Rigby Relishes Added Responsibility Following Latest Appointment

March 24, 2021

HARRISBURG – The appointment of state Rep. Jim Rigby (R-Johnstown) to serve on the House Government Oversight Committee is just the latest in a list of added responsibilities the second-term legislator has been asked to take on.

“House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff told me he thought I could be a real asset for the committee, which is comprised of nine of the 203 existing House members,” said Rigby. “I am honored to have been asked to serve in this capacity and jumped at the opportunity because I feel I have something to contribute to the process in this manner.”

Created in January, 2019, as part of voted-upon rule changes that often occur on Swearing-In Day for a new House term, the committee has subpoena power granted previously to only the House Appropriations and Ethics committees. The committee’s latest assignment comes from Benninghoff, who has tasked the members with investigating how Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration handled Pennsylvania’s nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Arguments that House Republicans were playing politics by creating this committee were quickly defeated when one third of Democrat members chose to support the effort,” Rigby added. “This creates an added layer of security and oversight for taxpayers whose hard-earned tax dollars fund the core functions of government. The manner in which nursing homes and their residents were treated during the pandemic is an issue that has generated a great deal of questions and concerns.”

For the 2021-22 House session, Rigby has also been appointed to membership on the following five committees: Judiciary, Liquor Control, Local Government, Policy and Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness. He also serves as a deputy whip under Majority Whip Rep. Donna Oberlander.

“It’s a full plate but I didn’t choose to run for office and sit on my hands. That way of thinking preceded me in both the public and private sectors and I didn’t abandon it when I was chosen to serve the residents of the 71st Legislative District,” Rigby commented.

The 71st Legislative District, which consists of the following municipalities: the borough of Paint in Somerset County; and in Cambria County, the City of Johnstown; the townships of Adams, Conemaugh, Richland, Stonycreek and West Taylor; and the broughs of Brownstown, Daisytown, Dale, East Conemaugh, Ehrenfeld, Ferndale, Franklin, Geistown, Lorain, Scalp Level, South Fork, Southmont, Summerhill and Westmont.

Questions about this or any legislative issue should be directed to Rigby’s district office at 1-814-536-9818.

Representative Jim Rigby
71st District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives 
Media Contact: Scott Little
717.260.6137
slittle@pahousegop.com
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