Pennsylvania House lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Monday for the first time since an election in which Democrats secured control of the governor’s office and both chambers of the Legislature.
HARRISBURG, Pa. —
Pennsylvania House lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Monday for the first time since an election in which Democrats secured control of the governor’s office and both chambers of the Legislature.
Incoming House Democrats attended orientation as two Republican lawmakers from the Susquehanna Valley delivered farewell speeches: one retiring and the other preparing to move to the state Senate.
Republicans bid farewell to the House
Senator-elect Tom Jones, a Lancaster County Republican, said goodbye to his House colleagues with a speech that included what he described as one of his “bad jokes.”
“I don’t wear progressive lenses because I’m a conservative. I just wear readers,” Jones said, before thanking colleagues and family for supporting him during his time in the House.
Jones will join a Senate Republican caucus that will soon be in the minority. He said his experience working across party lines will help him in his new role.
“I’ve, you know, really worked hard to be effective for the people, not only of Lancaster County, people of Pennsylvania,” Jones said. “I’ve worked across the aisle to get legislation to the governor’s desk and signed into law.”
Republican Rep. Sheryl Delozier is retiring after 18 years representing much of Cumberland County’s West Shore in the House.
“I’m proud of the fact that I have over 20 bills signed into law by Republican and Democratic governors,” Delozier said. “It’s something that was important to me. We can’t get things done in the far right, in the far left.”
Incoming Democrats attend orientation
Her successor, Democrat Sara Agerton of Mechanicsburg, attended orientation on Monday.
“We’re going to look and listen, and we are going to make sure that we are listening to the voters and we’re going to do things differently,” Agerton said. “We’re going to listen, and we are going to make good things happen for Pennsylvania.”
Democrat Brad Chambers also was at the Capitol, days after declaring a narrow victory over Republican incumbent Brett Miller.
“I am going to be a representative of Republicans, independents and Democrats,” Chambers said. “And my philosophy is, I think when you lift up the least of us, you make the quality of life for everyone that much better.”
House lawmakers are expected to vote for leadership on Tuesday before adjourning sine die, a Latin term meaning “without a day” that signifies the end of the legislative session. The Senate is expected to take similar steps the following week.