He is a strong advocate for policies that will raise wages for the middle class and improve early learning opportunities and health care for children. Senator Casey serves on four committees, including the Finance Committee, the HELP Committee, and the Select Committee on Intelligence. He is also the Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, where his agenda is focused on policies that support seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Senator Casey graduated from The College of the Holy Cross in 1982, and spent the following year teaching fifth grade and coaching eighth grade basketball in inner city Philadelphia for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. He received his law degree from Catholic University in 1988, and entered the practice of law in Scranton. Senator Casey and his wife, Terese, live in Scranton and have four adult daughters.
Senator Casey believes that our farmers play an essential role in supporting our rural communities and feeding families across the state and beyond. Senator Casey has worked to secure wins through past Farm Bills to support dairy farmers, organic agriculture, specialty crops, and other industries critical to Pennsylvania’s agriculture landscape.
As stewards of the land, farmers contribute significantly to conservation efforts to protect and improve our shared natural resources. To support these efforts, Senator Casey continues to advocate for conservation investments that contribute to farm income and also address climate change and improve water quality, including additional support to improve the Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, Senator Casey has led efforts to connect excess food products with families in need through commodity purchases to support food bank distribution, as well as the establishment of farm-to-food-bank projects.
Senator Casey believes that all children deserve a strong start in life, and the economic health of our Nation rests upon how well we help prepare our children for success. In the 21st century, it is time that we give our children a fair shot to achieve the future they deserve. That's what his Five Freedoms for America's Children agenda is about: securing for our kids the Freedom to be Healthy, Freedom to be Economically Secure, Freedom to Learn, Freedom from Hunger and the Freedom to be Safe from Harm.
By laying a solid foundation that includes health, economic security, education, nutrition, and safety from the day they are born, we can ensure all children can grow to their full potential. As Chairman of the HELP Committee's Subcommittee on Children and Families and a member of the Committee on Finance, Senator Casey is fighting each day to ensure that children’s needs are being considered in policymaking at every level.
Senator Casey believes that each generation of Americans has a fundamental obligation to advance and protect the cause of civil rights, as our Nation continues its pursuit to become a “more perfect Union.” This Nation was founded on the notion of freedom and equality for all, and it is imperative that we work until these principles are a reality for every person.
Whether it is fighting for voting rights, equity in our criminal legal system, or policies to support women, the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, and other marginalized communities, Senator Casey is committed to ensuring that our government provides equal protection under the law for all people.
Pennsylvania’s Environmental Amendment to the state constitution states, “the people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment…”. Senator Casey believes strongly in this constitutional amendment and the responsibilities that these rights place upon him.
The climate crisis not only threatens the health of the environment for future generations, but it is already having a devastating impact on our communities today by negatively affecting our public health, agriculture, economy, and environment. We need to invest in meaningful climate action now, and we can do so while also creating good jobs and providing robust assistance for training and skill development. Senator Casey believes that we can and we must do both.
Further, Senator Casey believes that our efforts to protect the environment and address the climate crisis must also confront a legacy of environmental injustice in frontline communities throughout our Nation. Senator Casey is focused on advancing policies that ensure all people have equal protection from environmental hazards, in order to live full and productive lives.
Senator Casey believes that government can play a vital role in protecting consumers from practices that endanger public safety, health, and well-being, and that consumers are entitled to accurate, thorough, and accessible information that empowers them to safeguard their families in an increasingly complex world.
Additionally, Congress and government agencies have a responsibility to ensure that financial products and markets must work for consumers. The creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was a key step toward ensuring that consumer risks and concerns are at the heart of our financial regulatory system. Senator Casey is committed to preserving the CFPB's ability and authority to execute its mandate, promote financial education, monitor financial markets for risks to consumers, and restrict unfair or abusive practices like scams and predatory lending.
Similarly, government oversight and regulation by agencies, such as the CFPB and the Federal Trade Commission, can play an important role in making markets work for middle-class Americans.
Senator Casey is increasingly concerned by the weaponization of information and data and the growing role cybersecurity plays in U.S. national security. Cybersecurity and national security are increasingly intertwined. Our Nation’s cybersecurity – that of our government agencies, corporations, and everyday Americans – is increasingly under threat by those who seek to undermine our national security, the integrity of our elections, and the privacy of consumers.
It is no secret that recent breaches of government agencies and major corporate entities, as well as foreign cyber activity during the 2016 presidential elections, have revealed significant gaps in our cybersecurity infrastructure. Senator Casey continues to advocate for sustained investment in cybersecurity infrastructure and capacity, both in government and by the private sector, as it is essential to protect the safety and privacy of Americans.
As a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Casey is committed to conducting stringent oversight of government agencies responsible for U.S. national security, and ensuring they have the necessary resources to counter 21st century threats.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are 61 million people in the United States with a disability. From newborns to the oldest seniors, disability is part of our communities and families.
For the over 1.8 million Pennsylvanians with disabilities and all those across our Nation with similar circumstances, Senator Casey believes they should have the same opportunities as people without disabilities: to secure a quality education, to have comprehensive health care, and to work at a good job where it is possible to be economically self-sufficient. He also believes people with disabilities should be free from the prejudice and bias of low expectations and limited opportunities.
Accessibility means that our physical spaces, roads and buildings, schools, and stadiums are accessible. It also means our ever-expanding virtual world – websites, online work places, and virtual services – are accessible, too. All aspects of our society must be accessible to people with all types of disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act affirms the civil rights of people with disabilities. However, those rights cannot be fulfilled without supports. Senator Casey is committed to working to provide the supports that will enable people with disabilities to exercise their right to self-determination.
Senator Casey believes that a quality education from early childhood through college is of paramount importance for every child, and in turn, the future of Pennsylvania and our Nation. Ensuring all children have access to a high-quality education not only improves their economic success, but is also critical to developing a well-rounded and civically engaged population.
Senator Casey believes we must ensure every child has access to high-quality early learning opportunities. He also believes that we must make significant investments in public education, in order to address long-existing inequities and ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Pennsylvania has been a national leader in energy production. Senator Casey believes we must maintain that status while also working to address the climate crisis and invest in energy solutions that bring economic, health, and environmental benefits to all Pennsylvanians. We must increase the use of renewable energy to address the climate crisis, while also recognizing and prioritizing the protection and creation of good-paying jobs in the energy sector.
Senator Casey also works to protect the health and safety of communities throughout the Commonwealth, which is why he supports the regulation of natural gas extraction, as well as disclosure of chemicals involved in the process. Our communities absolutely deserve transparency when it comes to protecting human health, and Senator Casey supports responsible fracking that is regulated and closely monitored to protect our communities.
Senator Casey believes there is no more urgent priority for our Nation than rebuilding the middle class by raising wages and creating good-paying jobs. Our tax system can play a critical role in ensuring that all residents of the Commonwealth have a fair shot at financial stability in today’s economy.
Across our Commonwealth's cities and towns – large and small, urban and rural – Senator Casey has heard a consistent message from Pennsylvanians: too many families are struggling to get ahead while a fraction of the elite reap the benefits of a tax and financial system that rewards the few at the expense of the many.
For too many families, their costs keep going up, but their wages do not keep pace. Senator Casey supports reversing the massive tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations passed in 2017, and enacting tax policies to rebuild the middle class, reduce child poverty, lower the costs of child care, and support working parents and opportunities for all Americans.
Senator Casey fights to ensure that residents of the Commonwealth get a fair share of federal funding, from our largest cities to our small towns and rural areas. Senator Casey frequently works to establish that formula grants created by legislation do not disadvantage Pennsylvania, and he actively participates in the appropriations process to ensure that Pennsylvania needs are championed in Congress. He also assists Pennsylvania organizations applying for federal grants and helps constituents navigate the federal bureaucracy, so they can better help their local communities.
Gun violence is a public health epidemic ravaging our Nation and disproportionately affecting our communities of color. Senator Casey believes that we have an obligation to do everything that we can to combat this uniquely American problem, including passing commonsense measures to keep dangerous firearms out of the hands of dangerous people. Those efforts should include universal background checks, limits on magazine size, and banning military-style assault weapons. He also believes that we must increase our efforts to support the millions of gun violence survivors across our Nation who struggle to cope with the aftermath of this senseless violence.
American families deserve access to quality, affordable health care, and ensuring access to this care is a top priority for Senator Casey. Senator Casey is a member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the Committee on Finance, both of which oversee policies and programs related to health care access. Senator Casey also serves as the Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, where he constantly advocates for the health care needs of older Americans and those with disabilities.
Senator Casey uses his positions on these committees to defend the Affordable Care Act, protect Medicaid and Medicare, expand and protect health care access for all Pennsylvanians, lower out-of-pocket health care costs for seniors and families, ensure children have a healthy start in life, and promote lifesaving biomedical research.
Senator Casey believes in safe, secure, and affordable housing for all Pennsylvanians, and that includes his commitment to housing stability.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated what we have all known for too long – that homelessness has calamitous effects on individual and community health. Safe housing also means resilient housing, built away from or to withstand the worsening effects of climate change, and housing that is safe from environmental risk and contamination. Senator Casey advocates for policies to support these efforts at the federal level.
The American immigration system as it exists today fails to address the needs of our economy, our families, and our national security. Senator Casey believes we must take an accountable, commonsense approach to immigration reform. This means enacting policies that bring undocumented immigrants out of the shadows and into our communities and economy, secure our borders, unite families, and ensure individuals fleeing violence and persecution who arrive at our shores have a fair opportunity to petition the government for asylum – and are well cared for while they do so.
Senator Casey also believes that we must work with other countries, especially in Central America, to address the root causes of migration. Fundamentally, Senator Casey believes the United States – a Nation of immigrants and a Nation of laws – must foster a system that treats all individuals with compassion and dignity, while also securing our border and protecting our national security.
Senator Casey believes that the middle class and working people are the economic engine of our economy, and that an economy built by and for them is good for America. As such, he champions economic policies built around workers and creating good-paying jobs in Pennsylvania.
Senator Casey believes in promoting a fair economy with equal opportunities for all Pennsylvanians to work hard and get ahead. This vision relies on educational opportunities, investments in children and families, strong infrastructure, fair tax policies, worker protections and labor rights, and is founded on the premise that growing inequality is both inconsistent with American principles and an impediment to equal opportunity.
Senator Casey believes that our Nation is at a moral crossroads, and we can no longer accept a criminal legal system – informed by centuries-old prejudices and racial bias – that turns a blind eye to the injustice and systemic racism impacting our communities of color. He believes that we can and we must reform these systems, while still supporting our law enforcement and holding accountable those who abuse their positions of public trust. Furthermore, Senator Casey is a strong leader in ensuring that formerly incarcerated Americans receive a full and fair second chance to reenter society.
Senator Casey believes in protecting the competitiveness of Pennsylvania businesses and creating new opportunities for new and existing firms. Small businesses are the backbone of the Commonwealth and the Nation, and Senator Casey believes in getting these businesses the resources they need to thrive. Infrastructure, the tax code, training opportunities, and support from the Small Business Administration, Minority Business Development Agency, and other sources are all key elements of a thriving business environment that Senator Casey works to promote.
Senator Casey believes that all older Americans have the right to age with dignity and financial security in the setting of their choice. He is committed to protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare, eliminating age discrimination in the workplace, and ensuring Medicaid's long-term services and supports are available to all seniors who need them.
Older Americans fought our wars, taught our children, worked in our factories, and helped build our middle class. It is our sacred duty to care for the generations that came before us.
Senator Casey believes that one of our Nation’s most important priorities is creating good-paying jobs and raising wages for workers and families. There are many components to building an economy that works for all Americans, and one vital element is trade.
When foreign nations cheat on trading practices, Pennsylvania workers lose their jobs. This is why we must have ironclad trade enforcement and fight against dumping, subsidies, and overcapacity. The challenges posed by non-market economies like China are not unique to the United States. They are global. As our Nation takes steps to protect Pennsylvania jobs and wages, we must also work with our allies toward a sustained and coordinated strategy to address these issues of mutual concern.
International trade that is fair can have substantial benefits for our economy and our workers. The only way to achieve fair trade is by holding accountable those nations that cheat, and taking commonsense steps to ensure that the bedrocks of our democracy are protected. Senator Casey continues to fight to ensure U.S trade policies align with our national priorities, including on labor, environment, climate change, and women’s economic empowerment, and that those trade policies support protections for workers’ wages and certainty for American farmers.
Pennsylvanians can outcompete anyone in the world when the playing field is level, and we must support and enact laws that help ensure it is.
Senator Casey believes that innovative and resilient infrastructure is essential to support a growing economy. The Commonwealth’s roads, rails, waterways, airways, bridges, dams, levees, ports, airports, and transit stations are critical pieces of each Pennsylvanian’s life. As such, he is committed to federal support for these systems and to working with state and local partners to develop innovative solutions to ensure that our transportation systems are equitable and resilient.
Senator Casey also recognizes that broadband internet is a critical component of modern life and is necessary for full participation in the economy and educational opportunities. He strongly supports robust investment in broadband internet, particularly investments in communities that lack access to affordable, quality internet services.
Senator Casey believes we have an abiding obligation to serve the brave men and women who have served our Nation. President Lincoln outlined a simple and vitally important mandate when it comes to the care that is owed to our veterans: “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.” We must also recognize the sacrifices borne by the families of veterans – by the mothers and fathers, and especially the spouses and children. These loved ones not only provide an invaluable support system, but often serve as caregivers when their servicemember or veteran returns home.
Pennsylvania has one of the highest populations of veterans in the Nation – totaling nearly 1 million people. Senator Casey continues to fight for veterans’ access to high-quality education, health care, and disability benefits. He is an advocate for expanding services for female veterans, mental health resources, and ensuring caregivers have adequate resources to support and care for Pennsylvania’s veterans.
We need to rebalance our criminal justice system to target violent offenders who pose the greatest risk to our communities and reduce the overcrowding of prisons with nonviolent offenders serving unnecessarily long sentences. We also need to make sure that people who made mistakes but paid their debt to society are not forever punished by policies that keep them from exercising their civil rights and accessing the ladders of opportunity.
Children are not little adults. They have unique needs and require different treatment. Nowhere is this more true than the justice system, where a positive intervention can put a child back on the right path, and a negative one can send a child spiraling into crime, drugs or violence. Senator Casey has been a leading advocate to implement evidence-based practices to keep children on the right path and make sure young people in the system are treated fairly and always with the goal of rehabilitation.
A quality education from early childhood through college is of paramount importance for the future of Pennsylvania and our country. Study after study shows that investments in enhancing learning opportunities for our youngest children are absolutely critical to a child’s success. Senator Casey knows that when a child learns more earlier in life then that child will earn more later in our workforce. These investments are also critical to our nation’s continued economic strength. Unfortunately, existing high-quality early learning programs reach just a fraction of the children and families who need them the most. Ensuring all families have access to high quality early learning is a complex problem and Senator Casey believes we need a continuum of policies to solve it.
Senator Casey is working to preserve the richness, beauty and diversity of Pennsylvania’s natural environment. He is committed to protecting the environment, preserving our national treasures and safeguarding the health of Pennsylvanian families.
Senator Casey believes that higher education is a key to long-term economic growth and is often a ticket to the American dream. Anyone with the drive, fortitude, and desire to pursue the opportunities afforded by higher education should be able to realize that dream, regardless of their personal financial situation. Pennsylvania is fortunate to have the most institutions of higher education of any state and the rich diversity and economic advantages that come with them. Senator Casey will do everything he can to ensure that college is accessible and affordable for all students and that Pennsylvania continues to benefit from these institutions.
Senator Casey believes a strong and independent judiciary is fundamental to our democracy. Whether through ensuring the federal bench is fully staffed with judges who reflect the diversity of their communities, or through ensuring that everyday Americans are not unfairly deprived of their day in court, Senator Casey believes that equal justice is our common project. He is committed to protecting access to the courthouse for all citizens.
Senator Casey is committed to further strengthening the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel and to promoting peace and security throughout the Middle East. A stable and secure Israel is in our national security interest and has been a cornerstone of our foreign policy for more than half a century. The United States benefits enormously from cooperating with Israel on counterterrorism, intelligence and defense.
Senator Casey has visited Israel five times during his tenure as Senator (May 2009, July 2010, April 2013, February 2016, and September 2016) to discuss cooperation between our two countries with senior Israeli officials. Senator Casey believes that supporting a strong relationship with Israel promotes U.S. security and advances our national interests.
Senator Casey is a consistent and vocal advocate for robust security assistance to Israel.
Throughout his Senate tenure, Senator Casey has supported measures, including the imposition of tough sanctions, which brought the Iranian regime to the negotiating table. Senator Casey is working to counter Iranian aggression and threats to Israel’s security, and he believes that we must ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapons capability.
Safe, secure communities are vital to the well-being of Pennsylvania families, yet criminal activity threatens public safety in many areas of the Commonwealth. Senator Casey believes the most effective way to fight crime is to ensure state and local law enforcement have the necessary resources they need to proactively prevent crime while bringing perpetrators to justice. Our brave law enforcement officers are doing all they can to combat crime, but they need adequate resources to do their jobs. Funding these law enforcement programs will put more cops on the beat and ensure that our officers have the equipment they need to keep Pennsylvanians safe.
Since arriving in the Senate, Senator Casey has supported common-sense, bipartisan legislation to address violent crime, drug abuse, and related crime. He has worked to increase funding and federal support for Pennsylvania law enforcement to help them obtain innovative crime-fighting technology and bulletproof vests so they can do their jobs safely and effectively. He has also introduced legislation that will combat witness intimidation that obstructs justice, and supported the creation of a national commission to identify ways in which our criminal justice system could be improved to better serve citizens across the Commonwealth and the nation.
Criminal activity begins in the places where the community structures holding families and neighborhoods together begin to fall apart. Senator Casey has supported numerous efforts to build stronger communities in Pennsylvania and around the country. Specifically, he has consistently advocated for the expansion of the Community Development Block Grant Program, run by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is crucial to the rebuilding and revitalization of our communities. This program generates economic stability by creating jobs, promoting entrepreneurship, and encouraging home ownership, fostering a climate in which strong communities can grow and prevent criminal activity from taking root.
In April 2013, Senator Casey voted in support of a number of commonsense proposals to reduce gun violence, including expanded background checks, restrictions on certain military-style assault weapons and improvements to mental health screening and treatment programs. In light of the 2012 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in which 20 children lost their lives, Senator Casey is committed to protecting our children while simultaneously defending of the Second Amendment and the strong Pennsylvania tradition of responsible gun ownership for purposes including sporting, collection and personal defense.
To provide more resources to local law enforcement, Senator Casey has been a strong advocate for increased funding for the COPS program and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program (Byrne JAG) that provides flexible grants for law enforcement to prevent and prosecute crime. Senator Casey offered an amendment to the Senate Fiscal Year 2014 budget to increase funding for Byrne JAG which passed the Senate by voice vote.
In 2012, Senator Casey cosponsored and voted for the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, which would provide for the first comprehensive review of the federal criminal justice system in almost 50 years.
Senator Casey supported the Fiscal Year 2014 Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill which would fund Community Development Block Grants at $3.15 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. The bill is in part aimed at compensating for large program cuts made over the past three years that limit grant funding to essential community services.
Senator Casey supports the rights of all LGBTQ individuals. This nation was founded on the principles of freedom and equality, not for some, but for all. As a society and a government, we must continue to move toward the ideal of inclusion. Senator Casey is committed to ensuring that our government provides equal protection under the law for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
The national security challenges facing our nation today are immense. They include the responsible drawdown of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan that must be concurrent with progress on security, an increase in well-trained Afghan security forces, a commitment to a transparent political progress in the country and the protection of the hard-fought gains made by Afghan women in the past decade; U.S. assistance to the victims of the conflict in Syria; halting Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon; supporting our stalwart ally Israel; and bolstering international efforts to combat the grave threat of nuclear terrorism. Senator Casey continues to work to pursue a national security strategy that protects our interests and supports those who serve their country.
Perhaps the gravest challenge facing our Nation is the prospect of a terrorist group detonating a crude nuclear weapon in the heart of an American city. Equally dangerous is the scenario of a terrorist group weaponizing a biological agent such as anthrax, smallpox, or a virus not yet known. Senator Casey is a co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Caucus on Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism. This caucus is composed of Senators who recognize the urgency and depth of the threat posed to the United States and its citizens by acts of nuclear, biological, and chemical terrorism and who work with leading experts to gain a better understanding of policy proposals to prevent, prepare for, mitigate, and respond to acts of WMD terrorism.
In 2011, Senator Casey was appointed to the National Security Working Group (NSWG). This bipartisan group was established in 1985 as a forum for members of the Senate to discuss arms control issues and observe arms control negotiations. It conducts oversight on the Executive Branch as it deliberates on treaty negotiations, pursues action through multilateral forums, and engages with foreign partners on critical national security priorities including arms control, missile defense, terrorism, and cyber security. This body allows the Senate to participate in the deliberative process of Executive Branch negotiations on some of the Nation’s most important security priorities. The NSWG has played an important role in the negotiation of every major nuclear treaty since 1985, including the original START Treaty, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the SORT Treaty and the New START Treaty.
For more than four years, Senator Casey has worked to address the critical problem of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. IEDs are responsible for the majority of deaths and injuries among our servicemembers in Afghanistan. A key explosive ingredient in IEDs used in southern Afghanistan, calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), is also used as a fertilizer and is produced in factories in Pakistan. Senator Casey has been adamant that the Pakistani government must significantly increase its commitment to regulating bomb components and preventing them from being smuggled across the border into Afghanistan.
In June 2010, Senator Casey introduced S. Res. 570, which called for an increased effort by the Governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other Central Asian countries to effectively monitor and regulate the manufacture, sale, transport and use of ammonium nitrate fertilizer in order to prevent its entrance into Afghanistan. In July 2012, he met with Secretary Clinton to discuss Pakistan’s commitment to combating IEDs.
In March 2013, Senator Casey received commitments from the owners of the Pakistani factories that produce and distribute this fertilizer, the Fatima Group, that they have voluntarily halted distribution of CAN in the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan, which border Afghanistan.
Senator Casey introduced the Afghan Women and Girls Security Promotion Act, which requires the Department of Defense and the Department of State to produce a detailed report and recommendations on efforts to promote the security of Afghan women and girls during the process of transferring security responsibility to Afghan forces. Senator Casey introduced this bi-partisan amendment with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas to the FY13 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Afghan women are not willing to give up on their rights and the U.S. needs to demonstrate its commitment to supporting them over the long term.
In May 2013, Senator Casey also introduced S.Res.151, which urges the Afghan government to ensure that women can safely participate in the elections. In addition, S.Res.151, expresses support for a transparent, credible and inclusive election process in Afghanistan in April 2014.
As the need for greater humanitarian assistance and a stronger U.S. response to the Syrian conflict continues to increase, Senator Casey proudly introduced S. 617, the Syria Democratic Transition Act of 2013 with Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. This bill includes a combination of humanitarian assistance, non-lethal equipment and training to the vetted elements of the Free Syrian Army, and sanctions against elements of the regime.
In April 2013, Senator Casey visited Turkey where he met with activists and leadership from the Syrian opposition to the Assad regime. He visited the Kilis refugee camp on the border with Syria where he met with Syrian refugees and toured the facilities.
Since coming to the Senate in 2007, Senator Casey has supported a variety of measures to pressure Iran to respect international nuclear regulations and human rights. The Iranian regime’s efforts to develop and possess a nuclear weapon present a grave threat to the United States and our allies. In order to protect our national security interests, the United States must work with the international community to apply pressure on the Iranian regime.
Senator Casey has supported the continued use of economic and diplomatic pressure to impel Iranian regime to halt its pursuit of a nuclear weapon. For example, Senator Casey co-sponsored the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012. This amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act enhances sanctions imposed with respect to Iran. The act increases sanctions on the Iranian energy sector as well as its port, shipping, and shipbuilding sectors. It also places new restrictions on Iran’s ability to get insurance for these industries. In December 2012, Senator Casey joined Senators Menendez of New Jersey, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and 70 other Senators in sending a letter to President Obama regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The letter expresses the urgency in addressing the security threat posed by Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons capability. It also calls on the Obama administration to fully implement all existing sanctions and to adopt new, stronger sanctions.
Senator Casey is also deeply concerned about the Iranian regime’s ongoing human rights abuses, and has been outspoken about the need for increased U.S. and international attention to this issue. Senator Casey cosponsored S. Res. 75, condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights.
Israel is one of the United States’ most trusted allies. A stable and secure Israel is in our national security interest and has been a cornerstone of our foreign policy for more than half a century. The United States benefits enormously from cooperating with Israel on counterterrorism, intelligence and defense. Israel has shared innovative technology and equipment with the U.S. military, helping to protect our servicemembers in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. The U.S. and Israel have also worked together to develop missile and rocket defense systems that will protect the U.S. and its allies. Finally, Israel’s strategic location makes it a valuable partner in collecting and analyzing intelligence on key issues in the Middle East region, including nuclear proliferation. It is clear that maintaining a strong relationship with Israel promotes U.S. security and advances our national interests.
Senator Casey is committed to strengthening the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel, and to promoting peace and security throughout the Middle East. Senator Casey has strongly supported the bilateral peace process between Israel and the Palestinians throughout his time in the Senate. In April 2013, Senator Casey visited Israel where he met with President Peres and Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss security issues facing our countries, including Iran’s nuclear program and unrest throughout the Middle East.
The middle-class is the engine of the American economy. But over the last several decades, incomes have stagnated for middle-class Americans. This puts both the middle class and the American economy at risk. Addressing income growth and helping American families achieve economic security, is one of Senator Casey’s top priorities. He has a long record of protecting and expanding the rights of workers, spurring job growth through investments in infrastructure and in small businesses to create good-paying jobs, leveling the playing field for American workers and expanding educational opportunities for students and workers.
Ensuring all Americans have access to retirement savings vehicles and are able to begin saving early in their career is a priority for Senator Casey. As a member of the Special Committee on Aging, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the Committee on Finance, all of which have jurisdiction over policies and programs pertinent to retirement and savings, Senator Casey has had the opportunity to write and enact legislation helping millions of Pennsylvanians save for and afford retirement.
Senator Casey has long advocated for policies to ensure that women can be full participants in America’s economy, advocating for equal pay for equal work, supporting access to childcare and paid family leave, and seeking an end to discrimination against pregnant women. As a member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Committee on Finance and the Joint Economic Committee, Senator Casey has had the opportunity to write and enact legislation impacting women in Pennsylvania.
A quality education from early childhood through college is of paramount importance for the future of Pennsylvania and our country. Study after study shows that investments in enhancing learning opportunities for our youngest children are absolutely critical to a child’s success. Senator Casey knows that when a child learns more earlier in life child will earn more later in our workforce. These investments are also critical to our nation’s continued economic strength. Unfortunately, existing high-quality early learning programs reach just a fraction of the children and families who need them the most. Ensuring all families have access to high quality early learning is a complex problem and Senator Casey believes we need a continuum of policies to solve it.
America’s small towns and rural communities are an important part of the backbone of the US economy. From farming to manufacturing, rural communities help to drive our nation’s productivity. Yet despite their importance to our economy, rural America’s infrastructure is falling further and further behind. Of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, 48 are rural. Senator Casey is an advocate for ensuring these communities have the tools they need to thrive in a 21st century economy and has been working to help boost counties’ and localities’ ability to help their resident’s live healthy and productive lives and have access to the ladder of opportunity. We need to do more – not less – to strengthen our communities and help working families.