congress Fred Keller Contact information

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Since being elected to Congress, Fred has worked tirelessly to support policies that benefit small businesses and their workers, help our dairy farmers and agricultural industry, expand broadband access to our rural communities, allow our veterans to receive the care and benefits they earned, and advance Pennsylvania’s booming natural gas industry.

Successful Business Career

During his 25-year career at Conestoga Wood Specialties, Fred rose to serve as Plant Operations Manager at the company’s Beavertown facility, managing over 230 employees and a $50 million-dollar annual budget. While building his career at Conestoga, Fred started his own successful small business managing properties and serving as a general contractor.

Proven Leadership

As a testament to his strong background and work ethic, Keller was assigned to two key committees: The House Oversight and Reform Committee and the House Education and Labor Committee.

Republican leadership also assigned Keller to the House Energy Action Team (HEAT) where he has been able to learn more about American energy policy and advocate for the benefits of the unique role Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District plays in the nation’s energy portfolio.

Shares Central PA’s Values

Fred Keller is a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. He has been a member of the First Reformed Church in Sunbury for over thirty years and served as a Deacon in the church.

Father and Husband

Fred Keller has been married to his wife Kay for 34 years. They have two adult children, Jamie and Freddie, and two granddaughters. Fred coached his children in youth sports and was a local Cub Scout Den leader.

Supporting Pennsylvania Agriculture Pennsylvania’s farming families are struggling to stay in business and pass our region’s rich farming heritage to the next generation. Fred Keller is committed to supporting Pennsylvania agriculture and making sure the policies passed in the halls of Congress put our farming families first.

Understanding how his stepdad managed his family farm, Fred understands firsthand the issues Pennsylvania farmers face. He remains committed to always being available to help our farmers.

In Congress, Fred maintains a strong record supporting Pennsylvania agriculture. Whether in the halls of the Capitol, at the annual Farm Show or Ag Progress Days, or meeting with farm families in the district, supporting local farmers and the commonwealth’s $7 billion agricultural industry has always been a top priority for Fred.

Fred supports the President’s effort to renegotiate trade deals so that we have a free and fair trade system that allows American farmers and companies to be competitive in the global marketplace. Fred also supports rolling back excessive regulations and reforming our tax code, including repealing the Death Tax, so that farming can remain a generational undertaking.

Helping Businesses and Workers

Before entering politics, Fred worked for more than 25 years in private industry. Fred started on the factory floor of Conestoga Wood Specialities in Beavertown, eventually rising to Plant Operations Manager overseeing more than 230 employees and a $50 million-dollar annual budget. Fred also started his own successful small business managing properties and serving as a general contractor.

Fred has worked hard to create a healthy business environment so existing businesses grow, new jobs are created, and new businesses move into our area. On the Education and Labor Committee, Keller has been an advocate for better opportunities for workforce development and standing up for job creators.

Fred supports making the middle class tax cuts permanent, investing in workforce development programs and career and technical education, and rolling back excessive regulations so that businesses can grow and hire workers.

Investing in Education

Fred is committed to investing in our students, teachers, and schools. He’s equally dedicated to ensuring taxpayers and parents are seeing a return on their investment.

Fred Keller is a passionate leader for our children, schools, and teachers.

Fred and his children all received a public education. Fred’s grandmother – a Northumberland/Shikellamy public school teacher for over 30 years – taught him not only to respect our teachers, but also showed him the commitment required by our teachers in and outside the classroom.

Fred’s support for helping students and parents and for improving our education system pre-dates his service in Congress – going back to his days serving on Parents Advisory Councils while his children were in school.

TEACHING A STRONG WORK ETHIC

Fred’s support for our young people also extends to our technical schools and those pursuing careers in the agricultural sector.

During his time in business, Fred regularly worked with SUN Area Technical Institute to help students understand modern manufacturing.

As John Bohn, former director of SUN Area Tech, observed in 2010:

“For several years Fred Keller took our students for field projects and helped teach them the values of hard-work and productivity. Fred understands the importance of keeping talented and productive citizens in our own backyard — contributing to our businesses and communities."

Since being elected to Congress, Fred has maintained his support for our career and technical schools. Fred is committed to helping young people understand the family-sustaining careers that modern manufacturing and technical jobs provide. Fred believes that a four-year college degree — and the debt that comes with it — is not for everyone. In order to bridge the “skills gap,” Fred believes we must invest in job readiness and work to train workers with the skills to fill the jobs that are available.

Fred’s also an ardent supporter of local FFA programs — not only to foster agricultural interest, but also to advance the management, communication, team building, and business skills students learn from an FFA education.

Fred’s commitment to agricultural education and FFA has been recognized with Honorary Degrees by the Midd-West FFA Chapter, the Pennsylvania FFA Association, and most recently the Selinsgrove FFA Chapter.

Backing American Energy Dominance

Fred believes we can continue to be a global energy leader, while protecting our environment.

Fred supports an “all of the above” energy strategy to take advantage of Pennsylvania’s diverse energy mix. However, Fred opposes taxing one energy sector to artificially support another. “For example, taking money from the natural gas industry to fund other energy businesses would be the equivalent of taxing the fast food industry to subsidize grocery stores,” Fred says.

When it comes to natural gas, Fred has been a longtime proponent of the fuel’s environmental and economic benefits. He was an outspoken supporter for both the Sunbury Pipeline project and the new natural gas-fueled power plant in Shamokin Dam – Hummel Station.

Fred’s support for Pennsylvania energy is equal to his love for our outdoors and his commitment to our environment.

Fred is specifically proud to have helped secure $220,000 for the Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy allowing the organization to invest in a 36-acre land preservation project in Union Township (Union County).

He also is pleased to have helped prevent the building of a tire burning facility in White Deer Township. When he had doubts about the company’s ability to ensure safe operations, he stood with local residents to ensure their protection and to safeguard the local environment.

Health Care: Competition, Transparency, & Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions

First and foremost, Fred supports protecting individuals with pre-existing conditions as part of any health care plan.

Under Obamacare, Pennsylvanians saw their premiums increase by 120 percent. For far too many individuals and families, having a health insurance card does not mean they have access to quality, affordable health care.

In order to lower health care costs and increase accessibility, Fred supports increasing competition in the health insurance marketplace, which would include allowing insurers to sell across state lines, adding transparency so that consumers can make informed decisions, and allowing small businesses and individuals to pool together to purchase health insurance through association health plans.

Securing Our Border

Fred will fight to secure our border and reform our outdated immigration system to protect our national security and stop the flow of illegal drugs into our country.

In Congress, Fred will continue to oppose dangerous sanctuary cities, work to fix our broken visa system, and protect the jobs and wages of American workers.

Fred agrees with the late Jack Kemp when he said, “We must close the backdoor of illegal immigration so that we can keep open the front door of legal immigration.”

Investing in American Infrastructure

Investing in our nation’s infrastructure is one of Fred’s top priorities.

Infrastructure is an area where Republicans and Democrats should come together and do what is best for the American people.

Fred’s infrastructure plan not only includes investing in our nation’s roads, bridges, and other transportation facilities. His plan also calls for expanding rural broadband access, which is vital for providing health care, education, and commerce, as well as building pipeline infrastructure, supporting efficient mass transit, and upgrading our water and sewage systems.

The United States-Israeli Relationship

The United States of America and Israel each have much to gain through their strong relationship based not on individual connections between temporally-relevant rulers, but shared values that transcend partisan statuses in either country. Israel knows it can count on the United States whether Democrats or Republicans control Congress, while the United States knows it has a friend in Israel whether the Likud or another party builds a majority coalition in the Knesset.

SECURITY ASSISTANCE

The United States’ security investment in Israel is mutually beneficial. Joint successful military programs like Iron Dome, David’s Sling, the Arrow missile system, and the Tactical High Energy Laser strengthen the defensive military capabilities of both nations and deter attacks by terrorists and rogue nations. Israel buys most of its military hardware, such as the F-35, from the United States, and the United States often adopts weapons that Israel uses in the fight against terrorism.

I support the Memorandum of Understanding budgeting $38 billion in military aid to Israel from 2018-2028 and will be a reliable vote for the Foreign Aid Appropriations bill when I am elected to the House. I support the $705 million for joint military research in the most recent House Armed Services Appropriations bill and I will vote for H.R. 1837, which further enhances economic and security cooperation between the United States and Israel.

THE PEACE PROCESS

Peace and permanent borders are in the best economic and national security interests of Americans, Israelis, and Palestinians.

This peace only can be achieved by direct, bilateral negotiations between the governments of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The United States and other nations can facilitate a peace process, however, a lasting peace can only be achieved and agreed upon by the Israelis and Palestinians. The United States should use its veto power in the United Nations to prevent Israel’s opponents from forcing their solutions on the region.

In addition, I support the Taylor Force Act, which eliminates United States payments to the Palestinian Authority until they stop rewarding terrorists and their families when they kill Israelis and Americans, as well as President Trump’s Executive Order to withdraw $200 million in appropriated payments for the same reason.

IRAN

Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism and poses an existential threat to Israel. Iran funds and provides material support to Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad. The thousands of missiles on Israel’s borders and those fired at Israel every year are a direct result of Iran. In defiance of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or Iran Deal, Iran continues to test medium and long-range missiles and work on its nuclear weapons program.

I strongly support President Trump’s decision to leave the flawed Iran Deal, which did nothing to stop Iran from achieving nuclear capability and posed an existential threat to Israel.

In addition, I support further sanctions on Iran should they continue to provide financial and material support to Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist organizations.

BDS

The anti-Semitic BDS movement is an attempt to wage economic and diplomatic warfare against Israel and deserves a stern response.

In Congress, I will vote for an Israel Anti-Boycott Act, which prohibits the federal government from aiding or conducting business with any entity boycotting Israel or any other country friendly to the United States.

In addition, I will vote for the Combating BDS Act, which prevents the federal government from interfering with any state or local government that wishes to cease business with any entity boycotting Israel or any other country friendly to the United States.

ADDITIONAL ISSUES

I am also alarmed at the rise of the so-called “alt-right” and increased attacks on Jewish communities, in America and abroad. Bigotry has no place in our society.

I support Homeland Security grant funding for non-profit organizations and would support legislation making it clear that synagogues and churches are eligible for disaster assistance funding.

Finally, I commend President Trump for fulfilling a promise, long made by American presidents, to move our nation’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the eternal capital of Jerusalem.

Supporting Our Military, Veterans and Allies

Fred’s father was a Korean War veteran and his brother served 29 years in the Army. A passionate supporter of our nation’s veterans, Fred understands that we would not enjoy the freedoms we do today without the men and women of our Armed Forces, many of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice for the protection of their fellow citizens, our nation, and the world.

In Congress, Fred will continue to support legislation that ensures our sons and daughters in uniform have the resources they need to safely and successfully fulfill their mission and receive the care and treatment they deserve following their service.

Defending Our 2nd Amendment Rights

Fred has worked to uphold our constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms. Article I, section 21 of the Pennsylvania State Constitution states, “The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.”

Fred is proud to be endorsed by the NRA and will stand against efforts to infringe upon law-abiding Americans’ constitutional rights in Congress.

In Congress, Fred continues to uphold our Constitution and protect our 2nd Amendment rights to keep and bear arms.

Protecting Social Security

Fred was raised by his grandmother, who depended on Social Security. He understands that people earned their Social Security and its importance to their lives.

Proven Record

Fred has a proven track record of working in a bipartisan way with all interested parties to find workable solutions to complex challenges. That’s why Fred was a leader in crafting historic pension reform legislation that put Pennsylvania on a level-playing field with what is offered in the private sector while ensuring current state employees and retirees have their benefits protected.

The best way to protect Social Security is to grow the economy and create jobs so that more people work and pay into Social Security.

The reason Social Security is in its current situation is because of irresponsible policies that drained funding from the Social Security Trust Fund. Liberal policies like the $93 trillion Green New Deal and the $32 trillion government takeover of healthcare would further bankrupt the government and jeopardize social security. Fred is committed to preventing this from happening.