The legislative pieces address affordable housing, U.S. security assistance to Mexico and nuclear energy development.
Only four months on the job and Pennsylvania’s freshman senator has proved it is possible — at least on some issues — to bridge the partisan divide. Sen. Dave McCormick, a Republican, has recently teamed with two Arizona Democrats and one from Connecticut to introduce legislation address housing for veterans, the drug trafficking and nuclear energy.
Not that long ago, this would hardly have been news.But in these divided times bipartisanship is headline-worthy.McCormick and Gallego’s legislation “would encourage greater inter-governmental coordination to address the rising cost and limited supply of housing in communities in Pennsylvania and across the country,” according to a statement. The agencies named in the bill are the departments of Housing and Urban Development , Agriculture and Veterans Affairs . “Homeownership is out of reach for far too many families in Pennsylvania, including our nation’s veterans,” said McCormick, a West Point graduate and Army combat veteran. “We need federal agencies to work together more effectively to increase the limited supply of housing and reduce housing costs.” Pennsylvania ‘has a significant housing affordability problem,” said McCormick’s statement, citing a 77% increase in housing prices in the state since 2010.McCormick’s office said that rent in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh increased more than 20% between 2019 and 2024. A McCormick spokesman did not respond to PennLive’s request last week to speak to the senator about his bipartisan work. Previously, McCormick backed a housing affordability bill from Gallego that seeks to increase the supply of affordable housing by expanding the Federal Housing Administration’s multifamily loan limits. “I’m glad to work across the aisle to introduce this commonsense legislation to ensure veterans and rural communities get the housing support they deserve,” said Gallego. Earlier last week, McCormick and Coons partnered on the International Nuclear Energy Financing Act, which would encourage increased financing for nuclear energy projects and jobs domestically. The legislation would direct U.S. representatives to the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and regional development banks globally to lobby for more investments in nuclear energy and the creation of nuclear energy assistance trust funds. “American nuclear energy innovations built in places like Pennsylvania should power the world,” McCormick said in a statement. “President Trump, Secretary Wright, and I agree that nuclear power is a critical part of any credible ‘all of the above’ approach to energy that unleashes American energy dominance. Helping finance more safe, clean, and reliable nuclear energy projects that don’t use substandard Chinese and Russian technology will advance our national security and create good jobs and economic opportunity in Pennsylvania and across America.” McCormick and Kelly’s bill would require the U.S. Department of State to develop a strategy “to dismantle the Mexican drug cartels” and that guarantees America’s spending on “security assistance” is getting “the best return on investment” for taxpayers. “For far too long, the Mexican drug cartels have poisoned communities in Pennsylvania and across the country with deadly fentanyl, killing more than 4,000 Pennsylvanians each year,” McCormick said in a statement. [“We need a clear strategy to dismantle the cartels that has real accountability and metrics for success, so we know security cooperation is actually achieving results,” he said. “Every day, Arizonans see up close the consequences of illegal drug trafficking into the United States,” said Kelly, whose state borders Mexico. “Our bipartisan bill will establish mission goals to effectively dismantle cartels and increase the capabilities of Mexico’s law enforcement, strengthening U.S. national security and protecting our communities.” McCormick’s statement said that the United States has spent over $3 billion in the last 15 years to augment security in Mexico while the cartels have “gained significant ground.”This Pa. city is reversing course to now claim the title of fastest-growing in the stateIf you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our
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