Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, who represents Pennsylvania’s 5th district in the U.S. Congress, used her social media platform to criticize both federal tariff policies and the current administration’s relationship with Congress in a series of posts between February 23 and February 25, 2026.
On February 23, Scanlon commented on corporate tariff refunds, writing: “A ‘non-binding provision’ means nothing. If corporations are getting a refund from the tariffs, so should you.”
The following day, she addressed her decision not to attend the official State of the Union address. In a post dated February 24, Scanlon stated: “I’ve always attended the State of the Union out of respect for the Office of the President, but this President has not returned that respect to Congress or the American people. So instead, I’ll be joining colleagues and Americans at the People’s State of the Union to examine”.
Continuing her criticism on February 25, Scanlon explained her participation in an alternative event: “Instead of listening to the President’s lies, I’m here at the People’s State of the Union to talk about how this administration’s effort to put the rich and powerful above the needs of Americans is impacting you.”
Mary Gay Scanlon has represented Pennsylvania’s 5th District since replacing Pat Meehan in 2018. She was born in Watertown, New York in 1959 and currently resides in Swarthmore. Scanlon holds a BA from Colgate University (1980) and earned her JD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1984.
