- 5/27/2025
On Tuesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) held a briefing to announce new investments in Pennsylvania innovation projects.
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NewsTranscript
00:00What a cool place.
00:04Wow.
00:08Good afternoon
00:12and welcome everybody. My name is Kevin Washoe. I serve as
00:16the Senior Vice Chancellor for External Relations here at the University of
00:20Pittsburgh. And on behalf of Chancellor Gabel and our board, it's a
00:24real pleasure today to have Governor Shapiro and Secretary Siger here
00:28to talk about the importance of innovation and making sure that Pennsylvania
00:32is a leader in innovation, not just nationally, but really globally.
00:36And we're very honored to have the announcement here at this beautiful
00:40old Ford Assembly Plant, which we've now called the Assembly. And you can see why
00:44this train shed is so magnificent, such a great venue.
00:48So thank you all for coming. We want to make a few short acknowledgments.
00:52We have a few special guests here. We'd like to acknowledge County Executive Sarah
00:56Morato is here, a leader.
01:00Longtime trustee
01:04Senator Jay Costa is here.
01:08One of my favorite people and former
01:12Pitt Student Government Board member, State Representative Latasha Mase is here.
01:16Secretary Rick
01:20Siger, who's also a local Pittsburgher, is with us today. So thank you, Rick.
01:24And a number of people from the life science
01:28sector that just aren't from Pittsburgh, per se, but really came over from all
01:32across the Commonwealth today to be with us. In many respects, the conventional
01:36wisdom, people think that Pitt and the partnership with the Commonwealth started in
01:401966 when we became a state-related institution. But the reality
01:44is, when Pitt was granted its charter way back in 1787,
01:48the Commonwealth had to grant that charter to what was then called the Pittsburgh
01:52Academy. So in many ways, the relationship and the partnership with the Commonwealth
01:56stretches back way before even the Constitution. It's a partnership
02:00that we cherish. The governor knows this. It's a partnership that has been
02:04good for Pitt and has also been good for the Commonwealth. And I think the
02:08one important fact that we always say at Pitt, it's hail the possible
02:12and hail to Pitt. And that's been our moniker for a while now. But in reality,
02:16we take that partnership very seriously with the state. But we also take
02:20extremely seriously the responsibility to be an anchor institution
02:24not just of this region or this city, but we always
02:28have believed at Pitt, we're really an anchor institution of this Commonwealth.
02:32Governor, to have you here today is a big deal for us to
02:36announce this innovation. In terms of the partnership, this building
02:40has actually been a partnership. And I want to make a few acknowledgments, and I think this
02:44is important. Our partners, John Grady flew in from Philadelphia
02:48today with Wexford Science and Technology. They were the partners with the
02:52University of Pittsburgh on this great building. But in many respects, and I think this is a
02:56good statistic, this building is fully occupied. So if you want to get in here, you can't
03:00get in here. You're going to be knocking on John's door for a couple years here. But I think the important
03:04thing to note is we were looking to attract the businesses to this building.
03:08They wanted to be next to our top researchers. Researchers like Mark Shlomshack
03:12and Dr. Rory Cooper, who you're going to hear from in a minute. And I think the important thing to know
03:16on this is that it was a partnership as we were filling this building
03:20that just didn't extend to Wexford and Pitt. It extended
03:24to the Commonwealth. It extended, and Secretary Segren knows what we're
03:28talking about, it extended to the Allegheny Conference and Matt Smith and Stephanie
03:32Pashman. We were all recruiters-in-chief trying to get businesses to Pittsburgh.
03:36And I know that's a big thing for the governor, that he wants to get more businesses and really
03:40deliver a strategy that's going to make sense for the Commonwealth. And I'm going to leave you
03:44on a couple notes here because I know I'm getting long-winded. But as
03:48we were going on the tour, right before the tour, Dr. Mark
03:52Shlomshack, who is one of our great researchers, said it
03:56very simply, but I think it's a great and beautiful term. He said,
04:00this building and the research that's happening in this building is changing lives. And in a short amount
04:04of time, the research is changing lives. And as beautiful as this building
04:08is, the reality is it's always been about the people at Pitt. It's always been about the research.
04:12And I do believe what the governor is trying to do in innovation is to change people's lives.
04:16So, Governor, on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh, on behalf of the region and the city,
04:20thank you for coming and thank you for all your leadership and believing in the innovation
04:24of the Commonwealth. So, Governor? Thanks, Kevin. Thank you very much.
04:28Thank you, Kevin.
04:32I do believe in research. I believe
04:36in science. And I believe in the University of Pittsburgh.
04:40I say that not just as your governor, but I also say that
04:44as a Pitt dad twice. Our daughter graduated
04:48last year, and our son is a rising junior. And I've seen
04:52the awesome capabilities of this university, both in terms
04:56of what happens in the classrooms, Kevin, and also what
05:00happens in these great research hubs that you've been able to build
05:04and develop. And so I want to say thank you to you, to Chancellor Gable, who
05:08reached out to me. I know she had a conflict and couldn't be here. We appreciate your leadership.
05:12And I think we do this work every day to help
05:16folks like you, those of you on the stairwells here,
05:20those of you with the big brains out there discovering the next big thing
05:24that's going to save lives or create more opportunity. We really believe
05:28in you, and we look forward to making sure we continue to invest
05:32in your future success, because your success is our success.
05:36And to have that all centered here at the University of Pittsburgh is
05:40really, really special. I wanted to be here
05:44today to salute the cutting-edge work that is happening
05:48in Pittsburgh and is happening right here at Pitt.
05:52The new discoveries that are going to improve lives and fighting
05:56to compete and win in this region when it comes
06:00to life sciences. I'm excited to be here today to talk about
06:04our economic development strategy and specifically our work
06:08around life sciences. When I took office as your governor about
06:12two and a half years ago, my goal was to make Pennsylvania far more
06:16competitive, to create more space for folks like you, to create more jobs
06:20and economic opportunity. And to do that, I knew
06:24we needed to take four concrete steps. First, we needed the right
06:28people in place for us to be more competitive, for us to do this
06:32work. And so we went out and we got great leaders like Secretary Rick
06:36Saiger, a Yinzer, by the way, who was working at CMU down
06:40the street for many years, and we were able to pull him into our administration as the great
06:44Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development. So we needed
06:48the people. We also needed a plan. For 20
06:52years, the Commonwealth did not have an economic development strategy.
06:56I knew we couldn't be all things to all people, but I knew we had to compete
07:00everywhere, in rural, urban, and suburban areas. We had to
07:04focus on the five key areas that I saw the most
07:08opportunity in. Energy and robotics, manufacturing,
07:12agriculture, and life sciences. We knew how
07:16critically important life sciences is. A $50 billion
07:20industry that already employs over 100,000 Pennsylvanians
07:24where we are poised for rapid growth. So we needed people. We needed
07:28a plan. We also needed speed. Speed to market. Speed
07:32to the consumer. We needed to move at the speed of business
07:36in the Commonwealth. And while I know we're not here today to talk about permitting,
07:40I'm proud of the fact that the day I took office, it took eight weeks to get
07:44a business license. Today it takes just one day in the Commonwealth
07:48of Pennsylvania. An example of how we've sped up each of our more than
07:522,000 different permits that we issued through the Commonwealth.
07:56Anyone who's tried to get a business off the ground, whether a research
08:00lab or a corner store knows that speed is critically
08:04important. So speed was necessary. The fourth and final
08:08thing is we needed more resources to be able to invest in those
08:12five key areas all across Pennsylvania. Resources
08:16is a word we use in government for money. I worked with lawmakers
08:20of both parties. Last year I was the only governor in the country
08:24with a divided legislature, a Senate led by Republicans, House led
08:28by Democrats. Yet we were able to come together and
08:32invest a new billion dollars in economic development,
08:36bringing our total to $1.6 billion during my time
08:40as your governor. We used those resources, those
08:44monies, to stimulate other growth. I'm proud to be able to announce here
08:48today that as a result of that public sector investment,
08:52we've been able to leverage $5.2 billion
08:56in private sector investment in our Commonwealth, including
09:00right here in the greater Pittsburgh region. It's a big deal. It shows
09:04that the people, the plan, the speed, and those resources
09:08are working to leverage private capital investment, to show that
09:12Pennsylvania's open for business, to show that we have what it
09:16takes to compete. Now I want to just focus today on
09:20our work in life sciences, because as I look to the future,
09:24I know we need to invest in the key sectors that are going to fuel
09:28the growth of this Commonwealth, and of course life sciences
09:32is key to that. It's an area where I believe we are poised for
09:36explosive innovation and growth. If you look
09:40at the landscape, and I think you've got to take an honest assessment of the landscape out
09:44there, there are two regions that compete at the
09:48highest of high levels across our nation. One is Boston, and the
09:52other is the Bay Area. They're one and two. Then there's a huge
09:56drop off, and I see an opportunity for Pennsylvania to rise
10:00into that third place spot, and then once you're in there, the sky is
10:04the limit. And so I want to see us grow there. I want to see us
10:08be able to develop our talent here at home, and keep the
10:12research and development that we innovate here at home, keep it here
10:16and commercialize it. There is a gap between that second and
10:20third place spot, and I want us to fill it. And we have the
10:24ability to do just that. Think about it. We've got world class
10:28universities and research institutions. Of course, Pitt,
10:32and the work done at UPMC, CMU just down the street.
10:36I see Dan from Duquesne here. There is so much good work happening
10:40right here in this region. The Pittsburgh
10:44area is where it's at for groundbreaking research. It's happening in
10:48labs like Pitt Space and Dr. Cooper's Human Engineering
10:52Research Labs. Real serious stuff is happening here.
10:56Taken together, our colleges and universities in Pennsylvania
11:00rank fourth in the nation in R&D spending.
11:04On top of that, over 100,000 Pennsylvanians work in this
11:08industry. The research that is being done here is
11:12leading to groundbreaking innovation, and it's saving
11:16lives. From the work Jonas Salk did here at Pitt,
11:20to the discovery that was just announced on genomic therapy in Philadelphia
11:24last week, and everything in between. The foundation
11:28is there. We just need to create an ecosystem where
11:32innovators and entrepreneurs can thrive, and we can close the
11:36gap between them. That's why the budget that I announced
11:40a few months ago, that is now with Senator Acosta and Representative Mays
11:44and the other members of the General Assembly for their consideration,
11:48delivers $50 million more for innovation and specifically designates
11:52$30 million of that just for life sciences
11:56innovation to help support the kind of work that is going
12:00on in places like this. To give us the opportunity to
12:04unleash Pennsylvania's full potential.
12:08This type of investment is desperately needed.
12:12I want you to think about this. In the last five years,
12:16Pennsylvania companies received 10,783
12:20new life sciences patents.
12:24Let me put that in some perspective for you. That's the fourth highest amount
12:28in the entire nation. At the same time,
12:32we were ranked right up there with life sciences patents.
12:36We received only 3% of the nation's
12:40venture capital to build out those innovations.
12:44That means that we are effectively doing the research,
12:48but then we're losing out on commercial opportunities for other states.
12:52Remember when I said there's a huge gap between one and two, and then
12:56you get down to three and four? To fill that gap, that means more
13:00commercial opportunities to build on the great research that is
13:04done here. When life sciences grows and thrives,
13:08we not only improve lives, but we improve major industries
13:12all across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Everything is
13:16interconnected. By the way, I don't know if you know this,
13:20but the number one purchaser of eggs in the Commonwealth of
13:24Pennsylvania is a life sciences company, not a grocery store.
13:28Think about B. Braun, a leading life sciences company
13:32in the Lehigh Valley on the other side of our Commonwealth. Over at B. Braun,
13:36they produce things like IV fluids and pharmacy products and
13:40complex medical devices. Last year, they sourced
13:44$200 million in raw materials and equipment
13:48from over 100 Pennsylvania-based suppliers. Why am I telling you about
13:52a Lehigh Valley company? Because B. Braun bought raw
13:56materials from Meadville and resins
14:00from right here in Pittsburgh. The life sciences industry is
14:04interconnected all across our Commonwealth. You lift up one
14:08piece, it lifts up others. My budget will help
14:12supercharge the growth we need in life sciences here in Pennsylvania
14:16by giving our life sciences industry a competitive edge
14:20over those in neighboring states. With just that additional $30 million
14:24earmarked for life sciences, I think we're going to be able to do
14:28three concrete things. First, we'll establish a
14:32network among leading universities and research institutions
14:36to help life sciences companies in our Commonwealth complete clinical
14:40trials far more quickly and at reduced cost.
14:44When we connect world-class research institutions
14:48like Pitt with leading life sciences companies,
14:52we create a one-stop shop for innovation and growth.
14:56Second, we'll challenge our universities, research institutions,
15:00and industry partners to look for new and faster
15:04ways to commercialize their discoveries. We'll put up
15:08matching state dollars to support initiatives that strengthen
15:12our life sciences programs and industries in a number of
15:16key ways, whether that is an initiative to improve the way research
15:20and development is done, or an effort to improve manufacturing
15:24and supply right here in Pennsylvania, or new ways to
15:28finance these critical discoveries. We're going to use that fund
15:32to make our entire life sciences ecosystem far stronger.
15:36We think that is critically important. Third,
15:40we will use this fund to help train top-tier talent
15:44that can take successful spin-off companies from a place like Pitt,
15:48like Pitt Space, and turn that into a commercial
15:52success. Because with the right leaders in our life sciences
15:56industry, we can make sure Pennsylvania isn't just known
16:00as the home of Jonas Salk and the polio vaccine, but continue
16:04to be known as the place where the next great discovery
16:08is going to come from. And by the way, you're looking at a guy that got an A-plus
16:12on his fifth-grade paper on Jonas Salk. So I know
16:16a little something about our history there. The network that we are building
16:20is going to deliver greater speed, lower costs for our entire
16:24life sciences industry, and help fuel the fire in this space,
16:28connecting researchers and incentivizing the kind of collaboration
16:32that's going to lead to commercial exults.
16:36Look, taken together, this fund will give Pennsylvania a competitive
16:40advantage, positioning our commonwealth as a leader
16:44to companies who want to move quickly to get their discoveries
16:48to market. I know leading research institutions are very excited
16:52about working together. They want to build something special in Pennsylvania,
16:56a network that improves outcomes for patients and in the
17:00private sector. And that private sector, I know they're chomping at the bit
17:04for this because Pennsylvania would become the first state in the
17:08nation to have this type of innovation fund.
17:12We just need to get this done by working together.
17:16We'll combine the $30 million life science investment with another
17:20$20 million to spur innovation across all sectors,
17:24increasing the number of startups that can thrive right here in Pennsylvania
17:28and in buildings like this. We're going to attract more venture
17:32capital, and we are going to capitalize on our higher ed talent
17:36that is here in great numbers. This is how we
17:40compete, and this is how we win in today's economy.
17:44It's not lost on me. At a time when the administration in Washington
17:48is cutting back on research and development, we are doubling
17:52down here in the state. We believe in the work you are doing,
17:56and we are going to make sure we continue to invest in it.
18:00We have made real progress over the last couple years, but we've got a long
18:04way to go, and I'm excited about our future.
18:08As a result of the investments that we've already made, the vision that we have, the people
18:12and the plan, we're already beginning to see
18:16significant growth. Right now, we are rated
18:20the top state in the Northeast for regional economic competitiveness
18:24by Site Selector Magazine. Forbes just recently
18:28rated us one of the best states in the country to start a business.
18:32WalletHub ranks our commonwealth as one of the top three states
18:36for quality of life, and CNBC put us in the top
18:40ten states for affordability, the only state in the East Coast.
18:44Our work is beginning to pay off.
18:48We are beginning to see the fruits of our labor, the results of this
18:52hard and bipartisan work. Now, you all know that I am
18:56competitive as hell. While I'm happy with these accolades, I want us to be first
19:00at everything, especially when it comes to the life sciences.
19:04We have an opportunity. We are poised for real growth.
19:08Right now is the time for us to double down on our investments.
19:12I hope the legislature will pass my budget on a bipartisan basis.
19:16Believe in the kind of work you're doing that I so believe in.
19:20Believe in the kind of things that you all are doing in your labs and in your workspaces
19:24every day, because the future of this region,
19:28the future of our commonwealth and our country is in many ways
19:32going to be tied back to the great legacy of leadership of the
19:36Pittsburgh region. We're here to say it's time to invest even more in it.
19:40I want to thank you all for being here today. We have an opportunity
19:44for greatness here in this commonwealth, and I know working together
19:48we will achieve that. The person who's been running point on this
19:52work for me, as I said before, is a yinzer, someone who
19:56you all know quite well. That's the Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic
20:00Development, Secretary Rick Saiger.
20:04Thanks.
20:08All right. It's terrific to
20:12be here. It's good to see so many friends. It's good to be home just a few blocks from my
20:16house, actually. It's especially good to speak immediately following Governor Shapiro.
20:20Tough draw for me today.
20:24Good afternoon, everyone. It's really great to be here
20:28at Pitt in the Assembly, which, by the way, is just such an amazing example
20:32of a public-private partnership itself. I admit this is my first time
20:36here, Kevin and John. This is just absolutely terrific building.
20:40It's really one of the best places in Pittsburgh we could talk about innovation, where they're
20:44pioneering the intersection between biomedicine and space engineering,
20:48the kind of innovation that happens here in Pennsylvania.
20:52This is who we are. And under the leadership of Governor Shapiro, our job,
20:56our team's job, all of our job, really, is to help that innovation
21:00continue to grow and flourish. Because when we do, we're not just supporting
21:04the creation of great-paying jobs and spurring investment. We're showing
21:08the world that Pennsylvania can be a leader in developing and producing the technologies
21:12of tomorrow, whether in life sciences and biotech, robotics, AI,
21:16advanced manufacturing, and much more. And let's be
21:20clear about why we believe this is so important. Innovation is a major economic driver.
21:24States with really strong innovation ecosystems have higher GDP
21:28and wage growth, lower unemployment, less out-migration of talent.
21:32And here in Pennsylvania, we know, as the governor said, we have so many
21:36ingredients that feed into a powerful innovation economy.
21:40World-class education institutions like Pitt here, but also IP
21:44and startups coming from all over this city and all over Pennsylvania.
21:48The governor's budget this year deals with this directly.
21:52We know for Pennsylvania to be a national and global leader,
21:56we must do more. In this proposal, $50 million for
22:00innovation, $30 million of which is focused on life sciences, is an opportunity
22:04to double down on our strengths. And I want to be clear with you.
22:08We believe this investment will have specific, concrete results. It will support
22:12our life science industry through bringing our best institutions and companies together,
22:16match federal awards to mitigate risk for startups, and leverage
22:20what I believe are really our very best-in-class R&D assets, not just here in Pittsburgh,
22:24but all across Pennsylvania.
22:28We know that we're capable of doing this. The work being done here at Pitt, and really
22:32across this university, is an example of that. We need the resources
22:36and investment to build on what we have, and that is what this governor's proposal
22:40seeks to do. For those of you who feel the same way I do, and I have a feeling
22:44most people here do, make sure you talk to your legislators.
22:48Work alongside your partners to make the case for this important investment.
22:52This is a bipartisan effort, and we would welcome your support.
22:56The governor and I look forward to continuing that work
23:00to turn this proposal into a reality. And as I wrap up here,
23:04I'll just finish by saying what I say really at every talk I give everywhere in Pennsylvania,
23:08which is that economic development is a team sport. And the state has an important
23:12role to play, but really I see so many friends and colleagues here, people from local economic
23:16development organizations, you know, Life Science PA, Kurt, thank you for being
23:20here, and others who all can work together across Pennsylvania to make this
23:24reality. And I will say as I introduce the next speaker, one key partner in that is
23:28Megan Shaw from the Pittsburgh Life Science Alliance. Megan, please.
23:32Good job.
23:40Thank you all for being here today, and thank you Secretary Saiger and Governor Shapiro
23:44for your support of the human health innovation ecosystem here in southwestern
23:48Pennsylvania. I'm Megan Shaw. I'm the president and CEO of the
23:52Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance. We bring together
23:56greater Pittsburgh's unique strengths in clinical, research,
24:00and technology applications to develop this region as a leader in economic
24:04engine in the life sciences. You all know that there's an increasing
24:08intersection in AI and biotechnology, and this is
24:12fundamentally changing the landscape of human health innovation globally.
24:16But the Pittsburgh region is at the forefront
24:20of both the capabilities and the talent that's driving that change.
24:24This region is a true powerhouse of both
24:28R&D and clinical capabilities. We lead in
24:32healthcare specialties such as oncology, ophthalmology, transplantation,
24:36critical care, and many others. But we also
24:40lead in advanced technologies, in AI, computer
24:44science, cybernetics, robotics. And it's where these intersect,
24:48where our advanced technologies are allowing for breakthroughs
24:52in development and treatments that this region really shines.
24:56Business is taking notice. In the audience
25:00today, I see members from Zoll, Bayer,
25:04Smith & Nephew, Thermo Fisher, global multinationals
25:08that are choosing to put their R&D, manufacturing,
25:12and distribution hubs here in Pittsburgh.
25:16Our homegrown Unicorn, a bridge, was recently
25:20ranked by both Forbes and Time as one of the most innovative
25:24companies in the world. Crystal Biotech has developed the first
25:28re-dosable gene therapy to be approved by the FDA,
25:32and they're manufacturing that here in Pittsburgh.
25:36But with the academic leadership that we have,
25:40with Carnegie Mellon and advanced technologies, with Pitt and the life sciences,
25:44with not one but two integrated health systems that are nationally
25:48renowned based here in Pittsburgh, we can and we must
25:52do more to translate these innovations that are happening here
25:56to companies, jobs, and economic opportunity.
26:00Other states have aggressively invested in creating
26:04business-friendly environments and seeding initiatives to build
26:08robust life sciences clusters. It's our turn
26:12to see bipartisan support for policies to make this commonwealth
26:16a more competitive place for human health innovation companies
26:20to start, grow, and expand here. The innovation
26:24program outlined here is a down payment on a huge economic
26:28opportunity for the state, facilitating innovation and enhancing
26:32the path to commercialization and job creation.
26:36These investments have huge multiplier effects, creating jobs and construction
26:40and logistics for people throughout this region. And of course,
26:44the innovations that we're talking about here are about saving our lives,
26:48increasing access to health care in rural communities, and
26:52addressing the rise of chronic conditions. Pittsburgh
26:56is poised to become a leading global hub for human health innovation.
27:00Life sciences innovations here create opportunity locally
27:04and change lives globally. Smart investments
27:08in policy today can ensure that Pittsburgh and the commonwealth overall
27:12are at the forefront of human health innovation for generations to come.
27:16Thank you. Now, I'd like to
27:20introduce Dr. Rory Cooper.
27:34Good afternoon.
27:38Thank you all for being here.
27:42Thank you, Governor Shapiro. I'm Rory Cooper. I'm the
27:46Director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories, and I'm
27:50both the beneficiary of and a contributor to
27:54life-changing medicine. And I chose to be
27:58at Pitt because of the amazing work that we do at the
28:02Medical Center, the School of Medicine, and the university at large.
28:06My team creates life-changing assistive
28:10technologies. Some of the examples you might know, we created
28:14the technology that's used on every single power wheelchair in the world. The controls
28:18that allowed millions of Americans independence and millions of
28:22people worldwide independent mobility for the first time. We also
28:26worked on the ergonomics of wheelchairs, including the
28:30ergonomic push rims that I use myself. And that reduced
28:34the incidence of rotator cuff injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome for about 80%
28:38within five years, down to 20%. We also
28:42developed cushions that people use to prevent pressure injuries or pressure
28:46ulcers from around the world.
28:50As a fun thing, unfortunately
28:54they're not yet in Pittsburgh. Hopefully will be soon. They were introduced in San Antonio.
28:58We've created the first wheelchairs that are completely submersible
29:02so kids can use splash pads in water parks
29:06and have participated in summertime activities for the first
29:10time. So these are all life-changing things.
29:14Pennsylvania is also home to one of the largest wheelchair manufacturers
29:18up in the northeastern part of the state. So we
29:22are leaders in assistive technology. University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University,
29:26Penn State, in Penn, in Temple, in Philadelphia as well.
29:30Together we probably are the strongest academic state in the
29:34world for assistive technology. And we need to leverage
29:38that in the commercial sector as well. So many of the innovations
29:42and inventions we create, those number of patents that we help contribute to the state
29:46to be one of the leading ones, so that those companies start here,
29:50stay here, and do work that transforms the world.
29:54So I'd like to thank you. Hopefully to contribute to this initiative
29:58I'll certainly contribute to generating more patents for Pennsylvania
30:02and as well as my team.
30:06And now I'd like to introduce County Executive Sara Emerato.
30:14Good afternoon.
30:24And as a proud Pitt grad, I have to say
30:28H2P. So thank you Pitt for hosting
30:32us in this impressive facility. Thank you Governor for returning
30:36to Allegheny County. Maybe next time you show up with one of those big checks after we
30:40pass this and get this money, we can invest in the life sciences right
30:44here. So Governor Shapiro
30:48has been an incredible partner along with Secretary Siger on
30:52investing in economic development here in Allegheny County. I'm so
30:56grateful to have his partnership. And
31:00it comes at a critical point for Pittsburgh and our entire region.
31:04We faced many challenges, but we've turned the
31:08page. Pittsburgh, we are a resilient city. We are a resilient people.
31:12We know how to transform. And the life sciences and innovation
31:16economy is a critical part of our economic future
31:20and growth in our next chapter that we are writing today.
31:24At a time when the federal government is dangerously
31:28divesting in research and development, having a major impact on our
31:32universities, I'm happy to stand with a governor who understands
31:36the importance of investing in science and technology.
31:40Together, we understand that we need to create places
31:44that attract and retain public and private investment
31:48like we're seeing what's possible through the life sciences sector.
31:52For the first time in decades, my administration prioritized investment
31:56in economic development within the county's capital budget. And
32:00like the governor, we understand that Allegheny County needs
32:04a strategic plan for growth. So we're embarking on the county's
32:08second ever comprehensive plan, which will help us think about where
32:12there are growth opportunities for this sector in terms of
32:16site development, infrastructure, connectivity, but also how
32:20we build the communities, the main streets, the housing,
32:24that all who live and work here deserve and want.
32:28And as part of this planning process, we will work closely with the city around
32:32economic development to ensure that our plans are aligned with what's
32:36happening at the state. And we contemplate and focus on growth
32:40in the life science and innovation space. We're going to think about what it means
32:44for land use, but also for connectivity and real estate investment,
32:48what it means for talent attraction and retention, and how
32:52these public investments result in shared prosperity,
32:56especially in communities that have been left behind for far
33:00too long. We have discovered life-saving,
33:04world-changing science here in Pittsburgh. And now
33:08is not a time to walk away from that legacy. Like the governor said,
33:12we are going to double down and we are going to grow it.
33:16The convergence of technologies here, through AI and life sciences
33:20and biotechnology and data analytics, it is transforming
33:24the landscape here. And we are positioned to lead
33:28on this. Not only that, we are thrilled to see the life science
33:32industry increasingly emphasize sustainability, from
33:36eco-friendly manufacturing processes to the development of biodegradable
33:40medical devices. So it's not just Philly. Right
33:44here in southwestern Pennsylvania, we can, with these
33:48investments and vision and the private sector and technical
33:52expertise and our amazing institutions, we will become
33:56a global hub for life sciences and human health
34:00innovation. I feel it and I know it. So thank you, Governor
34:04Shapiro. Thank you for all of you for being partners in investing in
34:08Allegheny County so that we can grow for everyone.
34:12And now it is my honor to bring up
34:16my partner in the Senate,
34:20Senator Costa.
34:24I don't think any of us are.
34:28Thank you very much, County Executive Inamrado, and thank all of you for being here today
34:32and allowing me the opportunity to say a few words and first start off by saying
34:36thank you to Governor Shapiro for another block in your economic
34:40development plan that you laid out over the course of a year and a half or so ago.
34:44Talking about what is going to be needed for us to be successful, to be a global player
34:48in a variety of different spaces as you articulated a few moments ago.
34:52Last year we worked hard and consumed a lot of time getting through the
34:56STITES program, which is having great benefit. I will say, Secretary Sager,
35:00we spoke about this. Philadelphia got off to a good start, but we have a lot of catching up to do.
35:04And we will do that. But nevertheless, the investments that are made through programs like that
35:08and this building block is another one to be able to make certain that we're in a position
35:12to be successful. As the County Executive mentioned
35:16and others mentioned, there's a lot of uncertainty coming out of Washington, D.C.
35:20about where things are at and where things are going. But I think as he indicated
35:24that there's a lot of things that are certain here in our western Pennsylvania region
35:28and our Pittsburgh region that we can be proud of that
35:32recognizes that we are well positioned, well poised to be successful
35:36with these resources certainly and with the innovation that's going to take place.
35:40And the life science space is one example of that. Certainly
35:44$30 million for the life sciences you're going to do and $20 million for the overall
35:48and the recurring way, which I think is important as well to remember that. This is just not a one
35:52and done, but the recurring nature of these are going to be important to be able to sustain
35:56the type of programs we're talking about. But when you talk about what we have
36:00here in our Pittsburgh region, as was mentioned, the integrated health care
36:04delivery systems, our tremendous universities that we have, the students
36:08who are coming here from all around the country and all around the world to come be educated here.
36:12Our opportunity to be able to maintain them and keep them here is extremely important.
36:16Certainly what's developing right down the road with the AI corridor,
36:20how that integration takes place as Megan talked about, how important that is and how these
36:24resources are going to be instrumental to be able to grow all that for our region
36:28and provide folks the opportunity to live and want to grow here and be a part of this
36:32economy. So I'm very excited to be here with my colleagues who are here
36:36today. I can bring assurances that as a Democratic leader in the Senate
36:40I assure you we have at least 23 votes to get this thing through the finish line.
36:44We'll continue to work on our colleagues on the other side of the aisle because it's imperative
36:48that this whole conversation be a bipartisan. This is not about Democrats or Republicans.
36:52This is about bringing a solution, part solution, to
36:56an economy that's so important to our region that we are well positioned,
37:00can well benefit from what's going to take place here. And it's just not Allegheny County.
37:04It's all around the counties. It's Beaver, Butler, Westmoreland, all those places that
37:08other type of innovation is going to take place in many different ways.
37:12That's going to be for us to work together. And I assure you that this will be a high priority
37:16for my colleagues in Harrisburg. So Governor, thank you for coming to Pittsburgh for bringing
37:20this discussion here today. Now it's my honor to introduce my colleague from the House of
37:24Representatives, Latasha B. Mays. Representative B. Mays.
37:28applause
37:32applause
37:36Good afternoon everyone. You can do
37:40better than that. Good afternoon everyone.
37:44Welcome to the 24th Legislative District. Governor Shapiro, welcome
37:48back and welcome always. Of course, hail to Pitt.
37:52I'm a proud graduate as well of the University of Pittsburgh and I think
37:56I am living proof of what a world class education can do
38:00for a person seeking
38:04to thrive in the greater Pittsburgh region. And I also got a shout out
38:08to my other alma mater, Carnegie Mellon as well.
38:12Economic development is essential to our
38:16city and our region as well as to our communities
38:20and our neighborhoods in order for them to thrive.
38:24And we know that the jobs that will be produced by this type
38:28of investment in life science and biomedicine will mean
38:32high paying jobs, but also there will be high tech and high paying
38:36jobs in this community. As we have heard
38:40today, together, we are investing
38:44in the innovation that saves lives.
38:48And for me, especially around my passion of
38:52maternal health, that the governor has been such a leader
38:56during his administration to advance, I believe that
39:00life science and biomedicine can be part of
39:04the solution to ending preventable maternal deaths in our
39:08commonwealth. So here at Assembly, a hub
39:12for life science and biomedicine, it shows us
39:16how we can repurpose the vestiges of technology
39:20of the past to the technology
39:24of the future. So my hope and vision today
39:28is that we can not only incubate the world's greatest
39:32innovations from right here in the 24th legislative district,
39:36but that we can harness the talent and the brilliant minds
39:40of the youth of my community and put them on the pathway
39:44to science and technology and engineering and mathematics.
39:48And so for me, this is why it's important that we
39:52are able to get the job done to make sure that we can invest
39:56the dollars, invest the $50 million in our state budget this year.
40:00I also just happen to be on the appropriations committee, so that works out well.
40:04And I just want to say that I'm glad that I could be here
40:08today. Thank you to all my colleagues, together in the capitol and
40:12here in the region. This is how we're able to get things done
40:16for our community. And I just want to thank the governor for being here once again
40:20and I want to bring him back to the podium to close us out.
40:24Thank you all so much.
40:32Representative Mays and I were at a barbershop in the Hill District a month or two ago
40:36and she was the closer there. It's always a good event when you're closing us out.
40:40I have to just take a moment and make sure you all understand how
40:44pivotally important Senator Costa and Representative Mays
40:48are. All the investments that I talked about here today
40:52that we have made that have helped us begin to start growing again
40:56in the Commonwealth are only possible because of their votes. Senator Costa's
41:00leadership in the State Senate, where he's quite literally the leader of the Democratic
41:04Caucus. And I think it's safe to say Representative Mays
41:08is the deciding vote in the House of Representatives. Along with, by the way,
41:12every other one of her colleagues, because there's a one vote difference in the House.
41:16But seriously, they've both been leaders on these issues. And so while I stand
41:20up here and we make the investments, none of these things happen
41:24but for the two of them. And you're blessed to have their leadership.
41:28I hope it is also not lost on folks here that you
41:32have local government, led by a county executive
41:36in Emeralda, working together with her state partners
41:40to advance the region. That also doesn't happen everywhere. That's
41:44pretty special about this place. And then furthermore, note
41:48that we have the leaders of our universities, like Kevin Washoe, who
41:52opened our program, and leaders from the private sector. Everybody
41:56here, rowing in the same direction. That's a big deal. Let's not
42:00lose sight of that. Let's be proud of what we've been able to accomplish together
42:04and let's certainly be hungry for a whole lot more. I know I am.
42:08And so with that, I know we'll take some questions from the media. I might even take one question
42:12from somebody who works here on the steps. So get ready, alright?
42:16So if there's any questions from the media.
42:22...
42:26Look, common sense has prevailed
42:30in each of our last two budgets where we've made historic investments
42:34in public safety, education, and economic development. I'm back
42:38focusing on those same core things. I think we'll be able to get that done
42:42again this time. And what it means is everybody's going to have to compromise. I'm going to have to
42:46compromise. The Senate, led by Republicans, are going to have to compromise. The House, led by Democrats
42:50are going to have to compromise. And when we compromise, we come together and we're able to move the
42:54ball forward and get stuff done.
42:58I'm just going to need you to speak up. I can't hear you.
43:02...
43:06Yeah.
43:10Well, because we're not taking advantage of the patents that are
43:14developed by folks like them. And instead, they're being commercialized
43:18elsewhere, maybe in Boston or maybe in the Bay Area or somewhere else.
43:22So what we need to do is continue to develop all these
43:26big technologies, the life sciences advancements. The great work that's
43:30happening in AI as well complements this. And instead of
43:34then allowing that research and development that's been done here to be taken elsewhere
43:38for commercialization, we've got to create the ecosystem where it's being
43:42commercialized right here. Places like the Assembly are really important
43:46to that. The nexus between the private sector and our universities
43:50is really important to that. And so we've just got to continue to make those investments
43:54to keep the commercial activity or to bring the commercial activity here
43:58after those patents are developed here.
44:02...
44:06Well, we know that the ROI on life sciences
44:10is particularly high. Secretary Sager can give you a breakdown kind of
44:14industry by industry. We know that this is a profitable
44:18sector of the economy. It's a place that not only employs a whole lot
44:22of folks, over 100,000, wages tend to be pretty high.
44:26And so we're seeing a really good ROI when it comes to the life sciences companies
44:30that we're investing in. Anybody up here? Yeah.
44:34On topic, though, okay, pal?
44:38...
44:42...
44:46...
44:50So the question was about
44:54the administration in Washington's, your word, attack
44:58on Harvard. Look, I think the fact that you've got the administration
45:02in Washington attacking higher education as opposed to working
45:06with them and seeing them as incubators of technology, incubators
45:10of opportunity, I think that's a problem. And so what I have tried to do
45:14is stand up for our universities here at home in Pennsylvania. In fact,
45:18I've taken the Trump administration to court and won to protect
45:22the dollars that are set to flow here in Pennsylvania. I'm going to continue to do
45:26that with all of our institutions here. I communicate regularly
45:30with our university presidents, both our public presidents, like
45:34Chancellor Gabel, as well as presidents of our private institutions. They're all
45:38very important, and we're going to continue to work with them. Anything else?
45:42...
45:46I'm sorry, I just can't hear you. ...
45:50Yeah, look, when this
45:54deal was announced about 18 months ago, I made very clear, while
45:58there were some that kind of ran to either side of this, some were yes, some were no,
46:02I made clear that we've got to protect the jobs in the Mon Valley,
46:06and we've got to have a recipe for growth of the steel industry
46:10in Pennsylvania. And that doing nothing really wasn't an option
46:14because what we've seen over the last number of years is, by doing nothing,
46:18by staying static, jobs were bleeding from our region, were leaving
46:22our region. And so that was not going to be viable.
46:26Over the last 18 months, I've engaged with folks at every level,
46:30from local labor leaders to the former president of
46:34the United States, and everyone else in between, including the companies
46:38involved, to both understand what they were proposing,
46:42to make sure that the deal got better for Pennsylvania,
46:46and that we could do something that would protect our workers and protect
46:50the future of steelmaking in our commonwealth. We've got a great
46:54heritage and history when it comes to steelmaking. I don't want this to be something our kids
46:58read about in the history books. I want this to be a place where people today
47:02want to go work and where their kids want to go work tomorrow.
47:06About a month or so ago, I got a call from the president of the United States
47:10after the arson attack on the governor's residence. And after a few minutes
47:14of speaking with that, the first issue I raised with President Trump
47:18was about this U.S. steel Nippon deal, and talking with him
47:22about the need to make sure the investment was richer,
47:26that the jobs would be protected, and that there would be a pathway to growth.
47:30I worked closely with Senator McCormick and others in the congressional delegation
47:34to try and come together on a bipartisan basis to protect these jobs,
47:38protect the rights of our workers here, and have a path forward.
47:42What we've known throughout this whole process is that
47:46the decision was largely going to be made by
47:50the president. First, President Biden blocked the deal, and then President
47:54Trump, on Friday, signaled his approval.
47:58The reason I say it largely rests with the president is because it was bound up
48:02in a process called CFIUS, a federal process that had to be
48:06addressed before the commercial transaction could go
48:10forward. Now that the president has signaled his
48:14approval, now we have an opportunity to protect and
48:18grow steelmaking in the Mon Valley, to keep
48:22the headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh, something I was insistent
48:26upon with Maury and the folks at Nippon, and to
48:30create avenues for real growth. I think I'm cautiously optimistic
48:34today after the president's statement last week. There's still no deal signed,
48:38and there's still a lot of work that needs to be done. I had a conversation
48:42with Maury just last night from Nippon about the importance
48:46of getting this done and getting it done as quickly as possible.
48:50I know he feels the same way. So, a lot of work still left to be done.
48:54I'm pleased with the direction that it's headed, and I'm pleased with the
48:58collaboration that we have seen throughout this process. I think that that
49:02signals that certainly when it comes to economic development, and I think we've seen this
49:06on many other issues, leaders in Pennsylvania, both public sector and private sector,
49:10can come and work together to get stuff done. Okay? Thank you all
49:14very much. Appreciate it.