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for May 20, 1997, Robert P. Casey, Former Govenor of Pennsylvania

Robert P. Casey was elected governor in 1986 and re-elected in 1990 in the biggest landslide in Pennsylvania gubernatorial history. In a stunning rejection of the conventional wisdom, he defeated a pro-choice Republican by over one million votes. The father of eight, and the grandfather of 23, Gov. Casey knows well the challenges and needs of families, and made strong families a top priority in the nation's fifth-largest state. The health care programs he created for women and children are considered a "model for the rest of the nation". Caring for children before and after birth was a hallmark of Gov. Casey's administration. Pennsylvania today not only has the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, it has the most generous prenatal programs, a statewide adoption network, and a comprehensive health insurance program for kids. To strengthen families and reinforce that they are the foundation for our children’s' success, Gov. Casey cut personal income taxes for low-income working families. He also kept Pennsylvania number one in the nation when it came to collecting child-support payments from dead-beat parents. Combining principle and compassion, Gov. Casey boldly reformed the state welfare system. Between 1987 and 1994, his programs moved over 300,000 people from welfare to work. At the same time, he increased economic opportunities for women and minority-owned businesses, and appointed more women to his Cabinet than any other Democratic governor in the United States. Gov. Casey's investments in law enforcement, drug-prevention and treatment, and new prisons helped make Pennsylvania one of the safest states in the nation. His stewardship of the environment also made it one of the cleanest. Gov. Casey invested heavily in job creation and economic development and significantly cut business taxes. When he left office, Pennsylvania had both the lowest per-capita tax burden of any major Northeastern state, and the lowest number of state employees per capita in the nation. At the end of his term the Philadelphia Daily News reported: "By nearly any measure, Casey leaves Pennsylvania a better place than it was eight years ago." In June, 1995 Gov. Casey founded the Campaign for the American Family, Inc., a lobby group, and the Fund for the American Family, Inc., an educational organization. Both groups seek to make the well-being of America's families the top priority in formulating social and economic policy in America. Gov. Casey's award-winning autobiography, "Fighting for Life", tells the story of his upbringing in Scranton and the people and events that inspired him to fight against extraordinary political odds to become governor, to overcome a deadly disease, and to become a courageous spokesman for children and families. For his lifelong commitment to defending and strengthening families we present Governor Robert P. Casey with the 1997 St. Ann's Media Family Award.

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