url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-announces-winner-of-congressional-app-challenge,Congressman Mfume Announces Winner of Congressional App Challenge,2024-12-31,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"BALTIMORE – Today, Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) announced the winner of this year’s Congressional App Challenge for Maryland’s 7th Congressional District. After deliberation by three distinguished judges on Congressman Mfume’s App Competition judging panel, the app and student team that received the highest score was: EcoGoal by Peter Yang and Vivek Raghavan from Gilman School. The winning team consisted of Peter Yang and Vivek Raghavan from Gilman School, for their app, EcoGoal. EcoGoal was designed to help environmental organizations set, organize, and track goals in a private and collaborative space. The EcoGoal team used the programming language JavaScript to develop a web-based app for environmental organizations in particular to have access to a digital chatroom, to-do list, and have the ability to assign other users tasks. This app yields a very powerful communications and planning application that serves many purposes. CLICK HERE to WATCH the EcoGoal team provide a tutorial on their winning app. To view the full application profile for EcoGoal, please CLICK HERE. Mr. Yang and Mr. Raghavan were inspired to create this app after contacting various leaders of clubs in their school community and discovering a common thematic problem with all of them: most of the clubs needed help organizing events, hosting club meetings effectively, and communicating with the student body of their work and goals. ""I was immensely impressed by the variety, creativity, and technological ability demonstrated by all of the submissions my Office received for this year's Congressional App Challenge from Maryland's 7th Congressional District. I applaud Mr. Yang and Mr. Raghavan for ultimately being crowned the winners of this year's 'Challenge,' and I am confident this honor will propel both of these young coders in their journeys to become leaders in computer science, engineering, and other STEM fields,"" said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. Additional Information: Congressional App Challenge The Congressional App Challenge is a way for Members of Congress to encourage middle and high school students to learn to code and to inspire them to pursue careers in computer science. Students have the opportunity to create and submit their original apps for a chance to win the ""Challenge."" The winner of the Congressional App Challenge in Maryland's 7th Congressional District was selected by a panel of judges with technological expertises drawn from local communities. The winning student(s) will have their app displayed on Capitol Hill and on the U.S. House of Representatives Official Website for one year. In addition to having their app displayed, the winning student(s) will also have copyright registration application fees waived through the Artistic Recognition for Talented Students (ARTS) Act. The student(s) will also be invited to the #HouseOfCode celebration. The Congressional App Challenge was created because Congress recognized that STEM and computer-based skills are essential for economic growth and innovation. These are high-paying, high-demand jobs and it’s crucial that the United States invests in our youth now and helps them acquire these valuable skills. Additional information about the Congressional App Challenge can be found by CLICKING HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-passing-former-president-jimmy-carter,Hoyer Statement on the Passing of Former President Jimmy Carter,2024-12-29,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today regarding the passing of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States: “Today, America lost a bold visionary, transformational leader, and dedicated public servant: former President Jimmy Carter. From the halls of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis to the dirt roads of his family peanut farm, the floor of the Georgia State Senate to the Oval Office, President Carter always walked with purpose. I join Americans in every corner of the country in mourning his loss. ""Faith, family, and service defined Jimmy Carter's life. After serving for years in the U.S. Navy, he distinguished himself as a Georgia state legislator and later as governor. His optimism and ability to bring people together propelled him to the White House in 1977. Whether building peace abroad with agreements like the Camp David Accords or laying the groundwork for the renewable energy revolution, he was a president of tremendous vision. ""He accomplished much after his time in the White House as well. From promoting global health, democracy, and human rights through the Carter Center to building houses for Habitat for Humanity, his service never wavered. After the contentious 2000 presidential election revealed deficiencies with our electoral system, for example, I was proud to work with the Carter-Ford Commission to devise and enact the Help America Vote Act, which transformed how we conduct our elections today. ""We will remember Jimmy Carter not only as a former president and groundbreaking humanitarian but also as a man of deep faith, humility, and generosity. Crucially, he was a proud husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. My prayers are with his family during this time of loss. His legacy will forever endure in the lives of those touched by his lifelong commitment to service and in the actions of those he inspired to a higher calling.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-800000-improve-railroad-safety,"Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces $800,000 to Improve Railroad Safety",2024-12-23,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD), and U.S. Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04) announced $800,000 in federal funding to improve safety on railroads and at train crossings across the state. This investment will allow the Maryland Department of Transportation to perform an assessment of incidents on active railways across the state and develop a program designed to reduce injuries and fatalities associated with trespassing on railroad property. Together, these investments will increase the overall safety of the state’s train transit system. “Improving rail safety can both save lives and reduce costly, time consuming delays that impact travelers and commuters. With this funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Maryland will have the tools to do just that. These federal dollars will help our state increase rail safety, prevent tragic incidents, and improve rail service for all,” said the lawmakers. ""Saving lives is MDOT’s top priority and these funds will enable the Department to prioritize high-impact safety projects at highway crossings with railroads and local governments,"" said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. ""We appreciate the continued leadership of Team Maryland in securing this critical funding to further enhance safety in Maryland."" The funds are provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which the lawmakers fought to fund at $5 billion over five years under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/bill-to-rename-fort-mchenry-visitor-and-education-center-after-senator-paul-sarbanes-passes-congress,Bill to Rename Fort McHenry Visitor and Education Center after Senator Paul Sarbanes Passes Congress,2024-12-23,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 6826, legislation designating the Visitor and Education Center at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine as the ""Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center."" This bill was crafted and led in the U.S. House by Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), while Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD) introduced an identical, companion bill in the U.S. Senate. H.R. 6826 is cosponsored by the entire, bipartisan Maryland delegation in the United States House of Representatives who spearheaded its passage in the House on December 3, 2024. With passage of the measure in the Senate, it will be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. “The late Senator Sarbanes was a champion of Fort McHenry, and he firmly believed that the site is critical to understanding and appreciating our national heritage and our national identity,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “I am overjoyed that this bill has been triumphantly passed out of the Congress, and I am thankful for the partnership of the bipartisan, Maryland congressional delegation whose unified front made this bill’s advancement attainable,” he concluded. “Senator Paul Sarbanes was known for his strong commitment to his principles, to public service and to the people of Maryland. He had a long and distinguished career, but he never forgot his Baltimore roots. He saw Fort McHenry as a national treasure in the city and a site worth celebrating. This legislation acknowledges his long-term advocacy for the preservation of the site and the improvement of the visitor experience. He left an indelible mark in the Senate and in Maryland, and the ‘Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center’ at Fort McHenry will be a symbol of his long-standing legacy,” said Senator Ben Cardin. “During his time in the House of Delegates, the U.S. House of Representatives, and as our state’s second-longest serving United States Senator, Paul Sarbanes was a tireless advocate on behalf of all Marylanders. Fort McHenry, a powerful symbol of Maryland’s pride and patriotism, is a fitting place to honor his legacy, and Congress’s passage of this legislation will help pay tribute to all that Paul did for our state and our nation,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen. ""For decades, my family has cherished Fort McHenry's rich history and its tremendous vistas of the Chesapeake Bay. My father, Paul Sarbanes, deeply understood Fort McHenry's role as the beating heart of Baltimore, and he worked tirelessly for many years to lift up and preserve this treasured site,"" said Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD-03). ""Among my father's proudest achievements was securing a new visitor center for the fort to better welcome growing crowds and ensure it remained accessible to all. There is no finer tribute to his legacy than naming the visitor center at Fort McHenry in his honor. The Sarbanes family is deeply grateful to Rep. Mfume for his leadership in the House, to Senator Cardin for his leadership in the Senate, and to the entire bipartisan Maryland delegation for their support in making this possible."" Background: H.R. 6826 H.R. 6826 would name the visitor and education center at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (Fort McHenry) in Baltimore, Maryland, as the ""Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center.'' Fort McHenry is known as the site of the 1814 attack by British troops against 1,000 American soldiers. The resistance of Baltimore's Fort McHenry during bombardment by the Royal Navy inspired the poem ""Defence of Fort M'Henry,"" which later became the lyrics to ""The Star-Spangled Banner,"" our national anthem. The Honorable Paul S. Sarbanes served the State of Maryland in the House of Representatives for six years and in the U.S. Senate for three decades. During his tenure, Senator Sarbanes helped secure funding for construction of the new visitor center at Fort McHenry, increasing capacity and visitor access. Senator Sarbanes worked to introduce numerous bipartisan bills that eventually established the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail as the 26th such trail in our nation. It covers Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland, telling the stories of the events, people, and places that led to the birth of our national anthem. Naming the visitor and education center at Fort McHenry would honor Senator Sarbanes' long history of service to Maryland and his connection with the Fort McHenry site. Read the bill text HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-800000-to-improve-railroad-safety,"Congressman Mfume, Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces $800,000 to Improve Railroad Safety",2024-12-23,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) announced $800,000 in federal funding to improve safety on railroads and at train crossings across the state. This investment will allow the Maryland Department of Transportation to perform an assessment of incidents on active railways across the state and develop a program designed to reduce injuries and fatalities associated with trespassing on railroad property. Together, these investments will increase the overall safety of the state’s train transit system. “Improving rail safety can both save lives and reduce costly, time consuming delays that impact travelers and commuters. With this funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Maryland will have the tools to do just that. These federal dollars will help our state increase rail safety, prevent tragic incidents, and improve rail service for all,” said the lawmakers. ""Saving lives is MDOT’s top priority and these funds will enable the Department to prioritize high-impact safety projects at highway crossings with railroads and local governments,"" said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. ""We appreciate the continued leadership of Team Maryland in securing this critical funding to further enhance safety in Maryland."" The funds are provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which the lawmakers fought to fund at $5 billion over five years under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-cardin-and-van-hollen-bill-to-rename-post-office-in-honor-of-elijah-cummings-passes-congress,"Mfume, Cardin, and Van Hollen Bill to Rename Post Office in Honor of Elijah Cummings Passes Congress",2024-12-23,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, the United States Senate passed legislation (H.R. 9544) to designate a Baltimore United States Post Office (USPS) as the ‘‘United States Representative Elijah E. Cummings Post Office Building."" The bill to rename the post office at 340 South Loudon Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland, in honor of Congressman Cummings will now be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. H.R. 9544 was crafted and led by Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07) in the U.S. House, and the companion legislation to this bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD). Maryland Congressmen Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-02), John Sarbanes (D-MD-03), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), David Trone (D-MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04) all cosponsored the U.S. House legislation when it was introduced. ""Congressman Elijah Cummings was a person of deep intellect, unlimited compassion, and a champion for working people everywhere. This House and our nation still feel his loss, which makes the renaming of this post office in his honor a fitting tribute to our dear friend,"" said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. ""I am elated that this legislation has prevailed out of the Congress. It is a small but important gesture to say thank you to Congressman Elijah Cummings for the work he did, for so many years, for the people of Baltimore and the state of Maryland. Elijah was a trailblazer, consensus builder, peacemaker, and friend. His name and his image will now be a part of this building for all to see,"" he concluded. “Elijah’s talent for building consensus, as well as his work ethic and dedication to his constituents, propelled him early on to positions of leadership. He never for a moment forgot that his purpose was to represent the people back home in his district and to be a voice for the many who were silenced,” said Senator Ben Cardin. “He once said that while it was his ‘constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the executive branch,’ it was his 'moral duty' to fight for his constituents. For this reason and so many others, this is a fitting tribute to our friend and colleague Elijah Cummings and his love for Baltimore and the community he cherished and fought for year after year.” “Congressman Elijah Cummings was a man of principle and dignity. His life was shaped by a commitment to serve others, and nowhere did he work harder to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for all than in his beloved Baltimore community. Congress’s passage of this legislation is an important recognition of all that Elijah did for his city, his state, and his country,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen. “On behalf of the Cummings family, we thank Congressman Mfume and Senators Cardin and Van Hollen for keeping alive the legacy of my father, their friend, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings. We are deeply grateful for all of their work to rename a district post office in recognition of his commitment to public service, including his work on postal issues that came before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee,” said Jennifer Cummings, the late Congressman's eldest daughter upon the legislation's introduction. The introduction of this legislation was an effort in partnership with the Cummings family, who wrote to Congressman Mfume in August 2024. Their letter expressed the Cummings family’s support to honor Congressman Cummings with the renaming of a post office after their father. On November 20, 2024, this bill was passed unanimously by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. On December 4, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill, sending it to the U.S. Senate. The Life of Congressman Elijah E. Cummings Congressman Cummings was born in Baltimore on January 18, 1951. His father worked at a chemical factory and his mother worked at a pickle factory and later as a maid while raising seven children. Both parents came from Southern sharecropping families. Elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1982, Mr. Cummings became the youngest Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus and the first African American elected speaker pro tem by the body, a permanent role in the Maryland House. He served in that chamber for 14 years, during which he worked tirelessly to advance the rights and opportunities of Maryland residents. In 1996, Mr. Cummings won the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives that Congressman Mfume vacated to become NAACP president, launching a 23-year career in Congress during which he advocated on behalf of all people, including lower-income and working-class Americans. Where others saw problems and danger, he saw opportunities and solutions. He advanced measures to improve education, to expand affordable housing, to curb addiction, to enhance public infrastructure, to promote gun safety, and to reform police practices. He worked to erase the racial and class divides that he had grown up with, so that future generations of Baltimoreans would not face the same obstacles he did. Congressman Cummings became Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in 2002, where he pushed to increase funding for public education and the Head Start program. After the tragic death of Freddie Gray, Congressman Cummings went to the streets to ask the citizens of Baltimore to come together and find a peaceful path forward. Then, true to form, he launched into action, pushing hard for policies and programs to help the city recover. As Ranking Member and then Chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Mr. Cummings spearheaded much of the impeachment inquiry of former President Trump, and led probes relating to Trump’s family members serving in the White House. In this role, Congressman Cummings also had jurisdiction over postal issues and led the charge to pass the Postal Service Reform Act to ensure the financial solvency of the U.S. Postal Service until his passing in 2019. A version of the legislation ultimately became law in 2022. He was passionate about rooting out corruption, protecting our democracy, and achieving equality and freedom for all. He fought for what was right, simply because it was right. Read the bill text HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-glenn-ivey-provides-statement-commanders-stadium-plans,Congressman Glenn Ivey Provides Statement on Commanders Stadium Plans,2024-12-22,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Glenn Ivey,I000058,ivey.house.gov,ivey,https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Congressman Glenn Ivey issued the following statement regarding the plans for the Commanders stadium: ""Maryland should have the chance to compete to keep the Commanders here. ""I opposed this bill in the House, and I oppose it today, because federal taxpayers should not be required to subsidize an NFL stadium by offering a 99-year lease of the RFK campus for free. That's not fair to the taxpayers, and it’s not fair to Maryland because it undermines Maryland's chance to compete on a level playing field. ""But we can still win. Our site offers two nearby Metro stations, superior highway access, and a larger campus for parking. Now that the Dan Snyder era is over and the Harris team has brought winning football back to the DMV, a state-of-the-art indoor stadium would jumpstart redevelopment in the area and trigger property appreciation in short order. In addition to the ten games or so the Commanders play, the stadium could be used year-round for events like the Final Four and music concerts. Working closely with the Harris team--which owns much of the land around the stadium--we could create an economic win-win that would benefit the community, the region, the team, and the fans. ""Maryland looks forward to working with the Harris team to make that vision a reality.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-voting-avert-government-shutdown,Hoyer Statement on Voting to Avert a Government Shutdown,2024-12-20,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today after voting on a continuing resolution to fund the government and avert a shutdown: ""Just as it has throughout the 118th Congress, this deeply divided, divisive, and dysfunctional Republican Conference proved incapable of resolving its own manufactured crisis. The only substantive legislation to pass out of the House of Representatives this Congress has done so with Democratic support. Today's Continuing Resolution was no different. After breaking our bipartisan deal at the urging of Donald Trump and Elon Musk, failing to unite their Conference around an alternative, and bringing our nation to the brink of a disruptive and unjustifiable government shutdown, Republicans needed Democrats to step in to ensure our Congress could govern. ""In addition to keeping the government open, I am pleased that we were able to secure longstanding priorities in this legislation. I worked closely with the rest of Team Maryland to ensure this bill included federal funding to cover the full cost of replacing the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The legislation also included vital aid for Americans affected by other disasters across the country, as well as support for our nation's farmers. ""I am glad we averted a shutdown, but it is damning that Republicans brought us so close to one. Democrats have consistently provided the votes to keep the government open and operational for the American people, while House Republicans have consistently used government shutdowns in an attempt to achieve their political ends. Today’s vote was no different, and I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to learn from this experience and work with Democrats during the next Congress to deliver for the American people in a bipartisan way.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-statement-on-avoiding-government-shutdown-and-100-federal-funding-of-key-bridge-rebuild-costs-passing-us-house,Mfume Statement on Avoiding Government Shutdown and 100% Federal Funding of Key Bridge Rebuild Costs Passing U.S. House,2024-12-20,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) issued the following statement regarding inclusion of a provision committing the federal government to cover 100% of the rebuild costs for the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the continuing resolution that was passed by the U.S. House ahead of a December 20, 2024 deadline to avoid a government shutdown. The legislation will now be considered in the U.S. Senate before the midnight deadline to keep the government open. “For nine months, our bipartisan Maryland Congressional Delegation fought constantly to spearhead the Baltimore BRIDGE Relief Act through Congress. The adoption of this bill into the legislation we voted on this evening to keep the government open – and ensure our nation is prepared for its next disaster – makes good on our promise to you, as Baltimoreans and Marylanders everywhere, that the federal government will fully fund the rebuild of our bridge,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “After casting my vote in favor of this legislation, I am reminded of our rallying cry, that we are ‘Maryland Tough, and Baltimore Strong,’” he concluded. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-announces-over-7-million-increase-safety-and-security,Maryland Delegation Announces Over $7 Million to Increase Safety and Security in Places of Worship,2024-12-19,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD), and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04) announced $7,393,350 in federal funding to strengthen security at 50 churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious community centers across Maryland. The awards are provided through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which helps high-risk nonprofits, including faith-based institutions, obtain the resources required to support and integrate preparedness activities with broader state and local efforts. The lawmakers fought to fund the Nonprofit Security Grant Program at $454.5 million through Fiscal Year 2024 annual appropriations, an increase from $305 million in Fiscal Year 2023. “Religious freedom is protected under our Constitution, and every Marylander must be able to worship without fear for their safety,” said the lawmakers. “With threats and attacks against faith communities on the rise, we must not only speak out against those hateful actions – we also must invest in protecting these institutions that support communities across our state. Maryland families can trust that these federal grants will help ensure houses of worship have the resources they need to keep them safe.” A full list of the recipients, selected by DHS, is below: Western Maryland - $968,500 $150,000.00 – Beth Sholom Congregation $150,000.00 – Chabad Lubavitch of Frederick $150,000.00 – Crossroads Apostolic Church $150,000.00 – Heritage Academy, Inc. $148,500.00 – Islamic Society of Frederick $150,000.00 – Islamic Society of Western Maryland $70,000.00 – LaVale Methodist Church Baltimore Area - $4,050,000 $150,000.00 – Adamah, Inc. $150,000.00 – Baldwin Memorial United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Berea Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church $150,000.00 – Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church $150,000.00 – Cedar Grove Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Chabad of West Pikesville $150,000.00 – Chabad-Lubavitch of Maryland Inc. $150,000.00 – Congregation Aish Kodesh, Inc. $150,000.00 – Congregation Ariel Russian Community Synagogue, Inc. $150,000.00 – Congregation Kneseth Israel $150,000.00 – Grace Bible Baptist Church (Main Building) $150,000.00 – Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue, Inc. $150,000.00 – Hope Center DC $150,000.00 – Jewish Community Services $150,000.00 – Keter Torah $150,000.00 – Khosh Family Foundation $150,000.00 – Mosdos Kehal Chassidim - Day Care $150,000.00 – Odenton Baptist Church and Odenton Christian School $150,000.00 – Ohr Menachem Jewish Center Inc. $150,000.00 – St. Ignatius Hickory Roman Catholic Congregation $150,000.00 – St. Michael the Archangel, Overlea, Roman Catholic Congregation Inc. $150,000.00 – St. Stephen Roman Catholic Congregation $150,000.00 – The Greenspring Valley Synagogue and Center (Ner Tamid) $150,000.00 – The Rector Wardens and Vestry St Anne's Parish of Annapolis, Inc. - Preschool $150,000.00 – Third Space at Shaarei Tfiloh $150,000.00 – Union Memorial United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary for Girls, Inc. National Capital Region - $2,239,850 $150,000.00 – Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah $150,000.00 – Chabad of Potomac Village $150,000.00 – Congregation and Talmud Torah B'nai Israel $150,000.00 – Epworth United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Glenmont United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – IMAAM Inc. $149,850.00 – Lutif Ul Lahi (The Kindness and Praise of God) $150,000.00 – Magen David Sephardic $142,000.00 – Metropolitan Baptist Church $150,000.00 – Murugan Temple of North America $150,000.00 – Orthodox Congregation of Silver Spring $150,000.00 – Torah School of Greater Washington $148,000.00 – Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ $150,000.00 – Young Israel Shomrai Emunah of Greater Washington $150,000.00 – Young Israel Shomrai Emunah of GW-Youth House Southern Maryland - $135,000 $135,000.00 – Living Hope First United Pentecostal Church The Department of Homeland Security awarded nearly $724 million in FY 2024 to help prepare against threats and natural disasters. The total amount for each grant program is set by Congress and the allocations are made by the Department.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-members-celebrate-maryland-victories-senate-passage,Maryland Delegation Members Celebrate Maryland Victories in Senate Passage of Bipartisan Water Resources Development Act,2024-12-19,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD), and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04) applauded the Senate passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA 2024), which is the primary authorization for the Civil Works programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and enables their critical work to manage our nation’s water resources. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers works to maintain our ports, harbors, and inland navigation, as well as provide communities with flood and storm protection. “The Maryland Delegation has always fought to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and their efforts to support complex projects that are essential to our state. From working tirelessly to reopen the Port of Baltimore following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to maintaining our shipping channels through frequent dredging and enabling the conservation of the Bay, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plays a critical role here in Maryland. The bill that now heads to the President’s desk includes a wide range of provisions that will enable the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to execute its mission and advance several projects important to Maryland’s economy, environment, and climate resilience,” said the lawmakers. “This legislation supports our long-standing effort to protect our environment and the Bay, restore our oyster population, support the flow of commerce, and boost our economy – which are all vital to the health, safety, and livelihoods of Marylanders.” Key Maryland Wins in WRDA 2024: Feasibility Study for Route 50 in Prince George’s County The bill authorizes a feasibility study for Route 50, a key connector corridor between Washington and Baltimore, that is prone to flooding during extreme storms. Specifically, flooding from Beaverdam Creek can affect both vehicular traffic and CSX and Amtrak rail traffic. The Army Corps feasibility study will help identify potential solutions for mitigating this flooding. Seagirt Loop Channel WRDA 2024 authorizes $53.8 million in federal funding for deepening the federal channel at Seagirt Marine Terminal. Seagirt is the Port of Baltimore’s main container terminal, handling 97 percent of its container volume. This project proposes to further widen and deepen (to a 50-foot depth) a channel near the terminal so that large container vessels can more efficiently and safely enter and depart the terminal. Small Waterways and Community Harbors WRDA 2024 builds off a provision Senator Cardin secured in WRDA 2022 to support maintenance dredging of small harbors and channels. These projects are critical for sustaining working waterfronts, recreation, and tourism, but do not easily rise to the top of the Army Corp’s list of priority projects. WRDA 2024 continues to push the Corps to capture the full range of benefits these harbors deliver to Chesapeake Bay communities, including the beneficial use of dredged material for ecosystem restoration, in their project decisions. In addition, the legislation includes a Sense of Congress that states shallow draft dredging in the Chesapeake Bay is critical for tourism, recreation, and the fishing industry, and that additional dredging is needed. It encourages the Army Corps to use existing statutory authorities to address the dredging needs at small harbors and channels in the Chesapeake Bay. Oyster Program Authorization Increase WRDA 2024 increases the program authorization for oyster restoration to $120 million. The Army Corps’ program for oyster restoration (“704b”) has completed important work in Maryland tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay including in Harris Creek and the Tred Avon River. Baltimore Coastal Storm Risk Management Projects WRDA 2024 authorizes $51.4 million in federal funding for USACE to implement coastal storm risk mitigation measures for Baltimore City as recommended in the Baltimore Coastal Storm Risk Management Study. In addition to coastal storm risk, the bill also recognizes the riverine flooding challenges that the Baltimore region faces by authorizing a new feasibility study on inland flooding risk in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Feasibility Study for Coastal Highway (Route 528) The bill authorizes a feasibility study for Route 528 near Ocean City, Maryland. The route follows the Atlantic Coast and is highly vulnerable to damage from erosion, flooding, and waves caused by coastal storms. The Army Corps-partnered study will help identify measures to help protect public infrastructure as well as lives and property and ensure access in times of emergency.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-announces-over-7-million-increase-safety-and-security,Maryland Delegation Announces Over $7 Million to Increase Safety and Security in Places of Worship,2024-12-19,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Glenn Ivey,I000058,ivey.house.gov,ivey,https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) today announced $7,393,350 in federal funding to strengthen security at 50 churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious community centers across Maryland. The awards are provided through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which helps high-risk nonprofits, including faith-based institutions, obtain the resources required to support and integrate preparedness activities with broader state and local efforts. The lawmakers fought to fund the Nonprofit Security Grant Program at $454.5 million through Fiscal Year 2024 annual appropriations, an increase from $305 million in Fiscal Year 2023. “Religious freedom is protected under our Constitution, and every Marylander must be able to worship without fear for their safety,” said the lawmakers. “With threats and attacks against faith communities on the rise, we must not only speak out against those hateful actions – we also must invest in protecting these institutions that support communities across our state. Maryland families can trust that these federal grants will help ensure houses of worship have the resources they need to keep them safe.” A full list of the recipients, selected by DHS, is below: Western Maryland - $968,500 $150,000.00 – Beth Sholom Congregation $150,000.00 – Chabad Lubavitch of Frederick $150,000.00 – Crossroads Apostolic Church $150,000.00 – Heritage Academy, Inc. $148,500.00 – Islamic Society of Frederick $150,000.00 – Islamic Society of Western Maryland $70,000.00 – LaVale Methodist Church Baltimore Area - $4,050,000 $150,000.00 – Adamah, Inc. $150,000.00 – Baldwin Memorial United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Berea Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church $150,000.00 – Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church $150,000.00 – Cedar Grove Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Chabad of West Pikesville $150,000.00 – Chabad-Lubavitch of Maryland Inc. $150,000.00 – Congregation Aish Kodesh, Inc. $150,000.00 – Congregation Ariel Russian Community Synagogue, Inc. $150,000.00 – Congregation Kneseth Israel $150,000.00 – Grace Bible Baptist Church (Main Building) $150,000.00 – Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue, Inc. $150,000.00 – Hope Center DC $150,000.00 – Jewish Community Services $150,000.00 – Keter Torah $150,000.00 – Khosh Family Foundation $150,000.00 – Mosdos Kehal Chassidim - Day Care $150,000.00 – Odenton Baptist Church and Odenton Christian School $150,000.00 – Ohr Menachem Jewish Center Inc. $150,000.00 – St. Ignatius Hickory Roman Catholic Congregation $150,000.00 – St. Michael the Archangel, Overlea, Roman Catholic Congregation Inc. $150,000.00 – St. Stephen Roman Catholic Congregation $150,000.00 – The Greenspring Valley Synagogue and Center (Ner Tamid) $150,000.00 – The Rector Wardens and Vestry St Anne's Parish of Annapolis, Inc. - Preschool $150,000.00 – Third Space at Shaarei Tfiloh $150,000.00 – Union Memorial United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary for Girls, Inc. National Capital Region - $2,239,850 $150,000.00 – Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah $150,000.00 – Chabad of Potomac Village $150,000.00 – Congregation and Talmud Torah B'nai Israel $150,000.00 – Epworth United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Glenmont United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – IMAAM Inc. $149,850.00 – Lutif Ul Lahi (The Kindness and Praise of God) $150,000.00 – Magen David Sephardic $142,000.00 – Metropolitan Baptist Church $150,000.00 – Murugan Temple of North America $150,000.00 – Orthodox Congregation of Silver Spring $150,000.00 – Torah School of Greater Washington $148,000.00 – Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ $150,000.00 – Young Israel Shomrai Emunah of Greater Washington $150,000.00 – Young Israel Shomrai Emunah of GW-Youth House Southern Maryland - $135,000 $135,000.00 – Living Hope First United Pentecostal Church The Department of Homeland Security awarded nearly $724 million in FY 2024 to help prepare against threats and natural disasters. The total amount for each grant program is set by Congress and the allocations are made by the Department. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-maryland-delegation-announces-over-7-million-to-increase-safety-and-security-in-places-of-worship,"Congressman Mfume, Maryland Delegation Announces Over $7 Million to Increase Safety and Security in Places of Worship",2024-12-19,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) today announced $7,393,350 in federal funding to strengthen security at 50 churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious community centers across Maryland. The awards are provided through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which helps high-risk nonprofits, including faith-based institutions, obtain the resources required to support and integrate preparedness activities with broader state and local efforts.The lawmakers fought to fund the Nonprofit Security Grant Program at $454.5 million through Fiscal Year 2024 annual appropriations, an increase from $305 million in Fiscal Year 2023. “Religious freedom is protected under our Constitution, and every Marylander must be able to worship without fear for their safety,” said the lawmakers. “With threats and attacks against faith communities on the rise, we must not only speak out against those hateful actions – we also must invest in protecting these institutions that support communities across our state. Maryland families can trust that these federal grants will help ensure houses of worship have the resources they need to keep them safe.” A full list of the recipients, selected by DHS, is below: Western Maryland - $968,500 $150,000.00 – Beth Sholom Congregation $150,000.00 – Chabad Lubavitch of Frederick $150,000.00 – Crossroads Apostolic Church $150,000.00 – Heritage Academy, Inc. $148,500.00 – Islamic Society of Frederick $150,000.00 – Islamic Society of Western Maryland $70,000.00 – LaVale Methodist Church Baltimore Area - $4,050,000 $150,000.00 – Adamah, Inc. $150,000.00 – Baldwin Memorial United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Berea Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church $150,000.00 – Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church $150,000.00 – Cedar Grove Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Chabad of West Pikesville $150,000.00 – Chabad-Lubavitch of Maryland Inc. $150,000.00 – Congregation Aish Kodesh, Inc. $150,000.00 – Congregation Ariel Russian Community Synagogue, Inc. $150,000.00 – Congregation Kneseth Israel $150,000.00 – Grace Bible Baptist Church (Main Building) $150,000.00 – Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue, Inc. $150,000.00 – Hope Center DC $150,000.00 – Jewish Community Services $150,000.00 – Keter Torah $150,000.00 – Khosh Family Foundation $150,000.00 – Mosdos Kehal Chassidim - Day Care $150,000.00 – Odenton Baptist Church and Odenton Christian School $150,000.00 – Ohr Menachem Jewish Center Inc. $150,000.00 – St. Ignatius Hickory Roman Catholic Congregation $150,000.00 – St. Michael the Archangel, Overlea, Roman Catholic Congregation Inc. $150,000.00 – St. Stephen Roman Catholic Congregation $150,000.00 – The Greenspring Valley Synagogue and Center (Ner Tamid) $150,000.00 – The Rector Wardens and Vestry St Anne's Parish of Annapolis, Inc. - Preschool $150,000.00 – Third Space at Shaarei Tfiloh $150,000.00 – Union Memorial United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary for Girls, Inc. National Capital Region - $2,239,850 $150,000.00 – Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah $150,000.00 – Chabad of Potomac Village $150,000.00 – Congregation and Talmud Torah B'nai Israel $150,000.00 – Epworth United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – Glenmont United Methodist Church $150,000.00 – IMAAM Inc. $149,850.00 – Lutif Ul Lahi (The Kindness and Praise of God) $150,000.00 – Magen David Sephardic $142,000.00 – Metropolitan Baptist Church $150,000.00 – Murugan Temple of North America $150,000.00 – Orthodox Congregation of Silver Spring $150,000.00 – Torah School of Greater Washington $148,000.00 – Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ $150,000.00 – Young Israel Shomrai Emunah of Greater Washington $150,000.00 – Young Israel Shomrai Emunah of GW-Youth House Southern Maryland - $135,000 $135,000.00 – Living Hope First United Pentecostal Church The Department of Homeland Security awarded nearly $724 million in FY 2024 to help prepare against threats and natural disasters. The total amount for each grant program is set by Congress and the allocations are made by the Department. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-maryland-delegation-members-celebrate-maryland-victories-in-senate-passage-of-bipartisan-water-resources-development-act,"Congressman Mfume, Maryland Delegation Members Celebrate Maryland Victories in Senate Passage of Bipartisan Water Resources Development Act",2024-12-19,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) today applauded the Senate passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA 2024), which is the primary authorization for the Civil Works programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and enables their critical work to manage our nation’s water resources. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers works to maintain our ports, harbors, and inland navigation, as well as provide communities with flood and storm protection. “The Maryland Delegation has always fought to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and their efforts to support complex projects that are essential to our state. From working tirelessly to reopen the Port of Baltimore following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to maintaining our shipping channels through frequent dredging and enabling the conservation of the Bay, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plays a critical role here in Maryland. The bill that now heads to the President’s desk includes a wide range of provisions that will enable the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to execute its mission and advance several projects important to Maryland’s economy, environment, and climate resilience,” said the lawmakers. “This legislation supports our long-standing effort to protect our environment and the Bay, restore our oyster population, support the flow of commerce and boost our economy – which are all vital to the health, safety, and livelihoods of Marylanders.” Key Maryland Wins in WRDA 2024: Seagirt Loop Channel WRDA 2024 authorizes $53.8 million in federal funding for deepening the federal channel at Seagirt Marine Terminal. Seagirt is the Port of Baltimore’s main container terminal, handling 97 percent of its container volume. This project proposes to further widen and deepen (to a 50-foot depth) a channel near the terminal so that large container vessels can more efficiently and safely enter and depart the terminal. Oyster Program Authorization Increase WRDA 2024 increases the program authorization for oyster restoration to $120 million. The Army Corps’ program for oyster restoration (“704b”) has completed important work in Maryland tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay including in Harris Creek and the Tred Avon River. Small Waterways and Community Harbors WRDA 2024 builds off a provision Senator Cardin secured in WRDA 2022 to support maintenance dredging of small harbors and channels. These projects are critical for sustaining working waterfronts, recreation, and tourism, but do not easily rise to the top of the Army Corp’s list of priority projects. WRDA 2024 continues to push the Corps to capture the full range of benefits these harbors deliver to Chesapeake Bay communities, including the beneficial use of dredged material for ecosystem restoration, in their project decisions. In addition, the legislation includes a Sense of Congress that states shallow draft dredging in the Chesapeake Bay is critical for tourism, recreation, and the fishing industry, and that additional dredging is needed. It encourages the Army Corps to use existing statutory authorities to address the dredging needs at small harbors and channels in the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore Coastal Storm Risk Management Projects WRDA 2024 authorizes $51.4 million in federal funding for USACE to implement coastal storm risk mitigation measures for Baltimore City as recommended in the Baltimore Coastal Storm Risk Management Study. In addition to coastal storm risk, the bill also recognizes the riverine flooding challenges that the Baltimore region faces by authorizing a new feasibility study on inland flooding risk in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Feasibility Study for Coastal Highway (Route 528) The bill authorizes a feasibility study for Route 528 near Ocean City, Maryland. The route follows the Atlantic Coast and is highly vulnerable to damage from erosion, flooding, and waves caused by coastal storms. The Army Corps-partnered study will help identify measures to help protect public infrastructure as well as lives and property and ensure access in times of emergency. Feasibility Study for Route 50 in Prince George’s County The bill authorizes a feasibility study for Route 50, a key connector corridor between Washington and Baltimore, that is prone to flooding during extreme storms. Specifically, flooding from Beaverdam Creek can affect both vehicular traffic and CSX and Amtrak rail traffic. The Army Corps feasibility study will help identify potential solutions for mitigating this flooding. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-andy-harris-and-sen-rick-scott-lead-bicameral-press-conference,Congressman Andy Harris and Sen. Rick Scott to Lead Bicameral Press Conference Supporting Two-Step Reconciliation Process,2024-12-18,2024,2024-12,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris and Senator Rick Scott will lead a press conference with their Senate and House Republican colleagues supporting a two-step reconciliation strategy in the 119th Congress. WHAT: House Freedom Caucus and Senate Republicans press conference on budget reconciliation in the 119th Congress WHO: Congressman Andy Harris, Senator Rick Scott, and Senate and House Colleagues. WHEN: Wednesday, December 18th 2:15PM WHERE: RTV Gallery (S-325) NOTE: Credentialed media may RSVP to press@rickscott.senate.gov to attend.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-andy-harris-and-senator-rick-scott-lead-letter-senate-republican,Congressman Andy Harris and Senator Rick Scott Lead Letter To Senate Republican Leader-Elect Thune and Speaker Johnson On The Need To Prioritize The Prompt Passage Of A Border Security Reconciliation Bill In The 119th Congress,2024-12-18,2024,2024-12,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD) and Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) sent a letter to Senate Republican Leader-Elect John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson on the need to prioritize the prompt passage of a border security-focused reconciliation bill at the beginning of the 119th Congress. “Following President Trump’s decisive victory,” the lawmakers wrote, “House and Senate Republicans now have a responsibility to do everything we can to help the President fulfill the promises he made to the American people. One of those promises was to secure our borders and restore the integrity of our nation’s immigration system after four years of President Biden’s open border policies. That is why we believe it is critical that we prioritize the prompt passage of a border security focused reconciliation bill.” The lawmakers go on to write that the first reconciliation bill introduced in the 119th session should provide four years of funding to: Complete and strengthen the border wall started during President Trump’s first term as President. Hire thousands of additional Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in order to effectively secure the border and apprehend and remove migrants who have entered the U.S. illegally. Ensure a substantial increase in the number of ICE and CBP detention and short-term holding facilities. Encourage self-deportation by imposing significant financial penalties on aliens illegally in the United States. Limit, and in most instances eliminate, a non-citizen’s ability to apply for and receive taxpayer-funded welfare benefits. Not only be fully offset with real mandatory spending cuts – not relying on spending reductions that President Trump will make through executive action – but also achieve deficit reduction with additional spending cuts at a level the conferences require and are realistic for passage. The first reconciliation bill should also: The lawmakers continue, “The second budget reconciliation should primarily be focused on preventing the massive tax increase that automatically takes effect on January 1, 2026.” While there are many details to be worked out, the lawmakers conclude, “We are committed to helping both of you gain the support and passage of these budget reconciliation packages in the House and Senate.” To read the full letter, please click HERE. The letter was signed by Congressman Andy Biggs, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, Congressman Josh Brecheen, Congressman Eric Burlison, Congressman Michael Cloud, Congressman Andrew Clyde, Congressman Eli Crane, Congressman Byron Donalds, Congressman Russ Fulcher, Congressman Bob Good, Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., Congressman Clay Higgins, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, Congresswoman Mary Miller, Congressman Barry Moore, Congressman Ralph Norman, Congressman Andy Ogles, Congressman Scott Perry, Congressman Bill Posey, Congressman Chip Roy, Congressman Tom Tiffany, and Congressman Keith Self. In the Senate, the letter was signed by Senator Rick Scott, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Senator Ron Johnson, Senator Tedd Budd, Senator Lindsey Graham, and Senator Roger Marshall.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-andy-harris-issues-statement-response-worcester-county,Congressman Andy Harris Issues Statement In Response To Worcester County Commissioners announcing plans to use eminent domain to prevent US Wind from purchasing two seafood wholesale properties in West Ocean City’s Commercial Maritime Harbor.,2024-12-18,2024,2024-12,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., released the following statement in response to Worcester County Commissioners announcing plans to use eminent domain to prevent US Wind from purchasing two seafood wholesale properties in West Ocean City’s Commercial Maritime Harbor. The statement comes as US Wind’s parent company, Renexia SpA, is looking to demolish the harbor’s only commercial seafood wholesalers, Southern Connection Seafood and the Martin Fish Company. Statement From Congressman Harris: “I applaud the Worcester County Commissioners for taking the necessary action to save their historic commercial fishing harbor and keeping it from being demolished by US Wind, a foreign owned, US taxpayer subsidized, multi-billion-dollar corporation. I look forward to working with President Trump to end all offshore wind development when he is back in office.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://raskin.house.gov/2024/12/raskin-salinas-introduce-legislation-to-ban-gambling-on-u-s-elections,"Raskin, Salinas Introduce Legislation to Ban Gambling on U.S. Elections",2024-12-18,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,raskin,https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC — Today, Representatives Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Andrea Salinas (OR-06) introduced the Ban Gambling on Elections Act to prohibit betting on U.S. elections. The bill is the House companion to Senator Jeff Merkley’s (D-OR) legislation in the Senate. The legislation would amend the Commodity Exchange Act—a law that regulates the trading of commodities and futures in the U.S.—to prohibit political election wagering of any kind. “With distrust in our electoral system at an all-time high, we must crack down on gambling in all U.S. elections,” said Rep. Raskin. “Our democracy demands reliable and transparent processes to cast ballots and tally results, not a horserace clouded by gambling odds and bets placed. I am proud to go all-in with Congresswoman Salinas and Senator Merkley in calling on Congress to ante up and pass this commonsense legislation.” “Elections betting sets a dangerous precedent, incentivizing bad actors to try and influence or interfere with our elections systems. We cannot play roulette with our democracy by allowing this kind of wagering without a thorough accounting of the potential consequences,” said Rep. Salinas. “That is why I am proud to introduce legislation with Congressman Raskin and Senator Merkley that would ban individuals from gambling on our elections. I will also continue working to provide more federal resources for gambling addiction treatment and research. While sports betting and online gambling have become permanent forms of American entertainment, we must acknowledge and help mitigate the harm caused by related addictions.” “Betting on elections degrades them from an investment in leadership to a profit-maximizing game,” said Sen. Merkley. ""In addition, this practice is corrupt since those betting can influence the outcome by funding late-cycle smear campaigns. It’s like betting on a baseball game when you control the umpire. It’s a great step forward to have House leaders like Rep. Raskin and Congresswoman Salinas take on this fight.” ""Gambling on elections is a bad bet,” said Craig Holman, Ph.D., of Public Citizen. “Elections should never be viewed as simple games on which to wager for personal financial gain. At a time when the public’s confidence in the integrity of elections is dispiritingly low, widespread gambling threatens to further undermine confidence in the validity of election outcomes."" “Voting is the foundation of democracy and gambling should have no place in the process where the American people choose their leaders,” said Dennis Kelleher, Co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Better Markets.” Betting hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars on elections will incentivize manipulation and interference while undermining Americans’ faith and trust in elections. Gamblers also should not be allowed to unleash gambling on American elections by sneaking it in through the back door of the CFTC, which has no expertise, experience, or ability to regulate or police election gambling. It will also distract the CFTC from its vital public mission of protecting the commodities markets, which all Americans rely on for everything from cereal and bread to oil and gas. We applaud Reps. Raskin & Salinas for sponsoring this commonsense legislation to protect democracy and the public interest.” Rep. Raskin backed previous efforts to ban gambling on U.S. elections, including calling on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to enforce an outright ban on elections gambling and urging the CFTC to deny a private company’s request to allow individuals to place bets on party control of Congress for a given term. Betting on elections is not a small problem. At least $930 million was wagered on the 2024 election, across two major betting platforms, including bets on the outcome of the presidential contest and House and Senate races, according to a report. Other brokerages and websites offered gambling on outcomes of the 2024 election but did not immediately disclose the total money users put at stake. The full text of the legislation can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://raskin.house.gov/2024/12/rep-jamie-raskin-to-lead-democrats-on-house-judiciary-committee,Rep. Jamie Raskin to Lead Democrats on House Judiciary Committee,2024-12-18,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,raskin,https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) was elected Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee for the 119th Congress. He first received the endorsement of House Democrats’ Steering and Policy Committee and was then elected by unanimous vote of the House Democratic Caucus. “I am honored that my colleagues have placed their faith in me to lead Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee in the 119th Congress,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin. “I’m ready to mobilize our extraordinary members of the Judiciary Committee to defend American freedom, democratic institutions and the rule of law.” “As Democrats, our historic assignment now is to stand in the breach to advance the legislation, amendments and arguments that will block a further descent into MAGA chaos. Democrats need to maintain the integrity of our Constitutional order to advance a positive agenda for the common good.” Rep. Raskin continued. “I want to reiterate my profound admiration for my predecessor, Rep. Jerry Nadler, for his extraordinary Committee and Caucus leadership, and thank him for his endorsement of my candidacy,” added Rep. Raskin. “He is a great lawyer, patriot and public servant, and I look forward to working with him in all the battles ahead.” Rep. Raskin served on the House Judiciary Committee for six years, including as the Vice Ranking Member in the 115th Congress. In the 118th Congress, Rep. Raskin served as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, leading opposition to Chair Comer and the House GOP’s impeachment drive against President Joe Biden. He also served as the lead House impeachment manager in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump and on the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-398000-support-environmental,"Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces $398,000 to Support Environmental, Historical Conservation of the Chesapeake Bay",2024-12-17,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"December 17, 2024 WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD), and U.S. Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04) announced $398,000 in federal funding to support five Maryland-based projects focused on environmental, cultural, and historical conservation efforts within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. “The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure and plays a central role in Maryland’s rich history. These federal investments will help protect the Bay and provide Maryland residents and visitors alike with new opportunities to explore the watershed's natural beauty while honoring the cultural heritage that has shaped our region,” said the lawmakers. The federal grants have been awarded as follows: $150,000 to Anacostia Watershed Society to expand its volunteer program, which is working to restore 20 acres of native forest and wetland habitat across the Anacostia Watershed, as well as train and deploy community members to become citizen scientists. $25,000 to Baltimore Heritage to develop a public boat tour of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor that connects diverse stories and history to ecology, launch a companion interactive virtual map, and hold public service stream clean-ups with guided history walks. $124,000 to Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation to create and implement a plan to build an education center at the new Elktonia Heritage Park. $49,000 to the Maryland Humanities Council to develop and implement a workshop series, provide online resources, and coordinate a conference aimed at amplifying the work of Maryland-based organizations, communities, and humanities experts. $50,000 to Nature Forward to collect stories from local underrepresented communities within eight tributary streams in the Washington D.C. region and correlate them with relevant stream health data to highlight the interconnectedness of human activities with the environment and inspire action for conservation. These federal awards are provided through the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay Gateways Grants Assistance Program. The lawmakers fought to reauthorize the program at $3 million annually for five years through the America's Conservation Enhancement Act, signed into law in 2020, and are currently working to reauthorize the program again for fiscal years 2026-2030.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-398000-to-support-environmental-historical-conservation-of-the-chesapeake-bay,"Congressman Mfume, Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces $398,000 to Support Environmental, Historical Conservation of the Chesapeake Bay",2024-12-17,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md) announced $398,000 in federal funding to support five Maryland-based projects focused on environmental, cultural, and historical conservation efforts within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. “The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure and plays a central role in Maryland’s rich history. These federal investments will help protect the Bay and provide Maryland residents and visitors alike with new opportunities to explore the watershed's natural beauty while honoring the cultural heritage that has shaped our region,” said the lawmakers. The federal grants have been awarded as follows: $150,000 to Anacostia Watershed Society to expand its volunteer program, which is working to restore 20 acres of native forest and wetland habitat across the Anacostia Watershed, as well as train and deploy community members to become citizen scientists. $25,000 to Baltimore Heritage to develop a public boat tour of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor that connects diverse stories and history to ecology, launch a companion interactive virtual map, and hold public service stream clean-ups with guided history walks. $124,000 to Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation to create and implement a plan to build an education center at the new Elktonia Heritage Park. $49,000 to the Maryland Humanities Council to develop and implement a workshop series, provide online resources, and coordinate a conferenceaimed at amplifying the work of Maryland-based organizations, communities, and humanities experts. $50,000 to Nature Forward to collect stories from local underrepresented communities within eight tributary streams in the Washington D.C. region and correlate them with relevant stream health data to highlight the interconnectedness of human activities with the environment and inspire action for conservation. These federal awards are provided through the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay Gateways Grants Assistance Program. The lawmakers fought to reauthorize the program at $3 million annually for five years through the America's Conservation Enhancement Act, signed into law in 2020, and are currently working to reauthorize the program again for fiscal years 2026-2030. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-statement-on-100-federal-funding-of-key-bridge-rebuild-costs,Mfume Statement on 100% Federal Funding of Key Bridge Rebuild Costs,2024-12-17,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) issued the following statement regarding inclusion of a provision committing the federal government to cover 100% of the rebuild costs for the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the continuing resolution that will be considered by the U.S. House and Senate ahead of a December 20, 2024 deadline to avoid a government shutdown. “This has been a nine-month fight to make sure that Baltimore City and Baltimore County are made whole again. And now, we are able to secure the full funding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild which the Congress will vote on in the next 48 hours – this means so much to all of us throughout the state and in particular the residents of Dundalk and Turner Station, our hardworking longshoremen, commuters, and small businesses throughout Maryland that rely on the bridge and the waterway,"" said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. ""Working alongside Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and the entire Maryland Congressional Delegation, this was a true, bipartisan effort across both chambers of Congress,” he concluded.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-statement-on-100-federal-funding-of-key-bridge-rebuild-costs-0,Mfume Statement on 100% Federal Funding of Key Bridge Rebuild Costs,2024-12-17,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) issued the following statement regarding inclusion of a provision committing the federal government to cover 100% of the rebuild costs for the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the continuing resolution that will be considered by the U.S. House and Senate ahead of a December 20, 2024 deadline to avoid a government shutdown. “This has been a nine-month fight to make sure that Baltimore City and Baltimore County are made whole again. And now, we are able to secure the full funding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild which the Congress will vote on in the next 48 hours – this means so much to all of us throughout the state and in particular the residents of Dundalk and Turner Station, our hardworking longshoremen, commuters, and small businesses throughout Maryland that rely on the bridge and the waterway,"" said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. ""Working alongside Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and the entire Maryland Congressional Delegation, this was a true, bipartisan effort across both chambers of Congress,” he concluded. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-joins-team-maryland-and-governor-moore-announce-federal-funding-maryland,Hoyer Joins Team Maryland and Governor Moore to Announce Federal Funding for Maryland DefTech Center,2024-12-16,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) recently joined U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD) and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04), and Governor Wes Moore to announce that the Maryland Department of Commerce, in collaboration with the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), are once again joining forces to expand Maryland's Defense Technology Commercialization Center (DefTech). The expansion of the program was made possible through a $585,463 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation and matching funds totaling $183,338 from the Maryland Department of Commerce and TEDCO. ""Maryland is home to some of the best federal and defense assets in the nation. In partnership, we are leveraging these extraordinary institutions to drive economic growth, invest in innovation, and support Maryland entrepreneurs,” said Governor Wes Moore. ""Making Maryland more competitive means ensuring we have a clear strategy to match our rich assets. Today, we write the next chapter in that critical work – and our state is going to be better because of it.” “Maryland is proud to leverage our unique federal assets and partner with the Department of Defense to spur innovation, entrepreneurship, and educational opportunities. Federal grants like this are critical to helping startup companies develop innovative tools for our service members to defend our nation. The Maryland congressional delegation, Team Maryland, will continue to partner with the Department of Defense and Department of Commerce to secure federal investments in our state’s small businesses and our national security. Maryland is a great place to live and work and programs such as this will continue to support our defense industrial base,” said the lawmakers, U.S. Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD), and U.S. Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04). Established in 2018, Maryland’s DefTech Center connects startups and entrepreneurs to federal resources or laboratories for further development of commercial products. DefTech was founded to aid economic growth by encouraging small businesses to utilize federal lab and defense resources to develop a product for non-federal commercial market or government consumption, otherwise known as technology transfer. “Through the DefTech program, dozens of start-ups and entrepreneurs have been given the opportunity to explore pathways of transferring defense technologies into the government and commercial markets,” said Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Kevin Anderson. ""The continuation and expansion of this program across our state directly taps into the growth of Maryland’s innovation-based economy while bolstering our ties with the defense industry.” With the new grant, the DefTech Center seeks to support 30 active client startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses with technology transfer and commercialization opportunities. As active members, companies of the DefTech program gain access to the DefTech Academy, an education and training program informing on key topics relevant to working with federal labs; information on research and funding opportunities; introductions to federal lab personnel; and more.​",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-and-sessions-send-bipartisan-letter-requesting-gao-to-review-persistent-issues-with-dod-s-vetting-system,Mfume and Sessions Send Bipartisan Letter Requesting GAO to Review Persistent Issues with DOD’s Vetting System,2024-12-16,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. —Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce Ranking Member Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) and Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) continue their bipartisan oversight of the Department of Defense’s personnel vetting practices. The lawmakers remain concerned about delays and issues with the National Background Investigation Service (NBIS) program. In a letter to the U.S. Government and Accountability Office (GAO) Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro, they requested a GAO review of NBIS citing longstanding concerns about missed deadlines and cost overruns associated with developing a modernized security clearance vetting system that facilitates appropriate and secure access to our nation’s most sensitive materials. “The Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce remains concerned with the status of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) personnel vetting practices, especially given the ongoing problems with the National Background Investigation Service (NBIS) program, overseen by DOD’s Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA),” wrote the lawmakers. “We are further concerned that national security personnel are not undergoing all required record checks, non-sensitive personnel have not been enrolled in a continuous vetting system, and there are indications that there are challenges implementing continuous vetting across the federal government.” In 2015, cybersecurity incidents on information technology (IT) systems that supported personnel vetting compromised the data of more than 22 million federal employees and contractor personnel. Subsequently, DOD established NBIS to replace and improve upon the compromised IT systems. However, GAO has repeatedly reported on significant delays with NBIS’ system and included the government-wide personnel security clearance process on its High-Risk List. In June 2024, the Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce held a hearing to examine how DOD has fallen short in its mission to modernize the IT infrastructure of NBIS . At the hearing, lawmakers expressed bipartisan concern about the continued delays with the NBIS system and potential cascading effects on our nation’s national security. “Continuous vetting involves reviewing the background of a covered individual through automated record checks in various areas, including criminal records, terrorism, and financial issues, during an individual’s period of eligibility. Unfortunately, these changes have not occurred as planned due to continued NBIS delays,” continued the lawmakers in their letter to GAO. “Given the importance of a timely, accurate and comprehensive personnel vetting process, we request that GAO conduct a review on continued NBIS development and continuous vetting.” Read the letter to Comptroller General Dodaro here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:07:19Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/low-interest-sba-disaster-loans-available-maryland-businesses-hit-recent,Low-Interest SBA Disaster Loans Available for Maryland Businesses Hit by Recent Heatwaves,2024-12-13,2024,2024-12,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are available in Maryland for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations with economic losses due to the drought and excessive heat that began on June 6 through Oct. 22. The declaration includes the primary county of Talbot, and the adjacent counties of Caroline, Dorchester, and Queen Anne's in Maryland. Under this declaration, the SBA’s EIDL program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. Apart from aquaculture enterprises, SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, and ranchers. Nurseries are eligible to apply for economic injury disaster loans for losses caused by drought conditions. The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates of 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for private nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. Eligibility is based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding. To apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than July 28, 2025.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://raskin.house.gov/2024/12/raskin-names-winners-of-2024-md-08-congressional-app-challenge-during-computer-science-education-week,Raskin Names Winners of 2024 MD-08 Congressional App Challenge During Computer Science Education Week,2024-12-13,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,raskin,https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Jamie Raskin (MD-08) announced that Ayden Yeung of Wheaton High School and Julian Givens of Montgomery Blair High School have won MD-08’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge with ‘Better Buildings,’ an app that helps students, faculty and staff report problems with school facilities, bridging the gap between campus communities and administrators to maintain safer, cleaner and more functional school environments. The announcement comes during Computer Science Education Week, an annual recognition of efforts to strengthen computer science education and technology literacy nationwide. “Ayden and Julian didn’t just create a stellar app, they solved a problem, better connecting campus communities to their administrative leaders,” said Rep. Raskin. “I’m grateful to them and to all the students who participated in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for their tenacious creativity and vision. MD-08 proudly boasts numerous young tech talents who are already making a mark in our community and in our world. Congratulations, Julian and Ayden, you make our future bright.” Better Buildings allows students to report problems in their school‚ like leaky faucets, broken stall doors, or missing hygiene items, directly to administrators, promoting quicker resolutions and clearer communications on repairs. When students submit a report to Better Buildings, they are prompted to select the relevant issue area and can make edits to their reports in real time, before the job is completed. Students can also upvote and engage with other reports on the site and reflect community input to administrators. Administrators can track needed repairs and communicate progress to students in a direct and transparent way. The Congressional App Challenge began in 2014 as an effort to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and to encourage students to learn coding and computer science skills. Students in participating congressional districts compete against their peers by creating original software applications (“apps”). Winning apps are featured on the U.S. House of Representatives' website, the Congressional App Challenge website, and are displayed in a U.S. Capitol Building exhibit. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-over-31-million-support-use-low,Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Over $31 Million to Support Use of Low-Carbon Construction for MDOT,2024-12-12,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC –U.S. Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD), and U.S. Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04) recently announced $31,933,577 in federal funding to support the use of low-carbon materials in federally funded construction projects statewide. Incorporating the use of low-carbon materials in construction will help reduce pollution while supporting the continued growth of America’s clean manufacturing sector. “The Inflation Reduction Act is the single largest investment we've made in fighting the climate crisis – and it is powering projects like these that will help support a burgeoning low-carbon construction material market cut emissions throughout the state, create jobs, and build a better, healthier future for our communities,” said the lawmakers. “Having a world-class transportation system includes using and investing in materials that are better for the environment and create green jobs. This is another example of MDOT leading the way to reduce carbon emissions and support the state’s climate goals,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “Thank you to Maryland’s fantastic federal delegation for helping secure this grant.” The funds are provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Low-Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM) Program, which the lawmakers fought to create and fund at $2 billion under the Inflation Reduction Act.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-kaine-warner-lead-bicameral-letter-calling-pay-parity-federal-civilian,"Hoyer, Kaine, Warner Lead Bicameral Letter Calling for Pay Parity for Federal Civilian Employees",2024-12-11,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD-05) and U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner (both D-VA) led a bicameral letter calling for pay parity for federal civilian employees. President Joe Biden’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2025 includes a 4.5% pay raise for military personnel and a 2% pay raise for federal civilian employees. In the lawmakers’ letter to the President, they request that he submit a revised pay plan that would provide a 4.5% pay increase for the entire federal workforce. Over the past two decades, federal pay parity has been upheld by previous Administrations of both parties. “We write concerned about the lack of parity between the proposed military and civilian pay raises in your Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request (PBR),” wrote the lawmakers. “This deviation between military and civilian employee pay increases upends historical bipartisan support for pay parity across the federal workforce.” “Specifically, we request you issue a revised alternative pay plan seeking a 4.5% pay increase for the entire federal workforce, including military and civilian employees alike,” the lawmakers continued. “By aligning military and civilian pay raises for 2025, you will recognize the efforts of the entire federal workforce.” The letter was cosigned by U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), John Fetterman (D-PA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Alex Padilla (D-CA), as well as U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-02), Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04), John Sarbanes (D-MD-03), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), and David Trone (D-MD-06). Full text of the letter is available here and below: Dear President Biden: We write concerned about the lack of parity between the proposed military and civilian pay raises in your Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request (PBR). Although you submitted an alternative pay plan in August, it continued to support a differential pay increase: 4.5% for military employees and 2% for civilian employees. This deviation between military and civilian employee pay increases upends historical bipartisan support for pay parity across the federal workforce. Although we understand this decision was made under the constraints put in place by the Fiscal Responsibility Act caps, we believe it is imperative you revise your budget to align military and civilian employee pay raises. Specifically, we request you issue a revised alternative pay plan seeking a 4.5% pay increase for the entire federal workforce, including military and civilian employees alike. Our nation’s servicemembers and civilian employees both work tirelessly to keep us safe and run the critical operations of the government. Of the federal workforce, more than 2.2 million civilian employees work to ensure resources and services are provided to countless communities across America. By aligning military and civilian pay raises for 2025, you will recognize the efforts and sacrifices of the entire federal workforce. Our request is grounded in longstanding tradition and precedent. For example, on December 8, 2016, President Barack Obama submitted an alternative federal pay plan to Congress that increased the federal civilian pay raise to the same level as military employees. We implore you to move swiftly to submit a revised alternative pay plan that supports our entire federal workforce. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. We believe this request is fair and timely. We hope you are able to continue to uphold the longstanding bipartisan tenet of federal pay parity. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-over-31-million-to-support-use-of-low-carbon-construction,"Congressman Mfume, Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Over $31 Million to Support Use of Low Carbon Construction",2024-12-11,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) announced $31,933,577 in federal funding to support the use of low carbon materials in federally funded construction projects statewide. Incorporating the use of low carbon materials in construction will help reduce pollution while supporting the continued growth of America’s clean manufacturing sector. “The Inflation Reduction Act is the single largest investment we've made in fighting the climate crisis – and it is powering projects like these that will help reduce emissions, support the growing low carbon construction material market, create jobs, and build a better, healthier future for our communities,” said the lawmakers. “Having a world-class transportation system includes using and investing in materials that are better for the environment and create green jobs. This is another example of MDOT leading the way to reduce carbon emissions and support the state’s climate goals,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “Thank you to Maryland’s fantastic federal delegation for helping secure this grant.” The funds are provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Low Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM) Program, which the lawmakers fought to create and fund at $2 billion under the Inflation Reduction Act. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/ranking-member-hoyer-opening-remarks-fsgg-hearing-district-columbia-fiscal,Ranking Member Hoyer Opening Remarks at FSGG Hearing for District of Columbia Fiscal Year 2025 Budget,2024-12-10,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered opening remarks at the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Hearing for the District of Columbia. Below is a transcript of his remarks and a link to the video: Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-november-jobs-report-0,Hoyer Statement on November Jobs Report,2024-12-06,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today on the November jobs report: ""The November jobs report demonstrates the continued strength of America's job market and economy, with 227,000 jobs added last month and more than 16.3 million jobs added in the past 46 months under the Biden-Harris Administration. With unemployment down near its fifty-year record low, inflation falling, and wages going up, our economy continues on its impressive upward trajectory. By investing in America and Americans, Democrats laid the foundation for this historic period of job growth and economic success. ""Right as many Americans are starting to feel the positive impact of this economic moment, however, President-elect Trump's radical far-right agenda threatens to reverse the progress our country has made these past four years. He has already announced his intention to impose heavy tariffs that will raise costs on everyday products – from produce to clothing to household appliances – reversing the progress we’ve made to tame inflation. ""Trump's extreme Project 2025 agenda also seeks to undercut the historic investments that Democrats made in the American people during the 117th Congress. These policies and programs have created millions of jobs by revitalizing American manufacturing, rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, and advancing clean energy projects nationwide. The American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act have helped more Americans access quality, affordable health coverage than ever before and lowered the costs of monthly health premiums, insulin, and prescription drugs for millions of Americans nationwide. Democrats will fight tirelessly to protect these laws from Donald Trump's scorched earth economic plans – just as we fought tirelessly to pass them last Congress.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-glenn-ivey-provides-statement-final-hearing-task-force-attempted,CONGRESSMAN GLENN IVEY PROVIDES STATEMENT FROM FINAL HEARING OF THE TASK FORCE ON THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF DONALD J. TRUMP,2024-12-05,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Glenn Ivey,I000058,ivey.house.gov,ivey,https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD-04) joined his colleagues on the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump for a final hearing entitled “Secret Service Security Failures and the Attempts to Assassinate President-Elect Donald J. Trump.” The hearing addressed the security failures that resulted in assassination attempts on President-elect Donald J. Trump in Butler, PA on July 13, 2024, and West Palm Beach, FL on September 15, 2024, and featured witness testimony from U.S. Secret Service Acting Director Ronald. L. Rowe Jr. “Today’s second and final hearing of the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump showcased the serious, bipartisan efforts to gain knowledge and information on the tragic events of July 13th in Butler, Pennsylvania,” said Congressman Glenn Ivey. “I thank Acting Director Rowe for his candor and willingness to take accountability for the failures of that day. While at times the discussion became passionate, I believe the Task Force remained focused on its mission to the benefit of our country and the people we represent. The Task Force’s final report will reflect the culmination of 5 months of investigative work by professional, dedicated, and patriotic staff from both parties to better understand the shortcomings and failures which resulted in multiple attempts on President-elect Trump’s life. I am honored to have served on this Task Force and believe we can continue to work together for a brighter and safer future for our Democracy.” To view the full hearing, click here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://raskin.house.gov/2024/12/raskin-wyden-kiley-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-promoting-free-speech-cracking-down-on-frivolous-strategic-lawsuits-against-public-participation,"Raskin, Wyden, Kiley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation Promoting Free Speech, Cracking Down on Frivolous “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation”",2024-12-05,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,raskin,https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Kevin Kiley (CA-03) introduced the Free Speech Protection Act, bipartisan legislation to protect individuals and organizations from frivolous lawsuits designed to chill free speech and political action. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) leads companion legislation in the Senate. Corporations and special interests have used strategic lawsuits against public participation, or “SLAPPs,” since the 1980s to target their opponents with burdensome litigation. Though many such suits often prove meritless, they are nonetheless effective at silencing, intimidating and discouraging dissent. “Goliath triumphs over David in our justice system when powerful special interests can silence their critics with frivolous strategic lawsuits against public participation, or ‘SLAPPs,’” said Rep. Raskin. “Our Free Speech Protection Act?would protect people against the threat of crippling retaliation in the form of massive attorney’s fees and prolonged invasive discovery. Our legislation allows federal judges to quickly identify and dismiss SLAPPs when they creep up in the courtroom and compensate the victims for their costs. We call on Congress to stand up for free speech in America—and against litigation abuse—by advancing this legislation.” “The Free Speech Protection Act will stop trial lawyers from abusing our justice system, clogging our courts, and silencing those they deem to have incorrect politics. Under this legislation, powerful interests will no longer be able to launch frivolous lawsuits intended to bankrupt everyday Americans. While many states have already instituted these protections, we need federal protections to guard all Americans’ First Amendment rights,” said Rep. Kiley. “The rich and powerful are all too willing to use the legal system to bludgeon reporters, activists and whistleblowers with expensive lawsuits, even if the claims have no merit,” Sen. Wyden said. “I’m proud to lead the Free Speech Protection Act in the Senate and work with Reps. Raskin and Kiley to advance the proposition that federal judges should be able to end frivolous lawsuits and protect free speech from abusive legal threats.” “Two-thirds of the states now have laws limiting frivolous lawsuits that seek censorship. Most pass with strong bipartisan support that is often nearly unanimous,” said David Keating, President of the Institute for Free Speech.” It’s time Congress caught up with the states. The Free Speech Protection Act addresses a critical gap in defending Americans’ First Amendment rights. The state laws often don’t apply in federal courts, so censors frequently file these abusive lawsuits there. This legislation would ensure defendants can quickly end meritless, speech-suppressing lawsuits in federal court and recover their legal costs. The next Congress should move quickly to consider this important bill, which is an excellent starting point for protecting Americans from this threat to free speech. I hope there will be helpful suggestions for improving it in committee. To protect free speech, Congress must soon pass the strongest possible Free Speech Protection Act.” “The Free Speech Protection Act is an important bipartisan bill to protect the right of citizens, journalists, and activists to participate in public debates about issues that are important in their communities,” said Kirk Herbertson, U.S. Director for Advocacy and Campaigns, EarthRights International. “People across the political spectrum should be able to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives without fear of being sued into silence by those with more wealth or power. Courts are for seeking justice, not for retaliating against one's critics."" “We are proud to support this important measure to promote free speech and protect the free press against SLAPP lawsuits that are designed to prevent an individual or organization from exercising their First Amendment rights, and we applaud Rep. Raskin, Rep. Kiley and Senator Wyden for their leadership in championing these essential liberties.” said Danielle Coffey, President and CEO of News/Media Alliance. “We’re thrilled to endorse the Free Speech Protection Act, which will extend federal protections against frivolous lawsuits to journalists, activists, and individuals across the political spectrum,” said Jenna Leventoff, Senior Policy Counsel at the ACLU. “Our First Amendment rights should not depend on the size of our bank accounts. This bill will ensure that judges can easily dismiss lawsuits that are designed to chill speech and drain people of resources simply for speaking their mind. We thank Reps. Raskin and Kiley, as well as Senator Wyden for helping to preserve a justice system that serves us all, not just the rich and powerful.” Currently, 34 states and D.C. have anti-SLAPP laws, most of which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support to protect community groups, civic associations, and nonprofits against efforts by strategic actors to squash dissent, but no such legislation exists at the federal level. This gap opens the door to forum shopping and other avenues for SLAPP filers to evade state laws. To address this gap, the Free Speech Protection Act establishes a procedure for federal courts to dismiss and deter SLAPPs. This legislation would: Allow federal judges to quickly identify and dismiss SLAPPs that target constitutionally protected speech and activity before the lawsuit consumes too much of the defendant’s time and resources; Prevent the SLAPP filer from using discovery to invade the privacy of the defendant while the case is being reviewed; and Allow federal judges to award attorney fees and costs to the victim of a SLAPP to reduce the cost burden and deter future exploitation of this tactic. Rep. Raskin previously introduced anti-SLAPP legislation in the 117th Congress. The following organizations endorse this legislation: American Booksellers for Free Expression; American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); American Society for Collective Rights Licensing (ASCRL); Association of American Publishers; Authors Guild; California Anti-SLAPP Project; Center for Democracy & Technology; Committee to Protect Journalists; Earthjustice Action; EarthRights International; Electronic Frontier Foundation; First Amendment Foundation; Freedom of the Press Foundation; Greenpeace USA; Institute for Free Speech; International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR); Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University; Know Your IX, a project of Advocates for Youth; National Press Club; National Press Club Journalism Institute; National Press Club Press Freedom Committee; National Press Photographers Association (NPPA); National Women's Law Center; News/Media Alliance; No Business With Genocide; PEN America; Public Participation Project; Reporters Without Borders; Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL); Society of Professional Journalists; Songwriters Guild of America (SGA); Student Press Law Center. Find the bill text here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-floor-remarks-renaming-baltimore-post-office-representative-elijah-e,Hoyer Floor Remarks on Renaming Baltimore Post Office for Representative Elijah E. Cummings,2024-12-04,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – This afternoon, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered remarks on the House Floor urging bipartisan support for H.R. 9544, legislation to rename a United States Postal Service (USPS) Office in Baltimore, Maryland after the late Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07). Below is a video and transcript of his remarks: Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-cardin-and-van-hollen-bill-to-rename-post-office-in-honor-of-elijah-cummings-passed-by-us-house-of-representatives,"Mfume, Cardin, and Van Hollen Bill to Rename Post Office in Honor of Elijah Cummings Passed by U.S. House of Representatives",2024-12-04,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United States of Representatives passed legislation (H.R. 9544) introduced by Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07) in the U.S. House of Representatives to designate a Baltimore United States Post Office (USPS) as the ‘‘United States Representative Elijah E. Cummings Post Office Building."" The bill to rename the post office at 340 South Loudon Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland, in honor of Congressman Cummings now heads to the United States Senate for consideration. Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD). Image CLICK HERE or ABOVE to view Rep. Mfume and other Members' remarks on the floor of the U.S. House in support of H.R. 9544. ""Congressman Elijah Cummings was a person of deep intellect, unlimited compassion, and a champion for working people everywhere. This House and our nation still feel his loss, which makes the renaming of this post office in his honor a fitting tribute to our dear friend,"" said Congressman Mfume. ""I am elated that this legislation has prevailed out of the U.S. House of Representatives. It is a small but important gesture to say thank you to Congressman Elijah Cummings for the work he did, for so many years, for the people of Baltimore and the state of Maryland. Elijah was a trailblazer, consensus builder, peacemaker, and friend. His name and his image will now be a part of this building for all to see,"" he concluded. “I am proud to have introduced this bill in the Senate and am glad to see it has passed the House. I look forward to this important bill passing the Senate so that we can honor the life and work of Elijah Cummings. His life of public service is an example for us all,” said Senator Cardin. “Congressman Elijah Cummings was a man of principle. A man of incredible dignity. And a man with a purpose. Nowhere did he work harder to achieve the mission of equal justice and equal opportunity for all than in his beloved Baltimore community. With the House’s passage of our legislation today, we’re one step closer in recognizing all that Elijah did for his city, his state, and his country,” said Senator Van Hollen. “On behalf of the Cummings family, we thank Congressman Mfume and Senators Cardin and Van Hollen for keeping alive the legacy of my father, their friend, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings. We are deeply grateful for all of their work to rename a district post office in recognition of his commitment to public service, including his work on postal issues that came before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee,” said Jennifer Cummings, the late Congressman's eldest daughter upon the legislation's introduction. The introduction of this legislation was an effort in partnership with the Cummings family, who wrote to Congressman Mfume in August 2024. Their letter expressed the Cummings family’s support to honor Congressman Cummings with the renaming of a post office after their father. On November 20, 2024, this bill was passed unanimously by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and sent to the floor for consideration by the entire U.S. House. The Life of Congressman Elijah E. Cummings Congressman Cummings was born in Baltimore on January 18, 1951. His father worked at a chemical factory and his mother worked at a pickle factory and later as a maid while raising seven children. Both parents came from Southern sharecropping families. Elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1982, Mr. Cummings became the youngest Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus and the first African American elected speaker pro tem by the body, a permanent role in the Maryland House. He served in that chamber for 14 years, during which he worked tirelessly to advance the rights and opportunities of Maryland residents. In 1996, Mr. Cummings won the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives that Congressman Mfume vacated to become NAACP president, launching a 23-year career in Congress during which he advocated on behalf of all people, including lower-income and working-class Americans. Where others saw problems and danger, he saw opportunities and solutions. He advanced measures to improve education, to expand affordable housing, to curb addiction, to enhance public infrastructure, to promote gun safety, and to reform police practices. He worked to erase the racial and class divides that he had grown up with, so that future generations of Baltimoreans would not face the same obstacles he did. Congressman Cummings became Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in 2002, where he pushed to increase funding for public education and the Head Start program. After the tragic death of Freddie Gray, Congressman Cummings went to the streets to ask the citizens of Baltimore to come together and find a peaceful path forward. Then, true to form, he launched into action, pushing hard for policies and programs to help the city recover. As Ranking Member and then Chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Mr. Cummings spearheaded much of the impeachment inquiry of former President Trump, and led probes relating to Trump’s family members serving in the White House. In this role, Congressman Cummings also had jurisdiction over postal issues and led the charge to pass the Postal Service Reform Act to ensure the financial solvency of the U.S. Postal Service until his passing in 2019. A version of the legislation ultimately became law in 2022. He was passionate about rooting out corruption, protecting our democracy, and achieving equality and freedom for all. He fought for what was right, simply because it was right. Read the bill text HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-harris-issues-statement-approval-offshore-wind-maryland,Congressman Harris Issues Statement On The Approval Of Offshore Wind In Maryland,2024-12-03,2024,2024-12,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies issued the following statement in response to the approval of offshore wind development in Maryland. Today, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced its approval of the Construction and Operations Plan for the Maryland Offshore Wind project. This is the final approval needed for the project from BOEM following the Department of the Interior’s September 2024 Record of Decision. Statement From Congressman Harris: “Offshore wind farms benefit foreign companies - not the residents of Maryland’s First District who have already seen increases in their electric rates thanks to the failed energy policies of the Biden Administration. We should never allow foreign owned companies to control our energy supply—much less harm our marine life while doing it. I look forward to working with President Trump to end all offshore wind development when he is back in office.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-floor-remarks-naming-fort-mchenry-visitor-center-after-senator-paul-s,Hoyer Floor Remarks on Naming Fort McHenry Visitor Center after Senator Paul S. Sarbanes,2024-12-03,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – This afternoon, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered remarks on the House Floor urging bipartisan support for legislation to name the Fort McHenry Visitor and Education Center in Baltimore, Maryland after the late Senator Paul S. Sarbanes (D-MD). Below is a video and transcript of his remarks: Click here to watch a full video of my remarks:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases/protecting-americans-russian-litigation-act-passes-house-representatives,The Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act Passes in the House of Representatives,2024-12-03,2024,2024-12,Democrat,House,MD,Glenn Ivey,I000058,ivey.house.gov,ivey,https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Ramón Korionoff, Communications Director Email: Ramon.Korionoff@mail.house.gov Washington, D.C. - Congressman Glenn Ivey's legislation H.R. 9563 - The Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2024 passed the House of Representatives by Voice Vote. H.R. 9563 marks another piece of legislation that has been passed favorably out of the House of Representatives in the 118th Congress. Background information: The following members from the House Judiciary Committee cosponsored this bipartisan legislation: (Co-Lead) Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), and Rep. Laurel Lee (R-FL). H.R. 9563 will protect U.S. businesses and ensure that they are not unfairly punished for complying with U.S. sanctions and export controls. Currently, Russia is pursuing spurious legal action against American companies who have ceased to continue business with Russian entities due to their compliance with U.S. sanctions and export controls. The United States has no provision that would protect U.S. companies from this type of lawsuit. This legislation closes the legal loophole countries like Russia are exploiting and will protect U.S. companies from unfair litigation. Statements: “The Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act will ensure that Americans will not be punished for good faith compliance with U.S. sanctions, including those placed on Russia following Putin’s unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine. Russia should not benefit from its own wrongdoing,” said Congressman Ivey. “I am pleased this important and necessary legislation passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. ""Russia's use of this Title 28 loophole to impose fines on American companies and workers is abhorrent,"" said Congressman Hunt. ""Let us recall that sanctions against Russia were only instituted after they made the deliberate decision to invade Ukraine. Protecting America and our business interests should be a top priority for Congress and I'm profoundly grateful for the bipartisan support this legislation has garnered."" “Today, the House sent a clear message to our adversaries – including Russia and others – that they will not be allowed to retaliate against U.S. sanctions by attacking American businesses using bad-faith litigation. The sweeping bipartisan support for the Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act demonstrates our commitment to protecting American enterprises from unjust legal attacks for complying with U.S.-imposed sanctions"", said Congressman Issa. ""I am proud to co-lead this effort with Rep. Hunt and my Judiciary colleagues to protect the sovereignty of American businesses."" ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:13:55Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-veterans-day-2024,"Hoyer Statement on Veterans Day, 2024",2024-11-11,2024,2024-11,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today in recognition of Veterans Day: ""From Valley Forge to Korengal Valley, the forests of France to the jungles of Vietnam, the fields of Pennsylvania to the sands of Pacific islands, American service members have braved fearsome challenges in every corner of the world in defense of our Constitution. Today, we honor our Veterans and their families for their service. ""Those who wear the uniform of the United States of America exemplify our nation's highest ideals: freedom, democracy, and justice. We have a sacred responsibility to care for them even after they remove the uniform. That's why I brought the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act to the House Floor last Congress to expand care and benefits for millions of Veterans who were exposed to dangerous toxins during their service. In the past two years, more than a million Veterans have received benefits under this historic legislation. Millions more have filed PACT Act claims that will be fulfilled in the coming months and years. ""Whether it's building on the progress of the PACT Act, coming up with new strategies to address PTSD and other Veteran mental health challenges, or creating new economic opportunities to help our Veterans and military families get ahead, I will continue to stand up for the men and women who stood up for America's security. Crucially, we must honor those who served by protecting that for which they served: our country, our Constitution, and our democracy. May the example of U.S. service members past, present, and future guide us in that noble mission.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:07:06Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-cardin-van-hollen-announce-5-million-to-boost-morgan-state-university-s-research-capabilities,"Mfume, Cardin, Van Hollen Announce $5 Million to Boost Morgan State University’s Research Capabilities",2024-11-04,2024,2024-11,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (all D-Md.) announced $5 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education for Morgan State University (MSU) to strengthen its research capacity to better serve its students, faculty, the Baltimore community, and the nation. Morgan State, a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in Baltimore City, is currently classified as a “high research activity status” (R2) university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education; this funding will support the University’s efforts to achieve the Carnegie classification of “very high research activity status,” (R1), by 2030. An R1 classification would provide more opportunities for MSU students and faculty to conduct even more transformative and impactful research. Among the 146 R1-designated colleges and universities in the U.S., none are HBCUs. “This announcement for Baltimore’s Morgan State University will further enhance the research capabilities of one of our country's leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). The funding will bolster Morgan in its efforts to attain the prestigious R1 research status – a needed designation to induce additional federal and state investment and empower the school’s student body, faculty, and researchers,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “I will always work in the Congress to uplift our nation’s HBCUs that represent a beacon for Black excellence and promise,” he concluded. “Morgan State not only provides a quality education to thousands of students, it also serves as a hub for cutting-edge innovation. With this $5 million in federal funding – along with support from the HBCU RISE Program – we are furthering Morgan State’s goal of becoming one of the first HBCUs to achieve R1 status while diversifying the pipeline of leaders working to solve our most pressing challenges,” said Senator Van Hollen, who introduced legislation and then worked to pass the language to create the HBCU RISE program as a provision of the FY23 national defense billin order to spur greater research investment in R2 HBCUs such as Morgan State to help them achieve R1 status while strengthening our national defense research. “Morgan State has become a central part of our engine of economic growth despite decades of underfunding. The university is leading research that strengthens key industries like technology and health care and prepares students to compete in a global economy,” said Senator Cardin. “This funding will support new and existing programs that will help Morgan State reach new heights and reinforces our commitment to investing in Maryland’s HBCUs.” “This generous $5 million federal investment is a crucial accelerator on Morgan’s journey to becoming a nationally recognized very high research (R1) university. It represents a significant step forward for our students, faculty, and community, enabling new opportunities for transformative research that addresses real-world challenges,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University. “Morgan is one of the nation’s fastest-rising universities, and our elected leaders have been instrumental in that ascension. We are deeply grateful to Senator Van Hollen, Senator Cardin, and Congressman Mfume for their steadfast support in empowering Morgan as a national leader in inclusive innovation and knowledge creation.” The grant was awarded through the HBCU, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Research and Development Infrastructure Grant Program, which the lawmakers funded at $50 million in fiscal year 2024. With this $5 million investment, MSU will boost its research expenditures in science, engineering, and other fields, recruit new full-time postdoctoral researchers, and increase its research and development capacity. The funds will also help enhance faculty professional development, prepare students for research and teaching assistant roles, and attract doctoral students to new programs and increase doctoral conferrals in STEM and social sciences fields. MSU will prioritize efforts to increase diversity among faculty, students, and research topics, ensuring equitable access to research opportunities. Further, the University will actively collaborate with industry, government agencies, and other research institutions to expand research opportunities, leverage resources, and advance solutions to real-world challenges. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:07:06Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-sessions-request-gao-examine-27-trillion-in-improper-payments-and-provide-anti-fraud-recommendations-0,Mfume & Sessions Request GAO Examine $2.7 Trillion in Improper Payments and Provide Anti-Fraud Recommendations,2024-11-02,2024,2024-11,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) are advancing bipartisan oversight to tackle improper payments and fraud in federal government programs. In a letter to the Comptroller General at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Gene Dodaro, they request information on how federal agencies are identifying root causes of improper payments and implementing corrective actions and ask GAO to provide recommendations to help reduce improper payments across federal agencies. ""No matter what side of the political aisle you are on, we should all be able to agree that every single cent of taxpayer dollars that the federal government spends ought to be going to its intended purpose. Every dollar spent on improper payments jeopardizes our ability to better support programs that provide childcare, lower medical costs, strengthen our schools, and address all sorts of other social and human needs,"" said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. ""It is crucial to me that the Congress continues to provide oversight of this issue and invest in solutions,” he concluded. “The Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce recently held its third hearing related to improper payments and fraud in the federal government. The goal of that hearing was to discuss agencies’ progress preventing improper payments and fraud in the federal government’s lifesaving programs,” wrote the lawmakers. “The Subcommittee seeks to continuously evaluate whether agencies are getting better or worse at ensuring the levels of fraud seen during the pandemic will 'never happen again.' Unfortunately, because of limited or unreliable information maintained by federal agencies, the Subcommittee has been unable to adequately assess agencies’ progress.” The Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce recently held a hearing where the GAO highlighted improper payments and fraud across government, totaling $2.7 trillion in improper payments since 2003. Witness testimonies at prior hearings made clear that continuing to do the same things to address improper payments is not fully addressing a long-term problem. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has identified a list of high priority programs, which are those with the highest dollar value or rate of improper payments or those with the highest risk of improper payments. “Federal law requires [high priority] programs report information such as the root causes of their improper payments, mitigation strategies, and corrective action measures. However, the amount of improper payments within these programs continues to grow,” continued the lawmakers. “We ask that GAO regularly update Subcommittee staff on the progress of this review and provide periodic briefings on known practices that have helped prevent improper payments and fraud."" Read the letter to Comptroller Dodaro here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:07:06Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-october-jobs-report-0,Hoyer Statement on October Jobs Report,2024-11-01,2024,2024-11,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today on the October jobs report: ""Today's jobs report continues the record breaking streak of job growth since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office. With jobs added in every month, 16.1 million more Americans are working today than in January of 2021. In a single term, more jobs than have been added under this administration than any other in American history. Additionally, unemployment remains near its lowest point in half a century while wages continue to rise as inflation comes down. Earlier this week, we also learned that the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2.8% last quarter. So much for Republicans' years-long doomsaying about an imminent recession. ""Four years ago, America was struggling through perhaps the greatest economic and public health catastrophe in generations. Our economy had hemorrhaged millions of jobs, including 243,000 lost in December of 2020, the last full month of the prior administration. Small businesses were going under on every corner in America. Thousands of Americans were dying every day, and tens of millions of others were struggling to make ends meet. The prior administration's mismanaged response made a terrible situation even worse. ""Four years later, our economy has made a historic recovery and avoided a devastating recession. Today, our ability to bounce back is the envy of the world. That is no accident. It didn't happen on its own. Our economy isn't perfect, but it is far better off than it would have been without Democrats' transformative Investing in America Agenda. Because of the actions we took, the American economy is stronger and more fair. It will remain so if we continue Investing in America and putting People Over Politics.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T22:07:06Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-cardin-van-hollen-ruppersberger-announce-over-75-million-carroll-county,"Hoyer, Cardin, Van Hollen, Ruppersberger Announce Over $7.5 Million for Carroll County Regional, Tipton, and Martin State Airports",2024-10-31,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02) recently announced $7,556,842 in U.S. Department of Transportation awards to Carroll County Regional, Tipton, and Martin State Airports for upgrades to modernize their facilities and improve passenger comfort. “President Biden and Vice President Harris’ Investing in America agenda continues to deliver for Maryland’s airports and boost our economic competitiveness,” said Congressman Hoyer. “As Chair of the Regional Leadership Council, I have worked with House Democrats and top officials in the Biden-Harris Administration to ensure that every community in America can see and feel the impact of the historic laws that Democrats passed in the 117th Congress. I was pleased to work with Team Maryland to secure these Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for Carroll County Regional Airport, Martin State Airport, and Tipton Airport, which will create good jobs and provide a more reliable air travel experience. Together, we will continue to lower costs, create jobs, and ensure our state's economy works for all Marylanders.” “The landmark infrastructure law enacted by President Biden in 2021 continues to invest in Maryland,” said Senator Cardin. “It recognized that our airports, both large and small, have aging and outdated facilities that require upgrades to meet the changing demands on our aviation system and keep it safe and competitive.” “Our local airports are important transportation hubs that support our state’s economy, ensuring that travelers and goods get where they need to go. We fought for these investments to support the Carroll County Regional, Tipton, and Martin State airports in serving the growing needs of Maryland’s businesses, residents, and visitors,” said Senator Van Hollen. “The bipartisan infrastructure law continues to reap rewards for Maryland and Marylanders including this funding for local airports, which provide a critical connection to communities and economies throughout the region,” said Congressman Ruppersberger. “This is a strategic investment that will make our airports safer, more comfortable and convenient. I look forward to even more upgrades to our nation’s aging transportation infrastructure to come.” The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airport Improvement Program and Airport Terminal Program. The federal grants have been awarded as follows: $3,612,000. Carroll County Regional Airport: To remove a building and relocate fencing identified as obstructions by the FAA. $2,944,842, Tipton Airport: To construct a 6,000 square-foot terminal to accommodate the movement of passengers and baggage. $1,000,000, Martin State Airport: To fund the funds the construction of a new Airport Traffic Control Tower, replacing the 82-year-old sponsor-owned tower that has reached the end of its useful life.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-remarks-piscataway-bioenergy-facility-grand-opening-maryland,Hoyer Remarks at the Piscataway Bioenergy Facility Grand Opening in Maryland,2024-10-31,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) joined Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD-06), Maryland Secretary of the Environment Serena McIlwain, Prince George’s County Council Member Sydney Harrison, Montgomery County Council Member Will Jawando, and local leaders at the grand opening of WSSC Water Company's Piscataway Bioenergy Facility in Accokeek, Maryland. This project was made possible in part by Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Below are excerpts of his remarks: ""We had a pandemic not too long ago. It hit us right between the eyes and cost us a million citizens. And one of things was when the pandemic hit, we found out was that we were reliant on an awful lot of people overseas to produce masks. We didn’t have enough masks to protect our people. And why do I say this? Because in the last Congress – not this Congress, which has been the least effective Congress in which I’ve served since 1981. But having said that, the last Congress, the 117th was one of the most productive Congresses - with the relevance of this today. We enacted four bills that were investing in America, were building America, creating jobs in America, and we invested a lot in science. We invested a lot in the environment. We invested in making sure America was all that it could be."" ""But in the infrastructure bill, normally you think of roads, bridges, highways, airports, seaports, et cetera et cetera, we also invested in something that we knew was critical and had been a failure of infrastructure. Flint, everybody heard of Flint, Michigan? Kids died because the water in Flint, Michigan, was not clean and it made them sick. And so we knew that infrastructure was more than just roads and transportation facilities, et cetera et cetera. It was also clean water, clean pipes."" ""And then in the investment – in the IRA – we invested a lot of money in climate. And in the science bill, we put the largest investment in science in the history of the world. America will be better in the next decade, and the decade thereafter and the decade thereafter because of those investments in those four bills."" ""It’s a lot of money we’ve sent throughout the country to make sure, that this country, in fact, is in the future and will be getting to, very quickly, hopefully certainly by 2050 – a green environment. Why do we want to get there? Because it is critically important for the wellbeing of every one of our people. Over 300 million strong. And it’s also very important for the world because if America is clean, then the world will be clean. Because we produce a lot of pollution in this world. China does as well. The largest country, India, does as well. The largest countries. And it is incumbent upon us to do not only for our own citizens but for the global community. That’s why this event is so, very important."" ""Not only does it take a product that was waste product, that was causing us a problem, it turns that problem into an asset. And I’m so glad to be here with all of you. I want everybody for the WSSC to stand up and be recognized."" ""Thank you. Thank you all very much. Because all of the talk, all of the money, all of the activity that the rest of us do empowers you to do things but it would not happen without you. The end would not happen. The objective of our work, our legislation, our money, whether it’s at the federal, state, or local level, would not make a difference if it was not for all of you who stood up. And who, every day, turn that money into product. Turn that money into advantage. Turn that money into a positive result for our community.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-joins-president-biden-team-maryland-celebrate-147-million-clean-energy,"Hoyer Joins President Biden, Team Maryland to Celebrate $147 Million Clean Energy Investment in the Port of Baltimore",2024-10-30,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) joined President Joseph R. Biden, Governor Wes Moore, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (all D-MD), Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Congressman John Sarbanes, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (all D-MD), Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, and Maryland Port Administration Executive Director Jonathan Daniels at the Port of Baltimore to celebrate more than $147 million in federal funding to create good-paying, clean jobs and to expedite decarbonization and electrification efforts at the Port. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the funding to the Port of Baltimore through its Clean Ports Program, created under the Biden-Harris Administration's Inflation Reduction Act. “The Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda continues to leave no community behind and promote clean air and water in communities that have long borne the brunt of pollution,"" said Congressman Steny Hoyer. ""Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act that I brought to the House Floor as Majority Leader last Congress, the Port of Baltimore is getting the tools it needs to upgrade its equipment, improve electric charging infrastructure, and fight the climate crisis in a way that benefits Marylanders across the state. As Chair of the Regional Leadership Council, I appreciate Administrator Regan and the Biden-Harris Administration's partnership as we continue to ensure the historic investments Democrats passed last Congress reach every community in America. We must continue to work together to strengthen the Port of Baltimore and ensure environmental justice for all Marylanders.” The Port of Baltimore generates about 20,300 direct jobs, with more than 273,000 jobs overall linked to port activities. The funding will enable the Maryland Port Administration and its private partners to purchase 213 pieces of new zero-emission vehicles, equipment, and charging infrastructure that will replace old, inefficient, and polluting diesel combustion engines. The funding will also pay for capacity upgrades to the port’s electrical grid, which will help significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions with an estimated 35% decrease in carbon dioxide equivalency compared to 2020 levels. ""In Maryland, we aren't going to choose between building a competitive state and a sustainable one -— we will do both at the same time,"" said Gov. Moore. ""In partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration, we are investing in the Port of Baltimore and electrifying the way to a greener, cleaner, and healthier future with a strong economy and good-paying jobs.” “The Port of Baltimore is a vital economic engine for the state and a leader among the nation’s ports. As we work to improve the port, it is essential that we build for the future. The projects supported by the Clean Ports Program will help reduce emissions, improve air quality in the Baltimore region and create more clean energy jobs,” said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin. “The Biden-Harris Administration’s bold investments in modernizing our infrastructure are driving our economy forward while enabling us to take on climate change in a meaningful way.” “We fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act to create good-paying jobs in our communities while tackling the climate crisis head-on, and today’s announcement shows these investments are being put to work,” said U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. “This new federal funding will support the Port of Baltimore’s transition to electric infrastructure as part of its plans to reduce emissions – both bolstering the port's growth and improving air quality for nearby communities. These efforts will help strengthen Baltimore’s economy and create more local jobs for Marylanders.” “The tremendous projects selected for these federal funding awards will improve air quality and combat climate change by dramatically diminishing the Port of Baltimore's greenhouse gas and toxic pollutant emissions via installation of zero-emission cargo handling equipment and trucks, while also bolstering the Maryland Port Administration’s overall emissions reduction strategy. These extraordinary federal investments into our port are consistent with our collective duty to preserve the planet – while also continuing to uplift the Port of Baltimore’s workforce and surrounding communities in the transition to a zero-emissions facility,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “As exemplified by this compelling announcement, the historic Inflation Reduction Act continues to tackle the climate crisis with fierce urgency right here in Baltimore.” “The Port of Baltimore is a critical hub for Maryland and our nation as a whole, supporting good-paying jobs, driving economic growth and keeping goods and resources moving. This investment will improve the health of our region’s environment and provide cleaner air for port workers and nearby communities – all while ensuring that the Port remains a thriving center of commerce for generations to come,” said Congressman John Sarbanes. “I appreciate the Biden-Harris Administration for its continued partnership to enhance clean energy and improve infrastructure in Maryland, and for its tireless efforts to advance environmental justice and create a greener, more sustainable future across the country.” “This critical investment into the Port of Baltimore will not only keep us globally competitive, but will help mitigate pollution driving climate change,” said Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger. “The Port of Baltimore has always been at the forefront of efficiency and productivity and now we are leading the nation environmentally. I am proud to have supported this funding request and thank the Biden Administration for this strategic and responsible use of tax dollars.” Federal grant funding will also support community engagement with neighborhoods such as Turner Station, Brooklyn, and Curtis Bay. “These improvements will provide an immediate impact to the people who live and work around the Port of Baltimore and who have borne the brunt of transportation-related health impacts,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld. “Thanks to the EPA’s grants, the Port of Baltimore and its partners are accelerating their collective efforts to support Maryland’s climate goals of reaching net zero by 2045.” Today’s announcement builds on the Biden Administration’s championship of the Port of Baltimore and the State of Maryland’s infrastructure needs, which includes the recent $30.9 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America award for Dundalk Marine Terminal Reconstruction of Berth 11 and the $7.5 million award for Curtis Creek Drawbridge Rehabilitation and Resiliency projects. The projects directly advance the federal government and State of Maryland’s partnership to recover and rebuild after the DALI struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge. “The Maryland Port Administration is committed to integrating our overall mission of increasing cargo and generating jobs through the Port of Baltimore with forward-looking environmental and sustainability solutions,” said Maryland Port Administration Executive Director Jonathan Daniels. “Our customers and port partners are driven to change the way they do business to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize, increase electrification throughout our marine terminals, and, most importantly, positively impact our near-port environmental justice communities.” To learn more about the clean port project and its benefits, read the Port of Baltimore’s grant proposal.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases/bipartisan-push-maryland-virginia-lawmakers-call-president-address-venezuelan,"In Bipartisan Push, Maryland, Virginia Lawmakers Call on President to Address Venezuelan Crab Imports",2024-10-28,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Glenn Ivey,I000058,ivey.house.gov,ivey,https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen, Ben Cardin (both D-Md.), Mark Warner, and Tim Kaine (both D-Va.) along with U.S. Representatives Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), John Sarbanes (D-Md.), Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Andy Harris (R-Md.), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), David Trone (D-Md.), and Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) wrote to President Joe Biden outlining their concerns with the recent surge of crabmeat imports from Venezuela and its impact on the Chesapeake Bay region’s seafood economy as well as public health. In their letter, the lawmakers urge the President to launch an investigation through the International Trade Commission into the harm that these imports pose to our domestic seafood industry, and press the Administration to encourage a fairer seafood trade relationship. “We write to express our significant concerns with the influx of crabmeat from Venezuela, which has threatened the viability of local fisheries across the Chesapeake Bay. Domestic seafood producers in Maryland and Virginia have experienced significant strain due to the influx of imported Venezuelan crabmeat, some of which is mislabeled and contaminated. In 2018, Venezuelan crabmeat mislabeled as originating from Maryland caused an outbreak of foodborne illnesses, resulting in multiple hospitalizations,” the lawmakers began. Highlighting the economic damage caused by Venezuelan imports, they wrote, “Since then, the supply of imported crabmeat has increased, threatening the future livelihood of domestic industry and creating the conditions for a 62 percent decrease in the domestic supply. This has harmed crab fishing industries throughout the Chesapeake Bay, which produces 50 percent of the United States’ total blue crab harvest, a proportion that is now diminishing year over year. There are now fewer than 20 Maryland crab picking and seafood processing companies, down from 53 in 1995.” They go on to urge the President to: Direct the United States International Trade Commission to conduct an investigation, per Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, looking into the harm caused by Venezuelan crabmeat imports and recommending remedies. Use the full array of informal actions available to you to address this trade issue, including through negotiations, utilization of World Trade Organization Committees, bilateral dialogues, and other activities. The full text of the letter is available here and below. Dear President Biden: We write to express our significant concerns with the influx of crabmeat from Venezuela, which has threatened the viability of local fisheries across the Chesapeake Bay. Domestic seafood producers in Maryland and Virginia have experienced significant strain due to the influx of imported Venezuelan crabmeat, some of which is mislabeled and contaminated. In 2018, Venezuelan crabmeat mislabeled as originating from Maryland caused an outbreak of foodborne illnesses, resulting in multiple hospitalizations. Since then, the supply of imported crabmeat has increased, threatening the future livelihood of domestic industry and creating the conditions for a 62 percent decrease in the domestic supply. This has harmed crab fishing industries throughout the Chesapeake Bay, which produces 50 percent of the United States’ total blue crab harvest, a proportion that is now diminishing year over year. There are now fewer than 20 Maryland crab picking and seafood processing companies, down from 53 in 1995. Chesapeake Bay crab fisheries and processors follow a strict set of regulations to ensure that the Bay remains one of the most sustainable crab fisheries in the world, that the blue crabs harvested there are of the highest quality, and that the industry does no harm to other species. Foreign competitors often confront little or no such regulation. Not only does this imbalance put local fisheries and seafood businesses at a steep disadvantage, it can also put consumers at increased risk. Consumers are often misled about what they are eating, and sometimes even made sick, as was the case when imported Venezuelan crabmeat was linked with multiple cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections. We urge your Administration to use all of the tools at its disposal to remedy this unsustainable situation. Specifically, we urge you to: Direct the United States International Trade Commission to conduct an investigation, per Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, looking into the harm caused by Venezuelan crabmeat imports and recommending remedies. Use the full array of informal actions available to you to address this trade issue, including through negotiations, utilization of World Trade Organization Committees, bilateral dialogues, and other activities. The Chesapeake Bay crab industry has faced numerous challenges, and the region has worked hard to preserve the blue crab population over the years. This industry carries unique cultural importance for the broader Mid-Atlantic region, enriching and enhancing the regional culinary landscape. Without the federal government stepping in to protect American manufacturers from unfair competition, they might not make it through this crisis. If they do not, Maryland, Virginia, and the country, will be all the poorer for it. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-israels-retaliatory-strike-against-iran,Hoyer Statement on Israel's Retaliatory Strike Against Iran,2024-10-26,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today regarding Israel's retaliatory, targeted strike on Iran: ""The United States continues to stand with Israel as it exercises its absolute right to defend itself and its people. Israel's recent precise strikes on military targets in Iran are an appropriate and direct response to Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel earlier this month with nearly 200 ballistic missiles. ""From attacking Israel to supporting Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other terrorist proxies, Iran continues its genocidal mission to destroy the State of Israel. No nation in the world would be expected to sit idly by in the face of these existential threats, and neither should Israel. America will not yield in its support for Israel as it counters Iran's decades-long campaign of terror and destruction. ""Iran and its proxies must stop further violence. If they don't, the State of Israel can and must take necessary action to protect its people and its own existence.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-cardin-van-hollen-react-to-federal-government-s-initial-1019-million-settlement-with-dali-owner-operator,"Mfume, Cardin, Van Hollen React to Federal Government’s Initial $101.9 Million Settlement with Dali Owner, Operator",2024-10-25,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (all D-Md.), released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) $101,980,000 settlement with the owner and operator of the Dali, the vessel that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The settlement, according to DOJ, will cover federal costs incurred to restore access to the Port of Baltimore. “The catastrophic loss of the Francis Scott Key Bridge required a massive and coordinated response from all levels of government and the private sector. Those efforts removed about 50,000 tons of debris from the Patapsco River and cleared the shipping channel faster than anyone predicted. The initial settlement that the U.S. Justice Department reached for cleanup costs is an important step in holding accountable the owner and operator of the Dali, the ship that caused this disaster,” said the lawmakers. “The federal government has properly stepped up to underwrite urgent and essential needs with an expectation that the appropriate parties will be held financially responsible for their actions. Congress should now act quickly to pass the Baltimore BRIDGE Relief Act, which will ensure full federal backing of the bridge replacement costs, while the Justice Department, State of Maryland and other stakeholders keep up their work to reimburse the taxpayers to the fullest extent possible and provide justice for the families of those we lost.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/in-bipartisan-push-congressman-mfume-maryland-virginia-lawmakers-call-on-president-to-address-venezuelan-crab-imports,"In Bipartisan Push, Congressman Mfume, Maryland, Virginia Lawmakers Call on President to Address Venezuelan Crab Imports",2024-10-23,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), Senators Chris Van Hollen, Ben Cardin (both D-Md.), Mark Warner, and Tim Kaine (both D-Va.) along with U.S. Representatives Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), John Sarbanes (D-Md.), Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Andy Harris (R-Md.), , David Trone (D-Md.), and Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) wrote to President Joe Biden outlining their concerns with the recent surge of crabmeat imports from Venezuela and its impact on the Chesapeake Bay region’s seafood economy as well as public health. In their letter, the lawmakers urge the President to launch an investigation through the International Trade Commission into the harm that these imports pose to our domestic seafood industry, and press the Administration to encourage a fairer seafood trade relationship. “We write to express our significant concerns with the influx of crabmeat from Venezuela, which has threatened the viability of local fisheries across the Chesapeake Bay. Domestic seafood producers in Maryland and Virginia have experienced significant strain due to the influx of imported Venezuelan crabmeat, some of which is mislabeled and contaminated. In 2018, Venezuelan crabmeat mislabeled as originating from Maryland caused an outbreak of foodborne illnesses, resulting in multiple hospitalizations,” the lawmakers began. Highlighting the economic damage caused by Venezuelan imports, they wrote, “Since then, the supply of imported crabmeat has increased, threatening the future livelihood of domestic industry and creating the conditions for a 62 percent decrease in the domestic supply. This has harmed crab fishing industries throughout the Chesapeake Bay, which produces 50 percent of the United States’ total blue crab harvest, a proportion that is now diminishing year over year. There are now fewer than 20 Maryland crab picking and seafood processing companies, down from 53 in 1995.” They go on to urge the President to: Direct the United States International Trade Commission to conduct an investigation, per Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, looking into the harm caused by Venezuelan crabmeat imports and recommending remedies. Use the full array of informal actions available to you to address this trade issue, including through negotiations, utilization of World Trade Organization Committees, bilateral dialogues, and other activities. The full text of the letter is available here and below. Dear President Biden: We write to express our significant concerns with the influx of crabmeat from Venezuela, which has threatened the viability of local fisheries across the Chesapeake Bay. Domestic seafood producers in Maryland and Virginia have experienced significant strain due to the influx of imported Venezuelan crabmeat, some of which is mislabeled and contaminated. In 2018, Venezuelan crabmeat mislabeled as originating from Maryland caused an outbreak of foodborne illnesses, resulting in multiple hospitalizations. Since then, the supply of imported crabmeat has increased, threatening the future livelihood of domestic industry and creating the conditions for a 62 percent decrease in the domestic supply. This has harmed crab fishing industries throughout the Chesapeake Bay, which produces 50 percent of the United States’ total blue crab harvest, a proportion that is now diminishing year over year. There are now fewer than 20 Maryland crab picking and seafood processing companies, down from 53 in 1995. Chesapeake Bay crab fisheries and processors follow a strict set of regulations to ensure that the Bay remains one of the most sustainable crab fisheries in the world, that the blue crabs harvested there are of the highest quality, and that the industry does no harm to other species. Foreign competitors often confront little or no such regulation. Not only does this imbalance put local fisheries and seafood businesses at a steep disadvantage, it can also put consumers at increased risk. Consumers are often misled about what they are eating, and sometimes even made sick, as was the case when imported Venezuelan crabmeat was linked with multiple cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections. We urge your Administration to use all of the tools at its disposal to remedy this unsustainable situation. Specifically, we urge you to: Direct the United States International Trade Commission to conduct an investigation, per Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, looking into the harm caused by Venezuelan crabmeat imports and recommending remedies. Use the full array of informal actions available to you to address this trade issue, including through negotiations, utilization of World Trade Organization Committees, bilateral dialogues, and other activities. The Chesapeake Bay crab industry has faced numerous challenges, and the region has worked hard to preserve the blue crab population over the years. This industry carries unique cultural importance for the broader Mid-Atlantic region, enriching and enhancing the regional culinary landscape. Without the federal government stepping in to protect American manufacturers from unfair competition, they might not make it through this crisis. If they do not, Maryland, Virginia, and the country, will be all the poorer for it. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-harris-announces-upcoming-military-service-academy-nomination,Congressman Harris Announces Upcoming Military Service Academy Nomination Deadline,2024-10-22,2024,2024-10,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today the office of Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., announced the upcoming deadline for high school students interested in pursuing a Congressional nomination to submit their application to attend one of the nation's military service academies. To be considered for a nomination, each applicant must submit a complete application before November 1, 2024. A complete application must include: Online application Three Letters of Recommendations: One letter should be written by your High School Principal or Guidance Counselor. Other letters may be written by teachers, coaches, scout masters, clergy or community leaders who can accurately comment and attest to your character, abilities and potential success at a Military Academy. Letters should be sealed and submitted with the application packet. Official High School Transcript: Please include a copy of your Senior Class Schedule. Senior grades should be submitted as soon as they are available and will be accepted after the application deadline. Photograph: 4x6 color photograph Official SAT/ACT Scores: Scores must be sent directly to Congressman Harris’ Office by the testing service. The institution code for SAT scores is 5158 and the ACT scores code is 7443. You are encouraged to take the SAT or ACT exams “early and often” in order to improve your academic competitiveness. Academies will accept the highest scores in each academic area (superscore), regardless of testing date. Any questions about this process can be emailed toMD01Academy@mail.house.gov. The subject line should read “[first name] [last name] Academy Application Process.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases/van-hollen-cardin-ivey-highlight-115-million-direct-federal-investments-youth,"Van Hollen, Cardin, Ivey Highlight $1.15 Million in Direct Federal Investments for Youth Services and Restoration Projects in Prince George’s County",2024-10-22,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Glenn Ivey,I000058,ivey.house.gov,ivey,https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Recently, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) were in Prince George’s County to highlight $1,150,000 in direct federal investments they secured for youth services and environmental restoration projects in the community. The lawmakers fought for these investments in the federal funding bills passed and signed into law for Fiscal Year 2024. “We fought for these direct investments in Prince George’s County with key goals in mind: building stronger communities and empowering our future leaders. Funding for the Laurel Boys & Girls Clubs will enable them to maintain safe spaces for after-school activities, and resources for restoring the Laurel Dam ruins will preserve the historic landmark that this City was built around while enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities. These are investments in the preservation of our local history and the wellbeing of Marylanders today and for generations to come,” said Senator Van Hollen. “The dam ruins at Laurel’s Riverfront Park and the Laurel Boys and Girls Club are at the heart of the community and tell the city’s origin story. These are stories that need to be told,” said Senator Cardin. “Investment in these historic places preserves our history and culture while creating economic and educational opportunities for Laurel’s residents,” said Senator Cardin. “Investing in our communities begins with raising the quality of life for residents. Creating a beautiful, safe and environmentally friendly park space in the ruins of a dam along the Patuxent River gives people of Laurel and beyond a look into it’s storied history as a mill town and its future with the walkable Riverfront Park. Keeping kids safe and promoting their wellbeing is a down payment on our leaders of tomorrow. Keeping one of the oldest boys and girls clubs in the region thriving gives a glimpse of that future. With the leadership of Maryland’s federal delegation bringing these grant monies, Laurel’s future is as bright as ever,” said Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD-04). Senators Van Hollen, Senator Cardin and Congressman Ivey were joined by Laurel Council President James Kole to celebrate $850,000 in direct federal funding they secured to stabilize, protect, and restore the Dam Ruins at the City’s Riverfront Park. The project involves renovating the observation deck, improving drainage to control erosion, and repairing signage around the dam. “I am thankful and thrilled to receive this funding, which will help us preserve and enhance the Laurel Dam Ruins, an important piece of our town’s history. This investment ensures that future generations can appreciate its significance while improving safety and access for our community. Our goal is to make the Ruins a destination place for all to enjoy,” said City of Laurel Mayor Keith Sydnor. The lawmakers then visited the Boys and Girls Club of Laurel to highlight $300,000 for renovations at the clubhouse. The funds will allow the Boys and Girls Club to continue providing after-school activities and a positive, safe learning environment for middle and high school students. “We are so thankful for the continued support and leadership by Senator Van Hollen, Senator Cardin, and Congressman Ivey. This federal funding will enable us to make some of the critical renovations to our center and continue providing the care and services that impact the lives of our community’s children every day,” said Adrian Rousseau, President of the Laurel Boys and Girls Club.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-receives-perfect-score-human-rights-campaigns-118th-congressional,Hoyer Receives Perfect Score on Human Rights Campaign's 118th Congressional Scorecard,2024-10-21,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) awarded Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) a score of 100% on its 118th Congressional Scorecard.The biannual scorecard measures federal lawmakers’ support for LGBTQ+ equality. ""Congress has a responsibility to stand against bigotry and discrimination and to promote inclusion and opportunity for LGBTQ+ Americans,"" Congressman Hoyer said. ""At a time when MAGA Republicans are working to undermine protections for the LGBTQ+ community – especially transgender Americans – it is vital that we support policies that reflect the American principles of equality and justice for all. I will continue to work with Democrats to advocate for LGBTQ+ Americans and their rights.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-team-maryland-announce-more-than-38-million-for-critical-transportation-port-infrastructure-projects-in-baltimore,"Congressman Mfume, Team Maryland Announce More Than $38 Million for Critical Transportation & Port Infrastructure Projects in Baltimore",2024-10-21,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, Governor Wes Moore (all D-Md.), and Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld today announced $38,406,076 in U.S. Department of Transportation awards to rehabilitate the Dundalk Marine Terminal and the Curtis Creek Drawbridge. This investment will improve vital infrastructure at and around the Port of Baltimore, which is critical to Maryland's economy. “This monumental federal investment is a transformative display of the continued unity among us in Team Maryland to deliver for all of those who have been personally affected by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and continue to navigate the recovery alongside us. After speaking with so many of those impacted, I was and remain inspired by their grit, fierceness, and commitment to getting through this disaster together,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “With these grants, the federal government is recognizing that Baltimore is home to nationally significant supply chain infrastructure that is overdue for investment and improvement. We are seeing once again how the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is delivering for Maryland, and we will continue to push for federal commitments to our infrastructure, including the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” said Senator Cardin. “Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we continue to deliver historic resources to upgrade everything from our transportation network to the Port of Baltimore. With these major federal investments, we are priming the Port for future growth – while sustaining the thousands of jobs it already supports – and modernizing an essential bridge for commuting and commerce. These efforts will help drive Baltimore’s economic success and create more good paying jobs for Marylanders,” said Senator Van Hollen. “These two projects reinforce the Moore-Miller Administration’s commitment to making Maryland more competitive by investing in our critical infrastructure, including our world-class Port of Baltimore,” said Governor Moore. “We are grateful for the partnership from the Biden-Harris Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation and our Congressional delegation in supporting projects that will serve all Marylanders and help expand our growing economy.” “Together, these federal grants will support increased economic growth at the Port of Baltimore and the greater Baltimore region,” said Secretary Wiedefeld. “The funding will support critical rehabilitation efforts at the Dundalk Martine Terminal, the largest publicly owned terminal in the Port, and the Curtis Creek Drawbridge on I-695. Thank you to our federal delegation and partners for their continued commitment in rebuilding Baltimore's infrastructure better than before.” “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden-Harris administration is carrying out ambitious, complex transportation projects that will shape our country’s infrastructure for generations to come,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With this latest round of awards, dozens of major and much-needed projects – projects that are often difficult to fund through other means – are getting the long-awaited investment they need to move forward.” The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America Grant Program (INFRA), which has administered historic levels of federal investments through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. $30,906,076, Dundalk Marine Terminal: Awarded to the Maryland Port Administration to reconstruct Berth 11, consisting of the rehabilitation and replacement of 597 linear feet of wharf deck including pilings, substructure, storm water drainage, utilities, and installation of new mooring bollards, cleats, pneumatic fenders, flood barriers, and tidal gates. $7,500,000, Curtis Creek Drawbridge Rehabilitation: Awarded to the Maryland Transportation Authority to rehabilitate parallel drawbridges over Curtis Creek on I-695. The project will replace portions of the reinforced concrete deck, perform repairs to the exposed steel superstructure and existing catwalks, remove and replace bridge parapets, traffic lights, and low-level lights, and install new electrical service systems, drainage systems, and pavement markings. The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America Grant Program provides funding for multimodal freight and highway projects of national or regional significance to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of freight and people in and across rural and urban areas.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-elimination-hamas-leader-yahya-sinwar,Hoyer Statement on the Elimination of Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar,2024-10-17,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today after Israeli sources confirmed the elimination of Hamas's leader, Yahya Sinwar, by IDF soldiers: ""Hamas' genocidal leader, Yahya Sinwar, was the architect of the terrorist organization's brutal October 7 attack on the State of Israel. Today, he met justice for the crimes he committed that terrible day, for the continued captivity of the 101 hostages still held in Gaza, and for the terror campaign he waged against Israel for decades. Israelis, Palestinians, and the entire world are safer now that Sinwar is gone. ""Sinwar also brought suffering and devastation down upon Palestinian civilians in Gaza both before and after October 7. He and his terrorist organization cowardly used non-combatants as human shields, and Sinwar even described the loss of civilian life in Gaza as 'necessary sacrifices.' The time has come for Hamas to surrender, release the remaining hostages, and grant Palestinians the opportunity to choose a better future free from terrorists like Sinwar. All those involved in the negotiations ought to pressure Hamas to that end. ""No matter where they attack, terrorists must be found and forced to suffer the consequences for their actions. The United States will continue to support Israel in its mission to dismantle and permanently eliminate the terrorist organizations that threaten the Israeli people. That includes Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other proxies Iran uses to advance its goal of destroying the State of Israel.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://raskin.house.gov/2024/10/raskin-van-hollen-mcclellan-and-beyer-lead-30-colleagues-in-urging-regional-power-grid-operator-to-lower-electricity-prices-and-improve-reliability-for-working-families,"Raskin, Van Hollen, McClellan, and Beyer Lead 30 Colleagues in Urging Regional Power Grid Operator to Lower Electricity Prices and Improve Reliability for Working Families",2024-10-17,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,raskin,https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Representatives Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) and Don Beyer (VA-08), and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led 30 members of Congress in writing a letter calling on PJM Interconnection (PJM), the region’s power grid operator, to swiftly improve the reliability of the electricity grid, deliver cheaper electricity prices, and address the biggest roadblocks to transitioning to renewable energy. In their letter sent today to PJM—the country’s largest electricity market serving 65 million customers across 13 states in the Mid-Atlantic region and the Great Lakes—the lawmakers urged the grid operator to swiftly and fully comply with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) Order No. 1920 and Order No. 2023 and pursue proactive transmission planning and interconnection reforms to help the electricity grid maintain reliability and increase the supply of clean energy. “Our region must add new energy sources to our electric grid to meet our constituents’ and businesses’ growing energy needs,” wrote the lawmakers. “Renewable energy is now the cheapest form of energy, and a recent PJM report shows that renewables can meet our region’s increasing energy demands. Federal investments in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and state policies on fostering renewable energy have created an opportunity for billions of dollars of investment in low-cost, low-carbon electricity supply and storage. The PJM region can seize this opportunity to facilitate the replacement of old, costly, increasingly unreliable, and polluting power plants with lower-cost clean energy—and score a triple win for public health, the environment, and consumers’ energy bills.” PJM expects energy demands to increase nearly 40% by 2039. As the region’s energy needs grow, energy supply must keep pace with rising demand—or consumers will face higher utility bills. In PJM’s most recent electricity capacity auction for 2025, prices increased more than six-fold to about $14.7 billion from $2.4 billion in 2024. The price increases in the electricity auction are estimated to translate into price increases for millions of customers in the PJM region. The letter from the lawmakers urges PJM to do the following: Comply with FERC Order No. 1920 by developing transmission planning scenarios that account for states’ clean energy policies and incentives in the IRA, consider and maximize the economic benefits of renewable power, and comprehensively plan for fossil fuel retirements driven by states’ policies and economic factors; Comply with FERC Order No. 2023, which requires grid operators across the country to address the backlog of new energy sources waiting to be connected to our electricity grid; Create a robust process for state policymakers and regulators to engage with PJM on transmission planning decisions; And prioritize energy solutions such as advanced transmission technologies that help minimize community impacts resulting from siting and permitting decisions. The lawmakers emphasized, “A robust transmission grid that is ready to accept new resources and maintain reliability in the face of increasing energy demand will not be possible without swift and full compliance with Order No. 1920 and Order No. 2023.” Representatives Raskin, Beyer and McClellan and Senator Van Hollen were joined on the letter by Representatives Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Sean Casten (IL-06), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Danny Davis (IL-07), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Bill Foster (IL-11), Jesús García (IL-04), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Summer Lee (PA-12), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Eleanor Norton (D-DC), Mike Quigley (IL-05), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), David Trone (MD-06), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Thomas Carper (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL). The full letter to PJM can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-team-maryland-announce-139-million-in-federal-funds-to-support-workforce-development-and-postsecondary-education-for-individuals-with-disabilities,"Congressman Mfume, Team Maryland Announce $13.9 Million in Federal Funds to Support Workforce Development and Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities",2024-10-16,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"BALTIMORE - Today, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, with Governor Wes Moore and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey, announced $13.9 million in federal funding to support workforce development and postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities. Administered through the Maryland Department of Disabilities, the funding will help increase access to resources, promote data sharing, and improve employment outcomes. “Team Maryland continues to drive federal investment in Marylanders' futures. These new funds will bolster the use of evidence-based strategies to engage individuals with disabilities in careers of their choice, enhancing inclusion, economic mobility, and career growth,"" said members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation Congressman Mfume, Senators Cardin, Van Hollen, and Hoyer; and Congressmen Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Raskin, Trone and Ivey. “One in four Americans has a disability, and these investments will empower those Americans to achieve greater economic independence while supporting our changing economic and workforce needs. This is an important investment in ensuring people with disabilities are able to continue playing a meaningful role in their community."" “'Leave no one behind' is not just a talking point for us, it's a governing philosophy. Today's action reaffirms Maryland's commitment to building a state where every person is seen and supported,"" said Gov. Moore. “I want to thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their partnership. Together, we will open paths to work, wages, and wealth for Marylanders; grow our economy; and create an equitable future for all."" The U.S. Department of Education allocated $9.4 million from the Disability Innovation Fund Program to develop a tool that connects students with accessible services, including vocational rehabilitation and long-term support. The tool represents a pioneering data-sharing system that will enable school and state agency personnel—including the Maryland State Department of Education Division of Rehabilitative Services and the Developmental Disabilities Administration at the Maryland Department of Health—to share information about student applications, eligibility, and services. The Maryland Department of Disabilities also received $4.5 million from the Social Security Administration's Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program. The funding will be used to assess the impact of outreach and assistance for children with disabilities who qualify for both Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income, in an effort to enhance access to transition services and improve employment outcomes through competitive, integrated employment. The two grants begin this month and will continue over five years. “Both grants underscore our unwavering commitment to advancing opportunity, access and choice for individuals with disabilities,"" said Maryland Department of Disabilities Secretary Carol A. Beatty. “Allowing them to live a life of their own choosing in their communities. Everyone can work with the right support and services and jobs are a critical element of independence."" Governor Moore issued a proclamation in support of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, highlighting that people with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be unemployed than their non-disabled peers. By removing barriers to employment, Maryland is putting young people with disabilities on the road to financial independence. For more information on the Disability Innovation Fund grant visit ed.gov.? For more information on the Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program grant visit ssa.gov. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-passing-ethel-kennedy,Hoyer Statement on the Passing of Ethel Kennedy,2024-10-10,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today regarding the passing of Ethel Kennedy: ""Ethel Kennedy was a force of nature – a woman of extraordinary courage and dedication to her family and to her country. Her loss will be mourned by all who respect courage and conviction. ""Like her late husband, she was a great American patriot and an energetic advocate for human rights around the world. Crucially, she was an excellent mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. ""My prayers are with her family as they mourn her loss. We grieve with them. Her passing is a tremendous loss for our country and for all those who cherish human dignity and decency. ""Being able to call Ethel Kennedy my dear friend will always remain one of the greatest joys of my life. I fondly recall sitting beside Ethel with President Biden at her 90th birthday party in Florida as well as visiting her just this past July at her home in Hyannis Port with my wife, Elaine. Ethel remained just as vivacious, tough, humorous, and demanding of excellence as when I first met her decades ago. ""Even in her final days, she displayed what Tennyson once described as 'that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven' – a person with a 'heroic heart made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.' That was Ethel Kennedy. ""May God bless Ethel Kennedy and all those who loved her and lament her loss.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-republican-disinformation-regarding-hurricane-and-disaster,Hoyer Statement on Republican Disinformation Regarding Hurricane and Disaster Warnings,2024-10-09,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today regarding the disinformation spread by Republicans about the hurricane warnings and resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): ""With one of the most powerful hurricanes in history bearing down on America's gulf coast, the last thing the hundreds of thousands of evacuees need is disinformation. Sadly, Donald Trump, the provocateur-in-Chief, Senator Vance as his deputy, and the members of the extreme MAGA far-right, have seized on this natural disaster to spread conspiracy theories and political hoaxes. ""Trump forces continue to vilify FEMA and raise doubts about the agency's warning to Americans caught in the path of the deadly storm to evacuate before it is too late. Spreading these lies is not only morally disgusting; it is dangerous. “Every second counts in an evacuation. Someone who cares more about maximizing the number of likes and views on a provocative tweet over minimizing the number of American lives lost to these storms has no place holding public office. Our response to these storms has been – and must remain – bipartisan and truthful. “It is crucial that our House comes together to secure disaster aid to help those affected by these storms and the many other disasters America has experienced in recent months. I urge Americans to evacuate, and I urge their leaders to either reiterate that warning or refrain from their partisan lies.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-marking-one-year-after-october-7th-attacks-israel,Hoyer Statement Marking One Year After the October 7th Attacks on Israel,2024-10-07,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today marking one year after Hamas' October 7th attack on Israel: ""A year ago today, Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists began their unprovoked surprise invasion of Israel and unleashed horrific violence upon its people. They slaughtered 1,200 Israelis, took 251 people hostage – including 12 Americans – and launched thousands of rockets at peaceful Israeli communities. I have seen footage of Hamas executing Israeli parents in front of their children. I have walked the streets of Kibbutz Kfar Aza and the grounds of the Nova Music Festival where Hamas butchered Israeli civilians and defiled their corpses. I have met with the families of the hostages held captive in Gaza. We have heard directly from survivors of Hamas' sexual violence. That depraved terrorist attack was the latest manifestation of the violence and persecution inflicted upon Jews for millennia. ""The brutality and trauma of October 7 have continued every day since. Hamas has executed multiple hostages. Iran and its proxies – Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi Rebels – have fired more than 22,000 rockets and missiles at Israel. Just last week, Iran struck Israel with the largest ballistic missile barrage inflicted upon any country in history. ""American intelligence found that Iran has also helped fuel a spike in antisemitism in the United States and around the world. That includes on American college campuses. The Anti-Defamation League reported that the rate of antisemitic incidents in America increased by 388% in the weeks following October 7. Additionally, the FBI recently reported that 2023 saw a 63% increase in the number of antisemitic hate crimes in the United States, making it the worst year on record. Sadly, Jews throughout the diaspora now fear for their safety and question whether they will ever feel like they truly belong – be it online, on campus, or in society at large. It falls to each one of us to stand against that cancerous, twisted antisemitic hate wherever and whenever it appears. ""From coordinating our international coalition's successful defense against Iranian attacks on Israel to securing vital military aid for Israel's crucial military campaign against Hamas, America has sent a resounding message of support for Israel and the Jewish community. We continue to do so as Israel takes necessary action to defeat Hezbollah after the terrorist organization's violence forced over 60,000 Israeli civilians to flee their homes in the North. ""A year after October 7, we must not forget what started this war: a vile terrorist attack that led to the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. Israel did not want this war. Hamas initiated it in pursuit of its self-declared mission to kill Jews and destroy the State of Israel. To suggest otherwise not only ignores reality and gives credence to Hamas' false claims, but it also disrespects all those who have suffered because of that day. Instead, we must advance our work to secure the safe return of the remaining hostages – including seven Americans – held in Gaza, reaffirm our commitment to achieving a victory that brings lasting peace to the region, and continue to mourn those we have lost this past year. The pain of their loss is especially severe during this holy time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. May their memory be a blessing.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://raskin.house.gov/2024/10/raskin-recognizes-one-year-anniversary-of-october-7-terrorist-attacks,Raskin Recognizes One-Year Anniversary of October 7 Terrorist Attacks,2024-10-07,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,raskin,https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC—One year after Hamas’ terrorist attacks, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) released the following statement: “Today marks the first anniversary of an imperishably horrific, dreadful and shocking day. “On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists brutally murdered more than 1,200 people in Israel, took 251 other people hostage, wounded hundreds more and traumatized the Israeli nation. The casualties of these atrocities included Israelis, Americans and people of other nations, among them pregnant women, elderly people, children and babies. The towns and Kibbutzim in Israel that were raided and ravaged, like Netiv HaAsara and Kibbutz Be’eri, will never be the same. “Taking place 50 years after the beginning of the Yom Kippur War, Hamas’s terrorist slaughter was the largest murderous assault on Jewish civilians since the Holocaust. The attack also included acts of torture, sexual violence and rape, as well as the continuing brutalization of the people unlawfully held captive. This appalling assault on the people of Israel constituted a clear crime against humanity. “One year later, humanity still grieves the staggering loss of life which took place that bitter and bloody day. The world stands with the families and loved ones of the victims and demands, along with the vast majority of hostage families marching in the streets of Tel Aviv, a ceasefire deal to expedite the immediate safe return of the remaining 101 hostages, among them both Israelis and Americans still languishing and suffering in the tunnels of Gaza a full 365 days after the initial bloody attack. Over 700 Israeli soldiers, reservists, and local security officers have also been killed in this war and thousands of Israelis remain displaced. “Today also marks a full year of devastating war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas and continuing acts of terror and aggression in the Middle East. Civilian infrastructure and community life in the Gaza strip have been destroyed, and the consequences to the Palestinian people, as well as the Israeli people, have been catastrophic. “More than 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, most of them women and children, and double that number have been wounded and maimed. Meantime, around 90% of the Palestinian population in Gaza have been displaced and rendered homeless, many hundreds of thousands of people reduced to desperate nomads trapped in the hellscape of a broken hungry land where no one is safe, including relief workers and journalists. “Famine and disease have spread like wildfire through Gaza, and children are dying of malnutrition as more than 300 aid workers have been shot and killed. The World Health Organization is racing to stop the spread of polio and other deadly diseases. “Over the past year, I have met with countless constituents directly affected by this war, including family members of Jewish Americans and Israelis killed or taken hostage and Palestinian-American constituents who have lost dozens of family members in Gaza. Each day, as bereft and anxious family members on both sides of this nightmare wait for news of their loved ones in Hamas captivity or their loved ones stuck in the besieged land of Gaza, my staff and I do whatever we can to try to reduce the misery, isolation and heartbreak afflicting Israelis and Palestinians alike. “As the threat of full-blown regional war grows, America must redouble efforts to get Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to enter a comprehensive and bilateral ceasefire to provide for safe return of the remaining hostages, an end to the galloping violence in the region, and a global surge of humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza population. The devastating carnage in Israel and Gaza has been a tragedy for all humanity and a moral and political catastrophe. “We will never forget the gruesome horrors of October 7 or the people lost that day, nor will we forget the people we have lost since then in the dreadful war to follow. It is in the interest of all humanity that the hostages be safely and swiftly returned home, that there be a complete bilateral ceasefire in the region, that terrorists be removed from operational control of Gaza, and that the spread to regional war be halted and reversed. There must be a permanent end to the vicious and hopeless cycles of terror and war in the region and a realization of the long-awaited two state solution for the sake of all Israelis and Palestinians—and the whole world.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-september-jobs-report-0,Hoyer Statement on September Jobs Report,2024-10-04,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today on the September jobs report: ""The September jobs report testifies to our economy's lasting vigor, with 254,000 jobs added to the American economy last month alone. Now, more than 16 million jobs have been added to the economy since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office. No administration in American history can boast such a strong record on job creation. Last month, the unemployment rate also fell to 4.05%. More Americans are working today than at any point in history and a greater share of our population is working today than at any point under the previous administration. On top of a sturdy labor market, wages outpaced inflation by 1.5 percentage points over the last year. ""All signs point to the soft landing that the Biden-Harris Administration envisioned amid the height of the pandemic in 2021. Democrats came together to make that vision a reality, passing historic laws to lower costs, create jobs, and Invest in America and in Americans. As Chair of the Regional Leadership Council, I've been proud to help implement these historic laws in every corner of the country. Those policies – and the industrious spirit of the American people – have made our economy the envy of the world. If this report is any indication, the world will continue to envy it for a long time to come.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-joins-bipartisan-letter-to-postal-board-of-governors-urging-action-to-ensure-safe-and-secure-postal-operations,Mfume Joins Bipartisan Letter to Postal Board of Governors Urging Action to Ensure Safe and Secure Postal Operations,2024-10-04,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), the Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in writing to the Postal Board of Governors to bring to their attention severe deficiencies in United States Postal Service (USPS) operations that risk the security of the mail and mail facilities and threaten the safety of postal employees and members of the public. The letter was signed by Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), the Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce and the following Members of Congress: Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Marc Molinaro (R-NY), and Blake D. Moore (R-UT). The Members urged the Board of Governors to take action to address these issues and requested information from the Board to ensure effective oversight of their progress. “The Board of Governors is responsible for overseeing the operations of the USPS, setting the strategic direction of the USPS, approving important and significant USPS policies, and holding USPS leadership accountable to upholding the mission of one of our nation’s most prized assets,” wrote the Members. “As such, we bring to your attention for immediate action a series of recent reports by the USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG), which have identified serious lapses in existing postal operations and a glaring lack of oversight by the USPS over its own facilities and contracted suppliers and services,” the Members continued. “The concerns raised by the OIG can be grouped into three primary categories: access to postal facilities, contract trucking safety, and repeated violations of federal wage laws under the purview of USPS contracts.” The Members requested answers to the following questions: Does the Postal Service currently have a record of every driver and carrier (i.e. trucking company), including subcontracted carriers, that accessed Postal Service facilities in FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024? Does the Postal Service know how many drivers it has permitted to access its facilities without a postal-issued ID security badge and how many of those drivers would have qualified for a badge after completing the nonsensitive security clearance and driving record review? Does the Postal Service uniformly record the driver’s license, or the information contained therein, for those individuals that access postal facilities without first obtaining a postal badge, how is that information stored, and has any analysis of that data ever been performed to determine if these drivers would qualify for a postal-issued photo ID security badge? Does the Postal Service maintain a do-not-use carrier or driver list and does the Postal Service share that list with its transportation contractors to ensure that unsafe subcontractors are not utilized? How many traffic fatalities have occurred involving Postal Service transportation contractors and subcontractors, respectively, in FY 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and are these companies still performing transportation services for the Postal Service? Are those incidents reported to the Board of Governors? Have the measures cited in the Postal OIG’s February 2024 report on Contract Trucking Safety regarding implementation of a process and method for tracking contractor crash and fatality information, along with written instructions regarding policy and procedure, been completed given the target date of July 31 provided in the report? Was the Board of Governors aware of the Postal Service’s intention to use its freight auction board for routine trips or given a projection that the Postal Service would spend approximately $1 billion in FY 2024 on the freight auction board to contract transportation? Was the Board of Governors aware of the Postal Service’s intention to abandon its postal-issued ID security badge process for contractors operating on the freight auction board and did the Board of Governors agree with or authorize this policy decision? Did the Board of Governors, collectively or individually, express any concern about the potential consequences of this policy decision in light of the significant increase in freight auction utilization? Why has the Postal Service failed to comply with the requirements of the Service Contract Act after receiving the Department of Labor’s denial of its requested exemption on February 22, 2022? How many freight auction contracts or trips in 2024 failed to include the SCA-required wage determination? Does the Postal Service track criminal activity by transportation contractors or subcontractors, such as trailer theft, mail theft, or loading commercial freight in sealed trailers carrying mail? If so, how many such incidents occurred in FY 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 and what types of incidents occurred? Full text of the letter is available here and below: Dear Chairman Martinez and Members of the USPS Board of Governors: We write to bring to the attention of the Board of Governors severe deficiencies in United States Postal Service (USPS) operations that risk the security of the mail and mail facilities and threaten the safety of postal employees and members of the public. The Board of Governors is responsible for overseeing the operations of the USPS, setting the strategic direction of the USPS, approving important and significant USPS policies, and holding USPS leadership accountable to upholding the mission of one of our nation’s most prized assets. As such, we bring to your attention for immediate action a series of recent reports by the USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG), which have identified serious lapses in existing postal operations and a glaring lack of oversight by the USPS over its own facilities and contracted suppliers and services. The concerns raised by the OIG can be grouped into three primary categories: access to postal facilities, contract trucking safety, and repeated violations of federal wage laws under the purview of USPS contracts. Access to Postal Facilities: The OIG’s September 2023 audit, “Transportation Workplace Safety and Driver Security,” revealed that a significant portion of drivers accessing USPS facilities were not properly vetted according to existing security procedures and lacked valid identification badges. This report found that between 72% and 88% of drivers were found to be without appropriate clearance, putting both postal employees and mail security at risk. The OIG’s February 2024 audit, “Contract Trucking Safety and Compliance” revealed that this lack of driver vetting remained persistent and particularly problematic for suppliers operating on the Postal Service’s freight auction. As of the OIG’s August 2024 audit, this issue remains unresolved. Contract Trucking Safety: The February 2024 audit, “Contract Trucking Safety and Compliance,” also identified a failure to track serious and fatal crashes involving contract trucking services. The OIG recommended that the USPS establish immediately a method for tracking contractor crash and fatality data, a recommendation codified in the Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act. Consistent with the September 2023 audit, the OIG also reported that USPS does not maintain adequate records on who is authorized to transport mail and does not enforce proper vetting procedures drivers, particularly for freight auction suppliers. As we have seen in public reporting over the last several years, these safety lapses lead to serial violation of safety standards and preventable deaths. Pattern of Wage Violations Under USPS Watch: The August 2024 OIG audit, “Evaluation of Freight Auction,” revealed a troubling pattern of wage violations within USPS’s contracting system, which increasingly awards contracts through the use of freight auctions. Many of these low-cost contracts are possible, in part, because workers are being underpaid in violation of the Service Contract Act. These violations are being exacerbated by the Postal Service’s own failure to comply with the Service Contact Act by failing incorporating the relevant, required minimum wage determinations and fringe benefits in contract solicitations. USPS’s cost-cutting approach has facilitated these wage violations without regard for the quality of outcomes, rewarding contractors for cutting corners. While not a direct safety or security concern, this issue contributes to a culture that deprioritizes safety and security by encouraging unlawful business practices and incentivizing contractors to reduce costs at any expense. This pattern of wage violations reflects a broader issue within USPS: a focus on low-cost contracts, principally via its freight auction board, without concern for the quality of outcomes. While cost-cutting is not inherently bad, it becomes deeply problematic when done with disregard for the law, safety, and security. Freight auction spending has surged, with projections reaching $1 billion this year—a 628% increase since 2022. As utilization of freight auctions increases, oversight continues to lag, exacerbating the safety risks, security gaps, and labor concerns identified in recent audits. For example, the OIG’s February report found that, for drivers under these contracts, screening protocols are often inconsistent or entirely absent. Although the Postal Service has taken some steps to improve safety and oversight since last year, serious issues remain. USPS’s lack of oversight in favor of low-cost freight auction contracts has led to security lapses, such as insufficient driver vetting, and compromised safety standards for contract trucking, increasing the risk of accidents and endangering both postal employees and the public. Without urgent corrective measures, these failures will continue to compromise the safety of postal employees, the security of the mail, and public trust in the USPS. The Board of Governors must ensure the USPS addresses the issues noted above swiftly. Public trust in the Postal Service depends on maintaining safe and secure operations, and the growing use of unaccountable contracting practices threatens to undermine that trust. We urge immediate action to address the OIG’s findings and ensure that modernization does not come at the expense of safety, security, and legal wage rates. To better understand the scope of these oversight failures and monitor the steps that the Postal Service will take to address them, we request answers to the following questions: Does the Postal Service currently have a record of every driver and carrier (i.e. trucking company), including subcontracted carriers, that accessed Postal Service facilities in FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024? Does the Postal Service know how many drivers it has permitted to access its facilities without a postal-issued ID security badge and how many of those drivers would have qualified for a badge after completing the nonsensitive security clearance and driving record review? Does the Postal Service uniformly record the driver’s license, or the information contained therein, for those individuals that access postal facilities without first obtaining a postal badge, how is that information stored, and has any analysis of that data ever been performed to determine if these drivers would qualify for a postal-issued photo ID security badge? Does the Postal Service maintain a do-not-use carrier or driver list and does the Postal Service share that list with its transportation contractors to ensure that unsafe subcontractors are not utilized? How many traffic fatalities have occurred involving Postal Service transportation contractors and subcontractors, respectively, in FY 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and are these companies still performing transportation services for the Postal Service? Are those incidents reported to the Board of Governors? Have the measures cited in the Postal OIG’s February 2024 report on Contract Trucking Safety regarding implementation of a process and method for tracking contractor crash and fatality information, along with written instructions regarding policy and procedure, been completed given the target date of July 31 provided in the report? Was the Board of Governors aware of the Postal Service’s intention to use its freight auction board for routine trips or given a projection that the Postal Service would spend approximately $1 billion in FY 2024 on the freight auction board to contract transportation? Was the Board of Governors aware of the Postal Service’s intention to abandon its postal-issued ID security badge process for contractors operating on the freight auction board and did the Board of Governors agree with or authorize this policy decision? Did the Board of Governors, collectively or individually, express any concern about the potential consequences of this policy decision in light of the significant increase in freight auction utilization? Why has the Postal Service failed to comply with the requirements of the Service Contract Act after receiving the Department of Labor’s denial of its requested exemption on February 22, 2022? How many freight auction contracts or trips in 2024 failed to include the SCA-required wage determination? Does the Postal Service track criminal activity by transportation contractors or subcontractors, such as trailer theft, mail theft, or loading commercial freight in sealed trailers carrying mail? If so, how many such incidents occurred in FY 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 and what types of incidents occurred? Thank you for your service to the USPS and for your immediate attention to issues raised in this correspondence.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-harris-issues-statement-ongoing-strike-us-ports,Congressman Harris Issues Statement On The Ongoing Strike at U.S. Ports,2024-10-03,2024,2024-10,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies issued the following statement urging the President to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act in response to the ongoing strike at U.S. ports. The Taft-Hartly Act authorizes a president to seek a court order for an 80-day cooling-off period for companies and unions to try to resolve their differences. Statement From Congressman Harris: “It is in the interest of the American people and the economy of Maryland for the President to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act, order the disputing parties in this port strike to the negotiating table, and intensively arbitrate. The President should not allow this strike to ruin the economy or disrupt the supply chain.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-discusses-regional-leadership-council-and-investing-america-agenda-julie,"Hoyer Discusses the Regional Leadership Council and the Investing in America Agenda on ""The Julie Mason Show""",2024-10-02,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Chair of the Regional Leadership Council (RLC), joined Julie Mason yesterday on ""The Julie Mason Show"" to discuss the successful implementation of the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda. Below is a link to the interview and excerpts of his remarks: To listen to the interview, click here On the Regional Leadership Council's fourth visit to the White House (more): ""It's the fourth meeting we've had so far. We met with the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and the Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House. And this is just a continuation of the previous three meetings that we had in making sure that we are educating the American people on the extraordinary accomplishments of the 117th Congress—meaning the first two years of the Biden administration—where we passed legislation which got a handle on the pandemic and brought us out of the pandemic so that we had one of the best recoveries of any nation in the world."" On the implementation of Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda: ""First of all, we got money in the pockets of families that were really hurting—and were threatening to go, you know, fall through the floorboards—into their pockets so they could stabilize their lives and start paying their, making sure they pay their bills, and keep their homes. We then got small businesses money to make sure that they could keep people on the payroll. We did that in the COVID legislation, by the way, some of which were signed by Donald Trump, and we also made sure that they got shots in arms. The reason we needed to get shots in arms, which was because we needed to come out of the pandemic, and we needed people to have an immunity or at least protection against the COVID-19 virus."" “And then the last thing we did, which was just so critically important in the [American] rescue plan, we got kids in school. We got kids back in school. How did we do that? Well, first of all, we gave money to schools to make sure they could make their schools safe and sanitary and make sure their air-handling systems, a lot of which were very old, could be at a place where the air was not dirty, where dirty air was not circulating. So that was our first step, and we wanted people to know about that, that's what we were talking about at the White House."" “And then we talked about the infrastructure bill. There are now some 60,000 projects going on right now in America because of that bill in 4,500 different communities around the country. Making a real difference, not only providing infrastructure that we need to be competitive in the 21st century, but also providing good jobs, good-paying jobs for a lot of middle-income workers, so that was a big, big accomplishment."" “But not only did we do that? We also got projects going to make sure that kids weren't drinking dirty water that gave them cancer. So, you know, it's very nice to say we have a successful Congress, but people have to know, ‘How did it affect me? How did it affect my family? How did it affect my kids?’ Well, the kids in school, it affected. Clean water in their water systems helped them."" “And then we had a CHIPS and Science bill. What was the CHIPS and Science bill all about? First of all, When the pandemic hit us, our supply chains froze. Why? Because Taiwan shut down and Singapore shut down. They were supplying us most of our chips. What does that mean? Well, chips go into almost everything we have. We wear our watches, our refrigerators have chips, our stoves have chips, our cars have chips. And what happened to the car industry? They had to shut down because we didn't have chips. So what did we do? We invested in making chips here in America. I've had an agenda, Julie, that I called “Make it in America” since 2010. This was the biggest Make it in America [Congress]. Make sure America is self-sufficient. Make sure America is not reliant on the unreliable sources overseas."" “And the science. we made the biggest investment in science that's been made in history. And what does that do? It provides for the creation of new products. You know, we invented the Internet. We invented television. We invented so much of the technology that's now made overseas. Well, let's bring it home, make it here, create good jobs, and be competitive in the 21st century."" “And the last thing we did, well not the last thing because we did the PACT bill, that helped a lot – millions of veterans. And we passed a gun safety bill, which was the first one in 30 years, that was a bipartisan bill and signed by the president to make our communities safer. But the last one we did was we called the Inflation Reduction Act. Why? Because we wanted to bring costs down for the American people. And one specific example, we brought insulin costs for people who are using insulin on a regular basis down from hundreds of dollars to a cap of $35."" “That is huge. And then what did we do, Julie? We took and said, ‘Look these big pharmaceutical companies are charging huge prices and we can get them cheaper overseas. We need to negotiate, as overseas people do, as we do for, frankly, veterans. We negotiate prices. So, what we said, ‘we're going to negotiate prices for seniors.’ Now, what Kamala Harris wants to do, she wants to make sure we negotiate, we cap prices for everybody. So not just seniors capped at $2,000, but everybody capped at $2,000. Because we don't want people making choices by whether they're going to buy food for their bodies to keep them healthy, or drugs to keep them alive, which they can't afford because they're so expensive."" “So, that's what the RLC was tasked to do by the president and by Leader Jefferies. And that's what we've done. We've had meetings all over this country. Our members have participated in saying, ‘Look, this was not just talk.’ This was not just rhetoric. This was not just saying, ‘We're going to do something.’ It was concrete things that we did, have made a difference for the people.” On the Trump Administration's Lack of Infrastructure: ""But, you know we need to make sure [the American people] know about [these dollars] so that when they see them, they understand those are the results of what we did in the 117th Congress under Joe Biden's leadership and his legislative agenda that we adopted. That's why it's so important to make sure people understand that so when they go to decide what the policies are going to be in the future and who's going to carry those out, they have an understanding of who's done it. Not who just said they would do it. For instance, Julie, in 2016, we heard a thousand times from Donald Trump that he was going to invest a trillion dollars in infrastructure. And then he became president. And he had ‘infrastructure months.’ He had ‘infrastructure weeks.’ He had ‘infrastructure days.’ You know what he didn’t have? Infrastructure!"" ""So, that's why the RLC has been so important and why the White House has stayed in such close touch with us, and we've stayed in such close touch with them to let people know what's going on. Now, for instance, in the last number of years, as a result of our legislation, private companies—get this—have invested almost a trillion dollars. $910 billion in investment in cutting-edge American industries and technology. That makes a difference. It creates jobs, it creates middle- class families. It creates families who could go out and purchase automobiles and houses and their groceries. And the Inflation Reduction Act, we're working, and Harris is focused like a laser bringing cost down. Making sure that giant companies, giant monopolies, whether it's gas or groceries, don't charge us more simply because they want more profits.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-harris-calls-congress-use-billions-unused-electric-vehicle-tax,Congressman Harris Calls On Congress To Use Billions Of Unused Electric Vehicle Tax Credits To Offset Funding For Rebuilding The Francis Scott Key Bridge.,2024-10-01,2024,2024-10,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies is calling on Congress to use billions of dollars in unused electric vehicle (EV) tax credits and EV charging infrastructure in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to offset funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Statement From Congressman Harris: “As one of the heaviest-trafficked bridges in Baltimore, the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge dramatically slowed traffic in and around Baltimore and hurt the local economy. While Congress seeks funding for bridge reconstruction costs, we should consider rescinding billions of dollars in unused electric vehicle (EV) tax credits and EV charging infrastructure and redistributing those funds to cover the Key Bridge reconstruction costs. While quick replacement is important, in an era of a $35 trillion federal debt and $2 trillion annual federal deficits, we should and can offset the cost by reducing wasteful spending elsewhere in the federal budget.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-harris-issues-statement-response-irans-missile-attack-israel,Congressman Harris Issues Statement In Response To Iran’s Missile Attack On Israel,2024-10-01,2024,2024-10,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies issued the following statement in response to Iran’s missile attack on Israel. Statement From Congressman Harris: “Israel is in a fight for its very existence against radical Islamic terrorist groups and this latest attack from Iran is a direct result of the Biden-Harris administration’s weakness on the world stage. The United States must continue to stand with Israel as it fights for its very survival.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-iran-missile-attack-israel,Hoyer Statement on Iran Missile Attack on Israel,2024-10-01,2024,2024-10,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today on the Iran missile attack on Israel: ""Today, Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles in yet another attack on our Israeli allies. America led our multilateral coalition's successful effort to defend Israel from a similar Iranian attack in April, and we have done the same today. As the Biden-Harris Administration clearly warned, Iran will face 'severe consequences' for this latest attack. ""This attack is part of Iran's effort to escalate this war, destabilize the region, and destroy the State of Israel. Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists initiated this war nearly a year ago with their depraved October 7 attack. Hezbollah – another Iranian proxy terrorist organization – has launched more than 11,000 missiles and rockets along Israel's northern border since October 7, displacing more than 60,000 Israeli civilians. Together, these terrorist organizations, along with similar Iranian proxies like the Houthis and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, have fired a total of 22,000 rockets and missiles at Israel this past year with strategic, financial, and operational support from Iran. ""No sovereign nation can be expected to live under this constant threat to its very existence. America will continue to stand by our ally Israel as it exercises its right to defend itself. For this war to end, Israel must defeat Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah to the north. We will continue to support Israel in that mission and in its effort to secure the safe return of the remaining hostages held captive in Gaza. As the recent deployment of additional U.S. military assets to the region demonstrates, our commitment to defending the Israeli people from Iranian aggression will not waver.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:57:20Z https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-announces-156-million-support-victims-crime,Maryland Delegation Announces $15.6 Million to Support Victims of Crime,2024-09-30,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Glenn Ivey,I000058,ivey.house.gov,ivey,https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 27, 2024 CONTACTS: Ramon Korionoff Ramon.Korionoff@mail.house.gov WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) today announced $15,601,420 in U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) funding for the State of Maryland to provide financial assistance and support services to crime victims. The grants are provided through the DOJ Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) as part of its FY2024 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation formula grants. “Improving public safety is one of our top priorities. As we work to build stronger, safer communities, we also need to provide support to those who have been victim to crime,” said the lawmakers. “VOCA funding has been critical in providing resources to support the health and well-being of victims of crime and will continue to enable the important work of Maryland’s victim service programs.” The lawmakers fought to stabilize victim assistance and compensation funding through passage of the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021, which supports services for approximately 120,000 victims of crime in Maryland every year. ""Our VOCA grants are literally changing lives,"" GOCPP Executive Director Dorothy Lennig said. ""One of our sub-grantees, Heartly House, recently used our VOCA funding to support a mother experiencing severe domestic abuse. The victim called Heartly House's support line and received education, resources, and safety planning services all in one call. Using the resources provided to her, she created a plan to find a new home for her and her children and utilized an advocate's services to enroll in Maryland's Address Confidentiality Program to keep her new address hidden from her abuser. The impact VOCA funding provides to vulnerable crime victims in Maryland is immeasurable."" The two VOCA formula grant programs from which these funds were delivered are administered by the OVC. DOJ’s Victim Compensation formula grants provide funding to supplement state compensation programs that provide direct financial assistance and reimbursement to victims for crime-related out-of-pocket expenses, including medical and dental care, counseling, funeral and burial expenses, and lost wages and income. DOJ’s Victim Assistance formula grants support thousands of victim assistance programs throughout the nation, funded through subgrants from states. These programs provide services such as crisis counseling, telephone and onsite information and referrals, criminal justice support and advocacy, shelter, therapy, and other forms of assistance. Funds may also be used to develop new programs that address emerging needs, gaps in services, and training of victim service advocates.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-ivey-horsford-and-beatty-introduce-bill-improve-federal-contracting,"Reps. Ivey, Horsford, and Beatty Introduce Bill to Improve Federal Contracting Opportunities for Minority-Owned Businesses",2024-09-30,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Glenn Ivey,I000058,ivey.house.gov,ivey,https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD-04) and co-sponsors Chairman Steven Horsford (NV-04) and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) introduced the CONTRACTS Act of 2024, H.R. 9832, on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. The CONTRACTS (Create Opportunities and Networks for Talented, Ready, and Able Contractors to Succeed) Act of 2024 is a bill that will make improvements to federal contracting practices and increases opportunities for disadvantaged small businesses (DSBs). The bill directs federal agencies to create databases, initiatives, and networks to support minority-owned businesses, in addition to providing technical assistance and establishing a task force to identify best practices, the needs of DSBs, and solutions to the challenges they face. “I am proud to introduce legislation to enhance federal contracting opportunities for minority-owned businesses and dismantle discriminatory barriers that they encounter,” said Congressman Glenn Ivey. “The number of minority-owned businesses has grown at the fastest pace in over 30 years, but according to the SBA’s disaggregated federal contracting data for Fiscal Year 2023, less than two percent of Black-owned and Hispanic-owned businesses receive federal contracting dollars. It is up to us to close this critical gap and improve opportunities for the talent pipeline and surge of entrepreneurs within the minority business community.” “As Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, I’m working to make sure that federal contracting reflects the diversity of our nation and creates pathways for economic growth in minority communities,” said Congressman Steven Horsford. “The CONTRACTS Act will level the playing field for minority-owned businesses by breaking down barriers, enhancing access to resources, and ensuring they have a fair shot at competing for federal contracts. This legislation will improve equity in contracting, empower entrepreneurs, and increase the diversity of our economy.” “I am proud to join Congressman Ivey and Chair Horsford in introducing the CONTRACTS Act to collect more data on where federal contracting dollars are going and to increase contract awards to disadvantaged small businesses,” said Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. “Directing federal contracting dollars to minority-owned businesses enhances competition, performance, and innovation and directly leads to job creation and wealth-building in minority and underserved communities, creating avenues for small business growth and local economic development. This legislation will improve transparency and equity in federal contracting by establishing a public online database of contracts awarded and authorizing a comprehensive outreach and education program to increase participation among disadvantaged businesses.” The CONTRACTS Act of 2024 was referred to the House of Representatives Committee on Small Business and to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases/team-maryland-looks-future-chesapeake-bay-after-current-multi-state-agreements,Team Maryland Looks to the Future of the Chesapeake Bay After Current Multi-State Agreements Expire in 2025,2024-09-30,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Glenn Ivey,I000058,ivey.house.gov,ivey,https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, and Glenn Ivey met Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol with senior representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of the Interior and Maryland Department of Natural Resources to discuss planning for the next stage of the Chesapeake Bay program and restoration efforts. This is a critical time for the Bay and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which was signed in 2014. Many of the goals and outcomes for the Bay had a target of 2025. As this date approaches, the Chesapeake Bay Program is determining how best to meet these goals and outcomes, incorporate new science and strategies, and strengthen the multi-state partnership. At the meeting, members of the Maryland delegation heard from key federal agency and state leaders working towards the next stage of the agreement. Leading the discussion was Adam Ortiz, who serves as the Administrator for EPA Region 3, which governs the Mid-Atlantic Region. In this role Administrator Ortiz is deeply involved in EPA’s role in the Chesapeake Bay Program. The delegation also heard from Department of Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Matt Strickler, who serves at the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Principal’s Staff Committee Chair. In 2022, the Chesapeake Executive Council tasked its Principal’s Staff Committee with making recommendations for the future of the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program’s work. Representing senior state leadership was Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz, who directs Maryland’s role in the multi-state partnership and has deep expertise in the stakeholder community. The planning effort marked a milestone this summer when the Chesapeake Bay Program Beyond 2025 Steering Committee released its Beyond 2025 Draft Report and invited public feedback. “Team Maryland will always fight for the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure, and its restoration is a model for regional, multi-jurisdictional landscape stewardship. It is a model for other regions and other environmental protection efforts at many scales – and it is not simple,” said Senator Cardin. “As the Chesapeake Bay program is recalibrated for the next phase of action, we are committed to securing additional federal resources. We have high expectations for future results.” “We have a responsibility to protect the Chesapeake Bay – our people, our economy, and our environment depend on it. That’s why we’ve fought to deliver major federal investments to improve the Bay’s health – and while we know they’re making a real difference, the watershed states have more work to do to reach our restoration goals. As we near the Bay Agreement’s 2025 benchmark, we must take stock of the challenges faced in meeting its goals and work together to drive further progress toward a healthier Chesapeake Bay,” said Senator Van Hollen. ""I've been proud to work with our delegation to support the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries throughout my career – especially in the past decade since we secured the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement,"" Congressman Hoyer said. ""I was pleased our delegation could meet with our partners in federal and state government to discuss the progress we've made toward fulfilling the various goals we laid out in that agreement and to assess the important work that remains. The Chesapeake Bay is the beating heart of Maryland and a true national treasure, and we will continue working to preserve it for generations to come."" “Ten years ago, we set aggressive but necessary goals to restore and protect our treasured Chesapeake Bay, which has taken an all-hands-on-deck approach from every level of government,” Congressman Ruppersberger said. “As we approach our deadline, we must ensure we are leveraging new technologies and sciences and collaborating with our other watershed states as effectively as possible. I appreciated this opportunity to come together and discuss our long and short-term strategies, especially as my own time in office draws to a close.” “Today’s discussions provided an opportunity to reaffirm our collective vision for the future of the Chesapeake Bay. It is imperative that the next phase of watershed restoration is centered around achieving goals and outcomes that reflect the current, best available science to ensure the health of our communities, the vitality of our region and a sustainable future for Bay ecosystems and natural resources. We look forward to sustained collaboration with federal, state and local government partners as we continue to support Beyond 2025 planning,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “Marylanders across our state depend on a healthy Chesapeake Bay — the largest estuary in the United States — for food, recreation, and to make a living,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “Continued collaboration at the federal, state, and local levels is vital to ensure this national treasure flourishes and effective restoration and conservation projects are enacted throughout the Bay and its ecosystem,” he concluded. “Team Maryland is united in our efforts to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay, a treasured natural resource and cornerstone of our local ecosystem,” said Congressman Raskin. “I’m grateful to our EPA and Maryland state government partners for their continued collaboration with the Maryland Congressional delegation to preserve the Bay for generations to come.” “Protecting the Chesapeake Bay is everyone’s responsibility. We are grateful for our longtime Maryland advocates now on the federal and state level, Adam Ortiz, and Josh Kurtz, respectively. Local, state, and federal partnerships can help keep our national treasure, the Chesapeake Bay, available for all to appreciate and partake in. Crabbing, fishing, sailing and otherwise being active in and around its shores are activities we want to cherish well into the future and our actions today will make sure that our kids and grandkids can benefit from the Bay in their tomorrow’s,” said Congressman Ivey. EPA Region 3 Administrator, Adam Ortiz “The Moore-Miller administration thanks the Maryland congressional delegation for their continued strong leadership on the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. Their efforts have resulted in improvements in water quality and the health of the ecosystem,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. “It was an honor today to discuss our plans to focus our work post-2025 on rebuilding habitat, creating resiliency in the face of climate change, and charting a new future for the Chesapeake Bay.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-elimination-hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah,Hoyer Statement on Elimination of Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah,2024-09-28,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Ccongressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today after Israel eliminated Hezbollah's leader, Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, through an IDF airstrike: ""This morning brought confirmation that Israel has eliminated Hezbollah's leader, Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, with an IDF airstrike. Nasrallah has menaced Israel for more than two decades, waging a deadly terror campaign against our ally. The operation's success means Israel, the region, and the world are safer now that Nasrallah is dead. He finally met justice for the numerous Israelis, Americans, Lebanese, Syrians, and others whose blood stained his hands. ""The operation was a response not only to Nasrallah's decades of terror but also to Hezbollah's recent repeated attacks on undisputed Israeli territory. Since October 8, 2023, Hezbollah terrorists have launched nearly 10,000 rockets at Israeli civilians. More than 60,000 people in Northern Israel have fled their homes to escape Hezbollah's violence, unable to return for months on end. ""Israel has the right to defend itself, as does every other sovereign nation. Israel's strikes against Hezbollah's leadership, launch sites, and missile arsenal – especially its long-range rockets – are vital to dismantling the terrorist organization's ability to carry out further attacks against the Israeli people on behalf of Iran. ""The world cannot allow Iran to rebuild its proxy network on Israel's doorstep. Israelis, Lebanese, Syrians, and others in the region deserve to live free from Hezbollah's interference, and the displaced ought to be able to return home. Hezbollah must not be allowed to return to the northern border, and Hamas must never reassert control over Gaza. This war will not end until these Iranian-backed terrorists are defeated. The United States stands firmly with our ally Israel in that effort.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-announces-156-million-support-victims-crime,Maryland Delegation Announces $15.6 Million to Support Victims of Crime,2024-09-27,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-MD) today announced $15,601,420 in U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) funding for the State of Maryland to provide financial assistance and support services to crime victims. The grants are provided through the DOJ Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) as part of its FY2024 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation formula grants. “Improving public safety is one of our top priorities. As we work to build stronger, safer communities, we also need to provide support to those who have been victim to crime,” said the lawmakers. “VOCA funding has been critical in providing resources to support the health and well-being of victims of crime and will continue to enable the important work of Maryland’s victim service programs.” The lawmakers fought to stabilize victim assistance and compensation funding through passage of the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021, which supports services for approximately 120,000 victims of crime in Maryland every year. ""Our VOCA grants are literally changing lives,"" GOCPP Executive Director Dorothy Lennig said. ""One of our sub-grantees, Heartly House, recently used our VOCA funding to support a mother experiencing severe domestic abuse. The victim called Heartly House's support line and received education, resources, and safety planning services all in one call. Using the resources provided to her, she created a plan to find a new home for her and her children and utilized an advocate's services to enroll in Maryland's Address Confidentiality Program to keep her new address hidden from her abuser. The impact VOCA funding provides to vulnerable crime victims in Maryland is immeasurable."" The two VOCA formula grant programs from which these funds were delivered are administered by the OVC. DOJ’s Victim Compensation formula grants provide funding to supplement state compensation programs that provide direct financial assistance and reimbursement to victims for crime-related out-of-pocket expenses, including medical and dental care, counseling, funeral and burial expenses, and lost wages and income. DOJ’s Victim Assistance formula grants support thousands of victim assistance programs throughout the nation, funded through subgrants from states. These programs provide services such as crisis counseling, telephone and onsite information and referrals, criminal justice support and advocacy, shelter, therapy, and other forms of assistance. Funds may also be used to develop new programs that address emerging needs, gaps in services, and training of victim service advocates.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-hoyer-and-chair-cardin-introduce-legislation-conserve-and-protect-worlds,Rep. Hoyer and Chair Cardin Introduce Legislation to Conserve and Protect the World's Most Vital Forests,2024-09-27,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – This week, Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05) and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee introduced the Combatting Global Deforestation Act in both the House of Representatives and Senate to help combat global deforestation and promote the conservation and restoration of the world’s most valuable forest ecosystems. The legislation authorizes $3.5 billion over four years to finance forest conservation and restoration projects in developing countries, facilitated through long-term bilateral agreements between the State Department and governments or private entities that manage ecologically significant forested lands. These agreements will identify key challenges, ensure respect for human rights, support sustainable economic activities on protected lands, set clear conservation goals, outline practical strategies, designate responsibilities for involved parties, and provide assistance based on measurable project outcomes. Global deforestation poses an urgent and serious threat to biodiversity, water and soil quality, public safety, regional stability, and economic growth, while also contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change. The private sector has shown strong interest in credible carbon offset and conservation credits as part of corporate sustainability and environmental goals. The Combatting Global Deforestation Act will require private sector involvement in developing and implementing projects under this Act, backed by the U.S. government, and establish a legal framework for verifiable outcomes, creating a much-needed, credible global system for forest conservation and anti-deforestation credits. The Combatting Global Deforestation Act builds on Rep Hoyer's previously introduced AMAZON21 bill from the last Congress. ""Forests are the lungs of the Earth and damaging them devastates our environment and the communities around the world that depend on them,"" said Congressman Hoyer. ""That's why trees and their ecosystems are an even more valuable commodity when they are left standing than when they are destroyed. This legislation will allow the United States to establish economic incentives that help ensure developing nations can seize on the value of conservation over deforestation which has wide reaching benefits including to us here in the United States. I look forward to continuing to work with my friend Senator Ben Cardin on this legislation and our longstanding effort to protect our planet and its forests."" “Protecting and restoring the world’s critical forest resources is essential for biodiversity, climate stability, and the well-being of indigenous communities,” said Chair Cardin. “Deforestation is not only a leading cause of carbon emissions but also contributes to habitat loss, water degradation, and increased vulnerability to trafficking and other illicit activities. Partnering with my friend and colleague Rep. Hoyer on this effort ensures we bring a strong, united approach to making conservation a viable economic alternative that can effectively challenge industrial deforestation practices.” The Combatting Global Deforestation Act is supported by leading environmental groups committed to natural ecosystem protection, wildlife and biodiversity conservation and addressing the climate crisis. “We must protect and restore forests to address the interconnected crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. For developing countries, safeguarding these ecosystems is essential, and results-based payments from the United States offer a powerful way to fund conservation while supporting U.S. diplomacy,” said Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International. “High-quality forest carbon programs are a proven, market-based solution to keep forests intact. Conservation International applauds Chairman Cardin and Leader Emeritus Hoyer for their leadership in tackling nature loss and preserving the planet’s vital forests.” “The introduction of the Combatting Global Deforestation Act couldn’t be more timely,” said Kerry Cesareo, Senior Vice President, Forests, for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). “Right now, leaders from all sectors of society are gathered in New York City to discuss how to confront the climate crisis, and healthy forests must be part of the solution. There is no pathway to averting catastrophic climate change that doesn’t require halting deforestation, particularly in the Amazon. We commend Senator Cardin and Representative Hoyer for leading this effort to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises and look forward to working with Congress to advance and strengthen US efforts to secure a future where people and nature can thrive.” “We applaud Senator Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny Hoyer for their leadership in introducing this important legislation to address global deforestation, a key contributor to the escalating climate crisis,” said Kahil Kettering, Executive Director of the Maryland/DC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. “It will take innovative and durable solutions, and enabling policy conditions to combat this challenge and this offers a step in the right direction.” Key provisions of the Combatting Global Deforestation Act: Establishes a $3.5 billion trust fund to enable the State Department to enter into bilateral agreements to restore and protect forests in developing countries. Sets clear policies for “qualified partners” using rigorous international standards to evaluate project value and methods for verifying success. Requires private sector partnerships at the project level and allows the trust fund to accept private donations; private and philanthropic contributors will receive certificates of support from the State Department. Awards financial assistance only when projects demonstrate concrete results. Establishes the International Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration Fund and supports USAID in providing technical assistance and capacity building to partner countries.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-maryland-delegation-announces-156-million-to-support-victims-of-crime,"Congressman Mfume, Maryland Delegation Announces $15.6 Million to Support Victims of Crime",2024-09-27,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) today announced $15,601,420 in U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) funding for the State of Maryland to provide financial assistance and support services to crime victims. The grants are provided through the DOJ Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) as part of its FY2024 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation formula grants. “Improving public safety is one of our top priorities. As we work to build stronger, safer communities, we also need to provide support to those who have been victim to crime,” said the lawmakers. “VOCA funding has been critical in providing resources to support the health and well-being of victims of crime and will continue to enable the important work of Maryland’s victim service programs.” The lawmakers fought to stabilize victim assistance and compensation funding through passage of the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021, which supports services for approximately 120,000 victims of crime in Maryland every year. ""Our VOCA grants are literally changing lives,"" GOCPP Executive Director Dorothy Lennig said. ""One of our sub-grantees, Heartly House, recently used our VOCA funding to support a mother experiencing severe domestic abuse. The victim called Heartly House's support line and received education, resources, and safety planning services all in one call. Using the resources provided to her, she created a plan to find a new home for her and her children and utilized an advocate's services to enroll in Maryland's Address Confidentiality Program to keep her new address hidden from her abuser. The impact VOCA funding provides to vulnerable crime victims in Maryland is immeasurable."" The two VOCA formula grant programs from which these funds were delivered are administered by the OVC. DOJ’s Victim Compensation formula grants provide funding to supplement state compensation programs that provide direct financial assistance and reimbursement to victims for crime-related out-of-pocket expenses, including medical and dental care, counseling, funeral and burial expenses, and lost wages and income. DOJ’s Victim Assistance formula grants support thousands of victim assistance programs throughout the nation, funded through subgrants from states. These programs provide services such as crisis counseling, telephone and onsite information and referrals, criminal justice support and advocacy, shelter, therapy, and other forms of assistance. Funds may also be used to develop new programs that address emerging needs, gaps in services, and training of victim service advocates.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-meeting-president-ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-0,Hoyer Statement on Meeting with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy,2024-09-26,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today after meeting with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the U.S. Capitol: ""Today, I joined a group of Democratic and Republican leaders in a meeting with President Zelenskyy to reaffirm our support for his country’s cause – freedom’s cause, democracy's cause, the cause of international law. I was pleased that such a broad, bipartisan assortment of legislators joined in expressing that commitment in today's meeting. ""President Zelenskyy continues to make a compelling case for why the fight to defeat Vladimir Putin's criminal invasion is so critical to Ukraine, to America, and to the entire free world. We will continue to stand with him, our allies, and the people of Ukraine until victory is won.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-announces-more-10-million-chesapeake-bay-watershed,"Maryland Delegation Announces More Than $10 million for Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration, Preservation",2024-09-26,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"September 26, 2024 WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) today announced $10,698,764 in National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funding for 11 Maryland projects to protect and restore water quality, species, and habitats in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. “Maryland’s ecological and economic identity revolves around the health and preservation of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Bay watershed puts food on our tables, supports the livelihood of thousands of people across the region and provides critical habitat for a variety of wildlife species,” said the lawmakers. “In order to maintain this legacy, Team Maryland continues to fight for and secure investments to restore our environment and protect public health. Through these projects and the work of our local partners, we’re working to ensure that generations to come can continue to rely on our beloved Bay.” The following agencies and organizations received awards: $2,839,348, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy: To engage Talbot County landowners, the Coastal Conservation Association and high school volunteers to install 280 oyster reef balls and restore 2,700 linear feet of living shoreline, as well as nearly two acres of low-marsh habitat. $1,481,650, Blue Water Baltimore, Inc.: To mitigate stormwater runoff and pollution in Baltimore’s urban watershed by building rain gardens and permeable pavements at more than a dozen sites across the City. $1,274,392, Prince George’s County Government: To restore more than 1,000 linear feet of a degraded, unhealthy tributary to Lower Beaverdam Creek. $1,225,069, Future Harvest, Inc.: To advance the adoption of soil health and climate-smart farm management systems by engaging underserved agricultural producers to improve water quality and habitat restoration in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. $1,081,656, Stewardship Network: To accelerate the installation and maintenance of nature-based green infrastructure solutions across Central Maryland by growing the nascent Climate Crew Network. $997,500, The Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County: To mitigate flooding and improve water quality in the historic community of Columbia Beach, Maryland. $542,994, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science: To improve the delivery of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Report Card and increase its relevance to watershed citizens by integrating socially relevant indicators and community perspectives on watershed ecosystem health. $420,247, Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, Inc.: To increase the adoption of conservation practices through a refreshed farm certification program. $330,000, Chesapeake Stormwater Network, Inc.: To deliver core stormwater training programs to the stormwater management community across the Chesapeake Bay watershed and expand efforts to focus on younger and more diverse audiences of existing and emerging stormwater professionals. $265,877, Nature Forward, Inc.: To collaborate with four local community organizations to improve water quality and restore pollinator habitat in underserved areas of the Anacostia River watershed. $240,028, Civic Works, Inc.: To engage community residents and young AmeriCorps adults in training and installation of stormwater best management practices in East Baltimore. The awards were made available through the Chesapeake Small Watershed Grants Program, which the lawmakers fought to provide funding for within Fiscal Year 2024 annual appropriations.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/team-maryland-looks-future-chesapeake-bay-after-current-multi-state-agreements,Team Maryland Looks to the Future of the Chesapeake Bay After Current Multi-State Agreements Expire in 2025,2024-09-26,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, and Glenn Ivey (all D-MD) met Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol with senior representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of the Interior, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources to discuss planning for the next stage of the Chesapeake Bay program and restoration efforts. This is a critical time for the Bay and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which was signed in 2014. Many of the goals and outcomes for the Bay had a target of 2025. As this date approaches, the Chesapeake Bay Program is determining how best to meet these goals and outcomes, incorporate new science and strategies, and strengthen the multi-state partnership. Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz, EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger and Kweisi Mfume (all D-MD) make an appearance at a presser following the delegation meeting. At Wednesday’s meeting, members of the Maryland delegation heard from key federal agency and state leaders working towards the next stage of the agreement. Leading the discussion was Adam Ortiz, who serves as the Administrator for EPA Region 3, which governs the Mid-Atlantic Region. In this role Administrator Ortiz is deeply involved in EPA’s role in the Chesapeake Bay Program. The delegation also heard from Department of Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Matt Strickler, who serves at the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Principal’s Staff Committee Chair. In 2022, the Chesapeake Executive Council tasked its Principal’s Staff Committee with making recommendations for the future of the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program’s work. Representing senior state leadership was Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz, who directs Maryland’s role in the multi-state partnership and has deep expertise in the stakeholder community. The planning effort marked a milestone this summer when the Chesapeake Bay Program Beyond 2025 Steering Committee released its Beyond 2025 Draft Report and invited public feedback. “I’ve been proud to work with our delegation to support the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries throughout my career – especially in the past decade since we secured the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement,” Congressman Hoyer said. “I was pleased our delegation could meet with our partners in federal and state government to discuss the progress we’ve made toward fulfilling the various goals we laid out in that agreement and to assess the important work that remains. The Chesapeake Bay is the beating heart of Maryland and a true national treasure, and we will continue working to preserve it for generations to come.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-maryland-delegation-announces-more-than-10-million-for-chesapeake-bay-watershed-restoration-preservation,"Congressman Mfume, Maryland Delegation Announces More Than $10 million for Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration, Preservation",2024-09-26,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) today announced $10,698,764 in National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funding for 11 Maryland projects to protect and restore water quality, species and habitats in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. “Maryland’s ecological and economic identity revolves around the health and preservation of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Bay watershed puts food on our tables, supports the livelihood of thousands of people across the region and provides critical habitat for a variety of wildlife species,” said the lawmakers. “In order to maintain this legacy, Team Maryland continues to fight for and secure investments to restore our environment and protect public health. Through these projects and the work of our local partners, we’re working to ensure that generations to come can continue to rely on our beloved Bay.” The following agencies and organizations received awards: $2,839,348,Eastern Shore Land Conservancy: To engage Talbot County landowners, the Coastal Conservation Association and high school volunteers to install 280 oyster reef balls and restore 2,700 linear feet of living shoreline, as well as nearly two acres of low-marsh habitat. $1,481,650,Blue Water Baltimore, Inc.: To mitigate stormwater runoff and pollution in Baltimore’s urban watershed by building rain gardens and permeable pavements at more than a dozen sites across the City. $1,274,392, Prince George’s County Government: To restore more than 1,000 linear feet of a degraded, unhealthy tributary to Lower Beaverdam Creek. $1,225,069, Future Harvest, Inc.: To advance the adoption of soil health and climate-smart farm management systems by engaging underserved agricultural producers to improve water quality and habitat restoration in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. $1,081,656, Stewardship Network: To accelerate the installation and maintenance of nature-based green infrastructure solutions across Central Maryland by growing the nascent Climate Crew Network. $997,500,The Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County: To mitigate flooding and improve water quality in the historic community of Columbia Beach, Maryland. $542,994,University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science: To improve the delivery of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Report Card and increase its relevance to watershed citizens by integrating socially relevant indicators and community perspectives on watershed ecosystem health. $420,247,Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, Inc.: To increase the adoption of conservation practices through a refreshed farm certification program. $330,000,Chesapeake Stormwater Network, Inc.: To deliver core stormwater training programs to the stormwater management community across the Chesapeake Bay watershed and expand efforts to focus on younger and more diverse audiences of existing and emerging stormwater professionals. $265,877,Nature Forward, Inc.: To collaborate with four local community organizations to improve water quality and restore pollinator habitat in underserved areas of the Anacostia River watershed. 240,028,Civic Works, Inc.: To engage community residents and young AmeriCorps adults in training and installation of stormwater best management practices in East Baltimore. The awards were made available through the Chesapeake Small Watershed Grants Program, which the lawmakers fought to provide funding for within Fiscal Year 2024 annual appropriations.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-team-maryland-looks-to-the-future-of-the-chesapeake-bay-after-current-multi-state-agreements-expire-in-2025,"Congressman Mfume, Team Maryland Looks to the Future of the Chesapeake Bay After Current Multi-State Agreements Expire in 2025",2024-09-26,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, and Glenn Ivey met Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol with senior representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of the Interior and Maryland Department of Natural Resources to discuss planning for the next stage of the Chesapeake Bay program and restoration efforts. This is a critical time for the Bay and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which was signed in 2014. Many of the goals and outcomes for the Bay had a target of 2025. As this date approaches, the Chesapeake Bay Program is determining how best to meet these goals and outcomes, incorporate new science and strategies, and strengthen the multi-state partnership. At Wednesday’s meeting, members of the Maryland delegation heard from key federal agency and state leaders working towards the next stage of the agreement. Leading the discussion was Adam Ortiz, who serves as the Administrator for EPA Region 3, which governs the Mid-Atlantic Region. In this role Administrator Ortiz is deeply involved in EPA’s role in the Chesapeake Bay Program. The delegation also heard from Department of Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Matt Strickler, who serves at the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Principal’s Staff Committee Chair. In 2022, the Chesapeake Executive Council tasked its Principal’s Staff Committee with making recommendations for the future of the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program’s work. Representing senior state leadership was Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz, who directs Maryland’s role in the multi-state partnership and has deep expertise in the stakeholder community. The planning effort marked a milestone this summer when the Chesapeake Bay Program Beyond 2025 Steering Committee released its Beyond 2025 Draft Report and invited public feedback. “Marylanders across our state depend on a healthy Chesapeake Bay — the largest estuary in the United States — for food, recreation, and to make a living,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “Continued collaboration at the federal, state, and local levels is vital to ensure this national treasure flourishes and effective restoration and conservation projects are enacted throughout the Bay and its ecosystem,” he concluded. ""Team Maryland will always fight for the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure, and its restoration is a model for regional, multi-jurisdictional landscape stewardship. It is a model for other regions and other environmental protection efforts at many scales – and it is not simple,” said Senator Cardin. “As the Chesapeake Bay program is recalibrated for the next phase of action, we are committed to securing additional federal resources. We have high expectations for future results.” “We have a responsibility to protect the Chesapeake Bay – our people, our economy, and our environment depend on it. That’s why we’ve fought to deliver major federal investments to improve the Bay’s health – and while we know they’re making a real difference, the watershed states have more work to do to reach our restoration goals. As we near the Bay Agreement’s 2025 benchmark, we must take stock of the challenges faced in meeting its goals and work together to drive further progress toward a healthier Chesapeake Bay,” said Senator Van Hollen. ""I've been proud to work with our delegation to support the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries throughout my career – especially in the past decade since we secured the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement,"" Congressman Hoyer said. ""I was pleased our delegation could meet with our partners in federal and state government to discuss the progress we've made toward fulfilling the various goals we laid out in that agreement and to assess the important work that remains. The Chesapeake Bay is the beating heart of Maryland and a true national treasure, and we will continue working to preserve it for generations to come."" “Ten years ago, we set aggressive but necessary goals to restore and protect our treasured Chesapeake Bay, which has taken an all-hands-on-deck approach from every level of government,” Congressman Ruppersberger said. “As we approach our deadline, we must ensure we are leveraging new technologies and sciences and collaborating with our other watershed states as effectively as possible. I appreciated this opportunity to come together and discuss our long and short-term strategies, especially as my own time in office draws to a close.” “Today’s discussions provided an opportunity to reaffirm our collective vision for the future of the Chesapeake Bay. It is imperative that the next phase of watershed restoration is centered around achieving goals and outcomes that reflect the current, best available science to ensure the health of our communities, the vitality of our region and a sustainable future for Bay ecosystems and natural resources. We look forward to sustained collaboration with federal, state and local government partners as we continue to support Beyond 2025 planning,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “Team Maryland is united in our efforts to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay, a treasured natural resource and cornerstone of our local ecosystem,” said Congressman Raskin. “I’m grateful to our EPA and Maryland state government partners for their continued collaboration with the Maryland Congressional delegation to preserve the Bay for generations to come.” “Protecting the Chesapeake Bay is everyone’s responsibility. We are grateful for our longtime Maryland advocates now on the federal and state level, Adam Ortiz, and Josh Kurtz, respectively. Local, state, and federal partnerships can help keep our national treasure, the Chesapeake Bay, available for all to appreciate and partake in. Crabbing, fishing, sailing and otherwise being active in and around its shores are activities we want to cherish well into the future and our actions today will make sure that our kids and grandkids can benefit from the Bay in their tomorrow’s,” said Congressman Ivey. “It is not an accident that the Bay recently received its highest grade in 22 years. Through historic investments and coordination, we’re seeing progress and momentum in states and sectors that were previously lagging,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ortiz. “The Biden-Harris Administration is making good on its promise to accelerate the Bay effort.” “The Moore-Miller administration thanks the Maryland congressional delegation for their continued strong leadership on the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. Their efforts have resulted in improvements in water quality and the health of the ecosystem,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. “It was an honor today to discuss our plans to focus our work post-2025 on rebuilding habitat, creating resiliency in the face of climate change, and charting a new future for the Chesapeake Bay.” The Chesapeake Executive Councilconsists of the governors of the six watershed states, the mayor of the District of Columbia, the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It establishes the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay. The Principals Staff Committee (PSC) acts as the policy advisors to the Executive Council, accepting items for Council consideration and approval, and setting agendas for Council meetings. Individual members of the PSC arrange and provide briefings to their principals, the Agreement signatories. The PSC also provides policy and program direction to the Management Board.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmen-mfume-and-grothman-send-president-biden-bill-to-streamline-cbo-fiscal-transparency-to-be-signed-into-law,Congressmen Mfume and Grothman Send President Biden Bill to Streamline CBO Fiscal Transparency to be Signed into Law,2024-09-25,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07) and Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI-06) introduced H.R. 7184, the CBO Data Access Act, on February 1, 2024. Yesterday, the United States House of Representatives passed the Senate companion version of the identical bill, with broad bipartisan support. This legislation would benefit taxpayers by enhancing the efficiency of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) process behind projecting the fiscal impact of proposed legislation. A transparent and efficient federal government is crucial to best serve the American people, and this bill streamlines CBO to provide taxpayers with more timely information on the cost of legislative proposals. Specifically, the legislation exempts CBO from the Privacy Act, eliminating procedural delays that hinder the CBO's ability to access vital data for baseline budget projections, economic assessments, cost estimates, and reports. “The bipartisan legislation Congressman Grothman and I co-led in the U.S. House will remove a barrier that too often hinders the Congressional Budget Office from carrying out its mission of providing timely cost estimates, and ensures our federal government is fiscally responsible. Simultaneously, privacy protections will remain in place when the CBO receives necessary agency information pertinent to their work, safeguarding personal information utilized by CBO to improve transparency in government operation,” said Congressman Mfume. “As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce, I will always fight for clear-cut communication of how taxpayer funds are being utilized to best serve the American people. I am pleased that this compelling legislation will now be sent to President Biden's desk to be signed into law,” he concluded. “I am proud to have introduced the House companion to the CBO Data Access Act, H.R. 7184, alongside my democrat colleague, Representative Mfume. I would also like to thank Senators Peters and Collins for their work on this legislation,” said Congressman Grothman. “This bicameral and bipartisan effort demonstrates the shared recognition across party lines of the importance of ensuring that CBO has the tools it needs to provide Congress with the best possible data and analysis.” On May 10, 2023, Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced S. 1549, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Data Access Act in the United States Senate. Then, on February 1, 2024, Congressmen Mfume and Grothman introduced identical, companion legislation to this bill in the United States House of Representatives to advance support for the measure. After successfully passing out of the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House unanimously passed the bill yesterday and will now send S. 1549 to President Joe Biden's desk to be signed into law. Background Information – CBO Data Access Act The CBO Data Access Act would accelerate the speed and improve the confidence with which CBO can assess the budgetary impact of proposed legislation. The bill provides CBO with an exemption to the Privacy Act, which eliminates an indeterminate procedural delay in CBO’s ability to access information maintained by federal agencies. Access to agencies’ data is critical for CBO to fulfill its mission and provide baseline budget projections, economic projections, cost estimates, and reports. This bill authorizes agencies to disclose records in their systems to the Director of CBO (or any authorized CBO representative) without requiring prior written consent of the individual to whom the record pertains under the Privacy Act. When CBO is required to enter into agency data sharing agreements, negotiations can be lengthy and delay CBO’s ability to include that data in its analyses. Agencies’ large data sets, which may contain personal information, can improve the quality and accuracy of CBO models to estimate budget impacts of legislative proposals. In 2022, agency data helped CBO produce 760 cost estimates, thousands of requests for technical assistance, and 83 reports, working papers, testimonies, and interactive tools. More efficient access to data can improve the quality of CBO’s baseline projections and reports. More evidence can enable more sophisticated CBO analyses, creating more robust data baselines and increasing confidence in CBO’s generation of cost estimates. The bill will provide clarity for agency information managers that CBO is authorized to receive personal information otherwise protected by the Privacy Act and confidence that CBO maintains the same confidentiality protections as applied to the data-sharing agency itself. As a result, CBO will spend less time negotiating with an agency for data and improve CBO’s analyses. Read the bill text HERE.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/mfume-ruppersberger-bipartisan-group-secures-snap-theft-reimbursement-in-stop-gap-funding-bill,"Mfume, Ruppersberger, Bipartisan Group Secures SNAP Theft Reimbursement in Stop-Gap Funding Bill",2024-09-25,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Victims of food stamp theft will continue to be reimbursed thanks to a provision in a stop-gap funding bill secured by a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger. H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives today in a 341-82 vote, keeping the government funded – and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits flowing – through December 20, 2024. It is expected to be taken up in the U.S. Senate quickly. Last month, Ruppersberger, along with Representatives Kweisi Mfume (D-Maryland), Mike Lawler (R-New York), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Oregon), James P. McGovern (D-Massachusetts), Dan Goldman (D-New York), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania), Anthony D’Esposito (R-New York), Marc Molinaro (R-New York), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colorado) and Grace Meng (D-New York) sent a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to allow victims of SNAP theft to continue to be reimbursed from federal and state coffers. Reports of SNAP theft – in which perpetrators use skimming devices to steal SNAP benefits distributed on electronic debit cards (EBT) – are skyrocketing across the nation. States are currently required to replace stolen benefits under a measure included in the 2023 omnibus funding bill passed by Congress at the end of 2022. But that provision was set to expire on September 30. “It is appalling that Americans are being targeted at record rates in major SNAP benefit theft. These sickening crimes are carried out against veterans, families, low-income workers, children, the elderly, and the disabled – all of whom are just trying to put food on their table,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07). “Our letter represented a unified effort, across the political aisle, to bring justice to victims in all our respective Congressional Districts. Today’s triumph was a culmination of fierce collaboration between both Democrats and Republicans and boldly fighting for justice on behalf of all households that rely on SNAP,” he concluded. “I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who recognize the dire straits that SNAP theft leaves its victims, which often include veterans, families, low-income workers, children, the elderly and the disabled,” said Congressman Ruppersberger (MD-02). “While Congress continues to work toward its long-term and strategic spending bills, I am relieved to know these innocent constituents will not lose their primary source of healthy food.” “Ensuring that SNAP recipients who have their benefits stolen are made whole is my top priority and is deeply important to New York families,” said Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17). “That’s why I joined colleagues in both parties and chambers to introduce the Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act to protect these programs from fraud, and it’s why I have been adamant about the need to include SNAP protections in FY25’s appropriations. I was pleased to see these provisions in the CR being voted on this week. We must complete our appropriations work while protecting the most vulnerable in our society.” “I was proud to join this bipartisan group of my colleagues in urging congressional leaders to prevent critical SNAP theft reimbursements from ending,” said Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05). “I’m glad our message was heard and an extension was included in this stopgap funding bill. I’ll keep working to ensure victims of SNAP theft are protected.” “I am proud to have helped secure an extension that will allow states to use existing federal funding to reimburse vulnerable victims of SNAP theft so that families in need can put food on the table,"" Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) said. ""SNAP theft can be devastating for working families and these reimbursements are a critical lifeline that allows working families to make ends meet. I will continue fighting alongside my colleagues to ensure that states retain this authority when Congress passes its final budget at the end of the year."" “Families that rely on SNAP to put food on the table each day should never go hungry, especially as a result of their benefits being stolen,” said Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. “That’s why I fought to help over 36,000 New Yorkers recover more than $17.5 million in stolen SNAP benefits. I’m glad to see that this provision was included and extended in this critical government funding bill. I’ve also been fighting to make EBT benefit cards more secure to deter scams, and I’m excited that this bill includes language that will hopefully lead to more secure EBT cards. Many beneficiaries in Queens and across the country continue to be targeted by these scams, and we must continue fighting for the families in our communities experiencing the greatest needs.” ""Because of our bipartisan push, victims of SNAP theft will continue to be protected through the SNAP Reimbursement Extension,” said Congressman Marc Molinaro (NY-19). “I’m proud to have helped lead the effort to ensure Upstate New York families who rely on SNAP benefits always have access to the meals they deserve.” “Thousands of Bucks and Montgomery County residents depend on SNAP to put food on their tables, which is why I was proud to join my colleagues in the critical fight to prevent SNAP theft reimbursements from ending. This common-sense reimbursement provision is essential to safeguarding the integrity of the SNAP program and ensuring families in my community and nationwide who have fallen victim to SNAP theft can quickly recover their benefits. Today’s victory is a powerful reminder that when we unite across party lines, we can achieve meaningful change and stand firm in our commitment to uplift our communities and safeguard the well-being of those who need it most,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1). “SNAP recipients who had their food benefits stolen—through no fault of their own, I would add—should not be kicked while they’re down by an indifferent government that tells them ‘too bad’ and leaves them to fend for themselves,” said Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02). “Especially when the average SNAP benefit is barely over $2 per person, per meal. We’re talking about people who rely on these benefits to feed themselves and their families. When they are stolen, people go hungry. I’m glad that because of our continued advocacy, Congress is making sure that food insecure families are protected through the end of the year.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://raskin.house.gov/2024/9/as-nationwide-book-bans-top-10-000-raskin-schatz-introduce-bicameral-resolution-condemning-book-bans,"As Nationwide Book Bans Top 10,000, Raskin, Schatz Introduce Bicameral Resolution Condemning Book Bans",2024-09-25,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,raskin,https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Book bans nearly tripled across America between the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years as state legislatures, city and county councils and school boards implement censorship laws advanced by right-wing special interests and central to Project 2025. WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) reintroduced a resolution condemning an escalating censorship crisis that has removed and targeted thousands of books from the shelves of schools, libraries and universities across the country. The bicameral resolution, coinciding with Banned Books Week, reinforces congressional recognition of students’ First Amendment rights and affirms that the freedom to read is essential to a strong democracy. In the 2023-2024 school year alone, PEN America documented over 10,000 instances of individual books being banned, nearly triple the previous academic year. Many bans have removed books from public shelves with characteristics that would be targeted by Project 2025, which additionally proposes labeling teachers and librarians who distribute such books as sex offenders. “By filling our libraries with a diversity of stories, we help our students understand new perspectives rather than suppressing their freedom to think, read and write independently,” said Rep. Raskin. “We must close this chapter of censorship and, rather than continuing to take a page from the world’s dictators and autocrats, turn our attention to the resources students need to succeed. I am grateful to Senator Schatz for his partnership on this resolution.” “Any attempt to ban books because someone has an ideological disagreement or doesn’t believe in capturing the full scope of history is un-American,” said Senator Schatz. “Freedom of expression is a founding principle of our country, and it's up to all of us to stand up against these attacks on this fundamental right.” According to findings from PEN America and the American Library Association, targeted books include classics like To Kill A Mockingbird, 1984, and The Handmaid’s Tale. Books are also more likely to be removed if they feature content related to the LGBTQIA+ experience, race or racial injustice or stories about grief and abuse. “We thank Representative Raskin and Senator Schatz for their continued commitment to academic freedom and the First Amendment. The movement to ban books is an affront to public education and students’ ability to understand the world,” said PEN America’s Congressional Affairs Lead, Laura Schroeder. “The targeted bans intentionally seek to silence the experiences of authors of color, LGBTQI+ authors and stories that explore the themes of racism, trauma, religion, gender identity and sexual identity. Students are being deprived of stories that can help them deal with real lived experiences such as trauma and violence. This must end.” “Libraries defend every American’s freedom to read – a freedom that is increasingly under threat – even though many librarians face criticism and threats to their livelihood and safety,” said Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Association. “This Banned Books Week, we’re proud to have Congressional leaders standing with us and with communities that are fighting back to protect their libraries and schools from the censors.” Read what more supporters and advocates are saying about the resolution here. “Keep your nose in a book—and keep other people’s noses out of which books you choose to stick your nose into!” said Art Spiegelman, author and illustrator of Maus and other works. “It’s perfectly fine for a parent to decide what his or her child can read. It is not fine for that same parent to decide what other parents’ children can read. Books give kids of a chance to see themselves represented on pages - creating a sense of belonging, and to discover people different from the ones they know - creating empathy. To ban books is to rob kids of tools that they can use to understand the world. We know that the vast majority of Americans do not support book bans. It’s just a small group that is advocating for the removal of books, but they happen to be loud. We just need to be a little bit louder,” said Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author. “I’m so thankful to all the schools, teachers, and librarians who are working to keep books accessible to all. It was a school librarian who got me hooked on reading (and writing) by finding the perfect book for me. Ironically, that book is now banned in many schools because it teaches the lesson that the only way to defeat a bully is to stand up to them. Censorship is bullying. Let’s stand up to book banners!” said Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries. ""When we ban books, we aren’t simply just removing access to certain stories. We are telling groups of people that their stories don’t matter, which is to say their existence as human beings doesn’t matter either,"" said George M. Johnson, author of ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE and FLAMBOYANTS: THE QUEER HARLEM RENAISSANCE I WISH I'D KNOWN. “The freedom to read, the freedom to access information, and the freedom to learn are some of the most vital rights in this country. Removing books from schools and public libraries cuts off people's access to knowledge about the wider world and about their own lives within it. This is especially true when the books being removed are about minority identities, or topics less commonly portrayed in popular culture. A book that might seem pointless to one reader might be life-saving to another. Banned Books Week highlights and celebrates all of the books which have been threatened in this country, including my own, and I'm extremely grateful to everyone supporting it this year and every year!” said Maia Kobabe, author and illustrator of Gender Queer: A Memoir. The resolution is endorsed by the American Library Association (ALA), Banned Books Week Coalition, the Center for American Progress, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, EveryLibrary, Interfaith Alliance, JCRC of Greater Washington, Jewish Community Relations Council of Broward County (Florida), Jewish Community Relations Council of Portland, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, National Book Foundation, National Coalition Against Censorship, National Council of Jewish Women, National Council of Teachers of English, National Education Association, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, PEN America, PFLAG National, Red Wine and Blue Education Fund, The Sikh Coalition, Jewish Community Relations Council for Tucson & Southern Arizona, and Urban Libraries Council (ULC). In the House, the resolution is cosponsored by 43 Members of Congress, including Reps. Colin Allred (TX); Suzanne Bonamici (OR); Joyce Beatty (OH); Shontel M. Brown (OH); Julia Brownley (CA); Ed Case (HI); Sean Casten (IL); Joaquin Castro (TX); Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL); Judy Chu (CA); Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO); Jim Costa (CA); Lloyd Doggett (TX); Veronica Escobar (TX); Lizzie Fletcher (TX); Lois Frankel (FL); Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL); Raul M. Grijalva (AZ); Jahana Hayes (CT); Jared Huffman (CA); Glenn Ivey (MD); Henry C. ""Hank"" Johnson (GA); Summer Lee (PA); Barbara Lee (CA); Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM); Ted Lieu (CA); Jim McGovern (MA); Grace Meng (NY); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC); Scott Peters (CA); Chellie Pingree (ME); Mark Pocan (WI); Katie Porter (CA); Delia Ramirez (IL); Raul Ruiz (CA); Andrea Salinas (OR); Mary Gay Scanlon (PA); Jan Schakowsky (IL); David Scott (GA); Darren Soto (FL); Shri Thanedar (MI); Rashida Tlaib (MI); and Nikema Williams (GA). To recognize Banned Books Week, Rep. Raskin is also inviting his colleagues in Congress and people across America to participate in his new #ResolveToRead social media challenge. The challenge encourages social media users, especially students and young people, to read a passage from a book threatened by bans—sharing either a favorite passage or one that captures the repression and oppression in the condition of censorship in America today. Read the full text of the resolution here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-fix-our-forests-act,Hoyer Statement on Fix our Forests Act,2024-09-24,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today after a bipartisan coalition in the House passed the Fix Our Forests Act: ""Today, I joined a bipartisan group of House Members to pass the Fix Our Forests Act. This legislation will help prevent devastating megafires like those that have blazed through large swathes of the American West in recent years.These wildfires threaten numerous communities across the country that are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. These disasters also damage our planet by releasing massive amounts of greenhouse gasses. We must balance our work to address pressing climate concerns and enforce key environmental protection laws with our effort to mitigate megafire risk and protect our communities. This bill helps us make progress toward that goal. ""From implementing key climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act through my work on the Regional Leadership Council to advancing my proposed Combatting Global Deforestation Act to standing up for the health of Maryland's public lands and waters, I will continue working on new solutions to address the climate crisis.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-welcomes-maryland-legislative-black-caucus,Maryland Congressional Delegation Welcomes Maryland Legislative Black Caucus to U.S. Capitol to Discuss Federal Priorities,2024-09-23,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, and Jamie Raskin (all D-MD) recently met with the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus Chair Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins, the Maryland Black Caucus Foundation and members of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus at the U.S. Capitol to discuss federal priorities for the state. The meeting covered vital issues such as education equity, Black maternal health, Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, federal funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and more. The meeting was the group’s first Congressional Delegation meeting on Capitol Hill and followed the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in D.C held the week before. Maryland has the largest Black caucus of all state legislatures in the country. Congressman Steny Hoyer, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, and Kweisi Mfume (all D-MD) met with the Maryland Black Caucus Foundation and members of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-members-press-nasa-answers-osam-1-mission,Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Press NASA for Answers on OSAM-1 Mission,2024-09-20,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – This week, Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-MD.) wrote to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Bill Nelson, pressing the agency for answers on its decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) robotic satellite maintenance mission, even after the lawmakers provided $227 million through fiscal year 2024 appropriations legislation to ensure its launch in 2026. The lawmakers also have been working to secure continued funding in the next fiscal year. The OSAM-1 mission, developed at the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, was expected to offer operators new ways to maintain their satellite fleets more efficiently and help mitigate space debris. In their letter, the Maryland Congressional Delegation members ask Administrator Nelson for a detailed accounting of the review process that led to the cancellation as well as the plan to utilize the nearly complete OSAM-1 satellite. “As members of the Maryland Delegation, we write to request information regarding NASA’s decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission on September 4, 2024."" ""OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space,” the lawmakers began. “This demonstration intends to show the ability to repair and restore existing satellites, prolong satellite mission life, and pave the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space missions in the future. […] There is currently no existing operation that demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology within U.S. public or commercial missions."" “On February 29, 2024, NASA ordered an orderly shutdown of the OSAM-1 mission, citing technical, cost, and scheduling challenges as well as the overall funding environment. Recognizing the value of the mission, Congress directed NASA to continue the OSAM-1 mission in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” they continued, citing their work to preserve the mission and keep it on track for launch in 2026. “It is our understanding that in April 2024 NASA received an updated plan from the mission team, which included a rescope of the mission to meet the launch and budget requirements, as directed by Congress, and reduced testing requirements to adopt a Class-D designation in line with the standard posture of a technology demonstration project. It is also our understanding that the OSAM-1 mission team has proceeded with executing on this updated plan,” pointing to further progress in resolving these issues. The Delegation members conclude their letter noting, however, “On September 4, 2024, members of the Maryland delegation were notified of NASA’s intent to proceed with canceling the OSAM-1 mission.” Following this they underscore, “we have concerns regarding the Agency’s decision-making process,” and go on to ask for answers to a series of questions surrounding the decision, to be received no later than Monday, September 23. Full text of the letter is below and here. Dear Administrator Nelson: As members of the Maryland Delegation, we write to request information regarding NASA’s decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission on September 4, 2024. OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space. Capabilities that OSAM-1 seeks to demonstrate include rendezvous, autonomous capture, servicing and refueling in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with spacecraft not built for these purposes, as well as relocation of spacecraft and on-orbit assembly and manufacturing. This technology will grant satellite operators new ways to manage their fleets more efficiently and will help mitigate growing concerns about space debris. This demonstration intends to show the ability to repair and restore existing satellites, prolong satellite mission life, and pave the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space missions in the future. We are currently witnessing a commercial boom in space launches, and it is critical that NASA commits to the priority of controlling the growth of orbital debris, especially during a time when private actors may not feel incentivized to do so. Furthermore, defense stakeholders have expressed growing interest in space servicing, mobility, and logistics competencies to conduct dynamic space operations in support of national security interests. There is currently no existing operation that demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology within U.S. public or commercial missions. On February 29, 2024, NASA ordered an orderly shutdown of the OSAM-1 mission, citing technical, cost, and scheduling challenges as well as the overall funding environment. Recognizing the value of the mission, Congress directed NASA to continue the OSAM-1 mission in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42): On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing-] (OSAM-1). - ln lieu of the Senate report language, the agreement provides $227,000,000 for OSAM-1 to adjust the mission to ensure a 2026 launch within the cost profile assumed in the fiscal year 2024 budget request. Consistent with recommendations by the OSAM-1 Standing Review Board, NASA is directed to reduce testing requirements and make the necessary technical decisions, including potential de-scoping of some non-essential capabilities, to meet these launch and budget requirements. If this is not possible, NASA should initiate another Continuation Review in September 2024. Further, NASA is directed to work with the Department of Defense on a plan for a potential use, as practicable, of OSAM-1 for space mobility capability, and to provide the Committees with the plan not later than 180 days after enactment of this act. It is our understanding that in April 2024 NASA received an updated plan from the mission team, which included a rescope of the mission to meet the launch and budget requirements, as directed by Congress, and reduced testing requirements to adopt a Class-D designation in line with the standard posture of a technology demonstration project. It is also our understanding that the OSAM-1 mission team has proceeded with executing on this updated plan. On September 4, 2024, members of the Maryland delegation were notified of NASA’s intent to proceed with canceling the OSAM-1 mission. NASA officials cited feasibility of the 2026 launch plan, risk tolerance, lack of interest from potential partners per verbal communication, return on investment, and interest in expanding other Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) priorities. The Delegation wishes to note that return on investment and other STMD priorities are extraneous factors that Congress did not include in its direction. Furthermore, we have concerns regarding the Agency’s decision-making process. In order to assesses the Agency’s cancelation decision, we request the following information by September 23, 2024. A copy of the 2026 launch plan. A copy of the close-out plan. The execution status of the mission as of the September 4th cancelation announcement. The number of NASA civil servants and number of contractors associated with OSAM-1 as of the September 4th cancelation announcement. The remaining cost-to-go if the mission were to proceed with the 2026 launch plan. The estimated close-out and shutdown costs if the mission were canceled. An explanation of the risk criteria in assessing the 2026 plan and a comparison to the standard risk criteria for a technology demonstration. An explanation of where the project team and NASA disagreed in terms of executability and credibility of the 2026 launch plan. A description of the review process conducted of the 2026 launch plan after the February 2024 Standing Review Board report and minutes from internal reviews and external independent reviews including, but not limited to, the May 2024 Space Technology Mission Directorate Program Management Council Review. If there was no external independent review conducted, please explain why that was the case. The timeline of the Continuation Review process, including dates of relevant meetings. If the Continuation Review process was initiated before September, in contradiction of Congressional direction, please provide an explanation as to why the Agency expedited the timeline. A description of the Agency’s efforts to work with the Department of Defense on potential use or partnership for OSAM-1 spaceflight hardware, test facilities, and personnel; not to include the existing Inter-Agency Agreement with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for work on a partnership with the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) project. An explanation of the Agency’s decision to delay issuing a Request for Interest to potential partners until after the September 4th cancelation announcement. A description of the Agency’s plan to retain as much of the OSAM-1 workforce as possible should the cancelation proceed. A description of the Agency’s commitment to the success of current and future missions at NASA Goddard, We thank you for your diligence and timely response to our request. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-members-press-nasa-answers-osam-1-mission,Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Press NASA for Answers on OSAM-1 Mission,2024-09-20,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Glenn Ivey,I000058,ivey.house.gov,ivey,https://ivey.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) wrote to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Bill Nelson, pressing the agency for answers on its decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) robotic satellite maintenance mission, even after the lawmakers provided $227 million through fiscal year 2024 appropriations legislation to ensure its launch in 2026. The lawmakers also have been working to secure continued funding in the next fiscal year. The OSAM-1 mission, developed at the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, was expected to offer operators new ways to maintain their satellite fleets more efficiently and help mitigate space debris. In their letter, the Maryland Congressional Delegation members ask Administrator Nelson for a detailed accounting of the review process that led to the cancellation as well as the plan to utilize the nearly complete OSAM-1 satellite. “As members of the Maryland Delegation, we write to request information regarding NASA’s decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission on September 4, 2024. OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space,” the lawmakers began. “This demonstration intends to show the ability to repair and restore existing satellites, prolong satellite mission life, and pave the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space missions in the future. […] There is currently no existing operation that demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology within U.S. public or commercial missions.” “On February 29, 2024, NASA ordered an orderly shutdown of the OSAM-1 mission, citing technical, cost, and scheduling challenges as well as the overall funding environment. Recognizing the value of the mission, Congress directed NASA to continue the OSAM-1 mission in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” they continued, citing their work to preserve the mission and keep it on track for launch in 2026. “It is our understanding that in April 2024 NASA received an updated plan from the mission team, which included a rescope of the mission to meet the launch and budget requirements, as directed by Congress, and reduced testing requirements to adopt a Class-D designation in line with the standard posture of a technology demonstration project. It is also our understanding that the OSAM-1 mission team has proceeded with executing on this updated plan,” pointing to further progress in resolving these issues. The Delegation members conclude their letter noting, however, “On September 4, 2024, members of the Maryland delegation were notified of NASA’s intent to proceed with canceling the OSAM-1 mission.” Following this they underscore, “we have concerns regarding the Agency’s decision-making process,” and go on to ask for answers to a series of questions surrounding the decision, to be received no later than Monday, September 23. Full text of the letter is below and here. Dear Administrator Nelson: As members of the Maryland Delegation, we write to request information regarding NASA’s decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission on September 4, 2024. OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space. Capabilities that OSAM-1 seeks to demonstrate include rendezvous, autonomous capture, servicing and refueling in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with spacecraft not built for these purposes, as well as relocation of spacecraft and on-orbit assembly and manufacturing. This technology will grant satellite operators new ways to manage their fleets more efficiently and will help mitigate growing concerns about space debris. This demonstration intends to show the ability to repair and restore existing satellites, prolong satellite mission life, and pave the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space missions in the future. We are currently witnessing a commercial boom in space launches, and it is critical that NASA commits to the priority of controlling the growth of orbital debris, especially during a time when private actors may not feel incentivized to do so. Furthermore, defense stakeholders have expressed growing interest in space servicing, mobility, and logistics competencies to conduct dynamic space operations in support of national security interests. There is currently no existing operation that demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology within U.S. public or commercial missions. On February 29, 2024, NASA ordered an orderly shutdown of the OSAM-1 mission, citing technical, cost, and scheduling challenges as well as the overall funding environment. Recognizing the value of the mission, Congress directed NASA to continue the OSAM-1 mission in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42): On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing-] (OSAM-1).-ln lieu of the Senate report language, the agreement provides $227,000,000 for OSAM-1 to adjust the mission to ensure a 2026 launch within the cost profile assumed in the fiscal year 2024 budget request. Consistent with recommendations by the OSAM-1 Standing Review Board, NASA is directed to reduce testing requirements and make the necessary technical decisions, including potential de-scoping of some non-essential capabilities, to meet these launch and budget requirements. If this is not possible, NASA should initiate another Continuation Review in September 2024. Further, NASA is directed to work with the Department of Defense on a plan for a potential use, as practicable, of OSAM-1 for space mobility capability, and to provide the Committees with the plan not later than 180 days after enactment of this act. It is our understanding that in April 2024 NASA received an updated plan from the mission team, which included a rescope of the mission to meet the launch and budget requirements, as directed by Congress, and reduced testing requirements to adopt a Class-D designation in line with the standard posture of a technology demonstration project. It is also our understanding that the OSAM-1 mission team has proceeded with executing on this updated plan. On September 4, 2024, members of the Maryland delegation were notified of NASA’s intent to proceed with canceling the OSAM-1 mission. NASA officials cited feasibility of the 2026 launch plan, risk tolerance, lack of interest from potential partners per verbal communication, return on investment, and interest in expanding other Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) priorities. The Delegation wishes to note that return on investment and other STMD priorities are extraneous factors that Congress did not include in its direction. Furthermore, we have concerns regarding the Agency’s decision-making process. In order to assesses the Agency’s cancelation decision, we request the following information by September 23, 2024. A copy of the 2026 launch plan. A copy of the close-out plan. The execution status of the mission as of the September 4th cancelation announcement. The number of NASA civil servants and number of contractors associated with OSAM-1 as of the September 4th cancelation announcement. The remaining cost-to-go if the mission were to proceed with the 2026 launch plan. The estimated close-out and shutdown costs if the mission were canceled. An explanation of the risk criteria in assessing the 2026 plan and a comparison to the standard risk criteria for a technology demonstration. An explanation of where the project team and NASA disagreed in terms of executability and credibility of the 2026 launch plan. A description of the review process conducted of the 2026 launch plan after the February 2024 Standing Review Board report and minutes from internal reviews and external independent reviews including, but not limited to, the May 2024 Space Technology Mission Directorate Program Management Council Review. If there was no external independent review conducted, please explain why that was the case. The timeline of the Continuation Review process, including dates of relevant meetings. If the Continuation Review process was initiated before September, in contradiction of Congressional direction, please provide an explanation as to why the Agency expedited the timeline. A description of the Agency’s efforts to work with the Department of Defense on potential use or partnership for OSAM-1 spaceflight hardware, test facilities, and personnel; not to include the existing Inter-Agency Agreement with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for work on a partnership with the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) project. An explanation of the Agency’s decision to delay issuing a Request for Interest to potential partners until after the September 4th cancelation announcement. A description of the Agency’s plan to retain as much of the OSAM-1 workforce as possible should the cancelation proceed. A description of the Agency’s commitment to the success of current and future missions at NASA Goddard. We thank you for your diligence and timely response to our request. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-maryland-congressional-delegation-welcome-the-maryland-legislative-black-caucus-to-us-capitol-to-discuss-federal-priorities,"Congressman Mfume, Maryland Congressional Delegation Welcome the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus to U.S. Capitol to Discuss Federal Priorities",2024-09-20,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, John Sarbanes, and Jamie Raskin (all D-Md.) welcomed Maryland Legislative Black Caucus Chair Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins, the Maryland Black Caucus Foundation and members of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to discuss federal priorities for the state. The meeting covered vital issues such as education equity; Black maternal health; Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs; federal funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge and more. The meeting was the group’s first Congressional Delegation meeting on Capitol Hill and followed last week’s Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in D.C. Maryland has the largest Black caucus of all state legislatures in the country. “It was powerful to welcome Chair Wilkins and the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland to Capitol Hill for the first of what we anticipate will be a series of compelling discussions with my colleagues and me,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “There is a strong activist legacy inherited by any member of a Black Caucus. As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, we must continue to work alongside one another and advance the work of Black legislators who have come before us,” he concluded. “Any opportunity to discuss priorities with Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus is a welcome opportunity. Maryland’s HBCUs are leading the state in entrepreneurship, our minority business community is an engine of economic growth, and we are one of the most diverse states in the country. We celebrate and embrace that diversity,” said Senator Cardin. “The issues that uniquely impact Black and minority communities affect our entire state and nation, and we continue to support federal policies that create more equitable pathways to success for these communities.” “One of the keys to our Congressional delegation’s success is our close collaboration with our counterparts in Annapolis. It was a privilege to welcome the formidable Maryland Legislative Black Caucus to the Hill to discuss our efforts on important issues like improving Black maternal health, supporting HBCUs, investing in minority-owned businesses, providing universal early education, and helping communities across the state thrive. Together, we will keep working to deliver on these priorities for our mutual constituents,” said Senator Van Hollen. ""Maryland's Legislative Black Caucus has invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Black Marylanders across our state today,"" said Congressman Hoyer. ""I was pleased to have the chance to meet with our partners in the Maryland General Assembly to discuss how we can help Maryland's Black community get ahead in the months and years ahead. From improving Black maternal health to supporting our HBCUs to rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Team Maryland will continue our work in both Congress and the General Assembly to promote equity and opportunity in our state and beyond."" “The issues highlighted by Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus are critical to our Maryland communities and to Americans across the country. I am proud of the diversity of leadership in our state, and we are stronger because of it. Team Maryland remains committed to advancing policies at the federal level that build a more just, inclusive and equitable future for all,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “On Team Maryland, close partnerships among federal, local and state officials help us deliver for communities across our state,” said Congressman Raskin. “That’s why I was delighted to join my fellow delegation members in welcoming Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus, led by MoCo’s own Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins, to the Capitol for a conversation about education equity and civil rights, Black maternal health, federal funding opportunities and more. Marylanders depend on our continued collaboration, with leaders in Washington, Annapolis, and across the state working together to ensure our people have access to the resources, programs and opportunities to achieve their dreams.” “It was a historic day for the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. We had a productive meeting with our Congressional Delegation where we discussed issues of critical importance to the state. We’re excited about future opportunities to come together and collaborate, moving forward, to ensure that Maryland’s residents are being served at every level of government,” said Delegate Wilkins. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-remarks-sixth-annual-congressional-hackathon-0,Hoyer Remarks at the Sixth Annual Congressional Hackathon,2024-09-19,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered remarks at the 6th annual Congressional Hackathon in the U.S. Capitol. Below is a transcript of his remarks: Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05) addresses the attendees of the Congressional Hackathon in the US Capitol Visitor Center Auditorium. ""Welcome. And apologies. I want you to know, however, that it was the President of the United States that held me up. It was not just for ‘somebody’ that I wasn’t here with you, and I am excited about being here. I want to thank you all for being here and thank you for what you do. ""I understand, Speaker Johnson, was very kind in terms of my role in starting this and working with Derek Kilmer and others to continue this. And Speaker Johnson has been very gracious to make sure that we continue this very, very important effort, which has benefited the Congress of the United States and the people of the United States as well. ""I know the Speaker has left, I want to thank him for that. Steve Dwyer—I don’t know how many of you know Steve Dwyer well—he says I was his boss. I had no idea what he was doing. Everybody in the office was totally reliant on Steve Dwyer every day for making sure their technology worked properly and Steve Dwyer’s one of the greatest, most able, positive people that I know and if you haven’t gotten to know him, you would be advantaged by doing so in future.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-maryland-congressional-delegation-members-press-nasa-for-answers-on-osam-1-mission,"Congressman Mfume, Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Press NASA for Answers on OSAM-1 Mission",2024-09-19,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) wrote to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Bill Nelson, pressing the agency for answers on its decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) robotic satellite maintenance mission, even after the lawmakers provided $227 million through fiscal year 2024 appropriations legislation to ensure its launch in 2026. The lawmakers also have been working to secure continued funding in the next fiscal year. The OSAM-1 mission, developed at the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, was expected to offer operators new ways to maintain their satellite fleets more efficiently and help mitigate space debris. In their letter, the Maryland Congressional Delegation members ask Administrator Nelson for a detailed accounting of the review process that led to the cancellation as well as the plan to utilize the nearly complete OSAM-1 satellite. “As members of the Maryland Delegation, we write to request information regarding NASA’s decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission on September 4, 2024. OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space,” the lawmakers began. “This demonstration intends to show the ability to repair and restore existing satellites, prolong satellite mission life, and pave the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space missions in the future. […] There is currently no existing operation that demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology within U.S. public or commercial missions.” “On February 29, 2024, NASA ordered an orderly shutdown of the OSAM-1 mission, citing technical, cost, and scheduling challenges as well as the overall funding environment. Recognizing the value of the mission, Congress directed NASA to continue the OSAM-1 mission in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” they continued, citing their work to preserve the mission and keep it on track for launch in 2026. “It is our understanding that in April 2024 NASA received an updated plan from the mission team, which included a rescope of the mission to meet the launch and budget requirements, as directed by Congress, and reduced testing requirements to adopt a Class-D designation in line with the standard posture of a technology demonstration project. It is also our understanding that the OSAM-1 mission team has proceeded with executing on this updated plan,” pointing to further progress in resolving these issues. The Delegation members conclude their letter noting, however, “On September 4, 2024, members of the Maryland delegation were notified of NASA’s intent to proceed with canceling the OSAM-1 mission.” Following this they underscore, “we have concerns regarding the Agency’s decision-making process,” and go on to ask for answers to a series of questions surrounding the decision, to be received no later than Monday, September 23. Full text of the letter is below and here. Dear Administrator Nelson: As members of the Maryland Delegation, we write to request information regarding NASA’s decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission on September 4, 2024. OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space. Capabilities that OSAM-1 seeks to demonstrate include rendezvous, autonomous capture, servicing and refueling in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with spacecraft not built for these purposes, as well as relocation of spacecraft and on-orbit assembly and manufacturing. This technology will grant satellite operators new ways to manage their fleets more efficiently and will help mitigate growing concerns about space debris. This demonstration intends to show the ability to repair and restore existing satellites, prolong satellite mission life, and pave the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space missions in the future. We are currently witnessing a commercial boom in space launches, and it is critical that NASA commits to the priority of controlling the growth of orbital debris, especially during a time when private actors may not feel incentivized to do so. Furthermore, defense stakeholders have expressed growing interest in space servicing, mobility, and logistics competencies to conduct dynamic space operations in support of national security interests. There is currently no existing operation that demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology within U.S. public or commercial missions. On February 29, 2024, NASA ordered an orderly shutdown of the OSAM-1 mission, citing technical, cost, and scheduling challenges as well as the overall funding environment. Recognizing the value of the mission, Congress directed NASA to continue the OSAM-1 mission in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42): On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing-] (OSAM-1).-ln lieu of the Senate report language, the agreement provides $227,000,000 for OSAM-1 to adjust the mission to ensure a 2026 launch within the cost profile assumed in the fiscal year 2024 budget request. Consistent with recommendations by the OSAM-1 Standing Review Board, NASA is directed to reduce testing requirements and make the necessary technical decisions, including potential de-scoping of some non-essential capabilities, to meet these launch and budget requirements. If this is not possible, NASA should initiate another Continuation Review in September 2024. Further, NASA is directed to work with the Department of Defense on a plan for a potential use, as practicable, of OSAM-1 for space mobility capability, and to provide the Committees with the plan not later than 180 days after enactment of this act. It is our understanding that in April 2024 NASA received an updated plan from the mission team, which included a rescope of the mission to meet the launch and budget requirements, as directed by Congress, and reduced testing requirements to adopt a Class-D designation in line with the standard posture of a technology demonstration project. It is also our understanding that the OSAM-1 mission team has proceeded with executing on this updated plan. On September 4, 2024, members of the Maryland delegation were notified of NASA’s intent to proceed with canceling the OSAM-1 mission. NASA officials cited feasibility of the 2026 launch plan, risk tolerance, lack of interest from potential partners per verbal communication, return on investment, and interest in expanding other Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) priorities. The Delegation wishes to note that return on investment and other STMD priorities are extraneous factors that Congress did not include in its direction. Furthermore, we have concerns regarding the Agency’s decision-making process. In order to assesses the Agency’s cancelation decision, we request the following information by September 23, 2024. A copy of the 2026 launch plan. A copy of the close-out plan. The execution status of the mission as of the September 4th cancelation announcement. The number of NASA civil servants and number of contractors associated with OSAM-1 as of the September 4th cancelation announcement. The remaining cost-to-go if the mission were to proceed with the 2026 launch plan. The estimated close-out and shutdown costs if the mission were canceled. An explanation of the risk criteria in assessing the 2026 plan and a comparison to the standard risk criteria for a technology demonstration. An explanation of where the project team and NASA disagreed in terms of executability and credibility of the 2026 launch plan. A description of the review process conducted of the 2026 launch plan after the February 2024 Standing Review Board report and minutes from internal reviews and external independent reviews including, but not limited to, the May 2024 Space Technology Mission Directorate Program Management Council Review. If there was no external independent review conducted, please explain why that was the case. The timeline of the Continuation Review process, including dates of relevant meetings. If the Continuation Review process was initiated before September, in contradiction of Congressional direction, please provide an explanation as to why the Agency expedited the timeline. A description of the Agency’s efforts to work with the Department of Defense on potential use or partnership for OSAM-1 spaceflight hardware, test facilities, and personnel; not to include the existing Inter-Agency Agreement with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for work on a partnership with the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) project. An explanation of the Agency’s decision to delay issuing a Request for Interest to potential partners until after the September 4th cancelation announcement. A description of the Agency’s plan to retain as much of the OSAM-1 workforce as possible should the cancelation proceed. A description of the Agency’s commitment to the success of current and future missions at NASA Goddard. We thank you for your diligence and timely response to our request. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/chair-hoyer-remarks-following-regional-leadership-councils-fourth,Chair Hoyer Remarks Following the Regional Leadership Council's Fourth Implementation Meeting at the White House,2024-09-18,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), chair of the Regional Leadership Council, addressed reporters following the RLC's fourth meeting at the White House. He discussed the impact of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda and the RLC's work to ensure those investments reach every corner of the country. Below are excerpts of his remarks: ""Hi, I’m Steny Hoyer… and I chair what is called the Regional Leadership Council.The Regional Leadership was formed by President Biden and Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Its purpose was to make sure that the American people knew what we had done in the 117th Congress: Invest in America, and, more importantly, Invest in Americans. Invest in them, and their families, and their communities.And what we have been doing over the last 18, 19, 20 months has been communicating with the American people the difference that that investment has made for them, their families, and their communities."" ""….Here are members of that regional work. We have 12 – two or three could not be here today. But we have worked real closely with the White House, and I thank [Natalie] Quillan, who is the Deputy Chief of Staff, also the two Chiefs of Staffs that we’ve worked with, but most of all the President and his Cabinet. Because he instructed them to work closely with us, so we would as a team make sure that what we had done in the 117th Congress would be identified, would be implemented, and we would inform the American people."" ""… Very frankly, this Congress has been the most divided, the most unproductive and dysfunctional Congress of which I have served. This election coming up is about what [the people running] are doing for the American people. This group has been telling the American people not only what we are going to do, but what we have done and what we're going to keep in place to advantage the American people."" ""The Deputy Chief of Staff, Ms. Quillian, just indicated, 69,000 projects in 4,300 communities. If we had the time – it’s drizzling out here – I would have each one of these Members do what they had just done inside the White House telling [the White House staff] about scores of projects [in their region]. Not just about the money, but about the impact that’s made. We saw a video – or is that, we had two – she had from $15,000 to $21,000. We passed a bill that said those bills would be limited to $2,000. Not a single Republican voted for that bill.” ""So, when people ask, 'what are you going to do?' Look at what has been done. Because that’s prologue. This election is a very important election. It's a very important election for this council, this Regional Leadership Council, who represent scores of Members. As a matter of fact, the Regional Leadership Council represents all or every Member of the Democratic Party..."" ""… So we are very pleased to have a fourth meeting with the White House top staff, as well as the President of the United States, talking about how can we do better for the American people and their families, how can we make their quality of life better, how do we make America more competitive. Which is why we invested in manufacturing. Manufacturing investment is now higher than it's been, ever. That’s what makes America great. Investing in America. That’s what we have done."" ""And so, we, as to say, we are pleased [to be here], but our work is not yet done. We are going to continue to tell the American people this is what we’ve done, this is what we’ll continue to do. As Kamala Harris said, what President Trump wants to do is to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. He’s got a 'concept.' Nobody is going to pay their health care bills with a concept…""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-houses-most-basic-constitutional-responsibility-fund-government-not,"Hoyer: ""This House's Most Basic Constitutional Responsibility is to Fund the Government, Not to Appease a Handful of Right-Wing Members""",2024-09-18,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered the following remarks on the House Floor today, urging Republican Leadership to stop putting partisan bills on the Floor and fund the government for the American people. Below is a transcript of his remarks and a link to the video: Click here for a link to the video ""Americans know that it is crazy to do something you know will not have any effect. That's what's crazy. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill. ""As majority leader in the last Congress, I put 365 pieces of legislation on the Floor that became law. Under the Republican majority this Congress, our House has only passed 78 pieces of legislation—they have the majority—that have become law, just 78. Fewer than any of the 22 previous Congresses in which I have served. Because the speaker wastes our time on blatantly partisan legislation, including the bill before us today, that has no chance of becoming law and risks shutting down the government. Which Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, says makes no sense. He didn't say it was crazy, but I might add that. ""The Senate, including several Senate Republicans, made it clear that this bill's impact on military readiness, veterans' health care, and disaster response will make it dead on arrival. Crazy to send it as dead on arrival. Furthermore, the president has said that it would not – he would not sign it. Mr. Speaker, this House's most basic constitutional responsibility is to fund the government, not to appease a handful of right-wing members. ""We know how this situation ends. It will end the same way as the fight for supplemental aid for Ukraine and Israel. It will end the same way as the battle to raise the debt ceiling. It will end the same way as the effort to fund the government at the start of this year, and, very frankly, throughout the year. It will end this partisan appeasement failing. A period of finger-pointing will follow. Finally, after much hand-wringing and some strongly-worded tweets, the speaker will ask Democrats for our votes to pass a bipartisan alternative that avoids shutting down the government of the American people. Everyone knows how this ends because this deeply divided and dysfunctional majority hasn't accomplished anything of substance without Democratic support. ""There were compromises, compromises that Democrats agreed to so that our government could function effectively for the American people. Not because we agreed on everything that was in the bill any more than you'll agree on the Republican side [with] everything in the bill. We did it because it was the responsible thing to do. It was the right thing to do… ""Mr. Speaker, we've seen this film before… We've seen this film before. Let's just skip to the ending today. Put a CR on the Floor. I don't like CR's. We should have done our work. We should have passed 13 bills, 12 bills, sent them to the president, had him sign it. But let's skip this playing pretense that we've been involved in. Let's get to the nub of the issue. We haven't done our work, and therefore we’re [in need of] a short-term solution. Let's do it.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-harris-announces-additional-service-academy-information-session,Congressman Harris Announces Additional Service Academy Information Session,2024-09-16,2024,2024-09,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., announced that his office will host an additional military service academy information session this year for students who were not able to make the first session. This subsequent session will be held on Thursday, September 19th at 7:00pm. Each year, Congressman Harris holds this information session for high school students interested in pursuing a Congressional nomination to attend one of the nation's military service academies. Like the first session this year, this subsequent virtual forum will be kicked off by a personal message from the Congressman and will be followed by an informative briefing from experts in the selection process. The virtual forum will run approximately 90 minutes and will give students a first-hand look at academy life through the eyes of recent graduates. The discussion will also cover requirements necessary to attend an academy and the Congressional nomination application process. It will conclude with a question-and-answer session for students and parents. Students interested in attending should RSVP by email no later than September 18th toMD01Academy@mail.house.gov. The subject line should read “[first name] [last name] Academy Info Session.” Additionally, the following information should be included in the RSVP: Name Address Phone number Reliable email address Individuals who have RSVP'd will receive a confirmation email with a link to join the virtual meeting by Wednesday, September 18th in the afternoon. Additional questions can be emailed to MD01Academy@mail.house.gov",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-members-announce-27-million-chesapeake-bay-wildlife,Maryland Delegation Members Announce $2.7 Million for Chesapeake Bay Wildlife Habitat Restoration through Chesapeake WILD Program,2024-09-13,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny Hoyer, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-MD.) announced $2,798,281.01 in federal funding through the Chesapeake Watershed Investments in Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Program for eight habitat and wetland restoration projects throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed in Maryland. The Chesapeake WILD Program, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), was created by bipartisan legislation authored by Senator Van Hollen and co-sponsored by Senator Cardin and Reps. Hoyer, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Raskin, and Trone. The legislation was enacted as part of the America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act in 2020, creating a new program at FWS to engage regional stakeholders in the preservation of the Chesapeake Bay. “Protecting and preserving the Chesapeake Bay is vital to both our environment and to the many Marylanders whose livelihoods depend on it. The Chesapeake WILD program is central to our efforts to restore wildlife habitat and improve the overall health of the Bay – and these federal funds will go to critical projects across the state to help achieve these important goals,” said the lawmakers. The following Maryland projects received awards: $500,000 for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy to address salt marsh loss and preserve wildlife habitat corridors between the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and the Nanticoke River $500,000 for the Maryland Department of Agriculture for habitat restoration on working lands in Maryland $419,250 for the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin to restore access of the American Eel to its historic habitat in the western Potomac River watershed $322,564.11 for the Scenic Rivers Land Trust to restore forest canopy in the South River Greenway in Anne Arundel County to improve habitat for imperiled native wildlife species $300,000 for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to improve forest habitats around the Chesapeake Bay $271,575.56 for the Anacostia Watershed Society to restore endangered wildlife and plant species in the Anacostia River watershed $245,983.03 for the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association to enhance nesting opportunities for imperiled farmland raptors such as the Barn Owl, American Kestrel, and Northern Harrier in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed $238,908.31 for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to restore forest buffers and native Eastern Brook Trout habitat in Western Maryland This year, the Chesapeake WILD program is awarding 30 new conservation and restoration grants totaling $8.9 million in federal support and leveraging $13.7 million in matching funds from the grantees, with an estimated total conservation impact of $22.6 million. These projects will support efforts to sustain natural resources and local communities, build capacity to address shared restoration and conservation priorities, and implement projects to conserve, steward, and enhance fish and wildlife habitats throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mfume-maryland-delegation-members-announce-27-million-for-chesapeake-bay-wildlife-habitat-restoration-through-chesapeake-wild-program,"Congressman Mfume, Maryland Delegation Members Announce $2.7 Million for Chesapeake Bay Wildlife Habitat Restoration through Chesapeake WILD Program",2024-09-13,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Kweisi Mfume,M000687,mfume.house.gov,mfume,https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) announced $2,798,281.01 in federal funding through the Chesapeake Watershed Investments in Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Program for eight habitat and wetland restoration projects throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed in Maryland. The Chesapeake WILD Program, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), was created by bipartisan legislation authored by Senator Van Hollen and co-sponsored by Senator Cardin and Reps. Hoyer, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Raskin, and Trone. The legislation was enacted as part of the America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act in 2020, creating a new program at FWS to engage regional stakeholders in the preservation of the Chesapeake Bay. “Protecting and preserving the Chesapeake Bay is vital to both our environment and to the many Marylanders whose livelihoods depend on it. The Chesapeake WILD program is central to our efforts to restore wildlife habitat and improve the overall health of the Bay – and these federal funds will go to critical projects across the state to help achieve these important goals,” said the lawmakers. The following Maryland projects received awards: $500,000 for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy to address salt marsh loss and preserve wildlife habitat corridors between the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and the Nanticoke River $500,000 for the Maryland Department of Agriculture for habitat restoration on working lands in Maryland $419,250 for the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin to restore access of the American Eel to its historic habitat in the western Potomac River watershed $322,564.11 for the Scenic Rivers Land Trust to restore forest canopy in the South River Greenway in Anne Arundel County to improve habitat for imperiled native wildlife species $300,000 for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to improve forest habitats around the Chesapeake Bay $271,575.56 for the Anacostia Watershed Society to restore endangered wildlife and plant species in the Anacostia River watershed $245,983.03 for the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association to enhance nesting opportunities for imperiled farmland raptors such as the Barn Owl, American Kestrel, and Northern Harrier in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed $238,908.31 for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to restore forest buffers and native Eastern Brook Trout habitat in Western Maryland This year, the Chesapeake WILD program is awarding 30 new conservation and restoration grants totaling $8.9 million in federal support and leveraging $13.7 million in matching funds from the grantees, with an estimated total conservation impact of $22.6 million. These projects will support efforts to sustain natural resources and local communities, build capacity to address shared restoration and conservation priorities, and implement projects to conserve, steward, and enhance fish and wildlife habitats throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-30th-anniversary-violence-against-women-act,Hoyer Statement on the 30th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act,2024-09-12,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Violence Against Women Act on September 12, 1994: ""As a proud co-sponsor of the original Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994, I join in celebrating its thirtieth anniversary today. I supported the effort to pass that historic legislation because I knew it was, and continues to be, essential to women’s right to live safely, freely, and prosperously as equal citizens in our nation. That's also why I've fought to protect VAWA from partisan attacks and to reauthorize it multiple times over the years, including last Congress when, as House Majority Leader, I put legislation on the Floor to reauthorize this crucial law through 2027. My dear friend, the late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was instrumental in that effort. I wish she was still with us today to celebrate this milestone. ""From workplaces to college campuses, our military ranks to our tribal communities, we cannot understate the sweeping positive impact that VAWA has had on our country and our culture these past three decades. Between VAWA's enactment in 1994 and its latest reauthorization in 2022, the annual rate of sexual assaults and rapes fell by 56% and the rate of domestic violence declined by 67%. Countless survivors have received support to help them through their trauma thanks to resources included in VAWA. Additionally, numerous abusers, rapists, and other violent criminals have been held accountable because of the law's key reforms to our justice system. ""At a time when women's most basic freedoms are under attack, Democrats will continue to stand united in our defense of women's rights. Just as we did with VAWA thirty years ago, we will not yield in our fight to ensure that every woman in every corner of the country receives 'the Blessings of Liberty' that our Constitution promises to every American.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://raskin.house.gov/2024/9/raskin-beyer-welch-bill-would-bring-ranked-choice-voting-to-congressional-elections-across-america,"Raskin, Beyer, Welch Bill Would Bring Ranked Choice Voting to Congressional Elections Across America",2024-09-12,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,raskin,https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08) renewed their efforts to bring ranked choice voting to U.S. congressional elections, reintroducing their Ranked Choice Voting Act. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) is introducing companion legislation in the Senate. The legislation would require ranked choice voting (RCV) in all congressional primary and general elections starting in 2028, allowing voters to express support for multiple candidates for public office, with the candidate receiving the most votes declared the winner. With RCV, voters rank candidates in order of choice. If a candidate receives more than half of the first choices, that candidate wins, just like in any election. If not, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and voters who picked that candidate as ‘number 1’ have their votes redistributed and counted for their next favored choice. This process continues until a candidate wins with more than half the votes. “Ranked choice voting focuses American elections and campaigns on coalition-building,” said Rep. Raskin. “Our legislation incentivizes candidates to reach a broader range of the voting public, making our electoral process more democratic, more positive, more efficient and more representative—and our Congress too.” “Our democracy is at its strongest when everyone is heard and represented. Ranked choice voting offers an opportunity to break through polarization and strengthen our democracy by ensuring that our elected candidates have received the broad support of the folks they’ll represent,” said Senator Welch. “This pro-democracy bill will make our elections more equitable, more civil, and more representative.” “In an increasingly polarized Congress, it’s become ever more difficult to produce pragmatic legislation and solutions that benefit the American people,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “By implementing ranked choice voting, which ensures that winners are elected with majority popular support, we can encourage the election of leaders who build broad and diverse coalitions and are focused on solutions rather than divisive rhetoric. This would increase voter satisfaction and be a great win for a healthier democracy.” “Ranked choice voting is the fastest-growing election reform in the nation because it works,” said Meredith Sumpter, President and CEO of FairVote, a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections. “RCV fixes the ‘spoiler problem’ and ensures winning candidates represent the majority of voters—without the need for expensive, low-turnout runoffs. Everywhere it’s used, voters have embraced RCV and the better choices, better campaigns, and better governance that it delivers. The Ranked Choice Voting Act will give every voter the freedom to make their voice truly heard in Washington.” “We appreciate Representative Raskin’s strong leadership on this important election reform aimed at expanding voter choices and increasing voter participation in elections,” said Jon Golinger, Democracy Advocate, Public Citizen. “Given the unprecedented threats to the integrity of our elections, we need to work harder than ever to advance bold reforms that strengthen American democracy.” “We are in the midst of a crisis in democracy,” said Debra Perlin, Policy Director, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “Rep. Raskin and Senator Welch's Ranked Choice Voting Act is welcomed democracy reform legislation aimed at decreasing political polarization and increasing the power of communities to elect candidates that truly represent their needs. Preliminary studies show that by giving voters more choices, along with voter education and assistance, ranked choice voting increases the electoral viability of community-based candidates and expands access to the ballot for all voters, including voters of color. We call on Congress to pass the Ranked Choice Voting Act in order to build towards a more inclusive democracy, where politicians are more accountable to their constituents and focus on the issues that matter to the people they serve.” “The Ranked Choice Voting Act would help make our democracy fairer and more representative because it gives voters more choice and enables the election of candidates who have broader support in their community,” said Trevor Potter, founder and president, Campaign Legal Center. “Ranked choice voting is proven to increase voter turnout and leads to a more diverse array of candidates. Additionally, ranked choice voting gives the public the opportunity to vote for their preferred candidate, regardless of party, without fear of wasting their vote or ‘spoiling’ the election. CLC fully endorses the Ranked Choice Voting Act and encourages Congress to pass it.” Voting and elections experts observe that RCV can help foster political goodwill in a polarized, partisan environment. States like Maine and Alaska already successfully implemented RCV in congressional races, and many other states have RCV legislation under consideration. The RCV Act is endorsed by the following local, state and national organizations: National Organizations – American Sustainable Business Council Business for Democracy, Campaign Legal Center, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Electoral Innovation Lab, Divided We Fall, FairVote Action, National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, People Power United, Public Citizen, Rank the Vote, RepresentUs, RepresentWomen, Secure Elections Network, Third Way, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice and the United Church of Christ. State and Local Organizations – Better Ballot Arizona, Better Ballot Georgia, Better Ballot North Carolina, Better Ballot SC, Cal RCV, Clean Elections Texas, Connecticut Voters First, Equal Justice Society, FairVote Illinois, Fair Vote Washington, Fix Democracy First, Get Money Out – Maryland, MassVOTE, NH Ranked Choice Voting, Ocean State RCV, Rank My Vote Florida, Rank the Vote Kentucky, Rank the Vote Ohio, Ranked Choice Boston, Ranked Choice Voting Maryland, Represent.Us of New Jersey, RoxVOTE Coalition, SC Small Business Chamber of Commerce, UpVote Virginia, Vote Nevada, Voter Choice Arizona, Voter Choice MA and Voter Choice New Jersey. The legislation is cosponsored by Reps. Dan Goldman (NY-10), Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Seth Moulton (MA-06) and Scott Peters (CA-50). Read the full text of the RCV Act here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://raskin.house.gov/2024/9/reps-raskin-and-bacon-introduce-new-bipartisan-legislation-to-expand-evidence-based-suicide-prevention-care,Reps. Raskin and Bacon Introduce New Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Evidence-Based Suicide Prevention Care,2024-09-12,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,raskin,https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) introduced new bipartisan legislation, the Stabilization to Prevent (STOP) Suicide Act, to expand access to evidence-based stabilization care for individuals with serious thoughts of suicide. Stabilization services can help patients reduce or eliminate imminent suicide risk and manage dangerous impulses, keeping them safe while relieving pressure on law enforcement and emergency rooms. This legislation will create a new grant program at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to expand access to effective and timely outpatient and virtual stabilization care and treatment. “America is plagued by a mental health epidemic, and too many families have experienced the anguish of losing a loved one to mental illness and suicide,” said Rep. Raskin. “The STOP Suicide Act will provide relief to Americans suffering from serious thoughts of suicide and crucial new support for the health care professionals who treat them, infusing resources into stabilization and crisis care services. I thank Rep. Bacon for his partnership on this profoundly important legislation.” “People experiencing serious thoughts of suicide often find themselves without support and timely treatment,” said Rep. Bacon. “This bill will provide an important tool that will help create needed programs to deliver outpatient or telehealth stabilization services. I’m pleased to join Rep. Raskin on this legislation that will help community health centers, rural health clinics, and others create and manage these programs.” “Suicide is an urgent public health issue, with nearly 50,000 lives lost to suicide and 13.2 million people reporting seriously considering suicide in the United States in 2022,” said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “AFSP is proud to support the Stabilization to Prevent (STOP) Suicide Act, which will help connect people with serious thoughts of suicide to support systems quickly and safely. Stabilizing people with serious thoughts of suicide relieves pressure on emergency departments and law enforcement, helping people access immediate interventions in their communities while connecting them with follow up care and other supports to manage risk. AFSP is grateful to Representative Raskin and Representative Bacon for their leadership on this important legislation.” “The STOP Suicide Act will provide critical funding to increase crisis stabilization services for people struggling with suicidal risk. These services will bridge the gap between calling the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and hospitalization. I applaud Congressmen Raskin and Bacon for their bipartisan leadership on this landmark bill and I urge Congress to enact this historic legislation to decrease the suffering of 16 million Americans to help save lives,” said David A. Jobes, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Suicide Prevention Laboratory at the Catholic University of America and constituent of Rep. Raskin. Read what additional supporters are saying about the STOP Suicide Act here. Individuals experiencing thoughts of suicide can reach a trained counselor 24/7/365 by calling the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Counselors can also be reached by text message or online chat. Visit their website for more information. The legislation is endorsed by a broad-based coalition of mental health and suicide prevention advocacy organizations, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, American Psychological Association Services, the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), the Children's Hospital Association, EveryMind, The Hope Institute of America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the National League for Nursing, Sheppard Pratt, Trust for America's Health and Vibrant Emotional Health. Read the full text of the STOP Suicide Act here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://raskin.house.gov/2024/9/whitehouse-merkley-raskin-beyer-62-lawmakers-urge-biden-administration-to-finalize-strict-clean-hydrogen-tax-credit-rules,"Raskin, Whitehouse, Merkley, Beyer & 62 Lawmakers Urge Biden Administration to Finalize Strict Clean Hydrogen Tax Credit Rules",2024-09-12,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,raskin,https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Don Beyer (D-VA) led a letter from 66 members of Congress calling on the Biden Administration to finalize strict rules for the Section 45V Tax Credit for Production of Clean Hydrogen that was passed as part of Democrats’ historic Inflation Reduction Act. In a letter sent yesterday to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, EPA Administrator Michael Regan, OMB Director Shalanda Young, National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, and John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation, the lawmakers urged the administration to quickly finalize the strong proposed rules for 45V that aligned with Congressional intent and would reduce carbon emissions, while ensuring the tax credit supported robust growth in the nascent clean hydrogen industry. “When Congress drafted the climate provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, including the Section 45V Tax Credit for Production of Clean Hydrogen, our primary intent was to develop a suite of incentives that would result in substantial emissions reductions. The 45V tax credit is a key part of the IRA, which will help decarbonize hard-to-abate industrial sections. Treasury’s proposed rules for 45V remain critical to ensuring that 45V does not increase net carbon pollution, and we urge Treasury to finalize rules consistent with its proposal,” wrote the lawmakers. “The U.S. has the chance and is well-suited to stake out a leading position on clean manufacturing; we must not squander this opportunity for short-sighted gain,” added the members. “Treasury’s strong proposed rules demonstrated a commitment to evidence-based policy, and we urge Treasury to maintain this rigor as it finalizes the regulations. Just as we agree that it is important to get clean hydrogen right, we agree that no tax credit is worth compromising our commitment to tackling the climate crisis by pursuing scientific emissions reduction targets.” The Inflation Reduction Act included a suite of clean energy tax credits and other provisions to boost decarbonization technologies in the United States, including the Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit. Clean hydrogen has the potential to reduce emissions in aviation, shipping, steelmaking, and heavy-duty vehicles, but is still at an early stage of development. The 45V tax credit, as designed by Congress, aimed to jump start innovation in the hydrogen industry to give clean hydrogen an opportunity to compete with conventional “grey” hydrogen. In December, the U.S. Treasury Department released proposed regulations on the Clean Hydrogen Production Credit aligned with the three pillars of clean hydrogen production that Reps. Raskin, Beyer and their colleagues expressed support for, with provisions prioritizing additionality, deliverability and hourly time-based matching. These three pillars ensure that hydrogen is generated using new, “additional,” renewable energy sources, not just the limited renewables currently supplying our power grid, that power generated by clean energy reaches hydrogen production projects, and that hydrogen will be produced during the same hours that the clean electricity is being generated. “A three-pillar framework with strong protections against fossil fuel greenwashing ensures the hydrogen tax credit is part of a solution to this problem by stimulating demand for new sources of clean electricity generation while fulfilling its primary goal of reducing carbon pollution. These rules ensure that we do not subsidize a greenwashed industry that burdens environmental justice communities with toxic pollution,” added the 66 members of Congress. Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) joined Whitehouse and Merkley on the letter. Representatives Raskin and Beyer led a group of 58 members of the House of Representatives in signing the letter. Climate Action Campaign, Natural Resources Defense Council, Earthjustice, League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Defense Fund, Union of Concerned Scientists, Sierra Club, and Evergreen Action endorsed the lawmakers’ letter.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/hoyer-statement-23rd-anniversary-911,Hoyer Statement on the 23rd Anniversary of 9/11,2024-09-11,2024,2024-09,Democrat,House,MD,Steny H. Hoyer,H000874,hoyer.house.gov,hoyer,https://hoyer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today to commemorate the 23rd anniversaryof the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001: ""Each year, on September 11th, we remember the emotions we felt on that terrible day 23 years ago: the fear, the uncertainty, the grief. We mourn the 2,977 Americans who were killed in Al Qaeda's devastating terror attack. But we also remember the solidarity we felt as a nation that day. We recall the pride and gratitude we felt for the brave first responders who charged up thousands of stairs and ventured into the flames, as well as the passengers on United 93 who gave their lives to save others on the ground – likely right here in our Capitol. That day, Americans across the country and freedom-loving people around the world stood together and stood strong. ""We must continue to stand united as we fulfill our sacred obligation to care for the families of those who lost their lives because of that day as well as the first responders – many of whom were from Maryland – who have suffered long-lasting health complications because of their courageous service on September 11th. That's why as House Majority Leader in 2019, I brought legislation to the Floor to reauthorize the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund in perpetuity and worked with Democrats and Republicans to pass it. ""The terrorists who attacked America that day thought they could break America's resolve and divide its people. We did the opposite. Let us continue to show the world that freedom, justice, and democracy are stronger than repression, fear, and terror.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T21:43:57Z