Harrisburg – Enero 15, 2021 – After a contentious and controversial election and court battle for the 45th District, State Senator Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) has again been appointed Democratic chair of the Senate Law and Justice and Game and Fisheries committees, two of the most influential and prestigious committees in the Senate, because of his considerable experience and knowledge in the fields.

“Serving as chair on these committees is an honor and privilege,” Brewster said. “There are significant issues to be discussed and key decisions will have to be made.”

Brewster has served as Democratic chair of both committees in the last two-year legislative session.

The McKeesport lawmaker was also reappointed to seats on the Senate’s Banking and Insurance, Education and Transportation committees.

"Como miembro de comités clave que se ocupan de asuntos importantes para mi distrito, puedo garantizar que se atiendan las necesidades de nuestra región", declaró Brewster. 

On education, Brewster has led the effort to reform charter schools. He has fought for additional dollars for education and supports a responsible energy extraction tax on Marcellus Shale drillers that will provide funding not only to bolster basic education, but also to fund school safety and environmental protection initiatives.

Brewster serves as member of the statewide School Safety and Security Committee, established under Act 44 in 2018, and has become known as a fierce advocate for more safety in schools.

“There are key problems in education that need to be fixed,” Brewster said. “I’ve sponsored bills to reform charter schools, aid school safety initiatives, and ensure that we have more resources for our children to learn.”

The lawmaker said his appointment to the Transportation Committee will ensure that issues that arise relative to the construction of the Mon-Fayette Expressway and mass transit will be addressed. Brewster has long been an advocate of the Mon-Fayette Expressway and rapid expansion of mass transit into underserved areas.

“Building and expanding the reach of transportation systems that serve Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties continues to be a priority,” Brewster said.

Brewster said his appointment to a seat on the Banking and Insurance Committee provides an opportunity to utilize his expertise and experience in banking to have significant impact on crafting better banking laws.

“In addition to dealing with the ongoing problems from the pandemic, including helping families and small businesses, I plan to continue fighting for quality, safe education for our children and reliable transportation projects to attract new businesses to the region,” Brewster said.