😀 Thursday. There are no more shutdown clocks here
🗞️ In today’s PoliticsPA Guide. The longest federal government shutdown in history has ended. Pennsylvania’s budget has bipartisan support. PA state budget overdue provides ‘significant support’ to school districts. The last penny.
🎶 Your morning pick-me-up. Return of the Jedi. John Williams
Weather in Pennsylvania
🌤️Butler | Mostly clear, 49
🌤️Tipton | Mostly clear, 47
☀️ Avondale | Sunny, 52
Sports PA
🏀 Sixes (7-4) | Friday in Detroit
🏒 Flyers (8-5-3) | Edmonton 1-2 (OT) | Friday in St. Louis
🏒 Penguins (9-5-3) | Friday in Nashville
🔊 What we hear. “It is important for Pennsylvanians to know that this budget is the direct result of divided government and two very different approaches to the way we govern our state and work with the federal government.” – Senator Kim Ward
📰 PoliticsPA Guide was developed by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser click here. Has this email been sent to you? Subscribe for free.
The most crucial story
1. Trump signs bill ending the longest government shutdown in history
“President Trump on Wednesday night, he signed legislation to reopen the government and officially end the 43-day government shutdown after the House earlier passed a bipartisan financial package.
Trump’s signing of the bill ends the longest federal government shutdown in history, which left thousands of federal workers without pay and service disruptions across the country for nearly seven weeks.
The pack passed 222-209. Two Republicans, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) i Greg Steub (R-Fla.), voted with most Democrats against the bill.” (Axles)
Elsewhere
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania vote on party lines as the shutdown ends and the fight over health care continues.. “The agreement ultimately passed by a 222 to 209 vote, with six Democrats and two Republicans crossing party lines. All 17 members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania voted with the majority of their party.” (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
The historic closure has come to an end. This is seen as a lack of winners and great frustration. “The longest government shutdown in history is over, and almost no one is happy with the end result.” (AP)
The growth in the number of data centers is prompting Pennsylvania to raise its share of regional network operations. “Pennsylvania moved on Wednesday to provide the regional power grid operator with greater transparency as the number of data centers in the state increases.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
PA begins issuing food stamps as Trump administration orders states to ‘roll back’ payments. “Federal food benefits began flowing to some low-income Pennsylvanians in November, but uncertainty remains as much of the monthly aid remains tied to legal disputes and the ongoing federal shutdown.” (Erie Times-News)
Country
2. 135 days behind schedule, Pennsylvania’s $50.1 billion budget gains bipartisan support
“The last state in the nation without some form of budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year finally has a spending plan in place.
Governor Josh Shapiro he signed the state’s $50.1 billion budget Wednesday after intense meetings between Republican and Democratic lawmakers in recent weeks. They have been deadlocked for almost five months since the June 30 deadline.
The budget, Shapiro’s third, increases overall spending by 4.7% from a year ago but represents a $1.4 billion reduction from February’s proposal.” (Penn Capital Star)
Elsewhere
State budget impasse ends as Governor Shapiro signs $50.1 billion spending bill. “After 135 days, Pennsylvania finally has a state budget for fiscal year 2025-26.” (PolitykaPA)
Pennsylvania ends budget impasse sealed by Democratic concession on climate. “The concession intended to help seal the deal meant Democrats agreed to Republican demands to roll back a regulation aimed at making Pennsylvania the only major fossil fuel-producing state by forcing power plant owners to pay for the emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases.” (AP)
Senate Republicans react to budget deal. “After four months of negotiations in which Senate Republicans opposed House Democrats’ budget proposals of more than $50 billion, the final product is what majority leaders call ‘responsible.’Central Square)
Who are the winners and losers after Pennsylvania’s divided legislature passed a $50.1 billion budget? “Neither Democrats nor Republicans have won a clear victory in the nearly 20-week budget battle that has well missed the state’s June 30 deadline.” (USA Today Network)
Pennsylvania will leave RGGI as part of the outstanding budget deal. “A multi-year fight over membership in the emissions reduction initiative has prevented Pennsylvania from participating at all. Supporters say it’s a ‘huge blow’ to climate action in the state.” (Inside Climate News)
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Overdue PA state budget provides “significant support” to school districts, including Cybersecurity Charter reform
“The overdue state budget provides significant relief to Pennsylvania school districts — some of which feared they would soon close their doors without state money. During the 134 days the state was without a budget, school districts used borrowed money to cover payroll, canceled field trips and delayed teacher hiring.
According to this year’s budget negotiations, students and families of public cybersecurity schools continue to be pawns of state-level politics. Tymoteusz EllerDirector of Branding and Government Relations at Commonwealth Charter Academy. (WVIA)
Elsewhere
Ed Gainey’s Pittsburgh City Budget Proposal Called ‘False’ and ‘Unrealistic’. “It is not an honest document.” “Fake.” “Unrealistic.” These are all phrases city officials recently used to describe Mayor Ed Gainey’s final budget proposal. (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
From Los Angeles to Harrisburg: Local rabbis join Lemkin family’s call to keep Raphael Lemkin’s name above politics. “Several Los Angeles rabbis have joined the family of Raphael Lemkin, the Polish-Jewish lawyer who coined the term “genocide,” in calling on Pennsylvania officials to investigate how the Lemkin name is being used by a U.S. nonprofit that the family says is turning his legacy against Israel.” (Jewish Journal)
Landes earns a shot at another term as mayor of Richland after upsetting the write-in campaign. “During a Nov. 12 meeting with the Board of Elections, officials said Owen Landes received 191 write-in votes in the municipal election. Republican Shawn Stover, who was on the ballot, received only 166. Stover defeated Landes in the April Republican primary to be on the ballot.” (Daily news from Lebanon)
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
- Harrisburg finally passes a state budget, but it comes at a huge cost to AP’s anti-pollution efforts | Questioner from Philadelphia
- Ending the government gridlock does not negate the damage | Trib LIVE
- Democrats act like Democrats. Things are getting done. Is normality creeping into politics? | John Baer
- Is “Trump disorder syndrome” real? | Jonathan Alpert
- Unions spend a lot of money on politics – often at the expense of their members David Osborne
- Could the National Health Plan finally be good policy? | Dave Oxman
- Repressed hate and the GOP | Shipment from York
1 item
5. The last penny
“The penny, the iconic United States one-cent coin whose copper face and Everyman symbolism endeared itself to millions of Americans before fading into oblivion in change drawers, died on November 12, 2025. She was 232 years senior.
In his heyday he was ubiquitous, the American avatar of decisiveness, humility and frugality. He would carelessly jingle his pockets and purses, proudly rub shoulders with his peers for his currency, and grab some chewing gum or the occasional groceries.
But eventually, plagued by doubts about his self-worth, he will eventually fade from the spotlight, like a screen star from decades ago whose phone has long since stopped ringing.Trib LIVE)
Thank you for starting your morning with us.
Make someone’s day better and join us again on Friday.
