Dear Neighbor,

Thank you to the 6,000 participants who joined our telephone town hall on Wednesday. We were joined on the call by experts from the Federal Trade Commission, FBI, and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office as we answered your questions and shared tips to fight fraud, stop scams, and ways to protect your personal information.

Tele-town halls like these are particularly helpful for our neighbors like Brenda in Valencia, Rose in Meadville, and Kathy in Erie, who told our office they found the call to be incredibly valuable.

If you would like to listen to a replay of the call, you can check it out on my Facebook page.

Before we recap the news from Washington, I want to share some Good News coming out of Butler County!

Congratulations to Mason Bell of Karns City, who is set to become one of the few students from the school district ever to attend West Point. My team and I were honored to select Mason as one of our Service Academy nominees this year. He is most deserving of this nomination.

You can learn more about Mason’s hard work and dedication to the United States in the Butler Eagle.

In this week’s newsletter:

• My funding requests for local projects pass the U.S. House
• Highlighting Erie’s Opportunity Zones with Treasury Secretary Bessent
• The Legislative Recap
• Follow our new Instagram Series!

My funding requests for local projects pass the U.S. House

Above: Rep. Kelly presents Community Project Funding to the Hermitage Police Department in 2024.

On Thursday, June 4, seven of my Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Community Project Funding requests passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

The legislation, H.R. 8646, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027, was approved by a vote of 213 to 210.

The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

The following projects include:

• City of Corry Regional Public Safety Building (Corry, Erie County): $1 million
• Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company Engine Replacement (Connoquenessing, Butler County): $800,000
• Venango County Public Safety Radio Project: $2 million
• PA Fellows Club Fire Department Fellows’ Club Volunteer Fire Department & Ambulance Service (Conneautville, Crawford County): $637,500
• Mercer County Cooperative Extension & Emergency Center Renovations: $251,081
• The Harrisville Volunteer Fire Company Brush/Utility Truck (Harrisville, Butler County): $225,000
• Wilmington Area School District Agricultural Workforce Innovation Center (New Wilmington, Lawrence County): $500,000

Learn more about these and other projects on my website.

Highlighting Erie’s Opportunity Zones with Treasury Secretary Bessent

The success of Erie’s Opportunity Zones remains a model for cities nationwide.

That’s why I highlighted Erie during a full Ways & Means Committee hearing with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday. I also invited the Secretary to Erie to tour the city’s projects.

Opportunity Zone investments have expanded housing, supported small businesses and entrepreneurship, spurred innovation, and revitalized communities. Erie demonstrates the transformative potential of Opportunity Zones.

Now, thanks to my legislation that was included in the Working Families Tax Cuts, Opportunity Zones have been made permanent, and they will expand to rural communities across our area and our nation in the years to come.

“I’ve heard that Erie is the posterchild in a great way for Opportunity Zones. So, I look forward to coming to visit, and I look forward to visiting the rural areas in your district,” said Sec. Bessent.”

Perhaps the best part: Opportunity Zones don’t use a dime of taxpayer money.

Erie’s Opportunity Zones by the numbers:

• 108 new fully occupied residences
• Revitalized and created more than 100,000 square feet of new commercial space
• Established space for 25 new businesses
• $400 million+ of long-term capital investment at work in Downtown

Watch my full exchange with Secretary Bessent on my YouTube channel.

The Legislative Recap

Here is a recap of the some of the recent legislation I have introduced or co-sponsored:

• This week, I introduced the Charitable Deductions for Digital Asset Donations Act. This legislation would allow for digital assets to be eligible for charitable contributions. As more Americans begin to use digital assets, such as cryptocurrencies, it’s important to modernize the way Americans can donate to causes and organizations that matter to them.
• I recently co-sponsored the “In God We Trust Act” led by Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL). This legislation would require the General Services Administration (GSA) to display or inscribe the national motto of the United States on all federal buildings. The legislation was introduced ahead of Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving, which was held on May 17.
• I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of the Border Patrol Supervisors Retention Act led by Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY). This legislation would expand eligibility for special overtime pay to U.S. Border Patrol agents classified above grade GS–12. Our Border Patrol agents continue to work tirelessly to keep Americans safe.

Find the latest legislative updates on my website: Kelly.House.Gov

Follow our new Instagram Series!

Each week on my Instagram page, my team and I take you behind the scenes in Washington and around the district with our new video series!

Whether it’s a stop in the community or a big hearing on Capitol Hill, I invite you to follow my Instagram page to find our latest content and to see how we are serving you.

You can check out this week's video here.

See you in the community!

As always, my team and I are here to serve you. If you need assistance with a federal agency, please contact us -- we are just one call or email away.

See you in the community, and God Bless America!

Sincerely,

Mike Kelly
Member of Congress

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