Constituent Services

“Although as a United States senator I must focus on national issues, I also never forget that I am, and am proud to be, a Pennsylvanian.” (Passion for Truth, 539)

Senator Specter was involved in a number of issues that brought him into the national and international spotlight. His role in Supreme Court nominations hearings, the Clinton impeachment trial, and international affairs made him a well-known public figure. However, Specter did his best to ensure that the people of Pennsylvania were fairly represented, and that their interests were vouched for at a federal level.

Throughout his time in the Senate, Specter consistently advocated for local interests. One key focus was on providing funds for infrastructure, including the Pennsylvania turnpike, bridge repair, and methods for flood control. He also worked to limit the below-price sale of foreign products, a move particularly aimed at helping the steel industry. One key area in which Specter could assist his state was his role on the Appropriations Committee, which he was a member of for the entirety of his time in the Senate. Although his subcommittee assignments would change, his work in areas such as transportation, agriculture, labor, health, human services, and education would allow him to help bring important funding to Pennsylvania for many key projects over the years.

One highly publicized instance of Specter fighting for local interests was his battle to save the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, which had been an official site of the US Navy since 1801. In 1991, through the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process aimed at reducing Department of Defense costs, the shipyard was recommended for closure due to reduced needs. With thousands of Pennsylvanian jobs on the line, Specter filed suit against the Secretary of the Navy John Dalton, arguing that the process was subject to judicial review. The case, Dalton v. Specter, went all the way to the Supreme Court, though it was ultimately unsuccessful, with the Court ruling that the final decision lay solely with the President. Despite the outcome, the case demonstrated the lengths Specter was willing to go to defend the interests of his constituents.

In an effort to effectively serve Pennsylvania’s 67 counties- from Greene to Wayne, Philadelphia to Allegheny- Specter was a firm believer in local visits and town hall meetings. The course of a single season could see the senator visiting steelworkers in Bethlehem, farms in Lancaster, and veterans in Pittsburgh.

Keeping in contact with constituents is a key function of any Congressional office, and Specter’s was certainly no exception. Hundreds of boxes of constituent mail, on topics from healthcare to judicial nominations and everything in between, provide a snapshot of the variety of issues that Pennsylvanians felt strongly about. Some of the mail is complementary, some of it scathing, all of it reflecting the diverse viewpoints of a state both urban and rural, with strong representation from both major political parties.