Robert Casey

October 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey applauded Senate passage of the concurrent resolution encouraging the Government of Iran to grant consular access by the Government of Switzerland to the three American citizens that have been held in Iran since July 31, 2009 when they were detained after reportedly crossing into Iranian territory while hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The resolution also encourages the Government of Iran to allow the three young people to communicate by telephone with their families in the United States.    » read more »

Amendment would require contractors to fix dangerous deficiencies, such as improperly grounded electrical wires, they discover that threaten the safety of military personnel and contractor employees

October 2, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- Last night, the U.S. Senate passed an amendment by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) to hold contractors accountable for the safety of their employees and U.S. service members overseas. This legislation was introduced after shoddy electrical work lead to the deaths of soldier and contractors    » read more »

October 2, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, applauded the move by the Finance Committee to prevent an effort to dismantle the successful Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Preserving the program and protecting children in the health care reform debate has been one of Senator Casey’s top priorities.    » read more »

Addresses Electrocutions and Other Risks to Safety

October 1, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC-U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) spoke on the Senate floor and introduced an amendment to the FY2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill that would hold contractors accountable for the safety of military personnel while serving abroad. Senator Casey introduced this legislation after shoddy electrical work lead to the deaths of a soldier and a contractor with ties to Pennsylvania while showering in Iraq.    » read more »

Applauds committee passage of bill to protect military families from being cut out of critical child and maternal nutrition programs

July 8, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee included legislation that would protect military families and kids from being cut out of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and child nutrition programs in its Agriculture Appropriations.    » read more »

Casey announces funding available to expand broadband availability to communities with limited access; sends letter requesting funding workshop in Pennsylvania

July 8, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today announced an open application period for communities to apply for funding to help expand broadband access. Communities can apply for a portion of the $7.2 billion to expand access to broadband services included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“These grants and loans help individuals in communities with limited internet capabilities access the information many of us take for granted,” said Senator Casey. “I encourage communities from all over Pennsylvania to apply for this very important funding.”    » read more »

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today sent a letter to Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn asking for an update on and an estimated timeline on completing investigations into the electrocution death of Staff Sergeant Ryan Maseth in Iraq in January 2008. Senator Casey’s letter was prompted by concerns over the slow pace of the inquiries from Staff Sergeant Maseth’s mother, Cheryl Harris.    » read more »

June 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today spoke on the Senate floor about health care reform and the need to ensure that no child is worse off as a result of this legislation. Senator Casey’s full remarks are below.

Statement of U.S. Senator Bob Casey
June 19, 2009

Now we're at the point where the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is voting on amendments. We know that this is a challenge that has faced America for decades - the challenge of covering people in our country who don't have coverage, and making sure that those who do have coverage have quality health care coverage that's affordable.    » read more »

Casey Introduces Legislation to Protect Fish Habitats, Improve Health of Waterways

June 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), a member of the Congressional Sportsmen Caucus, introduced the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, legislation which will significantly advance ongoing efforts to restore and protect fish habitats, improve the health of America’s waterways and ensure that the United States has robust fish populations far into the future.    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- Following his meeting today in the U.S. Capitol with U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement:

“After meeting with Judge Sotomayor today, I was extremely impressed by her knowledge of the law and her personal warmth. I was also impressed by her honesty in answering questions and her understanding of the role of the judiciary at all levels of our federal system in ensuring the promise of ‘equal justice under law.’

I am strongly inclined to support her nomination, assuming the satisfactory completion of the confirmation process, which is designed to provide information and insight into the nominee’s academic background, judicial temperament and knowledge of the law.    » read more »

American Public Deserves to Know Chemicals Used Near Their Water Sources

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC– U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Jared Polis (D-CO) today to introduce companion Senate and House bills, the FRAC Act -- Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, amending the Safe Drinking Water Act.

The legislation would repeal a Bush administration exemption provided for the oil and gas industry and would require them to disclose the chemicals they use in their hydraulic fracturing processes. Currently, the oil and gas industry is the only industry granted an exemption from complying with the Safe Drinking Water Act.    » read more »

June 8, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- As Congress begins debate on health care reform U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee today introduced a Resolution (S.Res.170) calling for health care reform to benefit children and protect Medicaid coverage for the most vulnerable children. The resolution was cosponsored by Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).    » read more »

May 26, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- Following the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the United States Supreme Court, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement:

"Judge Sonia Sotomayor has a long and distinguished career on the federal bench since President George H.W. Bush appointed her to the District Court through her service on the Court of Appeals. Her experience also includes five years spent as a criminal prosecutor in New York City.

"Judge Sotomayor certainly has a compelling life story and would bring a unique perspective to the U.S. Supreme Court.    » read more »

Sends letter after reports of mistreatment of students in Pennsylvania

May 26, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asia Affairs, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging her to investigate the Department of State’s oversight of U.S. youth exchange programs following reports of abuse and mistreatment of nine foreign exchange students in Pennsylvania.    » read more »

Senators Say that Any Efforts to Reform Health Care Should Include Choice of Affordable, Federally-Backed Insurance Pool

May 21, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Twenty-eight U.S. Senators today introduced a resolution calling for the inclusion of federally-backed health insurance option in health care reform. The Senators resolution says that any reform of our nation’s health care system should give consumers a choice of an affordable, federally-backed option to introduce competition in the health insurance market and contain health care costs. A copy of the resolution can be found here.    » read more »