(HARRISBURG) – With the federal government announcing it will vacate the Moshannon Valley Correctional Center, Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-34) and Senator Wayne Langerholc (R-35) called on the Wolf Administration to activate state resources to help the hundreds of employees affected by the closure.
It was announced Wednesday that the agency that oversees federal prisons declined an option to renew its contract for the correctional center. The contract expires March 31. The prison employees about 280 people with a payroll of about $17 million.
“Losing these family-sustaining jobs will shatter our community at a time when many families are already struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Senator Corman said. “The Wolf administration should waste no time in getting help to the region including a rapid response team that can help these families navigate the state resources available to them including an unemployment system that is already overburdened.”
The Senators urged the Wolf Administration to use existing programs available in the Department of Community and Economic Development and Department of Labor and Industry that are designed to help in situations such as this.
“I am deeply disheartened at the news of the closing of this facility. These family sustaining jobs were an employment backbone in a community hit hard by COVID-19. I am committed to all individuals affected and will use all my resources to aid those in securing new positions.” Senator Langerholc said. “The state offers a variety of job training opportunities for employees and can assist the local community in marketing the facility as well as the well-trained workforce to others interested parties. We need to do everything possible to get these services into the hands of these employees as soon as possible.”
Contact:
Jenn Kocher (Corman)
Gwenn Dando (Langerholc)