John Fetterman in 2022 PA Senate race
On Crime:
Overhauled clemency process, recommended more commutations
Chair of Pennsylvania's Board of Pardons, John has led the fight to give second chances to non-violent inmates and free those wrongfully convicted. He has taken steps to overhaul the clemency process, including eliminating all fees associated with
applying for a pardon, making the pardons application more user-friendly, and working to move the application process online. Under John's tenure, the Board has recommended more applicants for commutation than under any lieutenant governor in decades.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website JohnFetterman.com
Jan 21, 2021
On Crime:
Must expand redemption, forgiveness side of criminal justice
Says Fetterman, "Our country has mastered the punishment side of criminal justice. We must nurture and expand the redemption and the forgiveness part of that equation. If you're living your best life, and you've moved on
from a really bad choice you may have made when you were young, or 10-20 years ago, you should be afforded the opportunity to fully rejoin the franchise. And I want to change that conversation."
Source: NEXTPittsburgh.com on 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race
Jan 14, 2021
On Drugs:
Listening tour, report got governor to support legalization
Weeks after taking office, John embarked on a listening tour of all 67 counties, something no sitting Lt. Governor has ever done, to engage with Pennsylvanians about legalizing marijuana. In three months, the historic tour saw over
10,000 people turn out in person and tens of thousands more engage online. Following John's final report and recommendations, the Governor announced his support for legalization for the first time.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website JohnFetterman.com
Jan 21, 2021
On Drugs:
Legalization means billions in revenue, thousands of jobs
The impact of criminalization on people of color is a disgrace, he says. And if marijuana was fully legalized, the state would have billions in revenue instead of billions in deficits, especially during the pandemic. "It would create tens of thousands
of unsubsidized jobs," says Fetterman. "It would be a boon for our farmers in terms of a cash crop. It would be (great) from a personal freedom standpoint. It would be a gateway drug away from opioids and other harder substances, you know."
Source: NEXTPittsburgh.com on 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race
Jan 14, 2021
On Energy & Oil:
Can't ban fracking immediately, have to be honest
Says Fetterman, "I have a position on fracking, that I clearly articulated, that Democrats must confront and be honest about energy and Republicans must confront and be honest about the environment." If the practice was banned immediately, "Well,
where does 40% of our energy come from?" he asks. "Now I would love all of that to come from wind and solar and renewables, but the reality is that's not a switch you can flip and change overnight," says Fetterman.
Source: NEXTPittsburgh.com on 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race
Jan 14, 2021
On Government Reform:
Mocked Texas AG on voter fraud accusations
He repeatedly mocked on Twitter and on television a promise Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, made two days after the November election to pay up to $1 million for evidence of voter fraud.
Fetterman offered up three Trump supporters from Pennsylvania accused of attempting to vote for dead relatives and demanded that Patrick, whom he kept calling "my dude," pay the state $3 million.
Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer on 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race
Jan 8, 2021
On Health Care:
Supports single-payer health care
Fetterman is a leftist who's been endorsed by Bernie Sanders; in a 2018 profile, the Washington Post wrote that Fetterman was "pro-marijuana before it was mainstream; risked impeachment from his mayoral office by officiating a same-sex wedding before
it was legal; [and] supports single-payer health care." He's not all liberal hero: He's a gun owner and has been criticized for supporting some fracking in Pennsylvania.
Source: Slate blog on 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race
Nov 7, 2020
On Jobs:
Joined newspaper employees on the picket line
A group of Pittsburgh Post Gazette employees picketed on the North Shore. The staffers and Post-Gazette management do not agree on salary, benefits and other issues. Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman joined them on the picket lines. "I've said it time
and time again, I don't understand how you could mistreat such an extraordinary group of people and such an extraordinary operation that is a true asset to all of Pennsylvania," Fetterman said. "I will never understand that."
Source: KDKA-TV Pittsburgh CBS News on 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race
Nov 7, 2020
On Principles & Values:
Mentored young boy whose parents had died of AIDS
At 23, John joined up with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. John threw himself into the program, mentoring his 'little'--an 8-year-old boy who had lost his father to AIDS and whose mother was battling the disease. Before she passed away, John promised
that he would continue to look out for her son and make sure that he graduated college. Fifteen years later, John and his 'little' had both held up their ends of the bargain, with his little's graduation from Washington and Jefferson College.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website JohnFetterman.com
Jan 21, 2021
On Principles & Values:
Doesn't live in Lt. Gov.'s mansion; but opened pool to kids
John and Gisele have chosen not to settle in the Lt. Governor's Mansion, instead opening up the pool in the official residence to children who typically wouldn't have access to one.
They live with their three children Karl, 11, Gracie, 9, and August, 6, in a restored car dealership in Braddock with the family dog, Levi.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website JohnFetterman.com
Jan 21, 2021
On Energy & Oil:
2018: I oppose fracking; 2022: I support fracking
Pennsylvania Democratic candidate John Fetterman stumbled during the Senate debate with his GOP challenger, Dr. Mehmet Oz, after he was asked about prior statements he made in opposition to fracking: "I've always supported fracking and I always believe
that independence with our energy is critical, and we can't be held, you know, ransom to somebody like Russia," Fetterman said. "I've always believed that energy independence is critical. I do support fracking, never taken any money from their industry,
but I support how critical it is that we produce our energy and create energy independence."Fetterman said during a 2016 debate, during his first run for Senate, that he supported a fracking moratorium. In a 2018 YouTube interview, Fetterman said, "I
don't support fracking, at all, and I never have."
Contrary to previous remarks he had offered related to fracking, Fetterman and his campaign have walked back his past support for anti-fossil fuel leasing policies.
Source: Fox News FactCheck on 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race
Oct 25, 2022
On Education:
Solid affordable education in public schools and college
I was fortunate to get a solid education that helped set me on a solid path. Far too many families struggle to find good public schools for their kids, and the price of college has become outrageous. And there are too few opportunities for
the many young people who don't think college is the right option for them. If we want to prepare the next generation for a highly competitive world, we need to get serious about what education in the 21st century looks like.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website Fetterman.com
Jan 1, 2024
On Environment:
Focus on green businesses; create green jobs
As mayor of Braddock, Fetterman led the economic revitalization of the city and worked to make green businesses and programs a central focus of that effort. He also launched a green-jobs summer training program for youth, created more outdoor spaces
for the community, and helped to create green jobs by enticing an alternative energy company to town.
He was elected lieutenant governor in 2018 and is committed to fighting for climate, justice, jobs, and democracy. A strong advocate for climate change, Fetterman has testified in front of
Congress on behalf of climate change legislation.As a senator, Fetterman remains committed to holding polluters accountable while working to combat climate change and environmental injustice.
Source: LCV Bio on 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race
Jul 19, 2023
On Families & Children:
Fight for universal pre-k and childcare
In Washington, I'll fight for universal pre-k and childcare, and I'll make sure our public schools have the funding they need so our teachers aren't shouldering so much of a burden. I will also work to increase investments in career and technical
programs to prepare young adults for successful and in-demand careers in critical industries. And for students who do opt to attend college, to make sure the cost isn't a barrier I'll support efforts to make community colleges tuition-free and reduce
the burden of student loan debt that too many borrowers are experiencing right now.There are too few opportunities for the many young people who don't think college is the right option for them.
If we want to prepare the next generation for a highly competitive world, we need to get serious about what education in the 21st century looks like.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website Fetterman.com
Jan 1, 2024
On Homeland Security:
Hold up our end of the bargain for veterans
The women and men of our armed forces are some of the best our country has to offer. After everything our service members do for us, the very least we can do is hold up our end of the bargain when they return home. For too long, politicians in both
parties have short-changed our veterans through bad policy decisions, burdensome bureaucratic hurdles around the country, and mission creep around the world. It's disgraceful.As your senator, I'll fight to expand and improve health care access for
service members, improve quality of care provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) by securing increased funding, rigorous oversight and necessary reforms, and increased access to mental health services for PTSD, depression, and
reintegration into society.
Honoring our veterans means cutting through the noise and getting things done for the people who put their lives on the line for our country. We must do more to support them.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website Fetterman.com
Jan 1, 2024
On Immigration:
Investments toward keeping our borders strong
It is no secret our immigration system is broken. We need a system that is strong, secure, and humane. In the Senate, I would support investments that go towards keeping our borders strong and preventing the flow of illegal drugs into our country.
We also must work to ensure that our immigration system is humane. I support commonsense immigration reforms that will restore our country's legacy as a nation built by immigrants. In the Senate,
I will work to modernize our visa system and asylum programs so that they can't be exploited by bad actors. I will also fight for a pathway to citizenship for frontline workers, small business owners, and young people who have only known
this country as their home.We have to reject the false choice pitting laws and strong borders against those coming to America to seek a better life for themselves and their families.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website Fetterman.com
Jan 1, 2024
On Social Security:
American bargain is the ability to retire with dignity
At the heart of the basic American bargain is the ability to retire with dignity. For so many seniors, Social Security checks don't go nearly as far as they used to. Too often, after spending most of their adult lives working, seniors find themselves
choosing between food, medication, and other basic needs. This is unacceptable.In the Senate, I will fight to protect Social Security from Republican attacks, and I'll support efforts to lower the Medicare eligibility age to
60 while expanding its benefits to include vision, hearing, and dental care. I'll also work to pass the Better Care Better Jobs Act to ensure that we're making necessary investments in home- and community-based services like home health care,
personal care, case management, and rehabilitative services. We have a responsibility to do right by the generations that came before us. When I'm your senator, I'll make that my mission.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website Fetterman.com
Jan 1, 2024
On Technology:
Invest in rural broadband & infrastructure
I'll fight for farmers' rights to repair their own equipment and take on Big Ag so Pennsylvania's small farmers can have a fair shot; this includes fighting for improved grant and loan opportunities for farmers of color. I'll also make sure that
long-promised investments in rural broadband and other critical infrastructure make their way to where they're actually needed, because in this day and age, broadband internet access is almost as fundamental as electricity or running water.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website Fetterman.com
Jan 1, 2024
On War & Peace:
Forever wars line the pockets of defense contractors
In order for America to be a force for good in the world, I believe that America must first be strong at home. This means no longer embarking on forever wars, investing in communities instead of lining the pockets of defense contractors, and partnering
with our allies abroad to promote more stability around the world. I've been so proud to watch the world rally against Russia's attack on Ukraine--an attack on democracy itself. In Washington, I will prioritize keeping America safe through
strengthening our diplomatic efforts and investing in effective foreign aid programs while also ensuring that the best military in the world remains strong and prepared. I will also work to guarantee that we don't allow China to out-innovate us. There
is no reason that the next generation of technology--from defense to clean energy to the microchips that power our cell phones--can't be manufactured right here in the Commonwealth. A competitive edge is the key to real and lasting national security.
Source: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign website Fetterman.com
Jan 1, 2024
On Welfare & Poverty:
Fight GOP cutting SNAP benefits for families & kids
John Fetterman released the following statement on House Republicans' plan to cut funding for SNAP: "Cut SNAP for families and kids while pushing tax cuts for billionaires? Not on my watch."Sen. Fetterman will chair his first subcommittee
hearing in the Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research for a hearing will focus specifically on SNAP and the critical assistance it provides to working families through the upcoming Farm Bill.
Source: Senate press release on 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race
Apr 12, 2023
Page last updated: Jun 05, 2024