Pennsylvania News by Alex Roarty

Newly seated congressman Glenn Thompson officially replaced former U.S. Rep. John Peterson  during a swearing-in ceremony Tuesday in Washington.

Now he faces the same question as everyone else sworn-in at the nation's capital -- what kind of stimulus bill should Congress pass?

President-elect Barack Obama is proposing a $775 billion stimulus package that could include $300 billion in tax cuts in an effort to appeal to Republicans while invigorating the slumping economy.

HARRISBURG -- State Rep. Keith McCall (D-Carbon County) was officially elected Speaker of the House on Tuesday after receiving the full support of his 104-member Democratic caucus.

McCall, whose ascension to the position was mostly a formality after receiving his caucus' support during leadership elections, received five more votes that Republican lawmaker Sam Smith (R-Jefferson County), who received 99 votes. 

HARRISBURG -- The Capitol's rotunda and halls are overflowing with people Tuesday morning as lawmakers gather with families and friends to be sworn in.

With the pomp and circumstance, naturally, comes food. Banquets of food, at least one full of the signature hoagie rolls for a Philadelphia cheese-steak, sit strategically placed near the Capitol cafeteria and outside the Senate Caucus room, among other locations.

Stop speculating: Chris Matthews isn't running for U.S. Senate. At least that's what his brother told PolitickerPA.com.

Jim Matthews was left with that strong impression after speaking with the MSNBC host when he returned from a two-week vacation in Jamaica.

"There's no hint of him running for office," Jim Matthews told PolitickerPA.com in an interview Monday. "That's 1,000 percent true."