Governor Shapiro visits Berwick to announce Amazon's planned $20B investment in Pennsylvania data ce

[Applause] Good morning. It's a good day, Secretary Siger. Thank you for those kind words and for your leadership.

And it is great to be back here in Berwick at the historic Jackson Mansion, a place that reminds us of this town's rich history. But I'm not here today to talk about Berwick's history. I'm here to talk about its future and the future of this great commonwealth.

You know, when I was sworn in as your governor a little more than two years ago, I made it clear that Pennsylvania would compete again because for too long, we were not only losing out to other states on economic development, we weren't even on the field. Our permitting process used to be too darn slow. Our economic development toolkit was outdated and it was underfunded.

And despite an extraordinary workforce trained in our union halls and in our top-notch universities, too many were forced to look elsewhere for work instead of staying right here at home. That's changed under the Shapiro Davis administration. We've put the right people in place, led by Secretary Rick Siger and led by our chief transformation officer Ben Kersner.

We've developed a plan creating the first economic development strategy in 20 years. We brought Republicans and Democrats together in a divided legislature to pass budgets that make significant investments in economic development. And I want to thank those lawmakers who are assembled here for your votes and your confidence in the work that we are all doing together.

Together we are now investing nearly $2 billion annually in site development, in workforce training, in innovation, and a whole lot more. Those investments are going into our main streets across Pennsylvania, our farms, our skyscrapers, our suburban office parks, and our brownfields. We've aggressively reformed our permitting process and we've sped up government.

We've slashed wait times, reducing backlogs, and finally fixed our permit processes. We went from the bottom of the pack in the nation to the top when it comes to the speed of getting a permit done. You know what?

It's working now. We are moving at the speed of business. Pennsylvania is back on the field and Pennsylvania is winning again.

And that brings us to today. I'm here to announce that Pennsylvania has landed the largest private sector investment in the history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As a result, as a result of about 20 months of extremely hard and collaborative work between our administration, Amazon, and leaders at every level of government, I'm proud to announce that Amazon will be making an initial investment of at least 20 billion dollar.

That's with a B billion dollars. an initial investment of at least $20 billion in multiple stateofthe-art data centers across our Commonwealth that will power our global economy and the future of artificial intelligence. One site will be nearby in Salem Township, located along site alongside a nuclear power plant at the Suscuana Steam Electric Station over in Lzern County.

The other initial site will be located in Falls Township in Bucks County at the Keystone Trade Center, a site that used to be home to one of the largest steel mills in the world. And across those two sites, Amazon will create 1,250 permanent jobs in addition to the thousands of construction jobs where Pennsylvania tradesmen and women, they're going to lay the concrete and build the HVAC systems and lay the wiring and cable that goes into these data centers. I understand we got a few trades people here today, y'all in the house.

You guys ready to be busy? These trades members are going to be working for years and years and years to build out these data centers. Our schools and our police departments, our local communities will benefit from the millions of dollars in new tax revenue that will be brought in from this investment.

Students who are taking CTE classes right now at Burick High School or Pensbury High School in Bucks County will be able to take the skills they've learned in the classroom and then apply them to good paying jobs right in their hometown communities. Young people will have the chance to chart their own course and join an apprenticeship program run by one of these great trades unions. working with folks like John from IBEDW Local 163 who joins us today who you'll hear from in a few moments.

Pennians who are interested in computer science and data management will be able to study at Bucks County Community College or down the river at Bloomsburg and then stay in their community to work on some of the most exciting projects in the AI space. I've always said that Pennians should have the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. And that opportunity should be in the communities that they love, the places where they grew up.

They shouldn't have to go somewhere else to find work. For too long, we've watched as towns across Pennsylvania got hollowed out and left behind. No more.

Now is our time to rebuild those communities and invest in them. This investment in Pennsylvania starts reversing that trend. And hear me on this, it is just the beginning because our administration is actively engaged with Amazon on additional sites in our Commonwealth, helping them to secure local support, developing the infrastructure needed to support more data centers, and ensuring our permitting process works quickly.

In fact, a big reason we were able to get this done is because of Pennsylvania's new fasttrack permitting system, allowing those to understand how quick they can get a permit. And it's all done in a transparent and open process, giving confidence to companies like Amazon that their project will get built on time on its own. This initial $20 billion investment covering just these first two sites here in Salem Township there in Salem Township and in Bucks County is already three times larger than the largest stateup supported project in the history of our Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Three times larger. And you know, as the secretary said, this is the kind of deal that every other state wants. Every state is out competing for, but Pennsylvania won this deal.

We got it done. I want to thank Andy Jasse and his amazing team at Amazon for working with us and for betting on Pennsylvania. Andy and I worked closely together on this and his outstanding team, including Kevin Miller and Shannon Kellogg, who you'll hear from in just a few moments.

And of course the affforementioned Becky from right here in Berwick. They they were incredibly professional and wonderful to deal with in this process. But I'll tell you what, we would not be here today but for the incredible team that I feel privileged to work with every single day to help move Pennsylvania forward.

Secretary Rick Siger at the Department of Community and Economic Development. You and your team did an outstanding job. Thank you very, very much.

When I took the oath of office to serve as your governor, one of the first positions we created was to create a chief transformation officer. Someone who could get a project from point A to point Z and get it done quickly. Our chief transformation officer is here and he's doing a hell of a job transforming Pennsylvania.

Ben Kersner, thank you very, very much. And you know, along the way, you hit some bumps in the road. some things happen that you weren't predicting.

So, you need a fixer, someone to fix the situation and keep us moving down the field. Our fixer is Amanda Warren, and she did a hell of a job getting this project done. Thank you, Amanda.

Here in Pennsylvania, we've got a winning team. We also have a unique set of strengths that put us in a position to succeed, including our abundant energy resources and Pennsylvania's great track record of innovation that dates back centuries. Let me explain.

Pennsylvania is a national energy leader. We are the second largest energy producer in the entire country. And we have a unique distinction of being a net energy exporter.

That means we can produce enough power to support the energyintensive supercomputers and server farms at Amazon's data centers. Affordable energy to this mansion while still delivering reliable, affordable energy to our small businesses that line our main streets, to our families, and right into their living rooms. You know, I'm an all of the- above energy governor and we are working to produce even more energy here at home and we want to produce that energy from all kinds of different sources from natural gas to solar to wind to nuclear and much more.

My administration understands this unique advantage that we have and we are leaning in and today is an example of that. Second, Pennsylvania has a strong track record of innovation. We're home to some of the leading universities on AI and cloud computing development.

Places like Carnegie Melon University, Penn State, the University of Pennsylvania, and more, as well as exciting startups commercializing the advancements made on campus and then bringing them to market. So, as Amazon now looks around for partners to develop the next generation of AI, they don't have to look any further than right here in our Commonwealth. And that ecosystem of innovation gives them additional resources to be able to build from.

Behind the scenes, we are already working to connect the dots between our universities, our startups, and Amazon's data centers. And I'll be able to share more on that in the near future. I want you to know that Pennsylvania state government, we are already allin on AI.

About a year and a half ago, I signed an executive order ensuring that our Commonwealth approaches Gen AI proactively, ethically, and responsibly. We launched the first in the nation pilot program to put those tools literally in the hands of our Commonwealth employees. And thanks to using Genai, our Commonwealth employees on average save 95 minutes a day and deliver more permits more quickly and deliver more services more efficiently to our constituents.

Now, we're working to deploy AI tools to more Commonwealth employees to help keep them moving faster, more efficiently, and better serve our fellow Pennians. Commonwealth isn't just talking the talk on AI. We are walking the walk.

I hope you see how this all fits together. a new economic development strategy, smart use and deployment of AI, harnessing our energy dominant position in the world, developing homegrown talent to power innovation, and working with government at all levels, bringing unprecedented private sector investment to help move Pennsylvania forward. Look, we stand to gain so much here in Pennsylvania with this historic investment from Amazon.

And our country stands to gain much as well because America's national security will once again be strengthened by the hands of Pennsylvania workers. This is critically important and I know it is a huge piece of the work that our Senator Dave McCormack works on every single day while serving us from Pennsylvania in the United States Senate. I'm grateful to have formed a strong partnership with our senator and I'm thankful that you are here with us on this historic day.

Thank you very much, Senator. We appreciate you. The senator grew up around here.

His pop was president at Bloomsburg. He's a student of history. So, let me share some history with you.

We both know that every time in our history when Pennians have been called on to lead, we've stepped up. When fascism threatened freedom overseas, it was Pennsylvania coal miners who went deep underground to harness our energy here in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania workers forged steel in our blast furnaces and they gave the ri they gave us the rise to the arsenal of democracy.

They were quite literally using their hands to advance freedom here at home and around the world. It was here in Berwick at the American Car and Foundry Factory where Pennsylvania workers manufactured 15,000 Steuart tanks in just three years during World War II, helping preserve our freedoms at home and around the globe. You see, Pennsylvania workers over decades, over centuries, have made our commonwealth and our country safer and freer.

And what we are talking about here today is yet another national security issue that Pennsylvania can lead on. You see, right now there is a battle for supremacy when it comes to AI. A battle that will be won by either the United States or China.

I'm comforted by the fact that thanks to Amazon, the future of AI is going to run right here through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania because I sure as hell think those technologies should be developed by the hands of a Pennsylvania worker here in the United States of America, not in communist China. So here in Pennsylvania, we have the energy resources to support this technology. We've got the brains to be able to drive innovation forward.

We have the workforce ready to build and maintain these critical data centers. And we've got elected leaders from every single level, ready to roll up their sleeves and continue to work together for the common good for our commonwealth. This is what a united front looks like.

to win the battle of AI supremacy. We will out compete China. We will do so here in Pennsylvania.

And we will win. We sure will. At the same time, we are watching the rebirth of our state's competitiveness, writing the next chapter in our Pennsylvania's proud story of global leadership.

A story that has seen Pennsylvania steel mills and coal mines and Pennsylvania farmlands bring innovation, prosperity, and freedom right here at home and across the world. Today, we begin writing the next chapter. And with more investments in our future, we will end this chapter stronger and more prosperous than how it began.

From coal and steel to server farms and fiber optic cables, Pennsylvania is poised to power our future. A future where job is within your grasp and in your community. A future where America dominates the next frontier of AI and doesn't see this ground at China or any other nation.

A future of possibility right here in Pennsylvania. A future built by Pennsylvania trained workers from Berwick to Bucks County and where more Pennians have the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. That future begins today.

That future has been made possible because of Amazon's extraordinary investment in Pennsylvania. And that future has been made possible by the great teamwork on display here. And with that, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce to you my teammate in governing the other half of the Shapiro Davis administration, the Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Austin Davis.

Well, good morning. Let's give another round of applause for Governor Shapiro. I could not be more proud to be the governor's governing partner, to work with him every day to get stuff done on behalf of the good people here in Pennsylvania.

Uh, I want to thank the other partners who have joined us today. Senator McCormack, thank you for your leadership and for being with us. Kevin and Shannon and the entire Amazon team, thank you for this investment and thank you for not just investing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but for investing in our people.

And to our friends in labor, we know you're going to get this up and running in the right way. I'm excited to be back in Burwick. I was here in April to announce a Main Street Matters investment into your downtown here.

It's Burwick is a lot like the place where I grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania in an aging steel town. Uh in the 80s and 90s, uh we experienced a lot of pain as the steel industry collapsed and we're still recovering today. I saw firsthand what happens when the economy changes and we're too slow to adapt.

Well, let today's announcement be clear that the governor and I refuse to let that happen here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We need to be smart and strategic. That's why our 10-year economic development plan is so important.

We have so many resources here in Pennsylvania. We have lots of waterways, lots of energy generation, and most importantly, our people. Labor is well represented here.

and we know that nothing gets done without workers and workers must have a seat at the table. We're so proud that you're here with us today. It's my pleasure to introduce uh Kevin Miller from Amazon uh to the podium.

Kevin, I know has spent some time here in Pennsylvania. I think a CMU grad. It's great to have you back in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

[Applause] So, thank you, Lieutenant Governor, and thank you for the governor, um, you know, Governor Davis for the kind introduction. Governor Shapiro, uh, Senator McCormack, uh, Secretary Siger, uh, thank you. We really appreciate your leadership.

I also want to especially recognize all of the builders that we have here, both from Amazon and from uh, from our contractors and subcontractors. Um, they are already working to develop our sites. you were already working to develop our sites and we really appreciate that that support.

Uh and there's be a lot more work to come. Uh no doubt today I am proud to announce that Amazon is investing 20 billion in the state of Pennsylvania. That is the largest private sector investment in the Commonwealth's history.

All right. Say it again. 2020 20 billion dollars.

Governor And and this is not just an investment in technology. It really is an investment in Pennsylvania's future and America's leadership in artificial intelligence. As the governor was sharing a moment ago, this is really a transformative set of projects that's going to establish multiple state-of-the-art AI and cloud computing innovation campuses, data centers across Pennsylvania, starting right here in Salem Township and in Falls Township.

These facilities are really going to serve as the backbone for America's AI infrastructure, helping make sure that the United States continues to remain at the forefront of global technology innovation. And Governor Shapiro, you know, mentioned some smart use of AI in the government already saving time and improving the competitiveness of this government. And this infrastructure is only going to help that grow both for government and for a lot of businesses across the state of Pennsylvania.

But the true power of this investment also lies in the impact on everyday people's lives. We're creating 1,250 new high-skilled family sustaining jobs in range of roles from network engineers and data center technicians to facility managers and security managers. During construction, which is a multi-year process for projects of this scale, and throughout our entire supply chain, both through construction and as we're operational, we're going to support thousands more additional jobs across Pennsylvania.

And these jobs are not just going to be a point in time. Oftentimes, we see careers made out of uh the work that's done around our data centers. I want to acknowledge Governor Shapiro and the administration leadership in making this all possible.

Um there is a fantastic commitment to workforce development and economic growth um that's really helping bring this investment to Pennsylvania. And really the best incentive that we as Amazon can receive is this level of commitment and engagement which gives us the long-term confidence to invest here uh now and well into the future. And together we're really creating a blueprint for how government and industry can partner to drive innovation while creating opportunity for many many families.

We're backing all this commitment with additional action that I'm proud to share today. And this is a number of comprehensive workforce development initiatives that we're uh sponsoring and and and supporting. That includes a new data center technician training programs at local colleges, our Amazon community workforce accelerator, as well as a very cool STEM programs for K12 students that I've had the opportunity to see several times.

And just seeing the the, you know, the faces of kids light up when they're exposed to digital technology and see the possibilities to be a future builder. That's that's amazing. You know, as um as Lieutenant Governor said, Pennsylvania has some fantastic educational institutions.

I was very honored to attend Carnegie Melon and spend seven years in Pittsburgh. Great city. Uh including roads that run back on themselves.

That's always fun. Um, but you know, we're establishing partnerships with Pennsylvania's uh educational institutions to really help develop the curriculum and training programs that are going to prepare workers for tomorrow's jobs. Uh, and you know, all of these facilities are really going to help power the next wave of American innovation in AI and machine learning, in digital and cloud technology, ensuring that we continue to maintain our competitive edge.

Our choice of Pennsylvania for this investment is not accidental. It's a combination of the skilled workforce, the strong infrastructure, as well as the commitment to clean energy, and energy from multiple sources that really align well with Amazon's needs building the future of AI and cloud computing. We see in Pennsylvania a partner that shares our vision for sustainable community centered growth, and that is really why we're so excited to announce this and partner here today.

So, I want to just emphasize this is only the beginning. We're committed to being a long-term partner in Pennsylvania's success and we look forward to continuing to grow for the years ahead. So, thank you again for the partnership and now I'm going to welcome Shannon Kellogg, the vice president for public policy in AWS to share more details about some of our community and educational initiatives.

Thanks. Thank you very much. All right.

Good afternoon. Well, I'll tell you something. We love to go where we're wanted.

And boy, do we feel wanted here in Berwick, Pennsylvania. This is a great day. Well, first of all, I'd like to thank and recognize state, national, and local leaders who have made today possible.

Starting with Governor Shapiro. You've got a great governor. Thank you so much.

And Senator Dave McCormack, also a wonderful partner. Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, Congressman Dan Muer, and many, many officials from the Salem Township uh board of supervisors and other county leaders from Colombia and Luzern counties. And we also have Representative uh Led Better who's joined us today.

Thank you so much. Pennsylvania is not becoming the latest center for technology and investment by accident. You've heard a lot about that today, but it's true.

You have an incredible story here to tell both in Berwick and the counties we're investing in and across the Commonwealth. Governor Shapiro has laid out a vision for the Commonwealth with a strong technology focused agenda. Again, you already heard about that.

Today's announcement is the result of deliberate policy, economic development, and educational choices made by all of these leaders who have made it attractive for us to be here. So, thank you very much. P Pennsylvania is also home to a rich mix of energy generation.

Turns out you need energy and power to run data centers, including many carbon-f free resources. Some of you may have heard about Amazon's long-term carbon-f free goal, which includes uh renewable energy. We have 12 solar projects uh here in the Commonwealth today.

And it also includes nuclear energy. You may have heard about some of our aspirations there as well. Uh and so power is central.

And we are grateful to Senator McCormack also when you talk about energy for his convening a discussion on energy in the Commonwealth coming up in mid July. So we're looking forward to that as well. The modern cloud computing industry is built on data centers.

You heard Kevin talk about that. By the way, this guy uh operates a lot of data centers around the world and states like yours are prioritizing these public private partnerships and are realizing not only the benefits of cloud innovation but the significant local economic opportunity hosting data centers provide. Real jobs, you see it today.

Come with these data centers. And boy are we looking forward to putting you all to work. Thank you.

[Applause] We're also excited to partner with a number of educational institutions across the state as Kevin mentioned and that includes a new partnership with the University of Pittsburgh to create the first cloud innovation center on the east coast and the first to have a specialized focus on health and sports analytics. And through this innovation and and though this innovation is happening here in Pennsylvania, it's because of the Commonwealth with all of the things that you're doing around cloud computing and the benefits. It'll extend way past the borders of Pennsylvania.

We're talking about national and global leadership through partnerships like the center that has been established. We also love to get involved in the communities that we uh invest in and operate in. If any of you have walked recently through the Susuana Trail the past month or so, you may have noticed it looked a little cleaner.

Well, I'm proud to say on May 30th, Amazon employees turned out in mass to collect trash, trim trees, and clear leaves and other obstructions for walkers, runners, and cyclists. This is consistent with the grassroots commitments our employees make everywhere we operate. In 2024 alone, our data center employees contributed over 30,000 volunteer hours of community service, and we're ready to go here in in uh this part of Pennsylvania.

Today, I'd also like to announce that Amazon is launching the new Amazon Northeastern Pennsylvania Community Fund with a 250,000 commitment initially for grants up to two up to $10,000 supporting STEM education, sustainability, environment, digital skills, culture, and heritage, and health and well-being. So, we're going to put grants right out into the community from the start. Great.

Thank you. This fund builds on 100,000 in grant funding already distributed through our partnership with the Berwick Community College and their giving foundation to help local nonprofit programs and services targeting food insecurity, housing insecurities, transportation, STEM, and agricultural tech education. We're just getting started.

Amazon will be training in and and uh doing education programs as Kevin talked so I won't repeat that but we're really heavily invested in those programs and it's part of our being embedded in the communities we operate and as we move forward we will remain committed to investing in other programs across the Commonwealth and I'm sure you all will bring other ideas to us. We view Pennsylvania as a place where we can drive community and economic impact that we're proud of. And these investments support jobs for people who help bring us cutting edge services to customers all over the world.

From construction workers who build the data centers to the electricians who wire them and the maintenance teams who provide their upkeep. And we are proud to call Pennsylvania our partner and our newest home. Thank you so much.

Before I ask another colleague to come up here, I did want to recognize all of my Amazon colleagues who have worked on this project. I know it's taken a ton of work. Uh Merl Madrid, a colleague, is here and and he spent a lot of time with the governor's team and and other folks in the local community, too.

And then you heard the governor reference Becky Ford, your hometown girl, who has been instrumental to this project. And I have to say that Becky and her parents, there she's got the AWS license plate. Her parents, please raise your hand, are here today.

There they are. Including her dad who worked 30 years in the nuclear plant uh nearby. So uh really uh great to have you both here to recognize the hard work uh that your daughter does.

So, it's now my pleasure to introduce John Elenik of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Thank you so much. [Applause] Thanks.

Thanks. Good morning, everyone. It's an honor to stand before you today and I want to take this opportunity to recognize and thank local labor leaders um some local politicians, state leaders, federal leaders, and especially the governor who has demonstrated a deep and unwavering commitment to working people and skilled labor in the state of Pennsylvania.

Thank you, Governor Shapiro. support of our of new businesses has allowed us to double our apprenticeship, strengthened the foundation of our workforce, giving countless young men and women the opportunity to build real careers right here in Pennsylvania. I want to thank you for your leadership.

They're not just learning a trade. They're learning dignity, discipline, and the power of building something with their own two hands. Getting stuff done, I'll let you stick to how it's supposed to be said.

Say it, is more than just a saying. It's hope. It's jobs.

It's a lifeline to working families and a promise that no one in Pennsylvania is going to be left behind. Getting stuff done is bringing real tangible progress to our region, is bringing new opportunities to local businesses, and the kind of momentum that only comes when government stands shoulder-to-shoulder with labor and business. On behalf of the IBW, the building trades, our members, especially our apprentices and their families, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for believing in us, standing with us, and thank you for helping Pennsylvania rise above. Uh, and with that, I'd like to welcome Dr Patrick Jones. [Applause] Thank you, Governor Shapiro, Secretary Siger, for your leadership in bringing this incredible opportunity to Pennsylvania.

And thanks to Kevin Miller and Shannon Kellogg from Amazon for recognizing that hardworking Pennians are the perfect workforce you need to help power connectivity and innovation around the globe. As president of Bucks County Community College, I am pleased to share that all of Pennsylvania's 15 community colleges are eager and poised to partner with you for the long term. Our sector of higher education is uniquely focused on workforce development.

Partnering with industry is the best way for us to succeed. To meet the needs of the data center industry, four of our community colleges in Eastern Pennsylvania are forming a consortium we are calling the technology and trades workforce consortium. In addition to Bucks County Community College, it includes Lehi Carbon, Luzernne, and Northampton Community Colleges.

We are focusing on three specific lines of effort. First, we are partnering with career and technical high schools for their students to earn post-secary credentials in technology and skilled construction trades. This will include offering clear pathways into community college for education and training beyond what they receive in high school while awarding credit for what they have already learned so they can enter the workforce sooner and wellprepared.

All four of our consortium members already work seamlessly with our regional high schools and career and technical high schools. Through our consortium, we will be able to better focus on the needs of data centers and help ensure students are being prepared with the knowledge and skills required for this unique sector. Second, we are partnering with the building and construction trades to offer pre-apprenticeship programs that prepare students to enter registered apprenticeships and secure employment in the skilled building and construction trades.

Three of our consortium members are already doing this at some level. For example, at Bucks County Community College, we have a very robust set of offerings in pre-apprenticeship programs, including building and construction trades, electric, industrial maintenance, metal work, and welding. And we are building a new program in HVAC to launch in spring 2026.

Our students are trained by experienced and highly skilled union workers. Most of our graduates secure goodaying jobs immediately upon graduating from their programs. Our consortium will be working to replicate this model at all of our community colleges.

[Applause] And third, we are offering relevant micro credentials such as industry certifications focused on job relevant skills that are developed and certified over a short period of time. All four of our colleges in the consortium already offer a variety of micro credentials. To meet the needs of an expanding data center industry in Pennsylvania, we will collaborate to determine industry needs and share expertise and resources so that no matter where someone lives, one of our colleges will be able to help them attain the skills they need for success in this growing industry.

Examples of these credentials include both those necessary for the physical construction of the centers such as OSHA 10 and NFPA7E electrical certification and those needed for data center operations such as COP TIA network plus security plus cloud plus and Cisco certified network associate. These certifications cover knowledge and qualifications for entry-level data center roles that can be completed in under one year. These micro credential offerings are designed to be flexible and scalable, delivering short-term credentials that help people move into new careers and advance within them by attaining additional certifications as needed throughout their careers.

Through these three lines of effort and others if it is determined there are other needs, Pennsylvania's community colleges are ready to help prepare the workforce for the growing data center sector. Again, thank you for making this investment in the workers, families, and communities of Pennsylvania. [Applause] And it is my pleasure to welcome to the podium a fellow veteran native of Bloomsburg, Senator Dave McCormack.

Thank you, Governor. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. What a blessed day in Northeast Pennsylvania. It's great great to be with you all today.

When I graduated from Bloomsburg High School in 1983, 42 years ago, I would have never imagined standing here in Berwick as part of a program that announces 20 billion dollars of investment in Salem Township, Bucks County. What a great day for Pennsylvania. What a great day.

And it it didn't happen by accident. So, I want to first express my gratitude to Kevin Miller and Shannon Kellogg and the entire Amazon team for the effort you put into this to get this across the finish line and for believing in Pennsylvania. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you. And I want to say, Secretary Siger, Lieutenant Governor, and Governor, congratulations on such a huge victory for Pennsylvania. I know how hard you worked on this and it's a great day for all Pennians and uh and we're here excited to celebrate.

You know, uh as you said, it didn't happen by accident. All that hard work, all that focus, but Pennsylvania is blessed. We have amazing assets.

We have uh the second largest energy capability in the country, the fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world. We have the absolute best skilled workforce, hardest work working workforce, not in Pennsylvania, in the country. Right.

We have it right here. It's a huge asset. These incredible universities, we have all the ingredients.

We have all the ingredients for Pennsylvania's rebirth. All the ingredients to put Pennsylvania at the very top. We need to tell our story.

And uh to that end, as the governor mentioned or Shannon mentioned, we're going to do an energy summit, energy innovation summit uh in uh in Pittsburgh later this summer to tell Pennsylvania's story. But the formula is clear. If we can tell Pennsylvania's story about all these incredible assets, if we can have the focus and execution, if we can have the collaboration that we see uh here in this uh event today, then Pennsylvania's brightest days lie ahead.

and um thank you for being here. Thank you, Governor, for having me. Congratulations.

Thank you. Take it back to you. Thank you, Senator.

As we close, I I hope that it is not lost on anyone here, that you've had Democrats and Republicans stand together. You've had leaders from the federal, state, and local government work together. You've brought together community college leaders from Berwick to Bucks County and places in between.

Got the head of the state chamber, Luke Bernstein, here standing together with the head of the Pennsylvania building trades, Rob Bear. This is really unique what we're building here in this commonwealth. People coming together with common purpose to get stuff done.

While Amazon helped catalyze this, I think they also saw something special in Pennsylvania, what we've been able to do here together. So, as I close, I want to thank all of you who are here today, all of you who believe in this mission, all of you who are doing this hard work to move Pennsylvania forward, to chart a new course, and to write a next chapter in Pennsylvania's leadership. Thank you all.

God bless you. This is a great day. Thank you.