WASHINGTON – On her way to attending the winter meeting of the National Lieutenant Governors Association, Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll is meeting in Washington D.C. with U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (PA-14) and several members of Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation.
The Lt. Gov. is planning to join more than 30 other lieutenant governors at the winter meeting of the NLGA.
“The economy, jobs, health care and alternative energy are of top concern,” said Knoll. “U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) is discussing reauthorization of the farm bill and U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee (D- Michigan) is briefing us on the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind.
“Rep. Doyle and Rep. Joseph Pitts (PA-16) are ranking members of the energy and commerce committee, which is of critical concern to Governor Rendell, who has proposed an Energy Independence Strategy to save consumers $10 billion over 10 years and reduce our reliance on foreign fuel,” said Knoll.
“During these discussions, I will express the hope for Pennsylvania’s farmers, teachers, and schools to be able to leverage greater federal financial support for the nation’s sixth largest state. I will also hear from U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and the president’s under secretary for homeland security on the latest technology available to our cities and counties.”
The meeting will also feature a speaker on the Massachusetts universal health care plan and its applicability to other states. The deputy secretary of transportation will give the Lt. Gov. a preview of the road financing report due in July, and that briefing will include information on how the commonwealth’s airports and pilots may be affected by the ongoing reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration. Details on the nation’s largest sale of a toll road to a private
company will also be provided.
“Lt. Gov. Knoll will also be the guest of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, which houses the most influential and most quoted economic experts in the world,” said NLGA Director Julia Hurst. “These experts will discuss the impact of globalization on our states’ economies.”
“This series of meetings will be informative and productive for all Pennsylvanians,” said the Lt. Gov. “In addition, I will get to discuss shared local issues with lieutenant governors from our region and neighboring states.”