a political game, but an opportunity to provide much needed funding to human service programs and to our schools. We can disagree on many things about the budget, but we should be able to come together to support vulnerable members of our community and to support our children as they go back to school.  I will continue to fight for a commonsense budget and stand up for these programs that our community needs.”   

Representative Jesse Topper
78th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact:  Eric Reath
717.260.6187
ereath@pahousegop.com