Statement from Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi 

Senator Pileggi issued the following comments after the House of Representatives voted to non-concur in Senate amendments to House Bill 1416. 

"The action taken by the House of Representatives today will result in the appointment of a conference committee. When the full Senate reconvenes on Monday, we will insist on the Senate amendments to House Bill 1416. At that time, the formal conference committee process will begin. 

"This is the appropriate process for resolving the differences between the Senate and the House. This process should have started in May after passage of Senate Bill 850. 

"We will not, however, wait for the conference committee to be formed to continue negotiations on the state budget. Senate Republican leaders are, and have been, available to meet with other legislative leaders and the Rendell administration around the clock. 

"A series of meetings and discussions have taken place this week, and those conversations will continue in an attempt to reach a final budget that conforms to the principles we have consistently advocated: a sustainable budget with no broad-based tax increases, which spends less in fiscal year 2009-10 than in fiscal year 2008-09. 

"When conferees are named, the Sunshine Law applies to the conference committee, and we will ensure that the Sunshine Law is followed. We are committed to an open and transparent budget process."