COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2018 SESSION OF 2018 202D OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY No. 43 providing for definitions, for eligibility, for amount of grants and for HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES limitations. The House convened at 9:30 a.m., e.d.t. VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY THE SPEAKER (MIKE TURZAI) PREPAREDNESS. PRESIDING SB 31, PN 12 By Rep. DiGIROLAMO PRAYER An Act amending the act of June 26, 2001 (P.L.755, No.77), known as the Tobacco Settlement Act, in Commonwealth universal research HON. STEPHEN BLOOM, member of the House of enhancement, establishing the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program and Spinal Cord Research Advisory Committee, further providing for Representatives, offered the following prayer: department responsibilities and for use of funds and providing for spinal cord injury research programs funding. Let us pray. Let us start, Lord God, with a prayer of all of us, by all of us, HUMAN SERVICES. for the victims and first responders of the hurricane that is passing through the entire eastern seaboard of our country today. Let us RESOLUTION REPORTED have a moment of silent prayer. FROM COMMITTEE Lord, help us. The decisions we face are bigger than us. The challenges we face are bigger than us. The discord that surrounds HR 1112, PN 4122 By Rep. BARRAR and immerses us is bigger than us. But, Lord, there is good news because You, Lord, are bigger than all that. A Resolution calling upon the Federal Government to prioritize and Your wisdom and mercy, Lord, transcend the decisions we consider the need for resilient infrastructure to reduce risks and meet the face. Your power and grace, Lord, overcome the challenges we country's economic, environmental and social needs. face. Your peace, Lord, and Your love quench the fires of anger VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY and hatred we face. Your Word, Lord God, says that unless You PREPAREDNESS. build the house, we who build it labor in vain. So today, Lord, let us rest in You. Let us put our faith in You. The SPEAKER. All members are requested to come to the Let us listen and follow to Your still small voice. To You, God, floor. We are going to be moving into retirement remarks, be the glory. In the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, farewell remarks, from members who are retiring. I pray. Amen. All members, please come to the floor and take your seats. We have some guests that have traveled some distance to be with us PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE today. (The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by members and visitors.) DR. PAMELA GUNTER-SMITH PRESENTED JOURNAL APPROVAL POSTPONED The SPEAKER. The York County delegation has been gracious enough to invite Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith, president of The SPEAKER. Without objection, the approval of the York College, and with her I believe today is Jeff Vermeulen, Journal of Wednesday, October 10, 2018, will be postponed until assistant vice president for External Relations. York College is printed. celebrating its 50th anniversary. So I am going to ask the Sergeants at Arms to ask all members BILLS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEES, to take their seats. All members, please take your seats, and we CONSIDERED FIRST TIME, AND TABLED are going to close the doors of the House. Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith began serving as president of York HB 2696, PN 4195 By Rep. BARRAR College on July 1, 2013. She previously served as Drew University's provost and academic vice president and as the An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania endowed porter professor of physiology at Spelman College, Consolidated Statutes, in military educational programs, further very prestigious school. Dr. Gunter-Smith has also held academic 1278 LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL—HOUSE OCTOBER 11 appointments at George Washington University and the Our graduates are especially marketable in the workforce, and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. For of our recent graduates, 91 percent are currently employed and 12 years before joining Spelman College, Dr. Gunter-Smith was many of them have jobs well before their graduation date. The a research scientist and science administrator at the Armed Forces number of students who have positions 6 weeks before Radiobiology Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. graduation significantly exceeds the national average for all Her background is quite impressive. She holds a bachelor of institutions. Many of them are involved in the nonprofit sector science degree in biology from Spelman College and a Ph.D. and public service, exemplifying the college's motto, "Servire Est (doctor of philosophy) in physiology from Emory University. Vivere," to serve is to live. We are especially proud to serve our She, in fact, conducted postdoctoral studies out my way, at the veterans who are continuing their education and proud of being University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and then also at the recognized among the top 20 percent of American institutions of University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. She has higher education doing the most to embrace veteran students. published significantly in the areas of gastrointestinal physiology While reflecting on the 50th, it became clearer more than ever and membrane ion transport and is the recipient of grants to just how important the college's role is in our community and how support science education and research. important the support and partnership of the community and the She is married to J. Lawrence Smith, a native of St. Louis, Commonwealth is to York College. We are deeply rooted in the Missouri. He currently works with IBM. They are proud parents city of York and York County. The city of York is undergoing a of two sons, Lealand of Nashville, Tennessee, and Philip of powerful economic and cultural rebirth, and York College is very Auburn, Alabama. proud to be part of this renaissance. We are a major employer in The York County delegation was so proud to bring in York and York County and a source of significant economic and Dr. Gunter-Smith when there was a resolution that tax revenue for our community and for the Commonwealth. The Representative Seth Grove had sponsored celebrating the annual economic impact of York College in the Commonwealth 50th anniversary of the college, and we did not have time that day measured in 2014 is well over $170 million annually. to have her speak. We had not really prepared her for it, and I had Under my leadership, the college has recommitted to serving asked her if she would come back at my request to speak to this York City and the region and in very real, tangible ways. We august body. opened the Center for Community Engagement in the heart of At this time I would like to bring up Dr. Gunter-Smith, downtown York, and through our programming and student president of York College. involvement, the Center for Community Engagement promotes Dr. GUNTER-SMITH. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the the college's positive relationship with the community and invitation to give remarks this morning. provides much-needed expertise for important projects. For And my special thanks to Representative Seth Grove, an example, our students recently completed the first-ever accomplished alumnus from York College who helped champion comprehensive study of the York Latinx community that will HR 1043, commemorating the 50th anniversary of York College lead to the development of important policies to serve this as a 4-year institution. It is such a great honor for me to be here growing underserved community in York. Another of our with you today as president of the college, representing over downtown locations, Marketview Arts, has become a hub for 4200 students, 800 employees, 30,000 known alumni nationwide, culture and creativity in the city. many of whom are citizens of our Commonwealth. I would be remiss if I did not mention the impact of our more This past week the college marked the occasion of our than 30,000 alumni who throughout the Commonwealth, the 50th anniversary as a 4-year institution, a weeklong celebration country, and the world live to serve. Our graduates are thriving of the past, and in doing so, the college also took the time to in Pennsylvania in a variety of fields, such as engineering, reflect on our role in higher education, the York community, and computer science, business, nursing, cyber security, and they, importantly, our evolution as a modern-day institution of higher like Representative Seth Grove, class of 2002, are making their education. mark right here in Pennsylvania. York College of Pennsylvania has been linked to the As a private institution, we value and make access and Commonwealth from our earliest days when the Pennsylvania affordability our number one priority for our current and future General Assembly provided the college's earliest ancestor, York students. We deliver a high-quality personalized experience with County Academy, with an official charter in 1787. a tuition that is comparable to some of the Pennsylvania public While we are celebrating 50 years as a 4-year institution, we and State-supported institutions. If you were to compare us to celebrate well over 230 years as an educational institution serving Penn State or to Millersville, you would see that our tuition is the citizens of York, York County, and the Commonwealth of very comparable to theirs, and we deliver this with a cost that is Pennsylvania. It is indeed a rich heritage. nearly half of other private institutions. Since our founding, the college has stayed true to its mission This said, we are extremely appreciative of the partnership we to create a transformative educational experience for our have with the Commonwealth in helping us educate Pennsylvania students, one that will empower them to lead purposeful and students and lowering student debt.