Lycoming News

State Senator Dave Argall has congratulated Scott Turner on his confirmation as the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The Tamaqua community was notably mentioned by Turner during his Senate confirmation hearing.

Argall highlighted the recent recognition that Tamaqua has received, stating, “The community-wide work to breathe new life into Tamaqua has received significant recognition in recent years – immortalized on a United States Postal Service stamp, visited by three different state-level cabinet officials, and now mentioned during the confirmation hearing of a cabinet secretary of our federal government.” He further expressed satisfaction that "the leader of our nation’s foremost housing agency understands the issues facing our communities in Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne counties."

Turner's connection to Tamaqua dates back to 2019 when he visited at the request of U.S. Congressman Dan Meuser. At that time, Turner was serving as Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. During this visit, he participated in a roundtable discussion focused on opportunity zones like Tamaqua's City Revitalization and Improvement Zone.

During his confirmation hearing with U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, Turner referred to this visit while emphasizing the importance of engaging with both urban and rural communities across America.

Scott Turner's confirmation saw bipartisan support with a vote count of 55-45. Notably, Pennsylvania Senators John Fetterman and Dave McCormick voted in favor.