This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio was named to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee this week, giving the Pittsburgh lawmaker a key voice on issues important to western Pennsylvania. Deluzio has been a vocal advocate for railroad safety reforms in the wake of a train derailment along the Pennsylvania-Ohio border last year, and Deluzio said in a statement that, in addition to rail reforms, the appointment will put him in a position to fight for “major Western PA priorities like better passenger rail, stronger and more resilient infrastructure like water and flood management systems, airports, highways, bridges, public transit, locks and dams, and more.”

Bucks County native Mary Kay Costello has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as a U.S. District Court judge in the state’s eastern district, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Costello is a Temple University alum, and has been an assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia dating back to 2008. Pennsylvania’s U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman both praised Costello’s nomination, with Fetterman describing her as a “fair prosecutor who prioritizes real justice over high conviction rates.” If confirmed, Costello would be the 12th openly LGBTQ+ judge appointed by Biden.

A number of Pennsylvania state lawmakers earned some bipartisan wins this week as both chambers of the General Assembly advanced a wide range of bills. State Sens. Tracy Pennycuick, Jimmy Dillon and Lisa Boscola saw their bipartisan bill to crack down on AI-generated child porn pass the state Senate, while another bill to create a paid family leave program – sponsored by state Sens. Devlin Robinson and Maria Collett – received a favorable committee vote. On the other side of the building, House lawmakers approved legislation that would remove Pennsylvania’s non-enforceable ban on same-sex marriage from the books. A productive week in the Capitol!

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s junior senator, is reportedly at fault for a car accident that left him, his wife and another driver injured, per WTAE. The Pittsburgh outlet, citing a police report, said a witness saw the vehicle driving at a high speed before rear-ending another vehicle. Both Fetterman and his wife were taken to the hospital and later released. The report concluded that Fetterman was at fault for the crash, but no citations have been issued to date. WTAE reported that the investigation into the crash is ongoing.

An analysis from Philadelphia radio station WHYY found that nearly 20% of the state’s water systems contain levels of toxic PFAS chemicals that are above new Environmental Protection Agency standards. Per the outlet, public water providers serving more than 350 people were required to test their drinking water between January and March 2024, and nearly 19% of those systems had PFAS levels above the new federal standards. Also known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS exposure is linked to a number of health issues, including an increased risk for certain concerts, pregnancy complications and increased cholesterol levels, among others, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Just weeks after Philadelphia’s University of the Arts announced its intent to close, another institution of higher education is set to close on the other side of the state, leaving students, faculty and others with plenty of questions about what happens next. Facing financial and enrollment struggles, Pittsburgh Technical College announced this week that it will be closing on Aug. 9, despite previously stating that it would not be closing, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The closure will impact more than 1,000 students who attend the school, not to mention faculty and staff.