With healthcare a prime issue in Washington, lawmakers in Harrisburg are attempting to ensure that the present age guidelines for women’s breast cancer screenings are maintained at the federal level. Rep. Julie Harhart (R-Northampton) said she is supporting a resolution urging Congress to not follow a recent government task force recommendation that calls for raising the age threshold for beginning annual mammogram testing of women from 40 to 50 years of age. Mike Davies reports...

Competing budget plans are lined up for consideration this week in the State House. Republican lawmakers are expressing their concern that the most recent plan offered by House Democrats fails to fully meet the needs of the Commonwealth. Rep. Julie Harhart (R-Northampton) said that she prefers the balanced proposal offered by House Republicans to the idea of putting Pennsylvania’s college students in the line of fire. Chuck Nichols Reports – Story and Bite available.

Despite a $3.2 billion dollar revenue shortfall in the current year’s state budget, Governor Rendell appears to remain committed to spending almost a billion more in next year’s plan, and his Democrat allies in the House Appropriations Committee are now hinting that an income tax increase may be the easiest way to balance the budget. But Rep. Julie Harhart (R-Northampton) says she thinks a tax increase would be the wrong move for Pennsylvania this year. Mike Davies reports... story and bite available.

Lawmakers were briefed by the Governor on Tuesday about his proposals to close the projected $1.6 billion gap in this year’s state budget. Rep. Julie Harhart (R-Lehigh, Northampton) said that House Republicans have anticipated this funding problem and set an example by reducing operating expenses, but more cuts need to be made statwide to bring spending in line with revenues. Chuck Nichols Reports - Story and Bite available.

The Pennsylvania House on Wednesday voted in favor of compromise legislation that would ban smoking in most public buildings and workplaces in the commonwealth, only to have the bill shot down by the state senate. Rep. Julie Harhart of Northampton voted in favor of the bill even though she supported a stricter smoking ban. The agreement reached on Tuesday would have allowed some exceptions for private clubs and bars, and would have permitted the city of Philadelphia maintain its own smoking ban legislation. But Senate opponents said the compromise should have grandfathered in smoking ban ordinances from other cities like Scranton and Pittsburgh. Mike Davies reports... story and bite available.