On Politics: Susquehanna National Heritage Area moves forward; state Sen. Martin to re-introduce Medicaid work requirements

A plan to give Lancaster and York counties exposure under the National Park Service took one step closer to reality this week — furthering a top legislative priority for Lancaster County's member of Congress.

But the Susquehanna National Heritage Area isn't a sure thing just yet.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker also announced which subcommittees he'll serve on to work on transportation and infrastructure policy.

And in Harrisburg, adding a work requirement to Medicaid is likely to come up again in the new session — and a senator from Lancaster County is positioning himself to be at the forefront of the debate.

Here are those updates and more from the political scene in Lancaster County and beyond.

National Heritage Area

Designating the Susquehanna National Heritage Area, along with five other similar National Heritage Areas across the country, was included in the Natural Resource Management Act, which passed the Senate 92-8 on Tuesday.

It's a longtime goal of local officials and the nonprofit Susquehanna Heritage, and it could mean up to $300,000 in funding to promote and preserve the area.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey has repeatedly introduced it in the Senate going back a dozen years, and Smucker has made it one of his top agenda items since taking office in 2017.

It passed the House for the first time in 2018 despite the President Donald Trump's administration opposing any new National Heritage Areas. Before this week it had never passed the Senate.

Smucker, a West Lampeter Township Republican, and Casey, a Democrat, both celebrated the passage this week.

“It's great news for our community,” Smucker said in a video posted on Facebook. “This simply highlights the wonderful resources, the beauty of our area and the history in our area and continues to build the tourism, helps to preserve the wonderful community we have.”

Casey, in a statement, said, “I am pleased that we were able to work together on legislation that sets provisions for the conservation of federal lands in south central and southwestern Pennsylvania."

The bill now heads to the House, where Smucker said he hopes it will pass next week.

Smucker's subcommittees

Smucker, who previously announced some committee roles for the new session of Congress, said this week that he will focus on some specific policy areas in his second term on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

He will sit on the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, and the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Part of that work, he said in a statement, will include looking at a long-term structural fix for the Highway Trust Fund — which supports construction, maintenance and mass transit and is expected to run out of money in the coming years.

Medicaid work requirements

Gov. Tom Wolf has vetoed the idea of incorporating a work requirement into Medicaid twice in as many years.

Republicans who support the change aren't deterred.

State Sen. Scott Martin, who represents the southern half of Lancaster County, said in a joint statement this week with Sen. David Argall, R-Schuylkill County, they will soon re-introduce a bill on the topic.

The bill will require any Medicaid recipient who is able to work to do so, or to seek work, participate in job training programs or volunteer.

“Medicaid is one of Pennsylvania's most expensive entitlement programs, and the cost of providing services will only continue to rise in the future,” Martin said in the statement. “We need to make sure our public assistance programs are encouraging able-bodied workers to find a viable pathway out of poverty and not perpetuating a cycle of dependence.”

Credit: SAM JANESCH | Staff Writer