Policy positions

A strong and healthy economy benefits everyone, making for a prosperous and thriving state. Pennsylvania is an agricultural powerhouse, with Lancaster County boasting some of the most fertile soil in the country. We need a citizens legislature in Harrisburg, powered by the people of Pennsylvania, to support our local family farms and small businesses. I will work tirelessly to promote Pennsylvania businesses and create an environment that allows all Pennsylvanians to succeed.

We are a government of the people. When was the last time you heard from your elected officials? More importantly, when was the last time they asked what you and your neighbors felt was best for your community? Communication is key to proper representation. I am committed to establishing regular open meetings at district offices, providing a direct line for you to voice your concerns, share ideas, and collaborate on initiatives. Your input will actively shape the policies that affect our community. Let's work together to build a stronger, more accountable 96th District!

"I pledge that as a member of Congress, I will co-sponsor and vote for the U.S. Term Limits amendments of three (3) House terms and two (2) Senate terms and no longer limit." Sign the pledge here.

I am working with U.S. Term Limits, the largest grassroots organization in American history, to impose term limits on U.S. Congresspeople via the state legislature. Term limits will help encourage democratic representation by allowing for a more diverse pool of individuals to hold public office and prevent entrenched incumbency. This fosters a dynamic political landscape with fresh ideas and increased competition. Term limits mitigate corruption and abuse of power by limiting the timeframe politicians can serve, discouraging complacency, and preventing the concentration of power. This will promote accountability by compelling elected officials to fulfill campaign promises and deliver tangible results within their limited tenure, fostering a greater sense of responsibility.

Through term limits, we will address the incumbent advantage by making elections more winnable and competitive when seats are open, giving voters more options. We can fix Congress by shifting the focus of members from getting re-elected and pandering to special interests, to solving problems during their limited time in office. This will frustrate lobbyists by severing their long-term ties and relationships with bought and paid for career, corrupt politicians, reducing the influence of special interests.

Ever-increasing property taxes are driving the unaffordable housing crisis. We will work to lower property taxes for everyone, especially our seniors. They have spent a lifetime paying taxes and contributing to the community. They deserve to age in place in their homes without the threat of runaway property taxes making their golden years unaffordable. As we grow the economy, we will work to protect our seniors and allow them to remain in their homes for as long as they desire.

The Pennsylvania Constitution states, "The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and aesthetic values of common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people." We, the people of Pennsylvania, have a constitutional right to protect our environment. Our politicians have failed us in this regard. Lancaster was recently ranked as one of the 10 worst places to live in the USA for air pollution.

The Susquehanna and Conestoga Rivers have been heavily polluted. Well over half of the 2,725 miles of streams and rivers tested by the state in Lancaster County aren't suitable for aquatic life or recreation. Such streams are designated as "impaired," and the state is required to try to clean them. For aquatic life, 888 miles of streams in the county are listed as impaired, compared to only 345 miles that meet the standards for clean water. This is untenable and unacceptable. We are going to reclaim and rehabilitate our environment so that our waterways are safe for everyone to enjoy for recreation and fishing, just as the Founding Fathers intended!

I am a product of the School District of Lancaster. I graduated from McCaskey in 1999 and am a strong proponent of strengthening our public school system. The Pennsylvania Constitution states, "The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth." Education is essential for the permanence of a republican government, and it is the duty of the government to provide the means of education to every citizen.

The 96th District includes students from SDoL, Hempfield, and Manheim Township. We will work to make our schools the envy of the state. Strong public schools are the building blocks of a strong economy and the most effective way to create a community inherently low in crime. Let’s enable our public schools to cultivate students who are prepared to build the economy of the future and effectively handle the problems of today with solutions for tomorrow.

I will prioritize stopping the arrests of over 12,000 Pennsylvanians each year for marijuana possession. This will save taxpayers money and free law enforcement to focus on actual crime. We must ensure thousands of young Pennsylvanians aren't saddled with a criminal record for something that is no longer a crime in most states. I have spent countless hours working with state legislators on both sides of the aisle to introduce and advance bills like SB 363 and SB 1028. Cannabis prohibition is a giant drag on our economy and a violation of our constitutional rights.

Article 1, Section 1 states, "All men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent and indefeasible rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending Life and Liberty, of acquiring, possessing and protecting property and reputation, and of pursuing their own happiness." Pennsylvania cannabis consumers deserve to have their rights protected just like everyone else.

"Behind every good man is a great woman."

As a son, husband, father, and uncle to the best women I know, I promise to protect women's rights and foster an environment where they feel safe and free to live their lives to the fullest. I believe in protecting the rights of our women and girls, including access to safe and legal abortion.

Prohibition is both un-American and ineffective, and Governor Shapiro has promised to veto any legislation that changes Pennsylvania’s current abortion law. Banning abortions is not the path forward. I believe focusing our resources on supporting women with better access to healthcare, maternal health initiatives, and affordable childcare will naturally lead to fewer abortions as mothers are empowered to see their pregnancies through. We can support the lives of the unborn best by ensuring our women and girls are thoroughly equipped to become healthy mothers.

Without roots, nothing grows. Agriculture contributes $132.5 billion per year to Pennsylvania's economy and supports 593,000 jobs. Lancaster County leads the nation in farmland preservation. When you buy local here in PA, you support over 53,000 farms, 98% of which are family-owned. There is no better way to support our family farms than to allow them to be profitable from their hard work. Supporting PA farms helps build a stronger commonwealth. We are going to usher in a new era of regenerative farming that is good for business and the environment. Hemp was once our #1 cash crop. Hemp and cannabis are the most versatile herbal remedies and the most useful plants on Earth. No other single plant contains as wide an array of medically active herbal constituents. Pennsylvania already has a $5+ billion hemp/cannabis industry; however, the majority remains underground. The $1.5 billion per year medical marijuana industry is owned by out-of-state corporations. We are going to open up this $5+ billion industry to our PA farmers and local small businesses, catalyzing local supply chains producing basic needs such as food, fiber, and renewable energy while decreasing carbon emissions and waste, and increasing inclusion and economic justice. Hemp can heal the world while growing our economy.