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://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-raskin-announces-loss-son-tommy-raskin,Congressman Raskin Announces Loss of Son Tommy Raskin,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"TAKOMA PARK, M.D. With profound sorrow, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Sarah Bloom Raskin today announced the loss of their son Thomas (Tommy) Bloom Raskin, 25, who was a second-year student at Harvard Law School and a graduate of Amherst College. Tommy was pure magic. His brilliance and compassion knew no bounds. He passionately loved his family, friends, and animals, and was devoted to the cause of the global poor. We are devastated and demolished to be without him. Tommy is survived by his beloved sisters Hannah and Tabitha, dozens of loving aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and grandparents Arlene Bloom and Lynn Raskin. The family is grateful for the outpouring of support and love from neighbors, constituents, and friends but asks everyone to observe strict COVID-19 protocols during this time of grief. Funeral and memorial service arrangements will be released in due course. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/raskin-recognizes-40-local-heroes-2020-announces-local-hero-year,"Raskin Recognizes 40 Local Heroes in 2020, Announces Local Hero of the Year",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"ROCKVILLE, M.D. This year, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) launched a weekly video series featuring Marylanders across the 8thDistrict who are acting creatively and bravely to help others through the coronavirus crisis.Today, he honors the 40 constituents that he recognized as2020 Local Heroesover the course of the year. He is also proud to announce theLocal Hero of the Year: everyone in the 8th District and beyond for their exemplary resilience and solidarity in a challenging year. Since April 2020, Rep. Raskin has highlighted 8thDistrict Local Heroes every week for their critical efforts to support Maryland during this time of public health crisis and upheaval. He has interviewed a wide range of community members, including medical professionals; first responders; frontline workers such as letter carriers, grocery store clerks, and bus drivers; small business owners and more. To view all of Rep. Raskin's 2020 Local Heroes, clickhere. To view a video playlist of all of Rep. Raskin's interviews with Local Heroes, clickhere. I'm grateful beyond measure to be representing the remarkable people of Montgomery, Frederick and Carroll Counties who we have honored this year,said Rep. Jamie Raskin.From doctors and nurses to frontline workers and teachers, from firefighters and postal personnel to students and champions of human rights, my constituents have shown great vision, unyielding service and exemplary dedication to our community and nation in this year of trial and dread. Whether tending to sick patients through the night, delivering food to the hungry or standing up against corruption and tyranny, these local heroes have helped us surpass the challenges of COVID-19 in extraordinary ways. I look forward to continuing this video series in 2021 and working with our people to see our country and state through the end of the pandemic. As the nation and the Administration carry the fight against the coronavirus into the new year, Rep. Raskin will continue recognizing and honoring 8thDistrict Local Heroes in 2021. To nominate a Local Hero, clickhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-issues-statement-following-vote-to-increase-covid-19-stimulus,Ruppersberger Issues Statement Following Vote to Increase COVID-19 Stimulus Checks to $2000,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives last evening passed legislation boosting COVID-19 stimulus checks authorized in a previous relief package from $600 to $2000: Last night's bipartisan vote, if upheld in the Senate, will help sustain our economy as we continue to claw our way through this worsening pandemic. It puts money into the pockets of struggling Americans and builds on the relief package signed into law by President Trump Sunday night. Calls to offset' economic stimulus efforts by reducing annual expenditures like direct foreign aid, which were passed in routine appropriations bills simultaneously last week, are misguided. These are mostly funds that President Trump requested in his annual budget and fall within spending parameters adopted by both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. In fact, Democrats had to convince the White House to commit to spending at least an equal amount on domestic programs here at home at the height of a pandemic as we do on defense funds primarily utilized overseas. If Congress does not pass our annual spending bills, the government shuts down. The President knows this, which is why he ultimately signed the bill. In addition to direct aid to Americans, we need to invest in recovery efforts like keeping Americans in their homes, keeping small businesses open and distributing the vaccines as fairly and quickly as we can. I look forward to supporting any legislation to that end, including desperately-needed relief to our state and local governments, which are on the frontlines of this pandemic.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maryland-delegation-members-applaud-the-passage-of-the-fafsa-fairness-act,Maryland Delegation Members Applaud the Passage of the FAFSA Fairness Act,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, along with Congressmen David Trone, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Anthony Brown and Jamie Raskin (all D-Md.), applauded the inclusion of the FAFSA Fairness Act of 2019 (S. 416) in the end-of-year spending bill recently passed by Congress. The FAFSA Fairness Act would improve the application process for students without parents to receive federal financial aid. The bill was first introduced by the late Congressman Elijah E. Cummings in February 2019. Nothing should stand in the way of a student's education neither money nor difficult life circumstances, said Senator Cardin. The already lengthy process of applying for federal student aid is even harder for students who are unable to contact their parents due to abuse or neglect. I am proud that Congress has finally passed the FAFSA Fairness Act to simplify the application process and open doors for even more students to access federal student aid. We must continue to work to eliminate barriers that keep our most vulnerable students from reaching their higher education goals. This is a fitting tribute to our colleague and friend Congressman Cummings. Every student with the dream of attending college should have the opportunity to achieve that goal. We cannot let financial difficulties or burdensome regulations and red tape stand in the way, said Senator Van Hollen. The FAFSA Fairness Act will make college more accessible by removing obstacles to student financial aid. I was proud to help introduce this legislation alongside our dear friend Elijah Cummings, and I'm glad Team Maryland has worked together to get it over the finish line. Together, we will continue working to make college more affordable and accessible for all of our students. ""I was honored to take the lead on this bill after Congressman Cummings' passing because every student deserves the chance to reach the highest levels of academic achievement without increased financial barriers, said Congressman Trone, the only member from the Maryland Delegation on the Education and Labor Committee. Access to higher education gave me the opportunity to be successful in life, and it's important for students who don't have access to their parents to have this same opportunity and financial support to obtain a degree in higher education. The FAFSA Fairness Act is just another example of how Elijah Cumming's legacy continues to live on. I am so proud of Maryland's delegation for rallying behind this important bill, first introduced by our friend and colleague, the late Congressman Cummings, to make the student aid process easier for students who aren't in contact with their parents, said Congressman Ruppersberger. It's a no brainer. A child who may have left home due to an abusive environment or whose parents are incarcerated should never be penalized for trying to better themselves and achieve a quality education. With the strong support of the Maryland Delegation and in honor of the late Elijah Cummings, Congress has acted to reduce barriers for students seeking financial aid, said Congressman Sarbanes. The new, streamlined application will help more students especially in low-income and underserved communities access critical financial aid and make college more affordable. Every student deserves a high quality, affordable education no matter their zip code or life circumstances. Reducing barriers to higher education for students experiencing parental abuse or neglect is the right thing to do, said Congressman Brown. My dear friend Congressman Elijah Cummings would often say that our children are the living messages to the future. With the passage of this bill, we make clear that every child should have the opportunity to succeed. As a professor for more than a quarter century, I saw higher education can transform young people's minds, lives, and fortunes, said Congressman Raskin. I'm thrilled that Congress passed the FAFSA Fairness Act, championed by our beloved late colleague Elijah Cummings, to improve the federal financial aid process for students who cannot rely on parental assistance with their applications. The bill will allow 18- to 24-year-old students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as provisionally independent students and determine the level of their financial aid from each college they apply to. This designation would apply to those who do not have contact with their parents, or who meet other criteria established by educational institutions. Currently, these students must undergo a dependency override at each institution they apply to before they are considered for financial aid. This process can be extremely time consuming and create barriers to college access for students facing difficult personal and financial circumstances.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-members-applaud-passage-fafsa-fairness-act,Maryland Delegation Members Applaud the Passage of the FAFSA Fairness Act,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, along with Congressmen David Trone, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Anthony Brown and Jamie Raskin (all D-Md.), applauded the inclusion of the FAFSA Fairness Act of 2019 (S. 416) in the end-of-year spending bill recently passed by Congress. The FAFSA Fairness Act would improve the application process for students without parents to receive federal financial aid. The bill was first introduced by the late Congressman Elijah E. Cummings in February 2019. Nothing should stand in the way of a student's education neither money nor difficult life circumstances, said Senator Cardin. The already lengthy process of applying for federal student aid is even harder for students who are unable to contact their parents due to abuse or neglect. I am proud that Congress has finally passed the FAFSA Fairness Act to simplify the application process and open doors for even more students to access federal student aid. We must continue to work to eliminate barriers that keep our most vulnerable students from reaching their higher education goals. This is a fitting tribute to our colleague and friend Congressman Cummings. Every student with the dream of attending college should have the opportunity to achieve that goal. We cannot let financial difficulties or burdensome regulations and red tape stand in the way, said Senator Van Hollen. The FAFSA Fairness Act will make college more accessible by removing obstacles to student financial aid. I was proud to help introduce this legislation alongside our dear friend Elijah Cummings, and I'm glad Team Maryland has worked together to get it over the finish line. Together, we will continue working to make college more affordable and accessible for all of our students. ""I was honored to take the lead on this bill after Congressman Cummings' passing because every student deserves the chance to reach the highest levels of academic achievement without increased financial barriers, said Congressman Trone, the only member from the Maryland Delegation on the Education and Labor Committee. Access to higher education gave me the opportunity to be successful in life, and it's important for students who don't have access to their parents to have this same opportunity and financial support to obtain a degree in higher education. The FAFSA Fairness Act is just another example of how Elijah Cumming's legacy continues to live on. I am so proud of Maryland's delegation for rallying behind this important bill, first introduced by our friend and colleague, the late Congressman Cummings, to make the student aid process easier for students who aren't in contact with their parents, said Congressman Ruppersberger. It's a no brainer. A child who may have left home due to an abusive environment or whose parents are incarcerated should never be penalized for trying to better themselves and achieve a quality education. With the strong support of the Maryland Delegation and in honor of the late Elijah Cummings, Congress has acted to reduce barriers for students seeking financial aid, said Congressman Sarbanes. The new, streamlined application will help more students especially in low-income and underserved communities access critical financial aid and make college more affordable. Every student deserves a high quality, affordable education no matter their zip code or life circumstances. Reducing barriers to higher education for students experiencing parental abuse or neglect is the right thing to do, said Congressman Brown. My dear friend Congressman Elijah Cummings would often say that our children are the living messages to the future. With the passage of this bill, we make clear that every child should have the opportunity to succeed. As a professor for more than a quarter century, I saw higher education can transform young people's minds, lives, and fortunes, said Congressman Raskin. I'm thrilled that Congress passed the FAFSA Fairness Act, championed by our beloved late colleague Elijah Cummings, to improve the federal financial aid process for students who cannot rely on parental assistance with their applications. The bill will allow 18- to 24-year-old students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as provisionally independent students and determine the level of their financial aid from each college they apply to. This designation would apply to those who do not have contact with their parents, or who meet other criteria established by educational institutions. Currently, these students must undergo a dependency override at each institution they apply to before they are considered for financial aid. This process can be extremely time consuming and create barriers to college access for students facing difficult personal and financial circumstances. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-chairman-of-us-naval-academy-board-of-visitors-issues,"Ruppersberger, Chairman of U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors, Issues Statement on Investigation",2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Maryland Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, who is Chairman of the U.S. Naval Academy's Board of Visitors, today issued the following statement in response to media reports regarding an ongoing investigation into the administration of a sophomore physics exam: The USNA has apprised the Board of Visitors that there is an ongoing investigation into the administration of a sophomore physics exam. I am confident that, once the results of the investigation are complete, they will be provided to the Board. The Academy's Honor Concept is clear and any violations would require appropriate remediation. Ruppersberger, a member of the Board since 2009, was elected Chairman in June of this year. The Board oversees matters related to morale and discipline, curriculum, infrastructure, financial affairs and more. The Board consists of six members appointed by the President, three appointed by the Vice President, four appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one designated by the Senate Armed Services Committee and one designated by the House Armed Services Committee. The President of the United States receives an annual written report of the Board's findings and recommendations.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/trump-throws-federal-coronavirus-relief-bill-would-benefit-maryland-doubt,Trump Throws Federal Coronavirus Relief Bill That Would Benefit Maryland Into Doubt,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"The long-awaited federal coronavirus relief bill paired with an expansive government spending package contains millions of dollars specifically for initiatives in Maryland, but President Donald Trump threw its fate into question Tuesday night when he blasted the bipartisan package and suggested he may not sign it.... The spending bill also would fund smaller programs authorized through the conservation act, such as the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Program, a National Park Service initiative that aims to increase public access to environments in the bay watershed. That program was given $3 million. I'm particularly proud of our successful effort to secure record-level funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program and to include funding for several other beneficial Bay initiatives, Maryland Rep. John Sarbanes, a Democrat, said in a news release.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-maryland-delegation-members-applaud-passage-fafsa-fairness-act,"Sarbanes, Maryland Delegation Members Applaud the Passage of the FAFSA Fairness Act",2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in applauding the inclusion of the FAFSA Fairness Act of 2019 (S. 416) in the end-of-year spending bill recently passed by Congress. The FAFSA Fairness Act would improve the application process for students without parents to receive federal financial aid for higher education. The bill was first introduced by the late Congressman Elijah E. Cummings in February 2019. With the strong support of the Maryland Delegation and in honor of the late Elijah Cummings, Congress has acted to reduce barriers for students seeking financial aid, said Congressman Sarbanes. The new, streamlined application will help more students especially in low-income and underserved communities access critical financial aid and make college more affordable. Nothing should stand in the way of a student's education neither money nor difficult life circumstances, said Senator Cardin. The already lengthy process of applying for federal student aid is even harder for students who are unable to contact their parents due to abuse or neglect. I am proud that Congress has finally passed the FAFSA Fairness Act to simplify the application process and open doors for even more students to access federal student aid. We must continue to work to eliminate barriers that keep our most vulnerable students from reaching their higher education goals. This is a fitting tribute to our colleague and friend Congressman Cummings. Every student with the dream of attending college should have the opportunity to achieve that goal. We cannot let financial difficulties or burdensome regulations and red tape stand in the way, said Senator Van Hollen. The FAFSA Fairness Act will make college more accessible by removing obstacles to student financial aid. I was proud to help introduce this legislation alongside our dear friend Elijah Cummings, and I'm glad Team Maryland has worked together to get it over the finish line. Together, we will continue working to make college more affordable and accessible for all of our students. ""I was honored to take the lead on this bill after Congressman Cummings' passing because every student deserves the chance to reach the highest levels of academic achievement without increased financial barriers, said Congressman Trone. Access to higher education gave me the opportunity to be successful in life, and it's important for students who don't have access to their parents to have this same opportunity and financial support to obtain a degree in higher education. The FAFSA Fairness Act is just another example of how Elijah Cummings' legacy continues to live on. I am so proud of Maryland's delegation for rallying behind this important bill, first introduced by our friend and colleague, the late Congressman Cummings, to make the student aid process easier for students who aren't in contact with their parents, said Congressman Ruppersberger. It's a no brainer. A child who may have left home due to an abusive environment or whose parents are incarcerated should never be penalized for trying to better themselves and achieve a quality education. Every student deserves a high quality, affordable education no matter their zip code or life circumstances. Reducing barriers to higher education for students experiencing parental abuse or neglect is the right thing to do, said Congressman Brown. My dear friend Congressman Elijah Cummings would often say that our children are the living messages to the future. With the passage of this bill, we make clear that every child should have the opportunity to succeed. As a professor for more than a quarter century, I saw higher education can transform young people's minds, lives, and fortunes, said Congressman Raskin. I'm thrilled that Congress passed the FAFSA Fairness Act, championed by our beloved late colleague Elijah Cummings, to improve the federal financial aid process for students who cannot rely on parental assistance with their applications. The FAFSA Fairness Act will allow 18- to 24-year-old students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as provisionally independent students and to determine the level of their financial aid from each college they apply to. This designation would apply to students who do not have contact with their parents, or who meet other criteria established by educational institutions. Currently, these students must undergo a dependency override at each institution they apply to before they are considered for financial aid. This process can be extremely time consuming and create barriers to college access for students facing difficult personal and financial circumstances. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-statement-covid-19-vaccine,Sarbanes Statement on COVID-19 Vaccine,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today released the following statement about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine: Following the advice of the Office of the Attending Physician, and based on government continuity guidelines, I recently received the COVID-19 vaccine. I know that some Marylanders including health care workers, first responders and nursing home residents, who are among the first individuals eligible for the vaccine may be apprehensive about receiving it. I want to reiterate for them and others my full confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. According to public health professionals, it is not yet clear whether someone who has been vaccinated and is protected from the virus can nevertheless still be a carrier. That is why for the safety of my family members, who are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine, and for others who I come into contact with I will continue to maintain all the recommended precautions, including wearing a mask, washing my hands and practicing social distancing. I greatly value the guidance of the scientific community and our outstanding public health experts. I hope that Marylanders and Americans across the country sign up to receive the vaccine as it becomes increasingly available over the next several months. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-issues-statement-on-passage-of-covid-19-relief-and-omnibus,Ruppersberger Issues Statement on Passage of COVID-19 Relief and Omnibus Spending Bill,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Today, Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02) issued the following statement after Congress passed what may be one of the largest bills in U.S. history with enough funding to keep the government running through September 2021 plus $900 billion in COVID-19 relief measures: Today, seven months after the House passed its second round of COVID-19 relief legislation, we can finally tell our constituents and our country that help is on the way. This bill achieves our primary objectives of reducing the spread of this virus and putting money into the pockets of struggling Americans. We can't get our economy moving until we get the pandemic under control. This bill provides nearly $70 billion to accelerate the distribution of vaccines and implement a cohesive testing and tracing strategy something that we have lacked since the outbreak began. It includes direct cash payments to families, relief for small businesses and support for schools and childcare facilities. The bill is certainly not everything I wanted. I am very disappointed the bill does not include more aid for state and local governments, which cut the paychecks for tens of thousands of frontline workers including teachers, police officers and healthcare workers and are facing historic revenue losses amid unforeseen costs. As the pandemic continues to surge at an alarming rate, however, this bill will undoubtedly save lives and livelihoods. The omnibus spending bill included in this package will directly benefit constituents in the Second District and Maryland. It provides more than $509 million for projects at Maryland military installations, $60 million to keep commerce moving through the Port of Baltimore and hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation and community development funding that will make its way to Maryland. As a House Appropriator, I proudly helped secure a record $87.5 million to protect the Chesapeake Bay and the jobs it supports. It is beyond comprehension that Congress is writing, reviewing and passing legislation of this magnitude in a matter of hours and we have no one to blame but Mitch McConnell. In the last seven months, the Senate has not passed a single appropriations bill or considered COVID-19 relief neither its own bill nor the one sent to it by the House. It's inexcusable and should never happen again. I look forward to doing more in the next year, when we have a new President in the White House who has unequivocally identified the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic fallout as his top priority.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/enewsletters/covid-19-relief-way,COVID-19 Relief Is on the Way,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"Dear Friend, Today, I voted to pass a bipartisan COVID-19 relief package that delivers urgently needed aid to American families and small businesses. The funding agreement also includes critical resources to purchase and distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to every community and to boost contact tracing and testing capabilities. Although it comes late and falls short of the stronger and more comprehensive proposals that House Democrats passed in May and October of this year, today's bipartisan agreement will help American families and small businesses weather the coming winter and get to the other side of this public health emergency. While this COVID-19 relief package delivers meaningful funding for small businesses, local school systems and public transit networks, I am disappointed that Congressional Republicans absolutely refused to provide dedicated aid to state and local governments. As Congress considers additional COVID-19 relief efforts in the year ahead, I will continue to fight for robust state and local funding to support our first responders and frontline workers, who have kept our communities safe and delivered vital services during this incredibly difficult time. Key provisions of the COVID-19 relief agreement include: Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution, Testing and Contact Tracing to Eliminate the Virus: $20 billion to purchase vaccines, $9 billion to distribute vaccines and nearly $22 billion to help states expand testing, contact tracing and other virus mitigation efforts. Support for Small Business: $284 billion for forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. Expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits, local newspapers, television stations and radio broadcasters. Critical modifications to PPP to better serve minority-owned businesses, the smallest businesses, struggling nonprofits and independent restaurants. Also includes $20 billion in targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan Grants for small businesses, $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters and cultural institutions and $9 billion in emergency investments in Community Development Financial Institutions and Minority Depository Institutions to support lending in low-income and underserved communities. Education and Child Care: $82 billion for schools, colleges and universities. Includes dedicated funding to repair and replace HVAC systems to reduce virus transmission and safely reopen classrooms. Forgives nearly $1.3 billion in federal loans to historically Black colleges and universities. Also includes $10 billion for child care assistance to help parents get back to work. Enhanced Unemployment Insurance: Extends pandemic unemployment benefits for millions of Americans, including the self-employed, gig workers and individuals who have exhausted their state unemployment benefits. Adds $300 per week in unemployment insurance for Americans out of work. Rental Assistance: $25 billion in urgently needed rental assistance for families across the country and an extension of the federal eviction moratorium. Also enhances the Low Income Housing Tax Credit to help increase affordable housing construction and provide greater certainty to new and ongoing affordable housing projects. Food and Nutrition Assistance: $13 billion in SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the historic hunger crisis affecting nearly 17 million children across the country. Direct Payments to American Families: $600 per adult and per child for eligible individuals and families. Individuals earning up to $75,000 a year will receive a payment of $600. Couples earning up to $150,000 will receive $1,200. Families will also receive $600 per child. Strengthened Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit: Ensures that families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic are able to receive a strong tax credit based on their 2019 income. Employee Retention Tax Credit: Extends and improves the Employee Retention Tax Credit to help keep workers employed during coronavirus closures or reduced revenue. Paid Sick Leave: Provides a tax credit to employers that offer paid sick leave, based on the framework set forth in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Emergency Transportation Funding: $27 billion to shore up America's transportation networks, including $14 billion for state and local public transit systems, $10 billion for highways, $2 billion for airports and $1 billion for Amtrak. For more information about the relief package, see here and here. For a full list of coronavirus-related resources, please visit my website. I also encourage you to visit coronavirus.maryland.gov for state-specific information about testing locations, vaccine distribution plans and many other Maryland resources. As always, my office is available to help you and your families navigate federal agencies and access important federal benefits, like Social Security and Medicare. If you need assistance, please send me an email or call (410) 832-8890 during normal business hours. During this incredibly challenging time for our country, I hope that the upcoming holiday season provides you and your families with an opportunity to celebrate safely, rest comfortably and look forward to a better and brighter year in 2021. Sincerely, Congressman John Sarbanes Maryland's Third Congressional District",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-secures-key-maryland-funding-priorities-end-year-spending,Sarbanes Secures Key Maryland Funding Priorities in End-of-Year Spending Package,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Delivers Wins for the Chesapeake Bay, Clean Energy, Environmental Protection, Schools, Health Care, Economic Growth and Opportunity, Transportation and Infrastructure Improvements, Veterans, Servicemembers, Military Families and Many Other Key Priorities",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-votes-pass-new-round-covid-19-relief-american-families-and,Sarbanes Votes to Pass New Round of COVID-19 Relief for American Families and Small Businesses,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"Bipartisan Agreement Delivers Urgent Aid to Americans, Including Expanded Unemployment Insurance, Small Business Loans, Food and Housing Assistance, One-Time Economic Impact Payments, Public Transit Funding and Robust Resources for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution, Testing and Contact Tracing",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-representative-for-nsa-and-us-cybercom-warns-against-proposed,"Ruppersberger, Representative for NSA and US CYBERCOM, Warns Against Proposed Split",2020-12-20,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, whose Maryland district is home to the National Security Agency and the U.S. Cyber Command, is warning Pentagon leaders not to pursue reported efforts to split the agencies' leadership. For years, Congress has blocked proposals to sever the dual hat relationship between the two agencies, which are both located on the grounds of Fort George G. Meade and share a Director. In fact, Congress in 2017 included language in its defense policy bill expressly prohibiting a split unless certain conditions are met, such as certification that a separation will not threaten the effectiveness of each organization. None of those conditions have been met, said Congressman Ruppersberger, who is also a Defense Appropriator. You can'tconductcyberoperationswithout intelligence and you can't collectthisintelligence withoutgoodcybercapabilities, Congressman Ruppersberger said. Splittingthis relationshipnow, as we still assess the damage from what could be the worst cyber attack in American history, is not only inadvisable, butcurrentlyillegal. In fact, given the early recovery stage from this attack which high-ranking Trump Administration officials have linked to the Russian government we should be providing agencies and departments with the resources and authority they need to close security gaps and get the bad guys out of ournetworks, not tearing organizations apart.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/federal-cancer-research-bill-named-henrietta-lacks-wins-final-approval,Federal Cancer Research Bill Named for Henrietta Lacks Wins Final Approval,2020-12-19,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"A bill inspired by the late Henrietta Lacks, a Baltimore County woman whose cells were used for medical research without her consent, is headed to President Donald Trump's desk following a push by Maryland lawmakers. The Henrietta Lacks Enhancing Cancer Research Act would require the federal government to publish a report on government-funded cancer research trials, including the amount of participation by underrepresented populations and the barriers to participation.... Other Maryland members of Congress who co-sponsored the bill include: U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, U.S. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger and U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes, all Democrats. Lacks' oldest son, Lawrence Lacks Sr., said in a statement that his mother is now finally getting her rightful due for her role as the Mother of Modern Medicine. As the world celebrates Henrietta Lacks' 100th birthday this year, it is only fitting that this law builds upon her legacy by ensuring equitable access to advances in cancer treatment for all people, he said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/bipartisan-outrage-towards-sackler-family-and-purdue-pharma-lack-accountability,Bipartisan Outrage Towards Sackler Family and Purdue Pharma for Lack of Accountability in Role in Fueling Opioid Crisis,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, held ahearingto examine the role of Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family in fueling the nationwide opioid epidemic for decades by pushing Purdue executives to flood the market with the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. Chairwoman Maloney issued the following statement at the end of hearing: You have played a critical, active role in sparking and fueling the opioid epidemic. You approved and monitored dangerous marketing plans. You directed their sales representatives to focus on the highest-volume prescribers and the strongest versions of OxyContin. You targeted vulnerable populations with misleading messages. You have the ability now to mitigate at least some of the damage you caused. Stop hiding and offshoring your assets, stop nickel and diming the negotiators, make a massive financial contribution that leaves no doubt about your commitment, and finally acknowledge your wrongdoing. The families whose lives you have ruined deserve at least that much. Witnesses included David Sackler, former Member of the Board of Directors (2012 to 2018);Dr. Kathe Sackler, former Vice President and Member of the Board of Directors (1990 to 2018);and Craig Landau, President and CEO of Purdue Pharma. Members expressed bipartisan outrage for the lack of accountability for the role of the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma in fueling the opioid epidemic. When asked by Chairwoman Maloney whether she would apologize for her role in the opioid crisis, Dr. Kathe Sackler said: There is nothing that I can find that I would have done differently based on what I believed and understood then. Rep. Kelly Armstrong said,It is beyond the pale of believability to think that after settling with the federal government in 2007, that you could honestly saywatching the sale of your own company's drugsthat you didn't know a problem was coming down the pike, and to say that is just apprised believability and is absolutely abhorrent and appalling to the victims of opioid addiction. Patients and families providedemotional storiesabout how the opioid epidemic has affected their lives. For example, Alexis Pleus from Binghamton, New York, described how her high-school aged son was prescribed OxyContin after a knee injury and was told to take pills every four hours for months as he worked through physical therapy. She explained that no one told her or her son that it might not be easy to stop using OxyContin or about the risks of addiction, and her son died from an overdose. She stated: The damage and the pain and the grief is life long, and Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers need to be held accountable for what they've done to our family and countless other families. Members questioned the Sackler family on the withdrawal of billions of dollars from Purdue Pharma to avoid compensating affected families. Chairwoman Maloney asked David Sackler about an email he wrote in 2007 one week after Purdue settled with DOJ on charges of misbranding and agreed to pay $600 million in fines that said: We're rich? For How long? Until which suits get through to the family? Chairwoman Maloney told David Sackler: I think it's clear your family has tried to fraudulently shield money for your own personal benefit. I think it's appalling. Those profits, in my opinion, should be clawed back. You and your family should compensate the American public for the harm that you caused and you should be held fully accountable for your actions. Ranking Member James Comer similarly told Mr. Sackler: I am just sick to see what it appears to me a family and a company that is going to use the bankruptcy process to get out of this and to continue to be one of the wealthiest families in America. It is unacceptable. Members pressed the Sackler family to provide greater transparency into their involvement in the management of Purdue Pharma and their financial arrangements. In his sworn testimony, David Sackler claimed: We want the American people to know what actually happened at Purdue. To this end, Rep. Jamie Raskin pressed David Sackler to commit to contributing the Sackler family's documents to the public document repository that will be created as a result of Department of Justice settlement announced in October. In addition, Chairwoman Maloney asked David Sackler to produce to the Committee an accounting of all shell companies that he and his family controls, as well as how much of the Sackler family's wealth is being held in foreign bank accounts. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/baltimore-delegation-members-announce-more-than-28-million-for-head-start,Baltimore Delegation Members Announce More Than $2.8 Million for Head Start Programs Across Region,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONToday, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and CongressmenDutch Ruppersberger,John Sarbanes,and Kweisi Mfume(all D-Md.) announced $2,809,748 in federal funding forHead Start programs at the Yof Central Maryland and Community Action Council of Howard County. Early childhood education provides our children with a strong foundation at a young age and positions students for lifelong success,the lawmakers said. These federal funds will help more families in the Baltimore area access Head Start programs, which have a proven track record of narrowing educational and economic gaps in our society. We will keep fighting for federal investments in Maryland's early childhood education system to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed. Awards include $1,723,642 in new funding for the Y of Central Maryland and $1,086,106 in continuation funding for the Community Action Council of Howard County. Funds were awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The lawmakers, who also announced$6 million for Head Start and Early Head Start programs at the Y of Central Marylandin July, have supported increased funding forHead Startprogramsthroughout Maryland.Head Startand EarlyHead Startprograms provide servicestomore than a million children every year, in every U.S. state and territory, in farmworker camps, and in over 155 tribal communities.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/subcommittee-chair-raskin-issues-statement-trump-administration-s-last-minute,Subcommittee Chair Raskin Issues Statement on Trump Administrations Last-Minute Rulemakings That Allow for LGBTQ+ Discrimination,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, issued the following statement condemning the Trump Administration's recent issuance of final and proposed rules that allow for discrimination against LGBTQ+ Americans: Since he took office, Trump and his Administration have worked to systematically dismantle LGBTQ+ rights in every social domain, from housing, to education, to the military. These recent rulemakings are a last-ditch effort to entrench these discriminatory policies prior to the presidential transition. The President who spoke up for gay rights at the 2016 Republican Convention has now completed his journey to complete and total subservience to the authoritarian Religious Right. When the Supreme Court ruled in Bostock that the prohibition against sex discrimination in Title VII covers discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, we gave the Administration the opportunity to reverse its discriminatory policies. Not only has it refused to do so, it has now finalized the very rules we highlighted as problematic. We call upon the incoming Biden Administration to undo these shameful actions and immediately restore LGBTQ+ rights across the board. Background: On Monday, the Administration finalized a discriminatory Faith-Based Initiative rule, a 400-page consolidation of proposed rules from nine different agencies. The rule removes requirements for religious organizations that receive federal funds for social services to provide a notice of nondiscrimination and referrals to secular organizations. These requirements, put in place by the Obama Administration, were designed to protect LGBTQ+ people and others who might face discrimination in seeking social services from religious providers. The Administration also recentlyfinalized a rulefrom the Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs expanding religious exemptions for federal contractors, which could allow for discrimination against LGBTQ+ employees, and is moving forward with a Housing and Urban Development (HUD)rulebanning transgender people from seeking housing arrangements consistent with their gender identity. OnAugust 19th, the Subcommittee sent letters to DOL, HUD, the Department of Education, and the Department of Health and Human Services asking each agency to reevaluate their policies and rulemakings that allow for discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, including the proposed versions or announcements of the aforementioned rules, in light of the Supreme Court's ruling inBostock. The Subcommittee received responses from all the agencies except the Department of Education, but each agency refused to acknowledge the ways their policies condoned discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/baltimore-s-congressional-delegation-announces-nearly-1-million-to-boost,Baltimores Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $1 Million to Boost STEM Education Programs at Towson University,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON -U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) today announced $999,152 in federal funding to expand student access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs at Towson University. We're proud to announce this important new investment in Maryland's STEM education capabilities,the lawmakers said.Recruiting and mentoring a more diverse pipeline of students will help drive greater opportunity and economic success for communities throughout our state. We are committed to expanding access to higher education and supporting research institutions throughout Maryland. Funding comes from the National Science Foundation. It will support Towson University's Recruiting, Educating and Graduating a Diverse Community of Mathematicians Through Mentoring, Peer Support and Undergraduate Research program, which provides dozens of mathematics scholarships to high-achieving, low-income students. The award will fund 14 four-year scholarships for graduating seniors from high schools across Baltimore, as well as 18 two-year scholarships for transfer students from Harford Community College and Howard Community College. The award will also allow Towson University to expand undergraduate research opportunities for all sophomore and junior mathematics majors. The lawmakers have long supported investments in STEM education programs across the state. They previously announced funding for Morgan State University to increase underrepresented community representation in engineering, to expand nanotechnology research and training at the University of Maryland, College Park, and more than $1.6 million for Johns Hopkins University STEM programs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/house-dems-gop-agree-sacklers-purdue-pharma-sickening,"House Dems, GOP Agree: Sacklers, Purdue Pharma 'Sickening'",2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Sackler family, which owns opioid drugmaker Purdue Pharma, ""placed insatiable taste of personal wealth over lives of families they have destroyed,"" Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, said Thursday. Purdue Pharma ""launched an incredibly destructive, reckless campaign to flood our communities"" with OxyContin, the company's extended-release oxycodone product, she said during a hearing on the role of the Sackler family and the company in the opioid epidemic.... Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) asked Sackler about the ""patient saving cards"" that he said were ""supposedly intended to expand access to OxyContin"" but ""were consistently tracked and evaluated because Purdue knew these cards were a powerful way to keep patients on opioids longer. Is that right?"" ""My understanding was the patient saving cards were designed to help people afford their medication,"" Sackler replied. Sarbanes called that ""a perfect answer, because it represents the way in which the narrative you put together -- everything that was in fact designed to take advantage of people and exploit their weakness was presented by Sackler and Purdue as trying to help those patients ... This is why thousands of people across the country became addicted, because of the rosy story and narrative that you painted.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-slams-sackler-family-making-billions-dollars-while-knowingly,Sarbanes Slams Sackler Family for Making Billions of Dollars While Knowingly Addicting Millions of Americans to Deadly Opioids [Video],2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. During a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing today, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) directly criticized members of the Sackler family, who own Purdue Pharma, for aggressively marketing highly addictive and deadly opioids to millions of Americans. This notion and we've heard it today from the family that We were just following the management recommendations, is a little bit absurd, said Congressman Sarbanes. Because the family had control over the operations. They knew exactly what was happening. And they were hoping to push this agenda [that] ended up broadening the addiction crisis across the country. Sarbanes continued: According to internal documents that were obtained by the [Oversight and Reform] Committee and the Massachusetts Attorney General, the Sacklers, as board members that were ordering the company, hire[d] hundreds more sales reps, directed those reps to target the highest prescribers of OxyContin and push the highest-strength dosage of OxyContin, approved misleading marketing materials that downplayed the risk of the addiction [and] rewarded employees for selling more drugs. Sarbanes added: You knew what was happening. You knew what was going on. This was designed to pull as much money out of the company as you possibly could before these penalties and lawsuits and other actions were going to come at you. Sarbanes concluded: The Sacklers not just Purdue the Sacklers need to be held accountable. Before 2007, I think it's fair to say that, at best, the family was morally blind in its actions and conduct. After 2007, the family became morally bankrupt not financially bankrupt, you're doing very well, you're rich. And that's obscene when you look at the situation of these families, this wasteland across the country that's been caused by what the [Sackler] family did. I hope that there will be some repercussions, some consequence, for the [Sackler] family for its conduct. See below for the Congressman's full remarks. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/sarbanes-discusses-passing-senator-sarbanes-and-vaccine-distribution,Sarbanes Discusses Passing of Senator Sarbanes and Vaccine Distribution in Maryland,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"44 Calvert Street, Suite 349 Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: (410) 295-1679 Fax: (410) 295-1682 Hours: Tuesday 11:00 AM -1:00 PM (Or by Appointment)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-baltimore-congressional-delegation-announce-more-28-million,"Sarbanes, Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announce More Than $2.8 Million for Head Start Programs Across Region",2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Baltimore Congressional Delegation in announcing $2,809,748 in federal funding for Head Start programs at the Y of Central Maryland and Community Action Council of Howard County. Early childhood education provides our children with a strong foundation at a young age and positions students for lifelong success, the lawmakers said. These federal funds will help more families in the Baltimore area access Head Start programs, which have a proven track record of narrowing educational and economic gaps in our society. We will keep fighting for federal investments in Maryland's early childhood education system to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It includes $1,723,642 for the Y of Central Maryland and $1,086,106 for the Community Action Council of Howard County. The lawmakers previously announced more than $6 million in federal funding for Head Start and Early Head Start programs at the Y of Central Maryland. They have consistently supported increased funding for Head Start programs throughout Maryland. Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide services to more than a million children every year, in every U.S. state and territory, in farmworker camps and in over 155 tribal communities. Head Start programming is responsive to the ethnic, cultural and linguistic heritage of each child and family. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-baltimore-congressional-delegation-announce-nearly-1-million,"Sarbanes, Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announce Nearly $1 Million to Boost STEM Education Programs at Towson University",2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Baltimore Congressional Delegation in announcing $999,152 in federal funding to expand student access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs at Towson University. We're proud to announce this important new investment in Maryland's STEM education capabilities, the lawmakers said. Recruiting and mentoring a more diverse pipeline of students will help drive greater opportunity and economic success for communities throughout our state. We are committed to expanding access to higher education and supporting research institutions throughout Maryland. Funding comes from the National Science Foundation. It will support Towson University's Recruiting, Educating and Graduating a Diverse Community of Mathematicians Through Mentoring, Peer Support and Undergraduate Research program, which provides dozens of mathematics scholarships to high-achieving, low-income students. The award will fund 14 four-year scholarships for graduating seniors from high schools across Baltimore, as well as 18 two-year scholarships for transfer students from Harford Community College and Howard Community College. The award will also allow Towson University to expand undergraduate research opportunities for all sophomore and junior mathematics majors. The lawmakers have long supported investments in STEM education programs across the state. They previously announced funding for Morgan State University to increase underrepresented community representation in engineering. They also announced funding to expand nanotechnology research and training at the University of Maryland, College Park, and announced more than $1.6 million for Johns Hopkins University STEM programs. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/oversight-chairs-seek-member-briefing-related-executive-order-canceling,"Oversight Chairs Seek Member Briefing Related to Executive Order Canceling Diversity, Anti-Racism Training",2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairs and senior Members sent a letter to Director Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), demanding a member briefing anddocuments about the Trump Administration's cancellation of diversity and anti-racism training in the federal government and organizations that receive federal funds. Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney; Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Gerald E. Connolly; Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee Chairman Jamie Raskin; National Security Subcommittee Chairman Stephen F. Lynch; Economic and Consumer Policy Subcommittee Chairman Raja Krishnamoorthi; Environment Subcommittee Chairman Harley Rouda; and Committee Vice Chairman Jimmy Gomez led all Members of the Government Operations Subcommittee on the letter. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, David Trone, Jennifer Wexton, and Donald S. Beyer also signed the letter to OMB. On September 29, 2020, the Members requested documents and information on this matter. Rather than provide the requested materials, OMB's November 9, 2020, reply misleadingly claimed that the Executive Order only seeks to curb trainings that perpetuate racial stereotypes and division.' OMB also wrote that if a training does not teach divisive concepts, then that particular training would not be impacted by the Executive Order and may continue. These claims do not appear to be accurate. The Administration's actions have already shut down initiatives across the nationinside and outside the federal governmentmeant to combat bias and discrimination in the workplace, wrote the Members. For example, in October, the Justice Department indefinitely suspended all diversity and inclusion training and any related activities and events for its employees and managers. The State Department has similarly frozen all diversity and inclusion training, and reports indicate similar cancellations have occurred at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The executive order stymied diversity and anti-racism training efforts outside of federal agencies as well. The chillingly punitive' consequences of non-compliance have caused multiple universities and other entities in receipt of federal funds to roll back crucial efforts meant to combat discriminatory and biased behavior, wrote the Members. The requested documents and member-level briefing must be provided by December 22, 2020. Click here to read today's letter to Director Vought. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-announces-winner-of-2020-congressional-high-school-app,Ruppersberger Announces Winner of 2020 Congressional High School App Challenge,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Timonium, MD) Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger today announced that a senior from Howard County's Elkridge has won the seventh-annual high school Congressional App Challenge for Maryland's Second District. The academic competition, which is open to all high school students in Maryland's Second Congressional District, requires students to create an original software application for mobile, tablet or other device on a platform of their choice. The winner Jalen Geason, a senior at River Hill High School created a mobile app called Practanizer, which is a tool for musicians to log their practicing hours.Congressman Ruppersberger surprised Jalen with the news of his victory in a Zoom call Tuesday and presented him with a Congressional certificate.You can see Congressman Ruppersberger break the good news to Jalen here. The App Challenge was created because our country has been falling behind on the STEM and computer-based skills essential for economic growth and innovation, Congressman Ruppersberger said. We need exceptional students like Jalen if we want to stay competitive not to mention, the valuable skills he has learned through this contest will prepare him for high-paying, high-demand jobs. I congratulate Jalen and all of this year's participants, on a job well done. To compete, Jalen wrote computer code, designed graphics and created a marketing plan. Allcontest participants were required to submit a video demonstrating and explaining their app and what they learned through the competition process.Watch Jalen demonstrate how his app works here. Jalen competed against four other submissions from high school students throughout the district. The Congressional App Challenge was first established by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014, producing thousandsof functional apps created by more than 25,000 students.The contest is designed to generate enthusiasm in computer sciences to address a significant workforce shortage. According to U.S. labor statistics, there will be 1.4 million unfilled computer science jobs by the end of this year, with only 400,000 computer science graduates per year to fill them.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/raskin-announces-2020-congressional-app-challenge-winners-md-08,Raskin Announces 2020 Congressional App Challenge Winners for MD-08,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"ROCKVILLE, M.D.Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) today announced the winners of his 2020 Congressional App Challenge: teammates Kevin Xu, a Senior at Montgomery Blair High School, and Leon Si, a Junior at Victoria Park Collegiate Institute Ontario. Their winning submission, Tabulo, is a free virtual whiteboard app that can dramatically improve the virtual learning experience for teachers and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tabulo connects a mobile device to a computer and turns it into an enhanced drawing pad: whatever you draw or write on your phone is synchronized with the computer in real-time. The students were inspired to create Tabulo when they saw teachers struggling to find a suitable replacement for classroom whiteboards as they adapted to virtual classrooms; other apps force teachers to draw with a computer mouse, which is difficult and limits the ability of students to engage in virtual learning. Tabulo is collaborative, so teachers can invite their students to the Tabulo-based whiteboard to write or draw responses using their own device, increasing classroom engagement. Kevin has spoken to several of his teachers about the app, and they have expressed interest in using it. As a web-based app, Tabulo works on any computer or mobile device regardless of its operating system, including Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, iOS, or Google Android. In addition, strong security protections have been built into the app, including password-protected rooms, a Zoom-like waiting room feature, and a whitelisting feature. In April, the students entered the app into a Silicon Valley competition and won the Best App and Best Education App awards by a panel of judges that included Steve Chen, a co-founder of YouTube, and the Head of Product at Uber's Self-Driving Car Initiative. You can watch a two-minute demo video about the award-winning app here. It is an honor to represent Maryland's 8th District, which is home to so many talented and inspired students, as evidenced by the many excellent entries submitted in this year's Congressional App Challenge, said Rep. Raskin. I commend all of the student coders who submitted innovative and creative apps, and I am immensely grateful for America's dedicated teachers and educators whose commitment to their students prevails during an unprecedented era of virtual learning. Background: 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. Winning students from across the country will be recognized at the House of Code reception next spring to demonstrate their app to Members of Congress and staff. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-briefed-on-initial-covid-19-vaccine,"Maryland Congressional Delegation Briefed on Initial COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution, Urges State Officials to Provide a Fair and Equitable Process for Future Allocations",2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) U.S. Senator Ben Cardinled a virtual Maryland congressional delegation meeting Thursday withSenator Chris Van Hollen andCongressmenStenyHoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris MD, Anthony Brown, DavidTrone and representatives of Jamie Raskinto discuss the latest information on the availability of and plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine across Maryland. Briefing the lawmakers on allocation and distribution plans for Marylanders were Dennis Schrader, Maryland Acting Health Secretary, and Dr. Jinlene Chan, Acting Deputy Secretary for Public Health Service, Maryland Department Health (MDH). Acting Secretary Schrader and Dr. Chan outlined the steps MDH has taken to prepare Maryland for the first round of vaccine distribution for hospital healthcare workers and nursing home residents and staff. As the state receives more allocations of vaccine, MDH will turn to distribution among those who are at high-risk in the general population. I encourage Acting Secretary Schrader and Dr. Chan to focus on communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 as well as well as equitable geographic distribution. We cannot allow those hardest hit by the virus to fall through the cracks. We do best as a state when we don't leave others behind, said Senator Cardin. Getting vaccinated is a key piece in our fight against this deadly virus, and we will continue to encourage all Marylanders to be vaccinated as supplies become available. I appreciated the opportunity to speak with Acting Secretary Schrader today to learn more about the state's plan for vaccine distribution. Maryland is facing record numbers of COVID-19 cases, and our hospitals are quickly approaching maximum capacity. I join in thanking the thousands of selfless doctors, nurses, and health workers on the frontlines fighting this virus, said Congressman Hoyer. It's imperative that every Marylander continue to take this public health emergency seriously and work to stop the spread of COVID-19. I will continue to work with my colleagues at the local, state, and federal levels to reassure our citizens of the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine and ensure every Marylander be vaccinated as quickly as possible. Until the vaccine is widespread, it's critically important that all Marylanders remain vigilant and continue practicing social distancing and wearing their mask in public. As the COVID-19 vaccine approval enters its final stages, it's crucial that Maryland is prepared to safely, effectively, and equitably distribute it, said Senator Van Hollen. On today's call, we underscored that our federal team is committed to providing any support we can in this process as well as the need for a transparent distribution plan that demonstrates how the vaccine will reach the communities hardest hit by the pandemic. We will continue working to ensure that our state has the resources necessary to address this crisis and keep Marylanders safe. Today, our Congressional delegation heard more details about Maryland's plan to distribute the long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine as the virus continues to surge at an alarming rate, Congressman Ruppersberger said. There are a lot of moving parts and many unanswered questions such as how Maryland's significant military population will affect our allocation of doses remain. But one thing is clear: we must work together to ensure all Marylanders are vaccinated as quickly as possible in a way that is as equitable as possible. And we must all continue to do our part to stop the spread until the vaccine is available widely enough to take effect. Today's productive conversation with Acting Secretary Schrader provided our delegation with additional insight about how Maryland plans to distribute the initial COVID-19 vaccines to health care workers, long-term care facility residents and first responders, said Congressman Sarbanes. Our delegation remains united and intensely focused on securing enough doses to ensure that every Marylander particularly those in our hardest-hit communities has access to a safe and effective vaccine as we work to eliminate the virus and get to the other side of this public health crisis. Our Black and brown residents across the state are much more likely to get COVID-19, be hospitalized, and die. While we are hoping for fast distribution of the vaccines, we must see to it that the allocation is equitable. Given the grossly unequal health outcomes for communities of color, Maryland's rollout plan must address racial disparities as well as any distrust of the healthcare system, Congressman Mfume said. On today's call with Acting Secretary Schrader and Dr. Chan, we underscored the need to prioritize those communities at the highest risk. I am committed to working with the Maryland Delegation, and our state and local leaders to see to it that the communities that have been hardest hit receive an adequate number of doses. As a physician, I am so encouraged by the fact that hundreds of thousands of Marylanders who are at highest risk will be vaccinated before the year's end, thanks to Operation Warp Speed, said Dr. Harris. As we look toward the distribution a number of promising vaccines, we can't lose sight of the disproportionate toll this pandemic has had on people of color and underserved communities in our state. A critical aspect of any vaccine distribution plan must prioritize the hardest hit populations in Maryland and target outreach to promote vaccination as essential to public and individual health especially in communities of color, said Congressman Brown. We cannot leave anyone behind in this effort. We defeat COVID-19 as one Maryland, through the equitable distribution of lifesaving vaccines. I've been on the phone with the hospitals, health departments, and local officials from every county in my district to ensure our communities are prepared to help every Marylander get the vaccine as fast and as fairly as possible. We particularly must address the massive increase in new COVID-19 cases in Western Maryland, which now holds the highest positivity rating in Maryland, said Congressman Trone. I will continue to work with the Maryland federal delegation, Governor Hogan, our local leaders, and the Maryland Health Department to make sure we prioritize vaccine distribution to the groups and regions across Maryland that are being hit hardest by the pandemic. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-john-sarbanes-delivers-remarks-memory-senator-paul-sarbanes,Congressman John Sarbanes Delivers Remarks in Memory of Senator Paul Sarbanes,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) delivered remarks on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives this week in memory of his father, Senator Paul S. Sarbanes (D-Md.), who passed away peacefully from natural causes on Sunday, December 6, 2020 in Baltimore. IN MEMORIAMSenator Paul S. Sarbanes 1933 2020 * * * See below for a video and a transcript of the Congressman's remarks. I want to thank the Majority Leader for yielding. I want to thank you for your friendship with my father, Paul Sarbanes, for so many years you go back with him a long way. And he cherished that friendship, as he did the relationship with all the members of the Maryland Delegation during the time that he served. And I want to thank my colleagues here tonight, who've come to help remember him and pay tribute. On behalf of my brother, Michael, and my sister, Janet, I want to thank all the people who, over the last 48 hours, have been sending in these remembrances and tributes to my father from his time in the Senate, and before that, here in the House, where he was for six years and from time periods before that even. I want to thank right up front and in particular his staff, who, over the course of his 40 years in public service, he understood were the ones who made him or broke him. He was a tough task master, but he chose people that had that same set of principles and values and commitment to hard work. A lot of the tributes that have been coming in have talked about him being a workhorse, not a show horse the idea that if you put your head down, you get the job done, you try to build consensus where you can, but you always remember that you're here for a reason. That is, to make good, strong policy that can help people. He lived a full life. He made a difference in the lives of others, which is all he ever wanted to do. I mean, he knew he wanted to be in politics from a very early age, but his motivation was looking at the opportunities he had the son of Greek immigrants who came to this country with very little and he had the opportunities for education and advancement. His motivation was to make those available to others. He loved being with people. He had a dry sense of humor. He enjoyed banter with all who crossed his path was intensely interested in the journey that others had taken to whatever station they held in life. And he was always asking, Where are you from? What do you do? What's next for you?' He had an inherent integrity that was strengthened by always striving to meet the expectations of those who put their confidence in him. In politics, he was motivated, as I said, by the burning conviction that every individual has dignity and the potential to succeed if given a fair shot. And he was determined others would have those same opportunities that he had enjoyed. He understood that if you share the credit, if you don't seek credit, you can get a lot more done. And that was how he operated. A few years ago, I prevailed upon him to sit for about 20 hours of video-taped oral history, because I wanted to make sure we captured the essence of his life and his career. And so we have this treasure, which we'll make available to people as we move forward. But I wanted to just, in his own words, grab a few excerpts from that, that I think convey who he is and what he cared about. I remember I came home one time and he was sitting in the living room, on the couch, and he was revved up about something. I don't know what the issue was that day that had gotten him, sort of, motivated. But he banged on the side of the couch and he said, I'm for the little guy! I'm for the little guy!' He might as well, in that moment, have been stating his purpose in public life. That's what motivated him from the moment he got up in the morning until the moment he went to bed at night. So he told in this oral history I'm just going to read a couple of these things he talked about getting public housing, or senior citizen affordable housing, in the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. And he was very proud of the fact that you had this senior citizen housing there. And he said, Next door to it is an expensive hotel, and behind the hotel is a big condominium building with very expensive condominiums in it. Every time I go by that building, I get a sense of satisfaction out of it, particularly in the nice weather I look up and all these seniors are sitting out on their terraces, looking out over the water. I know that developers would give their eye teeth to get a hold of that piece of property but they don't have it. It's part of this affordable housing initiative. So a lot of seniors who worked hard all their lives and are now retired, but don't have a lot of money, have the benefit of this housing.' He said, I'll always get a measure of satisfaction out of that.' We're in the midst, as we know, in our country of some really challenging moments addressing issues of justice. Here's a story about how my father, in a small way, made a statement around justice. He said, We had a situation in one of the rural towns on the Eastern Shore. And when they'd deliver the mail, the postman, he'd come down the street and there'd be these big houses and he'd go up to the house and put the mail in the mailbox. And then, as he moved on down the street, the composition of the neighborhood would change, and houses would get smaller much smaller. The complexion of the people living in the houses changed too as you went down the street, so they went from white to black. And down the street, instead of the postman going through the gate or whatever and up to the house, they were going to require those people to put a postbox at the street. So some people came to us about that, a couple of pastors or ministers, and they pointed out this situation. So I got the postal people in for a meeting in my office.' My father said, Now what's happening here? As I understand it, up here with the big houses and the white residents, you're going to continue to go up to the house and put the mail through the door slot, but when you get down this way, to the little houses, and the African-American residents, you're going to require them to put a mail receptacle out at the pavement or at the curb, and you're not gonna go up to the house anymore. What's the rationale for this policy?' Well, of course, if you lay it out like that there isn't a rationale at least not an acceptable one that can stand the light of day. So they dropped the project and went on delivering the mail.' And here's what my father said, That's the way it ought to work. And I felt it's not a big issue, but we got some justice done for those people.' Small things that stand for big principles. That's what he was about. So I'm going to close with just a couple, final thoughts here. First of all, I want to thank the Greek-American community, which was fiercely proud of my father's achievements. He was deeply proud of where he came from. It was an inspiration to him in public service. And I want to thank so many who helped him along the way from that community. My mother, Christine, who died ten years ago, she came into his life like a bolt of lightning. He didn't know what hit him. He met her at Oxford, this brilliant, beautiful woman who could match him step for step in her intellect and she knocked his socks off. And I think the great regret of his life was that he had hoped, in his retirement you know, public life is hard, we know that and I think all along the way he was looking forward to that time when the two of them could spend more time together. And unfortunately, she passed away within a couple of years of his retirement and they didn't get that opportunity together. And I don't think he ever fully recovered from that. So, I think about his legacy, and I understand, certainly, that there's no way his children myself, my brother, Michael, and my sister, Janet were ever gonna match that legacy, because it's a pretty unmatchable one, when you look at the record. But I think we are all doing what we can to continue it, to nurture it, to sustain it going forward. And again, I want to thank you for the time to speak here and I want to thank my colleagues for all your support and kind words over the last couple of days. And I yield back. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/castro-raskin-statement-commemorating-international-human-rights-day,"Castro, Raskin Statement on Commemorating International Human Rights Day",2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASIHNGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Vice Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) and Chairman of its Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, and Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, released the following statement to commemorate Human Rights Day: As we mark International Human Rights Day, we must reaffirm the importance of our commitment to human rights for all people. We have worked together and with our colleagues to promote human rights worldwide. Over the last four years, we have witnessed the Trump administration undermine our global system, questioning the very essence and nature of human rights. Using the dangerous Commission on Unalienable Rights, they have cherry picked and defined a narrow hierarchy of rights with a deliberately limited and ultimately indefensible definition of religious freedom at the top denying women, girls, and LGBTQI+ individuals their fundamental human rights protections. The Trump administration has also falsely claimed that documents such as the so-called Geneva Consensus Declaration, an anti-woman and anti-LGBTQI+ manifesto developed outside of United Nations processes with little support from the global community, is an alternative framework for human rights. These actions have been disastrous not only for U.S. global leadership, but also for human rights defenders across the world. As members of Congress, we denounce the Trump administration's attacks on human rights and reject the findings of the Commission on Unalienable Rights' report, the Geneva Consensus Declaration, and other actions that have depreciated fundamental human rights protections. As we look toward the incoming Biden administration, we welcome the opportunity to rebuild U.S. global leadership on human rights. We will work with the Biden administration to ensure that all people and all right s including those of refugees, the rights of women around the world, the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals, the rights of the Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendant populations are centered and protected in our country and in our foreign policy. Background: Human Rights Day is observed every year on December 10th the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR is a milestone document that proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/ferc-pressed-failure-protect-landowners-natural-gas-construction-projects,FERC Pressed on Failure to Protect Landowners in Natural Gas Construction Projects,2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --Yesterday, Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties,pressed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for failing to protect the rights of landowners whose properties are affected by natural gas projects, and followed up on theinvestigationandvideo reportthe Subcommittee released earlier this year. ChairmanRaskin opened the bipartisan hearing, saying: These areRepublicans. These are Democrats. These are American citizens whose rights are being trampled bya combination of big business and a compliant biggovernment working for big business.These are Americans who have a right to their property andtheir rights are being demolished. FERC justclears the way for pipelinecompanies to trample the property rights of the people. Chairman Raskin also released new datashowing that FERC approved 89 out of92certificate extension requestsover the last 12 years.Duringthatsame timeframe, FERC denied everylandowner appealit received. Chairman Raskin stated: A system where corporations win nearly 100% of the time and people win 0% of the time isnot a fair, unbiased, and balanced system. It is rigged. That is not a system of justice or of administrative process that anyone can recognize for a democratic society. FERC's witnesses, Mr.DavidMorenoff, Acting General Counsel,and Mr.TerryTurpin,Director of the Office of Energy Projects,faced pointed questions from committee members and made several key admissions. In response to questions from Chairman Raskin, FERC admitted that it does not use authority it has to protect landowners. For example, FERC does not condition its pipeline approval on a requirement that the company return unused land to its owners when a construction project is cancelled. In response to questioning from Oversight ChairwomanCarolynMaloney about FERC'srequest for legislationbarring eminent domain cases from proceeding while FERC appeals are pending, FERC acknowledged that it has independent authoritywhich it chooses not to exerciseto suspend its certificates and forestall eminent domain without any action from Congress. Rep.DebbieWasserman Schultz relayed the story of theHollerans, a family in Pennsylvania who, in 2016,lost 90% of the maple treesin their small maple syrupbusiness due to pre-construction for the Constitution Pipeline. That pipeline was cancelled earlier this year. Despite asserting that the business's destruction was not an outcome that the FERC review process was ever intended to allow to have happen, FERC nevertheless acknowledged that its recent changes in procedure do not guarantee that such an outcome cannot happen again. In response to Rep.RobinKelly's question about why FERC has failed tocreatethe Office of Public Participation that Congress authorized 40 years ago, FERCclaimed that it needs funds to do so,despite never having requestedsuch fundsfrom Congress. When challenged by Rep.RashidaTlaibforfailing tosufficientlyeducatelandowners about their rights,FERC admitted thatit does not proactively notifylandowners that they are in the path of apipeline or of how to asserttheir rights. Instead, FERC delegates that responsibility to pipeline companies. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-democrats-propose-roadmap-biden-administration-fighting-disinformation,House Democrats Propose Roadmap for Biden Administration on Fighting Disinformation,2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON,D.C. -- Today, members of theCongressional Task Force on Digital Citizenship sent a letter to President-elect Joe Biden proposing a roadmap for how his administration can confront the threat of disinformation and misinformation and work to counter the danger they pose to our democracy. Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) co-signed the letter, whichwas led by U.S. Representatives Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Don Beyer (D-VA), and David Cicilline (D-RI).The letter was also signed by Representatives Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Bill Foster (D-IL), Bill Keating (D-MA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). In the letter, the Members recognize that, while a growing number of people in the U.S. are getting their news from social media platforms, many Americans are ill-equipped to recognize and sift through false, misleading, or emotionally manipulative posts. Additionally, there exists a lack of effective information gatekeepers to protect against disinformation threats online. The Members cite the COVID-19 infodemic and warn if robust systems are not put in place, there is a continued danger of rampant disinformation and misinformation, which has the potential to cultivate a rise in extremism and leave the U.S. vulnerable to exploitation by foreign adversaries. The Members proposed the following initiatives that they hope will be included in the President-elect's strategy to confront disinformation and misinformation: Creating a new multiagency Digital Democracy Task Force to develop a strategy focused on building greater national resilience to online threats and equipping federal agencies with the tools to communicate during disinformation events; Addressing the rise of news deserts across the country by supporting media literacy programs and investing in quality public broadcasting; Dedicating resources and attention to programs that counter the growing threat of online extremism, including through engaging civil society organizations; Collaborating with global allies, sharing information, perspectives, and solutions to combat disinformation threats. Disinformation and misinformation will continue to evolve and our job as policy makers is to keep up, while also looking ahead at building a more resilient society,the Members wrote. Infodemics will not go away now that there is a COVID-19 vaccine and conspiracy theories will continue to be exploited. The United States has fallen behind global allies in understanding and working to combat disinformation and misinformation, and foreign adversaries have identified it as a point of weakness for our nation. We encourage you to work with researchers, scholars, and civil society to understand the impact of disinformation and misinformation on American society and we stand ready to assist you in putting forward these new initiatives. In April 2020, the Members launched theCongressional Task Force on Digital Citizenship to assemble experts, stakeholders, and leaders in an effort to advance policies that promote the responsible use of technology and equip Americans with tools to be resilient against online threats and falsehoods. The full text of the letter can be foundhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-briefed-initial-covid-19-vaccine-distribution,"Maryland Congressional Delegation Briefed on Initial COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution, Urges State Officials to Provide a Fair and Equitable Process for Future Allocations",2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Ben Cardinled a virtual Maryland congressional delegation meeting Thursday withSenator Chris Van HollenandCongressmenStenyHoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris MD, Anthony Brown, DavidTrone and representatives of Jamie Raskinto discuss the latest information on the availability of and plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine across Maryland. Briefing the lawmakers on allocation and distribution plans for Marylanders were Dennis Schrader, Maryland Acting Health Secretary, and Dr. Jinlene Chan, Acting Deputy Secretary for Public Health Service, Maryland Department Health (MDH). Acting Secretary Schrader and Dr. Chan outlined the steps MDH has taken to prepare Maryland for the first round of vaccine distribution for hospital healthcare workers and nursing home residents and staff. As the state receives more allocations of vaccine, MDH will turn to distribution among those who are at high-risk in the general population. I encourage Acting Secretary Schrader and Dr. Chan to focus on communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 as well as well as equitable geographic distribution. We cannot allow those hardest hit by the virus to fall through the cracks. We do best as a state when we don't leave others behind,said Senator Cardin. Getting vaccinated is a key piece in our fight against this deadly virus, and we will continue to encourage all Marylanders to be vaccinated as supplies become available. I appreciated the opportunity to speak with Acting Secretary Schrader today to learn more about the state's plan for vaccine distribution. Maryland is facing record numbers of COVID-19 cases, and our hospitals are quickly approaching maximum capacity. I join in thanking the thousands of selfless doctors, nurses, and health workers on the frontlines fighting this virus,said Congressman Hoyer.It's imperative that every Marylander continue to take this public health emergency seriously and work to stop the spread of COVID-19. I will continue to work with my colleagues at the local, state, and federal levels to reassure our citizens of the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine and ensure every Marylander be vaccinated as quickly as possible. Until the vaccine is widespread, it's critically important that all Marylanders remain vigilant and continue practicing social distancing and wearing their mask in public. As the COVID-19 vaccine approval enters its final stages, it's crucial that Maryland is prepared to safely, effectively, and equitably distribute it,said Senator Van Hollen. On today's call, we underscored that our federal team is committed to providing any support we can in this process as well as the need for a transparent distribution plan that demonstrates how the vaccine will reach the communities hardest hit by the pandemic. We will continue working to ensure that our state has the resources necessary to address this crisis and keep Marylanders safe. Today, our Congressional delegation heard more details about Maryland's plan to distribute the long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine as the virus continues to surge at an alarming rate,Congressman Ruppersberger said.There are a lot of moving parts and many unanswered questions such as how Maryland's significant military population will affect our allocation of doses remain. But one thing is clear: we must work together to ensure all Marylanders are vaccinated as quickly as possible in a way that is as equitable as possible. And we must all continue to do our part to stop the spread until the vaccine is available widely enough to take effect. Today's productive conversation with Acting Secretary Schrader provided our delegation with additional insight about how Maryland plans to distribute the initial COVID-19 vaccines to health care workers, long-term care facility residents and first responders,said Congressman Sarbanes. Our delegation remains united and intensely focused on securing enough doses to ensure that every Marylander particularly those in our hardest-hit communities has access to a safe and effective vaccine as we work to eliminate the virus and get to the other side of this public health crisis. Our Black and brown residents across the state are much more likely to get COVID-19, be hospitalized, and die. While we are hoping for fast distribution of the vaccines, we must see to it that the allocation is equitable. Given the grossly unequal health outcomes for communities of color, Maryland's rollout plan must address racial disparities as well as any distrust of the healthcare system,Congressman Mfume said. On today's call with Acting Secretary Schrader and Dr. Chan, we underscored the need to prioritize those communities at the highest risk. I am committed to working with the Maryland Delegation, and our state and local leaders to see to it that the communities that have been hardest hit receive an adequate number of doses. As a physician, I am so encouraged by the fact that hundreds of thousands of Marylanders who are at highest risk will be vaccinated before the year's end, thanks to Operation Warp Speed,said Dr. Harris. As we look toward the distribution a number of promising vaccines, we can't lose sight of the disproportionate toll this pandemic has had on people of color and underserved communities in our state. A critical aspect of any vaccine distribution plan must prioritize the hardest hit populations in Maryland and target outreach to promote vaccination as essential to public and individual health especially in communities of color,said Congressman Brown. We cannot leave anyone behind in this effort. We defeat COVID-19 as one Maryland, through the equitable distribution of lifesaving vaccines. I've been on the phone with the hospitals, health departments, and local officials from every county in my district to ensure our communities are prepared to help every Marylander get the vaccine as fast and as fairly as possible. We particularly must address the massive increase in new COVID-19 cases in Western Maryland, which now holds the highest positivity rating in Maryland,said Congressman Trone. I will continue to work with the Maryland federal delegation, Governor Hogan, our local leaders, and the Maryland Health Department to make sure we prioritize vaccine distribution to the groups and regions across Maryland that are being hit hardest by the pandemic. I thank Acting Secretary Schrader and Dr. Chan for briefing our delegation on the availability and distribution of the initial COVID-19 vaccine in Maryland,"" said Congressman Raskin. ""I remain committed to working with my House and Senate colleagues and our state and local partners to do all that we can to get our people safely through this crisis. I am grateful for the lifesaving work of our nation's health care professionals and encourage everyone to continue strictly adhering to public health guidancewith a vaccine in sight, we could be approaching a major breakthrough and must not lose our focus on preventive measures. We must also ensure that our initial vaccine distribution prioritizes people on the frontlines, health care workers, and the hardest-hit populations, communities, and institutions across our state. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-baltimore-congressional-delegation-announce-125000-reduce-youth,"Sarbanes, Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announce $125,000 to Reduce Youth Drug Use",2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in announcing $125,000 in federal funding for the Upton/Druid Heights Strengthening Families Coalition to boost local and community partnerships to prevent youth substance use. This new federal investment in Baltimore will help enhance educational programming and campaigns about substance abuse for more than 10,000 youth in the region. ""By investing in high-impact education and prevention programs that directly reach young adults, we can more effectively combat and curtail substance, the lawmakers said. Team Maryland will continue to support efforts that empower our communities and improve health outcomes across our state. Funding comes through the Fiscal Year 2020 Drug Free-Communities (DFC) Support Program, administered by the White House Office of Drug Control Policy, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The DFC program delivers funding to community organizations that engage citizens in local drug prevention efforts. DFC-funded coalitions bring together multiple sectors of the community and employ a variety of effective strategies to address substance abuse in communities across the country. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-maryland-congressional-delegation-receive-briefing-maryland,"Sarbanes, Maryland Congressional Delegation Receive Briefing from Maryland Health Officials about Initial COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plans",2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation for a virtual briefing from the Maryland Department of Health's (MDH) Acting Health Secretary, Dennis Schrader, and its Acting Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services, Dr. Jinlene Chan, about the agency's plans for distributing the first round of COVID-19 vaccines across the state. Today's productive conversation with Acting Secretary Schrader provided our delegation with additional insight about how Maryland plans to distribute the initial COVID-19 vaccines to health care workers, long-term care facility residents and first responders, said Congressman Sarbanes. Our delegation remains united and intensely focused on securing enough doses to ensure that every Marylander particularly those in our hardest-hit communities has access to a safe and effective vaccine as we work to eliminate the virus and get to the other side of this public health crisis. Acting Secretary Schrader and Dr. Chan outlined the steps MDH has taken to prepare Maryland for the first round of vaccine distribution for hospital healthcare workers and nursing home residents and staff. As the state receives more allocations of vaccine, MDH will turn to distribution among those who are at high-risk in the general population. I encourage Acting Secretary Schrader and Dr. Chan to focus on communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 as well as well as equitable geographic distribution. We cannot allow those hardest hit by the virus to fall through the cracks. We do best as a state when we don't leave others behind, said Senator Cardin. Getting vaccinated is a key piece in our fight against this deadly virus, and we will continue to encourage all Marylanders to be vaccinated as supplies become available. As the COVID-19 vaccine approval enters its final stages, it's crucial that Maryland is prepared to safely, effectively, and equitably distribute it, said Senator Van Hollen. On today's call, we underscored that our federal team is committed to providing any support we can in this process as well as the need for a transparent distribution plan that demonstrates how the vaccine will reach the communities hardest hit by the pandemic. We will continue working to ensure that our state has the resources necessary to address this crisis and keep Marylanders safe. I appreciated the opportunity to speak with Acting Secretary Schrader today to learn more about the state's plan for vaccine distribution. Maryland is facing record numbers of COVID-19 cases, and our hospitals are quickly approaching maximum capacity. I join in thanking the thousands of selfless doctors, nurses and health workers on the frontlines fighting this virus, said Congressman Hoyer. It's imperative that every Marylander continue to take this public health emergency seriously and work to stop the spread of COVID-19. I will continue to work with my colleagues at the local, state and federal levels to reassure our citizens of the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine and ensure every Marylander be vaccinated as quickly as possible. Until the vaccine is widespread, it's critically important that all Marylanders remain vigilant and continue practicing social distancing and wearing their mask in public. Today, our Congressional delegation heard more details about Maryland's plan to distribute the long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine as the virus continues to surge at an alarming rate, Congressman Ruppersberger said. There are a lot of moving parts, and while there are still many unanswered questions such as how Maryland's significant military population will affect our allocation of doses one thing is clear: we must work together to ensure all Marylanders are vaccinated as quickly as possible in a way that is as equitable as possible. And we must all continue to do our part to stop the spread until the vaccine is available widely enough to take effect. Our Black and brown residents across the state are much more likely to get COVID-19, be hospitalized and die. While we are hoping for fast distribution of the vaccines, we must see to it that the allocation is equitable. Given the grossly unequal health outcomes for communities of color, Maryland's rollout plan must address racial disparities as well as any distrust of the healthcare system, Congressman Mfume said. On today's call with Acting Secretary Schrader and Dr. Chan, we underscored the need to prioritize those communities at the highest risk. I am committed to working with the Maryland Delegation, and our state and local leaders to see to it that the communities that have been hardest hit receive an adequate number of doses. As a physician, I am so encouraged by the fact that hundreds of thousands of Marylanders who are at highest risk will be vaccinated before the year's end, thanks to Operation Warp Speed, said Dr. Harris. As we look toward the distribution of a number of promising vaccines, we can't lose sight of the disproportionate toll this pandemic has had on people of color and underserved communities in our state. A critical aspect of any vaccine distribution plan must prioritize the hardest hit populations in Maryland and target outreach to promote vaccination as essential to public and individual health especially in communities of color, said Congressman Brown. We cannot leave anyone behind in this effort. We defeat COVID-19 as one Maryland, through the equitable distribution of lifesaving vaccines. I've been on the phone with the hospitals, health departments, and local officials from every county in my district to ensure our communities are prepared to help every Marylander get the vaccine as fast and as fairly as possible. We particularly must address the massive increase in new COVID-19 cases in Western Maryland, which now holds the highest positivity rating in Maryland, said Congressman Trone. I will continue to work with the Maryland federal delegation, Governor Hogan, our local leaders, and the Maryland Health Department to make sure we prioritize vaccine distribution to the groups and regions across Maryland that are being hit hardest by the pandemic. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/chairman-raskin-s-opening-statement-hearing-examining-ferc-s-failure-protect,Chairman Raskins Opening Statement at Hearing Examining FERCs Failure to Protect Landowner Rights,2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Below is Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Chairman Jamie Raskin's opening statement, as prepared for delivery, for today's hearing entitled, Pipelines Over People: How FERC Tramples Landowner Rights in Natural Gas Projects.""Click here to watch the video. Opening Statement Chairman Jamie Raskin Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Pipelines Over People: How FERC Tramples Landowner Rights in Natural Gas Projects December 9, 2020 Good morning and thank you to our witnesses for being here with usvirtuallytoday. Congress passed the Natural Gas Act in 1938 to break up energy monopolies and ensure that the federal government put the public interest, not corporate interests, front and center in energy construction projects. As the Supreme Court put it, the Natural Gas Act was plainly designed to protect the consumer interests against exploitation at the hands of private natural gas companies. In 1977, Congress created the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ensure robust and independent implementation of the Natural Gas Act's regulation of energy markets. Just a year later, Congress went one step further and ordered FERC to establish an Office of Public Participation to give the people a voice. FERC is supposed to protect the people. But our Subcommittee's investigation has found that, rather than acting as a crucial check on energy companies, FERC has been a rubber stamp for the energy companies that build pipelines on their land. In every way we have examined, FERC is biased against individual landowners. Here's one example of FERC's bias. In the last 20 years, FERC has received 1,021 applications for natural gas projects. It has only denied six. That is higher than a 99% approval rate. That statistic alone is prima facie evidence of bias. FERC has a similarly skewed approval rate for certificate extensions, which pipeline companies request when their construction projects exceed the agreed-upon schedule. Over the last 12 years, FERC received 92 extension requests and approved 89 of them. That's a 96.7% approval rate. On average, pipeline companies asked for a 21-month extension and, on average, FERC approved them for 20 months. In other words, when pipeline companies ask FERC for something, they get it. In contrast, over that same period, FERC didn't approve a single landowner appeal. A system where corporations win nearly 100% of the time and people win 0% of the time is inherently suspect and reeks of injustice. But there is more evidence of FERC's bias against landowners. FERC never created the Office of Public Participation that Congress authorized in 1978. That's a 40-year record of bias. That same year, Congress also ordered FERC to establish a landowner compensation program to help individuals afford to defend their rights against pipeline companies. FERC has never established that program. The results of those failures are entirely predictable landowners continually suffer at the hands of pipeline companies, even when the pipeline projects never get built. This year, two major pipeline projects, the Constitution Pipeline and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, were cancelled. Both companies had already secured easements, often through eminent domain, torn up people's land, and destroyed their businesses. Even though the projects have been cancelled, there is no process in place to ensure that any damage is repaired and that the people get their land back. FERC claims it has no authority in these matters, leaving it solely to landowners to try to negotiate with the pipeline companies. But that is disingenuous. Pipeline companies need FERC certificates to exercise eminent domain and need FERC's authority to cut down trees and tear up land. No situation is more demonstrative of the many failings of FERC to protect landowners than that of the Hollerans, who run a maple syrup business in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The Constitution Pipeline company got an easement through eminent domain, tore down 90% of the syrup producing trees, and then abandoned the project. It appears that to FERC, the destruction of Hollerans's maple business is little more than collateral damage. But FERC is an accomplice to the destruction of the Holleran family business. None of what happened to them would have been possible without FERC's approvals and regulatory loopholes. And the Hollerans are not alone. You can find these stories all over the country, from farmers in Oklahoma whose land has been destroyed, to a 73-year-old retiree in Virginia unable to build a home on land his family has owned for five generations. They are Democrats and Republicans. They are Americans who have a right to legal protection. But FERC aids and abets the energy corporations which trample over them. Make no mistake I do believe, and the law envisions, that pipeline companies can provide a public good. But that is no excuse for running roughshod over individual rights. The process of regulating the construction of natural gas pipelines needs to be balanced. Congress designed it to be so. It's time we make that design reality. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-nearly-9-million-boost-statewide,Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $9 Million to Boost Statewide Early Childhood Education,2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all Md.)today announced $8.94 million in new federal funding to help strengthen and expand early childhood education in Maryland. Expanding access to early childhood education is one of the best investments we can make in Maryland's future,the lawmakers said. These high-impact programs make a tremendous difference in closing the achievement gap and putour children on a path to academic and careersuccess. Our delegation remains committed to strengtheningeducational opportunitiesacross our state and ensuring that families from every community can access these highly impactful programs. Funding comes through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) Renewal Grant Program, which supports state-led efforts to enhance early childhood education. The $8,942,996 PDG B-5 Renewal Grant focuses on implementing the comprehensive strategy such as families facing adversity and works towards increasing equity, enhancing early child workforce programs, strengthening Maryland's data infrastructure, as well as supporting children's mental, developmental and behavioral health. According to MSDE, the second year of the renewal grant will cover the costof modernizing Maryland's early childhood data system, increasing alignment and opportunity across the state's higher education system to support the early childhood education workforce, and promoting and supporting inclusive settings for young children with disabilities, among other priorities. In October 2018, Maryland's full congressional Delegationurged Secretary Alex Azarof the Department of Health and Human Services to support the Maryland State Department of Education's grant application for the initial PDG B-5 award. In January 2019, the delegation's request was granted and lawmakers announced the $10.6 million in funding for the PDG B-5 grant.After continued advocacy by the delegation to support the MSDE's PDG B-5 Renewal Grant application, in January 2020, MSDE was awarded a three year, $26.8 million PDG B-5 Renewal Grant to build on the initial award and implement the comprehensive strategy. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-members-announce-additional-26-million-support-mercy-health,Maryland Delegation Members Announce an Additional $2.6 Million to Support Mercy Health Services COVID-19 Response,2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announcedan additional$2,655,327 inemergency federal funding to help Mercy Health Services continue to care for COVID-19 patients and effectively fight the virus. As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise at an alarming rate in Maryland and across the country,the healthcare professionals on the front lines of this emergency are working tirelessly to respond with some, like Mercy Medical Center's ICU Director Dr. Joseph Costa, even giving their lives in this battle. To support the efforts of our health care heroes, wemust ensure that our hospitals have the tools and resources they need to fight this pandemic and keep Americans safe,the lawmakers said.Ourdelegation will continue to deliver robust federal supporttohelp provide the highest level of care to our communities. The funding, authorized under Section 403 of the Stafford Act, comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will help cover emergency medical equipment purchases and costs from creating temporary isolation/quarantine rooms. In March, the lawmakersrequestedfederal approval of Statewide Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 Pandemic. Theswift declaration following their requestallowed emergency resources to be deployed to healthcare providers across Maryland.In addition to the funding announced today,the delegation previously announced more than $10 million to expandMercy Medical Center's COVID-19 treatment facilitiesand $39.4 million to helpMedStar HealthandUniversity of Maryland Medical Systemrespond to COVID-19. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/van-hollen-maryland-delegation-members-urge-congressional-leaders-include,"Van Hollen, Maryland Delegation Members Urge Congressional Leaders to Include Robust Funding",2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONToday, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen led members of the Maryland delegation, including Senator Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) in sending a letter urgingcongressional leaders to provide critical funding for transit agencies as a part of any upcoming COVID-19 relief proposal. In light of recent news of the dire financial situation WMATA, MTA, and other transit agencies across the country are facing, this crucial funding would help ensure these systems have the resources necessary to limit additional layoffs and service cuts during this challenging time. Public transit systems serve as a key economic driver in our region, are crucial for commuters and front line workers, and employ thousands of Marylanders throughout the region. We are encouraged to see a bipartisan proposal emerge as a starting point for negotiations and urge you both to come to the table to finalize a plan this week that delivers real relief to the American people. It is essential that any coronavirus package includes much-needed support for our nation's struggling transit systems. During this pandemic, it has become vital as more than thirty percent of essential workers depend on these public transportation services to get to work at hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies, and more. These essential workers are the backbone of our economy and without them we would experience more shortages of essential goods in our stores and food on the shelves, the lawmakers write. They point to the devastating impacts COVID-19 is having on our regional transportation networks, noting, People are hurting and with budgets so severely strained, we are at a breaking point where a dire situation will only worsen with forced service cuts and additional layoffs. Just last week, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) released their FY22 budget proposal which includes draconian cuts to rail and bus service and an additional 2,400 layoffs on top of the 1,200 layoffs they must do now during their 2021 Fiscal Year. WMATA is not an outlier their proposal is yet another example of the type of cost-cutting measures that transit agencies across the country have to undertake without additional funds from Congress. The House-passed updated HEROES Act included $32 billion for transit emergency relief and distributed those funds using existing funding formulas. These funds won't meet the full need, but they would provide a stopgap to prevent layoffs and drastic service cuts at this time. We urge you to include these funds in any upcoming COVID-19 relief proposal. Transit plays an essential role in our economy and we simply cannot afford to wait, the lawmakers conclude. The full text of the letter is available here and below. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/house-passes-legislation-honoring-immortal-cells-of-baltimore-native,House Passes Legislation Honoring Immortal Cells of Baltimore Native Henrietta Lacks,2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation honoring the legacy of Baltimore native Henrietta Lacks that addresses racial disparities among participants in cancer clinical trials. The Henrietta Lacks Enhancing Cancer Research Act was first introduced last year by the late Congress Elijah Cummings and cosponsored by Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger and their Baltimore delegation colleagues. The bill this year was sponsored by Maryland Congressman Kweisi Mfume. Lacks, a Black woman, died of cervical cancer in 1951 at the age of 31. During her cancer treatment, doctors took samples of her tumor without her consent and knowledge, and from this the HeLa cell line was created. The cell line has led to some of medicine's most important breakthroughs, including the development of the polio vaccine, along with treatments for cancer, HIV/AIDS, leukemia and Parkinson's disease. I am grateful and proud that Congressman Mfume has picked up the mantle on this legislation giving Henrietta Lacks the recognition she has deserved for so long, Congressman Ruppersberger said. I can think of only a handful of Marylanders and even Americans who have contributed more to modern medicine than Henrietta Lacks. Her DNA will continue to advance cures for debilitating diseases for generations to come. This bill builds on that legacy by ensuring all Americans have access to life-saving trials and treatments. You can see Congressman Ruppersberger's speech on the House floor in support of the bill here. At least 20 percent of cancer clinical trials fail because of low enrollment from minorities, according to the American Cancer Society. H.R. 1966 directs the federal General Accounting Office to investigate the full impact of limited cancer trials and outline policy options to make federally-funded cancer trials more racially inclusive and therefore more effective.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-nearly-9-million-to-boost,Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $9 Million to Boost Statewide Early Childhood Education,2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) -U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all Md.)today announced $8.94 million in new federal funding to help strengthen and expand early childhood education in Maryland. Expanding access to early childhood education is one of the best investments we can make in Maryland's future,the lawmakers said. These high-impact programs make a tremendous difference in closing the achievement gap and putour children on a path to academic and careersuccess. Our delegation remains committed to strengtheningeducational opportunitiesacross our state and ensuring that families from every community can access these highly impactful programs."" Funding comes through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) Renewal Grant Program, which supports state-led efforts to enhance early childhood education. The $8,942,996 PDG B-5 Renewal Grant focuses on implementing the comprehensive strategy such as families facing adversity and works towards increasing equity, enhancing early child workforce programs, strengthening Maryland's data infrastructure, as well as supporting children's mental, developmental and behavioral health. According to MSDE, the second year of the renewal grant will cover the costof modernizing Maryland's early childhood data system, increasing alignment and opportunity across the state's higher education system to support the early childhood education workforce, and promoting and supporting inclusive settings for young children with disabilities, among other priorities. In October 2018, Maryland's full congressional Delegationurged Secretary Alex Azarof the Department of Health and Human Services to support the Maryland State Department of Education's grant application for the initial PDG B-5 award. In January 2019, the delegation's request was granted and lawmakers announced the $10.6 million in funding for the PDG B-5 grant.After continued advocacy by the delegation to support the MSDE's PDG B-5 Renewal Grant application, in January 2020, MSDE was awarded a three year, $26.8 million PDG B-5 Renewal Grant to build on the initial award and implement the comprehensive strategy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maryland-delegation-members-announce-an-additional-26-million-to-support,Maryland Delegation Members Announce an Additional $2.6 Million to Support Mercy Health Services COVID-19 Response,2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announcedan additional$2,655,327 inemergency federal funding to help Mercy Health Services continue to care for COVID-19 patients and effectively fight the virus. As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise at an alarming rate in Maryland and across the country,the healthcare professionals on the front lines of this emergency are working tirelessly to respond with some, like Mercy Medical Center's ICU Director Dr. Joseph Costa, even giving their lives in this battle. To support the efforts of our health care heroes, wemust ensure that our hospitals have the tools and resources they need to fight this pandemic and keep Americans safe,the lawmakers said.Ourdelegation will continue to deliver robust federal supporttohelp provide the highest level of care to our communities. The funding, authorized under Section 403 of the Stafford Act, comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will help cover emergency medical equipment purchases and costs from creating temporary isolation/quarantine rooms. In March, the lawmakersrequestedfederal approval of Statewide Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 Pandemic. Theswift declaration following their requestallowed emergency resources to be deployed to healthcare providers across Maryland.In addition to the funding announced today,the delegation previously announced more than $10 million to expandMercy Medical Center's COVID-19 treatment facilitiesand $39.4 million to helpMedStar HealthandUniversity of Maryland Medical Systemrespond to COVID-19.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/van-hollen-maryland-delegation-members-urge-congressional-leaders-to-include,"Van Hollen, Maryland Delegation Members Urge Congressional Leaders to Include Robust Funding for Transit in Next COVID Relief Bill",2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONToday, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, led members of the Maryland delegation including Senator Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) in sending a letter urgingCongressional leaders to provide critical funding for transit agencies as a part of any upcoming COVID-19 relief proposal. In light of recent news of the dire financial situation WMATA, MTA, and other transit agencies across the country are facing, this crucial funding would help ensure these systems have the resources necessary to limit additional layoffs and service cuts during this challenging time. Public transit systems serve as a key economic driver in our region, are crucial for commuters and front line workers, and employ thousands of Marylanders throughout the region. We are encouraged to see a bipartisan proposal emerge as a starting point for negotiations and urge you both to come to the table to finalize a plan this week that delivers real relief to the American people. It is essential that any coronavirus package includes much-needed support for our nation's struggling transit systems. During this pandemic, it has become vital as more than thirty percent of essential workers depend on these public transportation services to get to work at hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies, and more. These essential workers are the backbone of our economy and without them we would experience more shortages of essential goods in our stores and food on the shelves, the lawmakers write. They point to the devastating impacts COVID-19 is having on our regional transportation networks, noting, People are hurting and with budgets so severely strained, we are at a breaking point where a dire situation will only worsen with forced service cuts and additional layoffs. Just last week, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) released their FY22 budget proposal which includes draconian cuts to rail and bus service and an additional 2,400 layoffs on top of the 1,200 layoffs they must do now during their 2021 Fiscal Year. WMATA is not an outlier their proposal is yet another example of the type of cost-cutting measures that transit agencies across the country have to undertake without additional funds from Congress. The House-passed updated HEROES Act included $32 billion for transit emergency relief and distributed those funds using existing funding formulas. These funds won't meet the full need, but they would provide a stopgap to prevent layoffs and drastic service cuts at this time. We urge you to include these funds in any upcoming COVID-19 relief proposal. Transit plays an essential role in our economy and we simply cannot afford to wait, the lawmakers conclude. The full text of the letter is available here and below. Dear Leader McConnell and Speaker Pelosi: It has been over eight months since the CARES Act became law and in that time more than 250,000 Americans have died, more have lost their jobs, and tens of thousands of businesses have shuttered their doors. As cases surge across the country and communities come together to fight this pandemic, it is long past time for Congress to follow suit and swiftly pass a robust COVID-19 package. We are encouraged to see a bipartisan proposal emerge as a starting point for negotiations and urge you both to come to the table to finalize a plan this week that delivers real relief to the American people. It is essential that any coronavirus package includes much-needed support for our nation's struggling transit systems. During this pandemic, it has become vital as more than thirty percent of essential workers depend on these public transportation services to get to work at hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies, and more. These essential workers are the backbone of our economy and without them we would experience more shortages of essential goods in our stores and food on the shelves. People are hurting and with budgets so severely strained, we are at a breaking point where a dire situation will only worsen with forced service cuts and additional layoffs. Just last week, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) released their FY22 budget proposal which includes draconian cuts to rail and bus service and an additional 2,400 layoffs on top of the 1,200 layoffs they must do now during their 2021 Fiscal Year. WMATA is not an outlier their proposal is yet another example of the type of cost-cutting measures that transit agencies across the country have to undertake without additional funds from Congress. Rail ridership, the main revenue source for WMATA, is not expected to rebound until a vaccine is widely available and people feel comfortable taking transit again which may take several years. Similarly, as a result of the pandemic, Maryland Department of Transportation's Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) recently implemented a significantly reduced schedule for the MARC commuter train service, the commuter bus service, and continued its suspension of all Express Bus routes and two other local bus routes. Without additional federal support, the MTA and other state transit agencies have made it clear they will be forced to further cut service and layoff additional transit workers. And while transit agencies make very difficult decisions, riders and commuters in need of public transportation services will suffer. With growing numbers on job losses and COVID-19 cases, Americans cannot afford to spend more time on public transportation systems or lose the ability to get to work as they struggle to put food on the table for their families. The House-passed updated HEROES Act included $32 billion for transit emergency relief and distributed those funds using existing funding formulas. These funds won't meet the full need, but they would provide a stopgap to prevent layoffs and drastic service cuts at this time. We urge you to include these funds in any upcoming COVID-19 relief proposal. Transit plays an essential role in our economy and we simply cannot afford to wait. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/marylanders-congress-remember-sarbanes-his-humility-work-and-service,"Marylanders in Congress Remember Sarbanes for His Humility, Work and Service",2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"Members of the Maryland congressional delegation and several other members of Congress gave tributes to former Maryland Sen. Paul Sarbanes on the Senate and House floors Tuesday evening in a Special Order Hour, remembering him for his strong principles and work ethic.Sarbanes (D) died Sunday at the age of 87. Over his 40 year political career, Sarbanes was most well-known for being first to compose articles of impeachment against President Nixon and for the Sarbanes-Oxley act the law that is credited with providing transparency and oversight for corporations after the Enron scandal. Transparency, accountability and ethics were the watchwords of Paul Sarbanes, Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) said on the House floor Tuesday night.... He loved the state of Maryland, and especially the Chesapeake Bay, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said in his speech commemorating the late senator. He took on the mantle of forging and strengthening the federal partnership to clean up his beloved Chesapeake Bay. Though leaders commemorated his signature legislation, they also spoke of personal relationships with Sarbanes calling him their role model, mentor and friend. Paul Sarbanes was known as a senator's senator, Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.) said. For his integrity, for his commitment to public service, for his strong commitment to principles. On Tuesday morning, Sens. Van Hollen and Cardin submitted Senate Resolution 797 to honor Sarbanes' life and achievements and express condolences to his family. He had an inherent integrity that was always strengthened by always striving to meet the expectations of all who put their confidence in him, the late senator's son, Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D-Md.), said. In politics he was motivated by the burning conviction that every individual has dignity and the potential to succeed if given a fair shot. Rep. Sarbanes said that recently his father sat down to film 20 hours' worth of oral history, during which he discussed his life and career. He recounted stories that he was proud of, from getting affordable housing for senior citizens in Baltimore to helping a rural post office on the Eastern Shore drop a discriminatory new policy. It really conveyed who he is and what he cares about, Sarbanes said.Sarbanes said he remembers one time that he came home and his dad was sitting in the living room, revved up about something. The elder Sarbanes banged on the side of the couch and said I'm for the little guy, I'm for the little guy. He might as well in that moment have been stating his purpose in public life, John Sarbanes said. That's what motivated him from the moment he got up in the morning to the moment he went to bed at night.... Rep. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Md.) said. He will always be, in my mind, the image of what a senator is....He thought that there was no greater honor than in being a public servant. Reps. David J. Trone (D-Md.), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), Andy Levin (D-Mich.) and Anthony G. Brown (D-Md.) also gave speeches honoring Sarbanes, along with Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-joins-maryland-led-push-include-robust-public-transit-funding,Sarbanes Joins Maryland-Led Push to Include Robust Public Transit Funding in Forthcoming COVID-19 Relief Package,2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) to provide critical funding for WMATA, MTA and other public transit systems across the nation as part of any agreed-upon COVID-19 relief package. The request comes as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten the financial stability of America's public transportation networks. It is essential that any coronavirus package includes much-needed support for our nation's struggling transit systems, the lawmakers wrote. During this pandemic, it has become vital as more than thirty percent of essential workers depend on these public transportation services to get to work at hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies and more. These essential workers are the backbone of our economy and without them we would experience more shortages of essential goods in our stores and food on the shelves. The Members continued: Just last week, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) released their FY22 budget proposal which includes draconian cuts to rail and bus service and an additional 2,400 layoffs on top of the 1,200 layoffs they must do now during their 2021 Fiscal Year. WMATA is not an outlier their proposal is yet another example of the type of cost-cutting measures that transit agencies across the country have to undertake without additional funds from Congress. The members concluded: The House-passed updated HEROES Act included $32 billion for transit emergency relief and distributed those funds using existing funding formulas. These funds won't meet the full need, but they would provide a stopgap to prevent layoffs and drastic service cuts at this time. We urge you to include these funds in any upcoming COVID-19 relief proposal. See below for a full copy of the letter. * * * December 9, 2020 The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Leader McConnell and Speaker Pelosi: It has been over eight months since the CARES Act became law and in that time more than 250,000 Americans have died, more have lost their jobs, and tens of thousands of businesses have shuttered their doors. As cases surge across the country and communities come together to fight this pandemic, it is long past time for Congress to follow suit and swiftly pass a robust COVID-19 package. We are encouraged to see a bipartisan proposal emerge as a starting point for negotiations and urge you both to come to the table to finalize a plan this week that delivers real relief to the American people. It is essential that any coronavirus package includes much-needed support for our nation's struggling transit systems. During this pandemic, it has become vital as more than thirty percent of essential workers depend on these public transportation services to get to work at hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies, and more. These essential workers are the backbone of our economy and without them we would experience more shortages of essential goods in our stores and food on the shelves. People are hurting and with budgets so severely strained, we are at a breaking point where a dire situation will only worsen with forced service cuts and additional layoffs. Just last week, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) released their FY22 budget proposal which includes draconian cuts to rail and bus service and an additional 2,400 layoffs on top of the 1,200 layoffs they must do now during their 2021 Fiscal Year. WMATA is not an outlier their proposal is yet another example of the type of cost-cutting measures that transit agencies across the country have to undertake without additional funds from Congress. Rail ridership, the main revenue source for WMATA, is not expected to rebound until a vaccine is widely available and people feel comfortable taking transit again which may take several years. Similarly, as a result of the pandemic, Maryland Department of Transportation's Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) recently implemented a significantly reduced schedule for the MARC commuter train service, the commuter bus service, and continued its suspension of all Express Bus routes and two other local bus routes. Without additional federal support, the MTA and other state transit agencies have made it clear they will be forced to further cut service and layoff additional transit workers. And while transit agencies make very difficult decisions, riders and commuters in need of public transportation services will suffer. With growing numbers on job losses and COVID-19 cases, Americans cannot afford to spend more time on public transportation systems or lose the ability to get to work as they struggle to put food on the table for their families. The House-passed updated HEROES Act included $32 billion for transit emergency relief and distributed those funds using existing funding formulas. These funds won't meet the full need, but they would provide a stopgap to prevent layoffs and drastic service cuts at this time. We urge you to include these funds in any upcoming COVID-19 relief proposal. Transit plays an essential role in our economy and we simply cannot afford to wait. Sincerely, /signatures/ ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-maryland-congressional-delegation-announce-additional-26,"Sarbanes, Maryland Congressional Delegation Announce Additional $2.6 Million to Help Mercy Health Services Respond to COVID-19",2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in announcing an additional $2,655,327 in emergency federal funding to help Mercy Health Services continue to care for COVID-19 patients and effectively fight the virus. As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise at an alarming rate in Maryland and across the country, we must ensure that our hospitals and health care workers have the tools and resources they need to fight this pandemic and keep Americans safe, the lawmakers said. As Maryland's health care providers work day and night to treat patients and save lives, our delegation will continue to deliver robust federal support and help provide the highest level of care to our communities. In March, the lawmakers swiftly requested and secured federal approval of Statewide Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 Pandemic, allowing emergency resources to be deployed to hospitals across Maryland. The Delegation previously announced more than $10 million to expand Mercy Medical Center's COVID-19 treatment facilities, along with $39.4 million in combined emergency funding to help MedStar Health and University of Maryland Medical System respond to COVID-19. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-maryland-congressional-delegation-announce-nearly-9-million,"Sarbanes, Maryland Congressional Delegation Announce Nearly $9 Million to Boost Statewide Early Childhood Education",2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in announcing $8,900,400 in new federal funding to help strengthen and expand early childhood education across the state. Funding comes through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) Renewal Grant Program, which supports state-led efforts to enhance early childhood education. Expanding access to early childhood education is one of the best investments we can make in Maryland's future, the lawmakers said. These high-impact programs make a tremendous difference in closing the achievement gap and putting our children on a path to academic and career success. Our delegation remains committed to strengthening educational opportunities across our state and ensuring that families from every community can access these highly impactful programs. According to the Maryland State Department of Education, this new round of federal funding will help modernize Maryland's early childhood education data system, increase alignment and opportunity across the state's higher education system to support the early childhood education workforce and create inclusive settings for young children with disabilities, among other priorities. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-applauds-passage-of-bipartisan-national-defense-authorization,Ruppersberger Applauds Passage of Bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act Conference Agreement,2020-12-08,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(WASHINGTON, DC) Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, a House appropriator who sits on the Defense subcommittee, today issued the following statement after passage of the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act Conference Agreement in a 335-78 vote: A balanced and bipartisan conference agreement during these extremely uncertain times could be considered a remarkable achievement, but today's vote marks the 60th consecutive NDAA passed by the House of Representatives. Today, Democrats and Republicans united in support of our troops, their families and our nation's veterans despite a veto threat from President Trump over an unrelated issue. This bill honors our service members with a well-deserved 3 percent raise and increased hazard pay. It extends 12-weeks paid parental leave to 100,000 federal civilians inadvertently excluded from legislation last year, including at the VA. And it provides a long-sought-after benefit for tens of thousands of Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange. It includes new safeguards that will prevent future Administrations from raiding military coffers for pet projects like President Trump's border wall, which continues to cost Maryland's Fort Meade critical funding. There are several measures of specific benefit to Maryland and the Second District. We have been working hard to address substandard housing at Fort Meade and this bill updates the health and safety standards for all military housing and includes reform measures for housing contracts. The NDAA includes language directing the Department of Defense to begin a thoughtful process that will culminate in the removal of Confederate names from federal property, including at the U.S. Naval Academy. Finally, this NDAA prevents the Department of Defense from retiring the Air Force's A-10 aircraft, which are operated by the Air National Guard unit at Middle River's Warfield Air National Guard base. The focus on cybersecurity in this bill is historic. It includes the vast majority of policy recommendations proposed by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, such as legislation creating a National Cyber Director. I was a proud original cosponsor of this bill and I believe we need it now more than ever, as we face down unprecedented cyber attacks at every level including a ransomware attack on Baltimore County Public Schools earlier this month. I look forward to the appointment and Senate confirmation of a well-respected leader with federal cybersecurity experience.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-issues-statement-on-nomination-of-general-lloyd-austin-as,Ruppersberger Issues Statement on Nomination of General Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense,2020-12-08,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, a Defense Appropriator, tonight issued the following response following President-elect Joe Biden's nomination of retired four star General Lloyd Austin for Secretary of Defense: President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for our next Secretary of Defense, retired General Lloyd Austin, certainly checks all of the boxes on my list of expectations for this critical role. This isn't just on paper as a Defense Appropriator and former Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, I have firsthand experience of General Austin's abilities, including meeting with him on multiple occasions while in Iraq. General Austin has served our country with distinction. As a former Combatant Commander and Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, serving more than four decades in our Armed Forces, General Austin is in tune with the threats facing our nation and what it will take to confront them. He will also be a tireless advocate for our military men and women. We need an experienced leader like General Austin to carry the Department of Defense forward, to advance and adapt the National Defense Strategy. I recognize concerns regarding General Austin's nomination four years after his military retirement instead of the required seven. I understand the purpose of the Congressional waiver process which Secretary Mattis also required and encourage President-elect Biden to make General Austin available to Congress to alleviate any concerns. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, however, I have no doubt that General Austin will be an excellent Secretary of Defense.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-raskin-resolution-calling-global-repeal-blasphemy-heresy-apostasy,"House Passes Raskin Resolution Calling for the Global Repeal of Blasphemy, Heresy, Apostasy Laws",2020-12-07,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Jamie Raskin's (MD-08) bipartisan House Resolution 512, calling for the global repeal of blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy laws, passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 386-3. The Resolution also calls for the immediate release of religious prisoners of conscience worldwide. As more than 80 countries use blasphemy laws to persecute and imprison religious minorities and dissenters, the House asserted the essential importance of freedom of religion and liberty of conscience globally. Click here to watch Rep. Raskin's floor remarks ahead of the Resolution'spassage. I'm gratified to see our bipartisan Resolution pass in the House, said Rep. Jamie Raskin. Authoritarian regimes use arbitrary blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy laws to imprison, torture, and kill religious minorities. Today the House called for an end to these egregious human rights violations worldwide. I'm gratified by this crucial victory, but our work continues to ensure that no one is imprisoned for his or her religious beliefs across the globe. I look forward to continuing this critical work with my House and Senate colleagues and defending freedom of religion, liberty of conscience and tolerance everywhere. According to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), more than one-third of countries maintain the use of blasphemy laws, with penalties including fines, imprisonment, forced labor and the death penalty. Congressman Raskin introduced H. Res. 512 in July 2019, and it passed the House with 42 cosponsors. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) introduced Senate Resolution 485, the Senate version of Congressman Raskin's Resolution. As an Executive Committee Member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and partner of the Defending Freedoms Project, Congressman Raskin advocates for the release, reduced sentencing, and improved treatment of prisoners of conscience. Headvocatedon behalf ofAbdul Shakoor, an 82-year-old Pakistani who was released on March 18, 2019 after being imprisoned for more than three years for his belief in the Ahmadiyya Muslim faith. Congressman Raskin is currently advocating for the release of Selahattin Demirta, a Kurdish politician from Turkey who was unjustly imprisoned on November 4, 2016 during President Erdogan's crackdown on political opposition. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/raskins-subcommittee-examine-ferc-s-failure-protect-landowner-rights,Raskin's Subcommittee to Examine FERCs Failure to Protect Landowner Rights,2020-12-07,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.On Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, will hold a hearing to examine the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) failure to protect the rights of landowners whose properties are affected by natural gas projects, and to follow up on the investigation and video report the Subcommittee released earlier this year. FERC is the primary federal permitting agency for the construction and operation of all major interstate natural gas pipelines. Landowners face obstacles from FERC at every stage of the natural gas pipeline process: FERC rubberstamps natural gas projects without fair consideration to landowners, favors pipeline companies, and provides insufficient options for landowners to seek recourse against pipeline companies. On February 19, 2020, the Subcommittee launched an investigation into the use of eminent domain in the construction of natural gas pipelines. FERC routinely grants pipeline companies certificates of public convenience and necessity, allowing them to take possession of private land under the right of eminent domain. On April, 28, 2020, the Subcommittee released preliminary findings of the investigation revealing that the natural gas pipeline approval process used by FERC unjustly trampled on the rights of private landowners. On June 11, 2020, following the Subcommittee's investigation, FERC announced it would no longer authorize construction activities for natural gas pipelines until the agency acts on the merits of challenges from private landowners and other stakeholders. On November 20, 2020, the Subcommittee expanded its investigation by requesting information about procedures used to resolve conflicts between landowners and energy companies. WHAT: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee Hearing: Pipelines Over People: How FERC Tramples Landowner Rights in Natural Gas Projects WHEN: Dec. 9, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. EST WHO: David L. Morenoff Acting General Counsel Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Terry Turpin Director, Office of Energy Projects Federal Energy Regulatory Commission WATCH: A livestream will be available on YouTube and the Committee on Oversight and Reform website. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-john-sarbanes-announces-passing-senator-paul-sarbanes,Congressman John Sarbanes Announces the Passing of Senator Paul Sarbanes,2020-12-06,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today announced the passing of his father, Senator Paul S. Sarbanes: My father, Senator Paul S. Sarbanes, passed away peacefully this evening in Baltimore. Our family is grateful to know that we have the support of Marylanders who meant so much to him and whom he was honored to serve. Following state, local and public health guidance amid the COVID-19 pandemic, our family will hold a private service in the coming days. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-more-8-million-support-community,Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $8 Million to Support Community Health Centers,2020-12-04,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all Md.)today announced nearly $8.2 million in federal funding to bolster Community Health Centers (CHCs) across Maryland. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,community health centersin Maryland and across the country have played a vital role in providing quality and affordable care to American families. This new federal investment in Maryland CHCs will help shore up medical supplies, protect health care workers, and improve the delivery of care, the lawmakers said. Team Maryland is grateful for our healthcare heroes, and we will continue working to secure additional funding to keep them and their patients safe. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the awardees include: $3,123,868 Total Health Care, Inc. $2,830,642 Health Care for the Homeless, Inc. $2,230,583 Choptank Community Health System, Inc. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lawmakers announced more than $742 million in federal assistance, created through the CARES Act, for hospitals and healthcare providers. In the spring, the Maryland delegation announced more than $15 million in federal funding for CHCs, and another $6.9 million to increase testing capacity at CHCs. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/baltimore-congressional-delegation-applauds-150000-for-light-rail-technology,"Baltimore Congressional Delegation Applauds $150,000 for Light Rail Technology Enhancements",2020-12-04,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.)applauded the award of $150,000forthe Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) to improve thestate'slight rail system with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology. The federal funding will allow MDOT MTA to monitor light rail infrastructurein real-time by using LiDAR to identifypotential rail defects and erosion along the light rail corridor. Marylandcommuters and essential workers rely on our light rail systems to get where they need to go. This new federal investment in our state's public transit networkwillhelp providesafer andmore efficientservice forBaltimore-area riders,the lawmakers said.Our delegation will continue working to secure additional federal support for Maryland's public transportation systems. The lawmakers sent aletter in support of MDOT MTA'sgrant fundingapplicationin July.Funding comes fromthe U.S. Department of Transportation's Real-Time Asset Management Program, which aims to improvepublic transportationinfrastructure andpassengersafety with real-time assessmentsof transit capital and facilities.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-more-than-8-million-to-support,Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $8 Million to Support Community Health Centers,2020-12-04,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON -U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all Md.)today announced nearly $8.2 million in federal funding to bolster Community Health Centers (CHC) across Maryland. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,community health centersin Maryland and across the country have played a vital role in providing quality and affordable care to American families. This new federal investment in Maryland CHCs will help shore up medical supplies, protect health care workers, and improve the delivery of care, the lawmakers said. Team Maryland is grateful for our healthcare heroes, and we will continue working to secure additional funding to keep them and their patients safe. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the awardees include: $3,123,868 Total Health Care, Inc. $2,830,642 Health Care for the Homeless, Inc. $2,230,583 Choptank Community Health System, Inc. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lawmakers announced more than $742 million in federal assistance, created through the CARES Act, for hospitals and healthcare providers. In the spring, the Maryland delegation announced more than $15 million in federal funding for CHCs, and another $6.9 million to increase testing capacity at CHCs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-maryland-congressional-delegation-announce-more-8-million,"Sarbanes, Maryland Congressional Delegation Announce More Than $8 Million to Support Community Health Centers",2020-12-04,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in announcing $8,185,093 in federal funding to bolster Community Health Centers (CHC) across Maryland. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, CHCs in Maryland and across the country have played a vital role in providing quality and affordable care to American families. This new federal investment in Maryland CHCs will help shore up medical supplies, protect health care workers and improve the delivery of care, the lawmakers said. Team Maryland is grateful for our healthcare heroes, and we will continue working to secure additional funding to keep them and their patients safe. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It includes: $3,123,868 Total Health Care, Inc. $2,830,642 Health Care for the Homeless, Inc. $2,230,583 Choptank Community Health System, Inc. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lawmakers announced more than $742 million in CARES Act funding for hospitals and health care providers. In the spring, the Maryland Delegation announced more than $15 million in federal funding for CHCs, and another $6.9 million to increase COVID-19 testing capacity at CHCs. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maryland-delegation-members-announce-more-than-14-million-to-support,Maryland Delegation Members Announce More Than $1.4 Million to Support Baltimore Countys COVID-19 Emergency Response,2020-12-03,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) today announced $1,407,882 in federal funding to support Baltimore County's COVID-19 emergency response efforts at schools. The funding, authorized under Section 403 of the Stafford Act, comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will help disinfect buses and facilities at 175 schools countywide. Our delegation remains committed to supporting state and local efforts to fight the ongoing pandemic and keep our communities safe, the lawmakers said. This new round of federal funding will help Baltimore County protect students and reduce the spread of the virus. In Congress, we will continue pushing for urgently needed funding for state and local governments so that our communities stay safe and emerge from the pandemic in a position of strength. In March, the lawmakers swiftly requested and secured federal approval of Statewide Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 Pandemic, allowing emergency resources to be deployed for state and local efforts to combat the virus and protect Marylanders.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/congress-passes-bill-authorizing-memorial-fallen-journalists-including,"Congress Passes Bill Authorizing Memorial to Fallen Journalists, Including Capital Gazette Victims",2020-12-03,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed legislation to authorize the development and construction of a national monument to fallen journalists, including the victims of the Capital Gazette massacre in 2018. The bill, passed with unanimous consent, authorizes a privately-funded memorial to be constructed on federal lands within the District of Columbia to honor journalists, photographers and broadcasters killed in the line of duty. The House of Representatives passed the bill by a voice vote in September. It now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature. Maryland's Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin were original cosponsors of the measure.... The bill's House sponsors included Reps. John Sarbanes and Elijah Cummings. Cummings signed onto the bill in August 2019, two months before his death. The legislation authorizes the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation, an initiative of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, to establish the memorial on certain federal property off of the National Mall. The Annenberg Foundation and the Ferro Foundation have contributed $300,000 toward the effort.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-baltimore-county-congressional-delegation-announce-more-14,"Sarbanes, Baltimore County Congressional Delegation Announce More Than $1.4 Million for COVID-19 Emergency Response",2020-12-03,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Baltimore County Congressional Delegation in announcing $1,407,882 in federal funding to support Baltimore County's COVID-19 emergency response efforts at schools. The funding, authorized under Section 403 of the Stafford Act, comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will help disinfect buses and facilities at 175 schools countywide. Our delegation remains committed to supporting state and local efforts to fight the ongoing pandemic and keep our communities safe, the lawmakers said. This new round of federal funding will help Baltimore County protect students and reduce the spread of the virus. In Congress, we will continue pushing for urgently needed funding for state and local governments so that our communities stay safe and emerge from the pandemic in a position of strength. In March, the lawmakers swiftly requested and secured federal approval of Statewide Disaster Declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing emergency resources to be deployed for state and local efforts to combat the virus and protect Marylanders. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-baltimore-county-congressional-delegation-applaud-150000-light,"Sarbanes, Baltimore County Congressional Delegation Applaud $150,000 for Light Rail Technology Enhancements",2020-12-03,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Baltimore Congressional Delegation in applauding a $150,000 grant for the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) to improve the state's light rail system with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology. The federal funding will allow MDOT MTA to monitor light rail infrastructure in real-time by using LiDAR to identify potential rail defects and erosion along the light rail corridor. Maryland commuters and essential workers rely on our light rail systems to get where they need to go. This new federal investment in our state's public transit network will help provide safer and more efficient service for Baltimore-area riders, the lawmakers said. Our delegation will continue working to secure additional federal support for Maryland's public transportation systems. The lawmakers sent a letter in support of MDOT MTA's grant funding application in July. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Real-Time Asset Management Program, which aims to improve public transportation infrastructure and passenger safety with real-time assessments of transit capital and facilities. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-joins-calls-fair-and-accurate-2020-census-video,Sarbanes Joins Calls for Fair and Accurate 2020 Census [Video],2020-12-03,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. During a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing today, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) underscored the critical importance of ensuring that the 2020 Census conducts a fair and accurate count and that it remains free from political interference and partisan ploys. Fundamentally, the census is about giving every person in this country the opportunity to stand up and to be counted, said Congressman Sarbanes. And if you don't have that kind of accuracy at the census tract level you can have a situation where the voice of some people and some neighborhoods and some communities is being given more weight than the voices of other communities and other individuals in our country. Sarbanes continued: And so, you can perpetuate some of the unfairness and imbalance distribution of sort of political power and voice across that country that already exists in so many ways. The census ought to be combating that unfairness, making sure that everybody's voice is given equal weight. Sarbanes concluded: That's why it's so critical, Madam Chair, that the accuracy and transparency and integrity of this process be protected. See below for the Congressman's full remarks. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/congressman-john-sarbanes-d-md-next-covid-relief-bill,Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD) on Next COVID Relief Bill,2020-12-02,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"44 Calvert Street, Suite 349 Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: (410) 295-1679 Fax: (410) 295-1682 Hours: Tuesday 11:00 AM -1:00 PM (Or by Appointment)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-more-10-million-expand-mercy,Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $10 Million to Expand Mercy Medical Centers COVID-19 Treatment Capability,2020-12-01,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone today announced more than $10.4 million in emergency federal funding to help Mercy Health Services treat more COVID-19 patients. We are forever indebted to the devoted healthcare workers who have risked and given their lives including Mercy Medical Center's Dr. Joseph Costa in the fight against COVID-19,the lawmakers said. This emergency funding to expand COVID-19 treatment rooms will help ensure the dedicated professionals at Mercy Medical Center can continue their vital work, while increasing Maryland's hospital capacity and reducing overcrowding to keep healthcare workers and Marylanders safe. We remain committed to securing additional federal funding to provide our healthcare workers and hospitals with the resources they need to get us through this public health emergency. The funding, authorized under Section 403 of the Stafford Act, comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will help create 32 new isolation and treatment rooms for COVID-19 patients in the Mary Catherine Bunting Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. In March, the lawmakers swiftly requested and secured federal approval of Statewide Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 Pandemic, allowing emergency resources to be deployed to hospitals across Maryland. The Delegation previously announced $39.4 million in combined emergency funding to help MedStar Health and University of Maryland Medical System respond to COVID-19. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-announces-more-than-10-million-to-expand,Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $10 Million to Expand Mercy Medical Centers COVID-19 Treatment Capability,2020-12-01,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone today announced more than $10.4 million in emergency federal funding to help Mercy Health Services treat more COVID-19 patients. We are forever indebted to the devoted healthcare workers who have risked and given their lives including Mercy Medical Center's Dr. Joseph Costa in the fight against COVID-19,the lawmakers said. This emergency funding to expand COVID-19 treatment rooms will help ensure the dedicated professionals at Mercy Medical Center can continue their vital work, while increasing Maryland's hospital capacity and reducing overcrowding to keep healthcare workers and Marylanders safe. We remain committed to securing additional federal funding to provide our healthcare workers and hospitals with the resources they need to get us through this public health emergency. The funding, authorized under Section 403 of the Stafford Act, comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will help create 32 new isolation and treatment rooms for COVID-19 patients in the Mary Catherine Bunting Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. In March, the lawmakers swiftly requested and secured federal approval of Statewide Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 Pandemic, allowing emergency resources to be deployed to hospitals across Maryland. The Delegation previously announced $39.4 million in combined emergency funding to help MedStar Health and University of Maryland Medical System respond to COVID-19.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/enewsletters/15-days-left-sign-health-insurance,15 DAYS LEFT: Sign Up for Health Insurance,2020-12-01,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"Dear Friend, I wanted to share a friendly reminder that you and your family still have time to sign up for affordable health insurance via Maryland Health Connection, our state's official health insurance marketplace. The open enrollment period ends on Tuesday, December 15. To find a plan that works best for you and your family, please visit MarylandHealthConnection.gov or call 1-855-642-8572. Health insurance is more affordable than you think. For the third straight year, rates in Maryland have decreased. Most Marylanders who sign up for health insurance through Maryland Health Connection can also receive financial support to help pay for the cost of insurance. As we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 public health emergency, it's more important than ever to sign up and get covered. If you do not currently have health insurance, I strongly encourage you to visit MarylandHealthConnection.gov and shop for a plan. Sincerely, Congressman John Sarbanes Maryland's Third Congressional District",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/mercy-medical-center-awarded-more-10-million-federal-aid-expand-coronavirus,Mercy Medical Center Awarded More Than $10 Million in Federal Aid to Expand Coronavirus Treatment,2020-12-01,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"Mercy Medical Center was awarded more than $10 million in federal funding Tuesday to help continue the fight against the coronavirus, congressional leaders said. Authorized under the Stafford Act from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the funding will help create 32 new isolation and treatment rooms for COVID-19 patients in the Mary Catherine Bunting Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, lawmakers said. The funding of $10.4 million was announced by U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Reps. Steny Hoyer, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone. This emergency funding to expand COVID-19 treatment rooms will help ensure the dedicated professionals at Mercy Medical Center can continue their vital work, while increasing Maryland's hospital capacity and reducing overcrowding to keep healthcare workers and Marylanders safe, the lawmakers said in a news release. We remain committed to securing additional federal funding to provide our healthcare workers and hospitals with the resources they need to get us through this public health emergency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-maryland-congressional-delegation-announce-more-10-million,"Sarbanes, Maryland Congressional Delegation Announce More Than $10 Million to Expand Mercy Medical Centers COVID-19 Treatment Capability",2020-12-01,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in announcing more than $10.4 million in emergency federal funding to help Mercy Health Services treat more COVID-19 patients. We are forever indebted to America's health care workers, including the professionals at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, who continue to risk their lives and work tirelessly around the clock to fight COVID-19 and deliver effective care to Marylanders, the lawmakers said. This emergency funding to expand COVID-19 treatment rooms at Mercy Medical Center will help increase Maryland's hospital capacity and reduce overcrowding in an effort to keep health care workers and Marylanders safe. We remain committed to securing additional federal funding to provide our health care workers and hospitals with the resources they need to get us through this public health emergency. The funding, authorized under Section 403 of the Stafford Act, comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will help create 32 new isolation and treatment rooms for COVID-19 patients in the Mary Catherine Bunting Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. In March, the lawmakers swiftly requested and secured federal approval of Statewide Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 Pandemic, allowing emergency resources to be deployed to hospitals across Maryland. The Delegation previously announced $39.4 million in combined emergency funding to help MedStar Health and University of Maryland Medical System respond to COVID-19. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-raskin-richmond-unveil-legislation-establish-national-hotline-victims,"McEachin, Raskin, Richmond Unveil Legislation to Establish National Hotline for Victims of Law Enforcement Violence and Harassment",2020-11-30,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04)today unveiled the Justice Hotline Act of 2020, legislation to create a grant program for the establishment of a national hotline and online resource service to assist victims of law enforcement officer violence and harassment. Co-introduced withCongressman Cedric Richmond (LA-02)andCongressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08),Chair of theOversight Subcommittee on Civil Rightsand Civil Liberties, the Justice Hotline Act of 2020 would establish a 24-hour, confidential, toll-free hotline and online service whereby individuals could connect with service providers, as well as receive important information on available federal, state, and local legal and health resources and how to file a formal complaint. Recent events across our country have further illustrated the need for transparency and increased accountability to help restore faith between law enforcement and the communities they serve,said the Members of Congress.In order to make true progress on public safety and move forward together as a united nation, we have a responsibility to ensure that every American's rights are protected, and that they are equipped with the knowledge and information necessary to seek justice. We are pleased to introduce the Justice Hotline Act of 2020 to help ensure victims of law enforcement harassment in all of our communities are equitably protected under the law. Supported by theAmerican Association for Justice(AAJ) the Justice Hotline Act of 2020 would create a national hotline and online resource center to collect and distribute information related to police violence or harassment, helping victims understand their rights and options. The Justice Hotline Act of 2020 is modeled after other successful national hotlines which provide important resource information for callers. The full text of the Justice Hotline Act of 2020 is availablehere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/baltimore-delegation-announces-more-than-650000-for-johns-hopkins-university,"Baltimore Delegation Announces More Than $650,000 for Johns Hopkins University Research on COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Maryland",2020-11-24,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.)today announced $654,592 in federal funding for Johns Hopkins University (JHU) to research COVID-19 testing and health disparities among women suffering from substance use disorders. The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a harsh light on the racial and ethnic disparities that plague our communities and institutions. These disparities are especially pervasive in our health care system, and impact everything from COVID-19 testing to access to treatments,the lawmakers said.This new federal funding, secured by our delegation, will help Johns Hopkins University explore and break down these social barriers, stigmas, and other obstacles to treatment that impact those suffering from substance use disorders. As we continue to fight COVID-19, we remain committed to helping our state deliver equitable and affordable health care to every Marylander. This award comes from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RADx Underserved Populations initiative, which examines COVID-19 disparities in communities across the country. In October, the lawmakers announced more than $8.3 million in federal funding for the RADx program. NIH has awarded more than $283 million through this program to improve COVID-19 testing for underserved and vulnerable populations nationwide.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-baltimore-congressional-delegation-announce-more-650000-johns,"Sarbanes, Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announce More Than $650,000 for Johns Hopkins University Research on COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Maryland",2020-11-24,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Baltimore Congressional Delegation in announcing $654,592 in federal funding for Johns Hopkins University (JHU) to research COVID-19 testing and health disparities among women suffering from substance use disorders. The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a harsh light on the racial and ethnic disparities that plague our communities and institutions. These disparities are especially pervasive in our health care system, and impact everything from COVID-19 testing to access to treatments, the lawmakers said. This new federal funding, secured by our delegation, will help Johns Hopkins University explore and break down these social barriers, stigmas, and other obstacles to treatment that impact those suffering from substance use disorders. As we continue to fight COVID-19, we remain committed to helping our state deliver equitable and affordable health care to every Marylander. Funding comes from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RADx Underserved Populations initiative, which examines COVID-19 disparities in communities across the country. In October, the lawmakers announced more than $8.3 million in federal funding for the RADx program. NIH has awarded more than $283 million through this program to improve COVID-19 testing for underserved and vulnerable populations nationwide. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/federal-delegation-members-call-on-trump-to-overturn-denial-of-maryland,Federal Delegation Members Call on Trump to Overturn Denial of Maryland Disaster Funding for Tropical Storm Isaias,2020-11-23,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON The members of the Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone, today called upon President Donald Trump to overturn the Oct. 14 decision to deny federal disaster funding to Maryland for the impacts of Tropical Storm Isaias. On August 3 and 4, 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias impacted Maryland with wind gusts up to 72 mph, spreading debris over roadways and across power lines, resulting in over 75,000 power outages and one fatality. The torrential rain over nine inches in parts of Maryland caused flooding which washed out roadways and bridges in multiple counties. Isaias spawned nearly a dozen tornadoes across the state, causing significant damage to public infrastructure and private property, the members write. Given the massive impact that this flooding had on state and local resources in Maryland, we urge you to reconsider this denial, grant the appeal, and approve the provision of supplementary federal assistance, pursuant to the Stafford Act. The Maryland congressional delegation members also underscored that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic seriously complicated efforts to respond to the tropical storm. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on state and local governments responding to natural disasters during this ongoing pandemic, they write. Due to travel and safety restrictions regarding COVID-19, many virtual damage assessments have resulted in a cumbersome data collection process and lower amounts of damages that could be verified by FEMA, as opposed to using the traditional physical inspection process. The full text of the letter is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/federal-delegation-members-call-trump-overturn-denial-maryland-disaster-funding,Federal Delegation Members Call on Trump to Overturn Denial of Maryland Disaster Funding for Tropical Storm Isaias,2020-11-20,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -The members of the Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, JamieRaskin and David Trone, today called upon President Donald Trump to overturn the Oct. 14 decision to deny federal disaster funding to Maryland for the impacts of Tropical Storm Isaias. On August 3 and 4, 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias impacted Maryland with wind gusts up to 72 mph, spreading debris over roadways and across power lines, resulting in over 75,000 power outages and one fatality. The torrential rain over nine inches in parts of Maryland caused flooding which washed out roadways and bridges in multiple counties. Isaias spawned nearly a dozen tornadoes across the state, causing significant damage to public infrastructure and private property, the members write. Given the massive impact that this flooding had on state and local resources in Maryland, we urge you to reconsider this denial, grant the appeal, and approve the provision of supplementary federal assistance, pursuant to the Stafford Act. The Maryland congressional delegation members also underscored that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic seriously complicated efforts to respond to the tropical storm. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on state and local governments responding to natural disasters during this ongoing pandemic, they write. Due to travel and safety restrictions regarding COVID-19, many virtual damage assessments have resulted in a cumbersome data collection process and lower amounts of damages that could be verified by FEMA, as opposed to using the traditional physical inspection process. The full text of the letter is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/subcommittee-seeks-information-about-procedures-used-resolve-conflicts-between,Raskin's Subcommittee Seeks Information About Procedures Used to Resolve Conflicts Between Landowners and Energy Companies,2020-11-20,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, Congressman Jamie Raskin, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) seeking documents about its procedures for resolving conflicts between landowners and natural gas pipeline construction companies. Specifically, the Subcommittee requests that FERC provide information on the following topics: certificate extensions, restoration delays, dispute resolution, and disposition of property for cancelled projects, Chairman Raskin wrote. On February 19, 2020, the Subcommittee launched an investigation into the use of eminent domain in the construction of natural gas pipelines. FERC routinely granted pipeline companies certificates of public convenience and necessity, allowing them to take possession of private land under the right of eminent domain. On April, 28, 2020, the Subcommittee released preliminary findings of the investigation revealing that the natural gas pipeline approval process used by FERC unjustly trampled on the rights of private landowners. On June 11, 2020, following the Subcommittee's investigation, FERC announced it would no longer authorize construction activities for natural gas pipelines until the agency acts on the merits of challenges from private landowners and other stakeholders. The Subcommittee requests that FERC produce documents by December 4, 2020. Click here to read today's letter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/raskin-blumenthal-seek-study-online-hate-crimes-fbi-adl-reports-show-rise,"Raskin, Blumenthal Seek Study of Online Hate Crimes As FBI, ADL Reports Show Rise in Incidents",2020-11-19,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Alarmed by therapid rise in hate crimes and the lack of comprehensive reporting about it, Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today requested a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on the rise of online hate crimes and hate speech in the United States. The request follows the release of the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL)online hate and harassment report, which found more than 1 in 3 Americans experienced online hate and harassment this year. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI)annual hate crimes report, which just revealedthe highest level of hate crimes in a decade, does not capture online hate crimes at all and is a radically incomplete assessment of hate in America. The Members wrote: The hate crimes reporting program is voluntary, and the vast majority of law enforcement agencies in the country either report that no hate crimes occurred in their jurisdictions or they decline to participate in the program. The numbers we see only scratch the surface and do not accurately tell the story of hate in America. Failure to have the full picture constrains us as policymakers from devising comprehensive solutions to fight hate and protect members of our communities from falling victim to hate crimes. We must do more to compel law enforcement agencies to investigate and report hate crimes as a matter of national security and in order to allow our country to thrive as a global leader. The Members continued: Therefore, where online hate crimes are absent from the FBI annual hate crime reporting, and such crimes arguably will continue to rise as our digital footprint expands, we respectfully seek a study to address: The rise of online hate crimes and hate speech from 2012 to the present, and how is it directed at protected groups; The relationship between hate online and hate crimes perpetrated physically on the ground; and, The relationship between online hate crimes and hate speech, and the rise of anti-government militias and domestic terrorism. ""The total severity of the impact and damage caused by hate crimes cannot be fully measured without complete participation in the FBI's data collection process, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said. At the ADL, we have consistently called for federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to improve data collection and reporting of hate crimes. In addition to improving current reporting, we must find better ways to document hate crimes committed on the 21st century frontier of hate: the internet. ADL data shows rising levels of identity-based online hate and harassment. It's essential to understand how this correlates to bias crimes perpetrated both online and on the ground. We are tremendously grateful toRep. Raskin and Sen. Blumenthal for their leadership pressing for a governmental study on the rise of online hate crimes and speech in the United States. Full text of the letter is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-sherman-raskin-introduce-resolution-calling-end-enforced-disappearances,Reps. Sherman & Raskin Introduce Resolution Calling for an End to Enforced Disappearances,2020-11-19,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressmen Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Jamie Raskin (D-MD) today introduced a House Resolution calling for an end to enforced disappearances in Asia and around the world and calling upon the United States to ratify theInternational Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. These types of human rights abuses cannot go unanswered, said Congressman Sherman. We must speak out, work with our allies and demand accountability for these disappearances and other violations of human rights. As chair of the Sindh Caucus and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I have worked tirelessly on this issue; but unfortunately, we have seen a rise in enforced disappearances cases throughout the Asia region. I was proud to work with Congressman Raskin on this resolution and I want to commend his leadership on this important issue. Enforced disappearances are a serious human rights violation in Asia and around the world, said Congressman Raskin. I'm proud to join my colleague Rep. Sherman in introducing our resolution to end this heinous crime, and support justice and accountability for victims and survivors of enforced disappearances, including those carried out against Sindh communities in Pakistan; Tamils and human rights activists in Sri Lanka; victims of the Suharto regime in Indonesia, and Uyghur Muslims in China suffering mass atrocities. Communities and families of the disappearedsuch asDr. Gulshun Abbas, a Uyghur Muslim medical doctor reportedly detained by China in a mass internment camp since 2018have the right to know the whereabouts and condition of their loved ones. As an Executive Member of theTom Lantos Human Rights Commissionand a member of the Sindh Caucus, I will work to ensure the United States stands on the side of human rights and against repressive tactics by authoritarian governments. The world's largest human rights organization,Amnesty International, has endorsed the Ending Enforced Disappearances in Asia and Globally Resolution. Andrew Fandino, the senior program officer for the Individuals at Risk Program at Amnesty International USA said: Enforced disappearances have occurred and continue to occur in every region in the world, and governments have a known duty to put an end to them. The fate of people who have been disappeared too often remains unknown, and their loves ones and communities live with the pain of uncertainty. Searching for the truth may put entire families in great danger, and not only leaves relatives living in limbo but affects entire communities and society. Relatives of the disappeared, human rights defenders, key witnesses, and lawyers are routinely the targets of enforced disappearances. For those who escape death and survive the torture and the constant fear of being killed, the physical and psychological scars remain. This resolution is a vital step forward in the United States to support survivors, call for accountability, and help to ensure that other people are not subjected to enforced disappearance in the future. The Ending Enforced Disappearances in Asia and Globally Resolution: calls for justice for victims of enforced disappearances and accountability for those who commit these crimes; calls for U.S. law enforcement to use all available legal and statutory tools to ensure that alleged perpetrators of enforced disappearances are held accountable in U.S. courts and to ensure that the United States is not a haven for human rights violators; urges all countries to abandon the unlawful practice of enforced disappearances; calls upon the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to continue to support transitional justice measures and initiatives to assist victims and survivors of enforced disappearances, including by supporting national, international, and hybrid judicial mechanisms to clarify the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared; urges the United States to sign and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance; and calls upon the Governments of China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Pakistan to bolster their response and accountability on this issue. To view the full Resolution text,click here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/maloney-raskin-speier-wasserman-schultz-and-frankel-seek-briefing-doj-s-role,"Maloney, Raskin, Speier, Wasserman Schultz, and Frankel Seek Briefing on DOJs Role in Favorable Plea Deal for Sexual Predator Jeffrey Epstein",2020-11-18,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney; Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Chairman Jamie Raskin; Committee Members Jackie Speier and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Rep. Lois Frankel sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr following up on multiple requests for a briefing from the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) regarding the role of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in approving a favorable plea deal for convicted sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein and concealing the deal from the survivors of Mr. Epstein's crimes. Over the past two years, DOJ told Committee staff that it could not provide a briefing or documents relating to this case because there was an ongoing investigation, the lawmakers wrote. However, last week OPR completed its investigation and publicly released an executive summary of its findings, which appear to absolve former United States Attorney Alex Acosta and other DOJ attorneys from any wrongdoing and reducing their failure to prosecute Mr. Epstein to merely poor judgement'. Despite our Committee's repeated requests for information relating to this investigation spanning more than 16 months, OPR never notified the Committee that it had completed its work, never informed the Committee of its findings, and never provided any briefing or other information regarding these matters, the Members continued. Only Mondaydays after the full report had already leaked to the pressdid DOJ finally provide it to this Committee. Members wrote to DOJ and OPR on March 1, 2019, July 10, 2019, and December 20, 2019, requesting information regarding the plea agreement with Mr. Epstein and relating to whether, when, or how to inform the survivors of Mr. Epstein's abuses of the decision not to prosecute him. The Members also requested documents reflecting the Department's standards of professional responsibility applicable to attorneys in the Southern District of Florida at the time, as well as any documents relating to Mr. Epstein's work release, conditions, and treatment during his confinement. The Members requested that OPR provide a briefing and all documents relating to the investigation, the report, and its findings by December 2, 2020. Click here to read today's letter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/baltimore-congressional-delegation-announces-100000-for-morgan-state-led,"Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announces $100,000 for Morgan State-Led Initiative to Increase Minority Representation in Engineering",2020-11-18,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $100,000 in federal fundingto helpMorgan State University leada national initiativeto boost minority representation in the engineering sector and improve workforce equity. The projectwill create new opportunitiesforBlack, Hispanic, and other underrepresented minority studentsto accessScience, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs atHistorically Black Colleges and Universities, and atother minority-serving institutions. Growing and diversifying our STEM workforce will help drive greater and more widely shared economic opportunity and prosperity in Maryland and across the country,said the lawmakers, who have long supported Morgan State University and its STEM-related programs.Backed by this recent federal investment, Morgan State willhelpspearhead an urgent, nationwide effort to train a new andmoreinclusive generation of engineering experts. Our delegation will continue to deliver federal funding for programs that expand our workforce and create good-paying jobs for every community inMaryland. In August,severalof the lawmakers announcednearly $1 million to bolster STEM programs at Morgan State University. Last year, Senators Van Hollen and Cardin announced$1.5 million to train STEM facultyand another nearly$1.25 million to build pathways for Black STEM students. Morgan State'sIncreasing the Representation of Minorities in Engineeringprogrambuilds on an existing partnership that includes Jackson State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Ziker Research.Funding comes from the National Science Foundation's Inclusion Across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES) program, which aims to increase diversity and inclusion in STEM-related academic fields and careers.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/sarbanes-discusses-national-security-threats-posed-trumps-nonexistent,Sarbanes Discusses National Security Threats Posed By Trump's Nonexistent Transfer of Power and Provides 2021 Look Ahead,2020-11-18,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"44 Calvert Street, Suite 349 Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: (410) 295-1679 Fax: (410) 295-1682 Hours: Tuesday 11:00 AM -1:00 PM (Or by Appointment)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-baltimore-congressional-delegation-announce-100000-morgan-state,"Sarbanes, Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announce $100,000 for Morgan State-Led Initiative to Increase Minority Representation in Engineering",2020-11-18,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Baltimore Congressional Delegation in announcing $100,000 in federal funding to help Morgan State University lead a national initiative to boost minority representation in the engineering sector and improve workforce equity. The project will create new opportunities for Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority students to access Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs at historically Black colleges and universities, and at other minority-serving institutions. Growing and diversifying our STEM workforce will help drive greater and more widely shared economic opportunity and prosperity in Maryland and across the country, said the lawmakers, who have long supported Morgan State University and its STEM-related programs. Backed by this recent federal investment, Morgan State will spearhead an urgent, nationwide effort to train a new and inclusive generation of engineering experts. Our delegation will continue to deliver federal funding for programs that expand our workforce and create good-paying jobs for every community in America. Morgan State's Increasing the Representation of Minorities in Engineering program builds on an existing partnership that includes Jackson State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and Ziker Research. Funding comes from the National Science Foundation's Inclusion Across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES) program, which aims to increase diversity and inclusion in STEM-related academic fields and careers. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/house-passes-bipartisan-ruppersberger-kinzinger-bill-to-reduce-the-cycle-of,House Passes Bipartisan Ruppersberger-Kinzinger Bill to Reduce the Cycle of Violence in America,2020-11-17,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) The U.S. House of Representatives today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Congressmen C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) to address the revolving door of violent crime in communities across America by expanding hospital-based intervention programs. H.R. 5855, the Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2020, provides $10 million in federal grants to hospitals that want to expand or create programs for patients who are recovering from injuries as a result of violent crime. The bill, which now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration, is modeled off a highly successful program at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where 20 percent of patients are victims of violence, usually stabbings and shootings that have occurred on the streets of Baltimore. Violent crime costs American taxpayers more than $42 billion from police, courts and jails, to the medical expenses of victims, to the lost wages to both victims and perpetrators. One of the leading risk factors for violent injury is prior injury, Congressman Ruppersberger said. If we can help victims of violent injury before they become repeat victims or even perpetrators themselves, we end the cycle and net a cost savings to the American taxpayer. This bill is also critical to our efforts to shift social work away from police and first responders, and back to the experts in mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, unemployment and other areas that often afflict victims of violent crime. Mental health issues are spiking across the country, and unfortunately, so are acts of violence. And the victims are often caught in a vicious cycle of violence. But by supporting victims with the resources and education to pursue a different path, we can stop the cycle of violence and give people hope for a better tomorrow,saidCongressman Kinzinger.Right now, it's important we work together to help and heal those who are struggling. The Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act is a perfect example of how we can join forces and enact policies that will have a real and lasting impact in our communities. I want to thank my colleague Congressman Ruppersberger for working with me on this important legislation and am glad to see it moving forward today. At Maryland's Shock Trauma Center, program participants receive a bed-side assessment, counseling and a broad range of support that could include groceries, bus money, substance abuse treatment, job training or help finding affordable housing. Patients have shown an 83 percent decrease in re-hospitalization due to intentional violent injury, a 75 percent reduction in criminal activity, and an 82 percent increase in employment. The bill requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to select existing and aspiring violence prevention programs from across the country to receive federal grants for expanding services or studying effectiveness. At the end of a 3-year pilot, each hospital will report its findings back to the federal government. Awards will range from $250,000 to $500,000. The bill was first introduced by Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger in 2019, when it was endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Trauma Nurses, the National Association of School Resource Officers, the National League of Cities, the National Network of Hospital-based Violence Intervention Programs, the National District Attorneys Association, and Cure Violence. Since, that list has grown to now include the American Hospital Association, American College of Emergency Physicians, and local elected officials.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-issues-statement-on-firing-of-cisa-chief-chris-krebs,Ruppersberger Issues Statement on Firing of CISA Chief Chris Krebs,2020-11-17,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger this evening issued the following statement after President Donald Trump terminated Chris Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The agency was created in 2018 by legislation signed into law by President Trump, who appointed Krebs as its first director. Krebs earlier this year created a widely-praised Rumor Control website to fact-check information associated with the presidential election. Our country is less safe without Chris Krebs. Chris took his mission seriously and did everything in his power to remain an apolitical arbiter of the truth, earning support at all levels of government, in academia and throughout the private sector. It is precisely because he was so successful at his mission which included safeguarding our election that Chris now finds himself jobless. Chris's team, along with election security leaders across the country,posted a truthful statement that, there is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes or was in any way compromised, which runs counter to President Trump's reckless, dangerous and outright false claims that this election was a security failure. Now, our country finds itself without a smart and capable cyber chief in one of the most vulnerable times our nation has ever seen during a worsening pandemic and in the middle of a presidential transition. Once again, President Trump puts himself before our country. He does not care about the safety and wellbeing of the American people and that is why he lost this election.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/house-passes-ruppersberger-s-bill-to-help-coastal-communities-prepare-for-0,"House Passes Ruppersbergers Bill to Help Coastal Communities Prepare for Storms, Floods",2020-11-16,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation authored by Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) and cosponsored by Congressman Don Young (R-AK) that will help local and state governments protect the country's 95,000 miles of shoreline. The Digital Coast Act will now be considered by the U.S. Senate, which already passed the legislation before technical changes were made. The Digital Coast Act creates a new program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), allowing it to begin a comprehensive mapping process of the nation's shorelines. Coastal communities home to 42 percent of our country's population and millions of businesses that supply most of our gross domestic product will be able to use the data to prepare for storms, manage floods, restore ecosystems and plan smarter developments near America's coasts, harbors, ports and shorelines. Congressman Ruppersberger first introduced the Digital Coast Act in 2010. I have spent a decade pushing this legislation because, while it is critical to coastal communities like mine in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, we all have a stake in protecting America's shorelines, Congressman Ruppersberger said. This bill is more important now than it was when I first introduced it. We're seeing more storms that are stronger and sea level rise is accelerating. We can't wait any longer. Today, we're arming local planners and managers with the tools they need to save people and property. The bipartisan bill was cosponsored by Congressman Don Young, a Republican from Alaska, home to more than 44,000 miles of coastline, much of which is not fully mapped. Today is a great day for our coastlines and waterways. No other state in the nation understands the need for coastal resilience and mapping more than Alaska, said Congressman Young. With more than 44,000 miles of coastline, much of which is not fully mapped, Alaska's coastal communities rely heavily on our waterways and shipping channels to support all forms of social and economic prosperity: goods from the Lower 48, critical transportation needs, search and rescue operations, and the state's largest private-sector employer our fishing industry. The Digital Coast Act is an important step towards developing a system that supports our coastal communities, and I am grateful to my colleagues for supporting it today. I look forward to working with my friends in the Senate to get it across the finish line."" Geospatial mapping information can be complicated, expensive to collect and difficult to use without in-house expertise. The Digital Coast Act will empower NOAA to train decision-makers at the local and state level on how to use the datasets to answer questions about storm surge, erosion, and water level trends. The data will also be available on NOAA's website for free and easy public access. In the Senate, companion legislation was introduced by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). That bill, S. 1069, passed in late September. The House made slight technical amendments that the bill sponsors are hopeful will be adopted by the Senate as well.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/pelosi-democrats-renew-push-overhaul-election-campaign-finance-laws,"Pelosi, Democrats Renew Push to Overhaul Election, Campaign Finance Laws",2020-11-16,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"SpeakerNancy Pelosisaid Monday she would press ahead early next year with a campaign finance and elections overhaul, even as the measure may face the same Senate fate it did this Congress: doom. House Democratspassed their signature overhaul measurein March 2019 and dubbed it HR 1, indicating its priority. Senate Majority LeaderMitch McConnellblocked it in his chamber, however. Even though the Senate majority for the 117th Congress hinges on two runoff elections in Georgia, Democrats and their outside allies said they would still push for the measure, spotlighting McConnell's resistance.The strategy is to keep pointing out that McConnell is the one blocking the bill, Maryland Rep.John Sarbanes, the lead sponsor of the overhaul measure, said Monday during a call with reporters. He sort of crossed his arms on the Senate side from Day One and said that this legislation will not see the light of day. That's not a reason not to continue the fight and to amp it up, which is what we're doing here. Sarbanes acknowledged that even with a Democrat in the White House, the measure's future was uncertain. If Democrats had won the Senate majority outright, it would likely have been atop the chamber's agenda in the new year. As it is, if Democrats win both Georgia Senate seats, the chamber would only be tied with a Vice PresidentKamala Harriscasting the tie-breaking vote.We don't know when and how the opportunity to move this will present itself, but the key is to be ready, Sarbanes said.Pelosi and Sarbanes said during the call that they expect the House to move early next year to pass a bill similar to the current measure, which stretches hundreds of pages. It would set up an optional program to match contributions candidates receive from small donors with six times that amount from the government. It would also institute same-day voter registration and early voting nationwide, and impose new ethics requirements on government officials, among other provisions.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-statement-diwali-0,Sarbanes Statement on Diwali,2020-11-14,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) released the following statement today on Diwali: I would like to wish Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs and every family in Maryland, across the country and around the world a happy Diwali. During this difficult time for our country, we can all find special meaning in this ebullient festival of lights and we can all find solace in its central message: That the light of knowledge and empathy will triumph resoundingly over the darkness of ignorance and indifference. Let's look ahead to a year of healing and prosperity. Saal Mubarak. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/chairs-thompson-maloney-correa-and-raskin-announce-coast-guard-has-made,"CHAIRS THOMPSON, MALONEY, CORREA, AND RASKIN ANNOUNCE COAST GUARD HAS MADE SWEEPING POLICY CHANGES AFTER JOINT COMMITTEE REPORT",2020-11-13,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today,Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS),Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY),Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform,Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, andRep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD),Chairman of the Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, announced that they havereceived noticefrom the U.S. Coast Guard Commandant that he has implemented all of the recommendations contained in the Committees'joint investigatory staff reporton how the Coast Guard has handled reports of harassment, bullying, and retaliation. In hisletter, Admiral Schultz stated that the Coast Guard has implemented these corrective actions to address the numerous deficiencies identified in the Coast Guard's Anti-Harassment and Hate Incident program. We are very pleased that Coast Guard leadership convened a working group and implemented the institutional reforms our Committees recommended,said Chairman Thompson and Subcommittee Chairman Correa.As a result of our investigation, we know the Coast Guard faces major climate and cultural challenges and its leadership lacks proper accountability. The significant policy changes the Commandant has directed are a testament to the bravery of Lieutenant Commander Kimberly Young-McLear and other whistleblowers who have come forward in the face of retaliation. These changes are critical to ensuring that the Coast Guard's anti-harassment and anti-bullying programs are fair and effective. We look forward to continuing to work with the Coast Guard to ensure that, as the Commandant has stated, implementation of these recommendations will be just the start of the service's institutional reforms. Effective anti-harassment and anti-bullying programs are critical to ensuring that Coast Guard Servicemembers can carry out their mission to keep this country safe and secure,said Chairwoman Maloney and Subcommittee Chairman Raskin. We are pleased that the Coast Guard reports it has implemented all of the recommendations set forth in the Committees' joint staff report. That investigation followed years of oversight by our late Chairman Elijah Cummings, who strongly supported those serving our country. We also owe a great debt to Lieutenant Commander Kimberly Young-McLear and other Coast Guard whistleblowers, who bravely came forward to share their experiences. We look forward to continuing to work with the Coast Guard to hold the service to the high standards that we know we can achieve. Background: The Committees'investigationwas initiated over two years ago by then-Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings and then-Ranking Member Thompson, in consultation with Representative Joe Courtney, to examine the handling of complaints of harassment and retaliation in the Coast Guard including at the Coast GuardAcademy, and the Academy's responses to disparities identified in theEquity Scorecard review.The final report was released in December 2019. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-congressional-delegation-members-announce-nearly-24-million-maternal,Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Announce Nearly $2.4 Million for Maternal and Child Health Services,2020-11-13,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $2,337,908 in federal funding to improve maternal and child health care services across the state. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It will help the Maryland Department of Health's Maternal and Child Health Bureau lower maternal mortality, reduce infant mortality and enhance the delivery of maternal care. The alarming rise in maternal and infant mortality across the country especially among communities of color demands swift and urgent action, the lawmakers said. This critical federal funding will helpto bothimprove the delivery of care to expecting mothers and newborns, andaddress some of the glaring inequities in our health care system. Team Maryland will continue working tirelessly to secure federal resources that improve the quality of health care for every family in our state. See here for more information about Maryland's Maternal and Child Health Bureau. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/lawmakers-announce-nearly-24m-funding-maternal-child-health-services,Lawmakers Announce Nearly $2.4M in Funding for Maternal & Child Health Services,2020-11-13,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"On Friday, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin and other lawmakers announced $2,337,908 in federal funding to improve maternal and child health care services across the state. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It will help the Maryland Department of Health's Maternal and Child Health Bureau lower maternal mortality, reduce infant mortality and enhance the delivery of maternal care. The alarming rise in maternal and infant mortality across the country especially among communities of color demands swift and urgent action, the lawmakers said. This critical federal funding will help to both improve the delivery of care to expecting mothers and newborns, and address some of the glaring inequities in our health care system. Team Maryland will continue working tirelessly to secure federal resources that improve the quality of health care for every family in our state.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/what-president-elect-biden-could-mean-climate-and-chesapeake-bay,What President-Elect Biden Could Mean for the Climate and Chesapeake Bay,2020-11-13,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"In terms of the Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort, the Trump EPA failed to crack down on Pennsylvania for dumping on its downstream neighbors. This triggered a lawsuit against EPA by Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.New Biden-appointed leadership at the EPA could put more pressure on Pennsylvania to impose rules on its farmers to keep their manure and fertilizer out of streams. However, it is worth noting that the last time a Democrat was in the White House, the Obama/Biden EPA was equally unwilling to impose any serious penalties on Pennsylvania, even though it was also obvious back then that the state was falling down on its Bay cleanup obligations. Congressman John Sarbanes of Maryland said he and colleagues are committed to pressuring the Biden EPA harder this time around because a deadline in EPA's Bay cleanup plan is now looming in the year 2025. Members who care about the Chesapeake Bay we're going to be speaking with one voice, pushing on the Biden Administration to make a clean break from the policies of this Trump Administration, Sarbanes said. And even to make a break from the kind of, you know, lesser action we saw previous to that when it comes to Chesapeake Bay programs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-maryland-delegation-members-announce-nearly-24-million-maternal,"Sarbanes, Maryland Delegation Members Announce Nearly $2.4 Million for Maternal and Child Health Services",2020-11-13,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in announcing $2,337,908 in federal funding to improve maternal and child health care services across the state. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It will help the Maryland Department of Health's Maternal and Child Health Bureau lower maternal mortality, reduce infant mortality and enhance the delivery of maternal care. The alarming rise in maternal and infant mortality across the country especially among communities of color demands swift and urgent action, the lawmakers said. This critical federal funding will help improve the delivery of care to expecting mothers and newborns, and help address some of the glaring inequities in our health care system. Team Maryland will continue working tirelessly to secure federal resources that improve the quality of health care for every family in our state. See here for more information about Maryland's Maternal and Child Health Bureau. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/oversight-and-homeland-security-committees-demand-ice-cease-deportations,Oversight and Homeland Security Committees Demand ICE Cease Deportations of Victims and Witnesses Alleging Medical Mistreatment at Detention Facilities,2020-11-12,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, senior Members of the Oversight and Reform and Homeland Security Committees sent aletterto Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demanding compliance with itspolicyagainst deporting witnesses and victims in ongoing investigations as the Committees areinvestigatingallegations of medical mistreatment at Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC). Today's letter was signed by Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney; Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Rep. Bennie G. Thompson; Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Chairman Rep. Jamie Raskin; Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, & Operations Chairwoman Rep. Kathleen Rice; and Oversight and Reform Committee Member Rep. Jim Cooper. The Members noted that there are a number of investigations of ICE and its contractors being conducted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General, and several congressional Committees, including their own. We call on ICE to immediately cease efforts to deport any individuals who may be witnesses to or victims of the medical malpractice alleged at ICDC, the Members wrote. Instead, ICE should work in direct consultation with DOJ, the DHS Inspector General, and our Committees to identify witnesses who must not be deported. A complaint filed on September 14, 2020, sets forth detailed allegations of intolerable, inhumane, and illegal mistreatment of detainees at ICDC, including hysterectomies performed without proper informed consent. Deporting women who may be key witnesses in these proceedings would be an obstruction of justice and an abuse of authority, the Members wrote. The Chairs request written confirmation that ICE will immediately halt these deportations no later than November 13, 2020. Click here to read today's letter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/enewsletters/veterans-day-2020,A Special Message for Our Veterans,2020-11-11,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"Dear Friend, Today, on Veterans Day, we salute the courageous men and women who have served and sacrificed to protect our nation. We can never fully repay the debt we owe America's veterans, but we can and I always will work tirelessly to ensure that our veterans receive the health care, education and job opportunities they deserve. My office regularly assists veterans and retired military personnel in Maryland's Third Congressional District. We can help you and your families: Clarify the status of a disability claim, appeal or pension application; Resolve concerns with VA medical centers; and Address issues for military retirees and their spouses regarding retirement pay, survivor's benefits or debt. If you need assistance, please call my office at (410) 832-8890 or email us at https://sarbanes.house.gov/contact. Sincerely, Congressman John Sarbanes Maryland's Third Congressional District",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/gop-doctors-caucus-condemns-governor-s-remarks-vaccine-safety,GOP Doctors Caucus Condemns Governors Remarks on Vaccine Safety,2020-11-10,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. The GOP Doctors Caucus released the following statement after New York Governor Cuomo commented on Operation Warp Speed vaccine safety: Governor Cuomo seems so desperate to prevent any progress that may occur under this administration that he is willing to disparage the credibility and independence of the scientists and doctors who are working around the clock to save lives. His comments that it is bad news' that the Pfizer vaccine is proving to be effective are both extremely sad and dangerous for the health of Americans. It would be unethical to delay distribution of a proven safe vaccine while Americans continue to succumb to the virus. The federal government is coordinating with state governments, tribal leaders, and private industry to ensure that a vaccine can be distributed swiftly to the American people once it is approved, and Americans should be confident that any vaccine developed under Operation Warp Speed will be safe and effective. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-members-urge-governor-hogan-implement-coronavirus-workplace,"Raskin, Maryland Delegation Members Urge Governor Hogan to Implement Coronavirus Workplace Protections for Marylanders",2020-11-10,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Jamie Raskin today led members of the Maryland delegation, including Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, and David Trone (all D-Md.) in urging Governor Hogan to implement coronavirus workplace protections for Marylanders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the Members called on Governor Hogan to issue an executive order directing the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) agency to develop and implement an enforceable emergency temporary standard (ETS) to prevent, contain, and mitigate community spread of COVID-19. The request follows an alarming increase in coronavirus cases across the state, including a seven-day positivity rate exceeding 5% for the first time since June 24 and the most hospitalizations since June 17. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have issued dozens of industry-specific guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 federal guidelines recommended by the CDC and OSHA are voluntary for employers and not enforceable through penalties and citations. However, given that Maryland is one of 22 states with its own occupational safety agency (MOSH) responsible for both the public and private sectors, it is well-situated to leverage its authority to save lives by issuing an ETS. Several states have already issued such protective standards, and neighboring Virginia was the first in the nation to adopt emergency workplace safety standards in response to the pandemic. The Members wrote: Virginia's ETS is considerably more comprehensive than Maryland's updated executive order from October 16, 2020. The October 16th executive order includes some best practices for businesses in the retail and service industry that serve the general public, but it fails to outline broader workplace protections to protect worker rights and proper COVID-19 trainings, communications about possible exposure to the virus, safe staffing operations, and sanitation for all worksites. The Members continued: In the absence of enforceable standards for COVID-19 workplace protections, the health and safety of many workers and their families will continue to depend solely on the discretion of their employers. While many employers have taken this responsibility seriously, others have failed to provide employees with adequate PPE and cleaning supplies, not enforced social distancing requirements, or otherwise failed to protect their workers ... Given that many of our most essential workers during this pandemic are also those most vulnerable to workplace abuse and discrimination, it is critical for an ETS to be issued to empower all workers to understand their rights during this pandemic and establish an efficient and trustworthy system for reporting concerns of inadequate COVID-19 protocols. Last month, the Baltimore-based Public Justice Center filed a lawsuit alleging MOSH has failed to properly investigate workplace hazards, leaving workers vulnerable during the pandemic. Although MOSH has received nearly 500 worker complaints since March 1, it has only conducted on-site inspections in 30 of those cases. Earlier this year, labor and environmental organizations urged Governor Hogan to issue an Executive Order requiring MOSH to adopt new workplace protections to better protect workers during the pandemic. Full text of the letter is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-issue-joint-statement-regarding-pending-deportations-cameroon,Members Issue Joint Statement Regarding Pending Deportations to Cameroon,2020-11-10,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) joined CongressmemberKaren Bass (D-CA),Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa,and Representatives Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Shelia Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), and Joaquin Castro (D-TX) inissuingthe following joint statement: Our offices have been alerted that African asylum-seekers from Cameroon and other African countries, many of whom were allegedly improperly coerced by ICE to sign voluntary deportation orders, will be deported as early as tomorrow morning. Upon their arrival to their designated countries, many will be at imminent risk of death. Their deportation should be put on hold until the new administration is sworn in and able to carefully review these claims. Anything otherwise is outrageous and unacceptable. We plan to introduce a measure this week to condemn this deportation should it take place. The United States should uphold its commitment under international treaties related to refugees and asylum-seekers and halt this unjust deportation.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-issues-statement-in-response-to-pompeos-committment-to-a,"Ruppersberger Issues Statement in Response to Pompeo's Commitment to a ""Smooth Transition to a Second Trump Administration""",2020-11-10,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"I first met Mike Pompeo in 2011 when he was elected to represent Kansas's 4th Congressional District he was appointed to the House Intelligence Committee. As Ranking Member of the Committee, I welcomed him and was impressed with his dedication to serve the American people in Congress. During my time in leadership, he was a productive member of the oversight process. When Mike was nominated to be CIA Director, he again showed promise as a public servant beholden to the American people. I have tried not to criticize Mike personally since he left Congress because I know that, deep down, his inclination is to serve the American people admirably. Unfortunately, it is clear from his comments today, joking or not, that the accumulation of power he has wielded over the last 4 years has allowed him to lose sight of what it means to serve the American people in a democracy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/enewsletters/special-message-our-veterans,A Special Message for Our Veterans,2020-11-10,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"Dear Friend, Today, on Veterans Day, we salute the courageous men and women who have served and sacrificed to protect our nation. We can never fully repay the debt we owe America's veterans, but we can and I always will work tirelessly to ensure that our veterans receive the health care, education and job opportunities they deserve. My office regularly assists veterans and retired military personnel in Maryland's Third Congressional District. We can help you and your families: Clarify the status of a disability claim, appeal or pension application; Resolve concerns with VA medical centers; and Address issues for military retirees and their spouses regarding retirement pay, survivor's benefits or debt. If you need assistance, please call my office at (410) 832-8890 or email us at https://sarbanes.house.gov/contact. Sincerely, Congressman John Sarbanes Maryland's Third Congressional District",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-joins-bipartisan-effort-urging-justice-department-strengthen,Sarbanes Joins Bipartisan Effort Urging Justice Department to Strengthen Punishment Against the Sackler Family for Fueling the Opioid Epidemic,2020-11-10,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined bipartisan demands for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to rescind its decision, at the request of the Sackler family, to turn Purdue Pharma into a public benefit company as part of an $8 billion settlement reached with the family and the company on October 21. The move would help the Sackler family score a public relations victory and evade added financial punishment for intentionally addicting millions of Americans to dangerous opioids. It would also require state and local governments to manufacture OxyContin. While we have several concerns about the adequacy of the entire settlement [with the Sackler family] we strenuously object to the provision that would convert Purdue Pharma into a so-called public benefit company' and urge you to ensure this provision is not included in any final settlement agreement to be approved by the courts, the lawmakers wrote. The idea to convert Purdue Pharma into some form of public trust originated with the Sackler family as a way to artificially inflate the size of their punishment. This proposal is a mirage designed to help the Sacklers keep billions in ill-gotten gains by deceiving the American people into believing they have already been severely punished. The lawmakers continued: Granting the Sacklers' wish to convert their company into some form of a public trust has no precedent in American history. The Sackler/DOJ proposal would permanently transfer the ownership of Purdue Pharma to a trust operated for the benefit of state and local governments in order to resolve Purdue's financial liability for intentionally addicting hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting Americans to powerful opioids for profit. The lawmakers added: We agree with the states' argument that the public trust proposal creates the potential for, or at the least the appearance of, a conflict of interest between a state's ownership interest in the public trust and its law enforcement obligations. The proper role of government in the production of prescription opioids is to enforce regulatory compliance, prevent diversion and hold perpetrators liable for violations. The lawmakers concluded: The solution to this problem is simple: reject the Sackler family's public relations strategy and allow the court to conclude the bankruptcy process by selling Purdue Pharma to a new private owner. While following established bankruptcy law may reduce the settlement headlines, it will hasten financial assistance to the victims of the Sackers' crimes, it will prevent states from maintaining an indefinite association with OxyContin, it will ensure impartiality in government enforcement actions and it will help maintain the public's trust that the rules were not bent to protect billionaires. See below for the full letter. November 10, 2020 The Honorable William P. Barr Attorney General US. Department of Justice 950 Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20530 Dear Attorney General Barr: We write today to express our serious concerns with the Department of Justice's (DOJ) recently announced settlement with Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family. While we have several concerns about the adequacy of the entire settlement, we strenuously object to the provision that would convert Purdue Pharma into a so-called public benefit company and urge you to ensure this provision is not included in any final settlement agreement to be approved by the courts. The idea to convert Purdue Pharma into some form of public trust originated with the Sackler family as a way to artificially inflate the size of their punishment by counting the public trust's future sales of OxyContin as part of the value the Sacklers must forfeit. There is no better example of the success of this public relations strategy than the Department of Justice's own settlement announcement. While headlines announced Purdue's $8 billion settlement, nearly a quarter, or $1.775 billion, of this figure is actually a credit DOJ is providing Purdue [b]ased on the value that would be conferred to State and local governments through the public benefit company. In other words, this proposal is a mirage designed to help the Sacklers keep billions in ill-gotten gains by deceiving the American people into believing they have already been severely punished. Granting the Sacklers' wish to convert their company into some form of a public trust has no precedent in American history. The Chairman of the Board of Directors for Purdue Pharma has suggested this proposal is similar to when the federal government took an ownership interest in AIG following the 2008 financial crisis. But that temporary arrangement, the functional equivalent of a loan, was only to ensure the federal government was repaid for the taxpayer-funded financial assistance provided to AIG. Once repayment occurred, the ownership interest was terminated. In contrast, the Sackler/DOJ proposal would permanently transfer the ownership of Purdue Pharma to a trust operated for the benefit of state and local governments in order to resolve Purdue's financial liability for intentionally addicting hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting Americans to powerful opioids for profit. Another important contrast is that in 2008 the federal government imposed the ownership interest obligation on itself. Here the federal government is attempting to resolve Purdue's financial liability to the federal government by forcing state and local governments to assume an indefinite obligation to direct the operations of an opioid manufacturer. On October 14, 2020, 25 state Attorneys General wrote to you explicitly asking DOJ not to mandate that Purdue be preserved as a public benefit company. As policymakers, we agree with the states' argument that the public trust proposal creates the potential for, or at the least the appearance of, a conflict of interest between a state's ownership interest in the public trust and its law enforcement obligations. The proper role of government in the production of prescription opioids is to enforce regulatory compliance, prevent diversion and hold perpetrators liable for violations. An ownership interest in the production of OxyContin would that mean states may be forced to balance these enforcement interests with their interest in the products or revenue produced by the public trust. Moreover, entangling government with this company may also create conflicts and doubts regarding the government's ability to regulate other companies in the industry that are its suppliers, customers and competitors. This apparent conflict will undermine the public's faith in state enforcement activity. Never in American history have federal courts used the bankruptcy process to achieve this outcome. That is why there is so much confusion and uncertainty about how this public benefit corporation will operate. No one knows the answers to simple questions like: Who would sit on the board of directors? Who would receive the profits from the sale of OxyContin? How would profits be distributed? These are questions of policy that must be resolved by Congress, not the courts. But Congress has never addressed these issues because state ownership of private business has never been considered an appropriate outcome of bankruptcy proceedings. To force the court to create this new bankruptcy outcome would set a dangerous precedent. Finally, injecting this novel and confusing issue into an already complex bankruptcy process will only further delay the financial assistance state and local governments need to respond to the harms caused by Purdue's illegal actions. Final resolution of Purdue's bankruptcy will be delayed, not only by forcing the court to create an entirely new legal framework for the operation of a public benefit corporation, but also by the appeals that will inevitably flow from the opposition of half the states. The solution to this problem is simple: reject the Sackler family's public relations strategy to fabricate a novel legal solution and allow the court to conclude the bankruptcy process by selling Purdue Pharma to a new private owner. While following established bankruptcy law may reduce the settlement headlines, it will hasten financial assistance to the victims of the Sackers' crimes, it will prevent states from maintaining an indefinite association with OxyContin, it will ensure impartiality in government enforcement actions and it will help maintain the public's trust that the rules were not bent to protect billionaires. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Sincerely, /signatures/ ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-maryland-delegation-members-announce-100000-assist-low-income,"Sarbanes, Maryland Delegation Members Announce $100,000 to Assist Low-Income Families in Anne Arundel County and Charles County with Home Repairs",2020-11-10,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, along with Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer and Anthony G. Brown (all D-Md.), in announcing $100,000 in federal funding to help repair and rehabilitate homes for low-income residents in Anne Arundel County and Charles County. The economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has left many Maryland families strapped for cash and unable to afford basic home repairs, the lawmakers said. These federal dollars will help improve the safety and security of homes across Anne Arundel County and Charles County. Our delegation will continue supporting Maryland families as we work to get to the other side of this public health emergency. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Housing Preservation Grant Program. It will provide grants and low-interest loans to Anne Arundel County and Charles County homeowners to help make critical repairs that ensure homes meet local property and safety standards. Funding includes $50,000 for Rebuilding Together in Anne Arundel County and $50,000 for the Charles County Commissioners. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-maryland-delegation-members-urge-governor-hogan-implement-covid,"Sarbanes, Maryland Delegation Members Urge Governor Hogan to Implement COVID-19 Workplace Protections for Marylanders",2020-11-10,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,John Sarbanes,S001168,sarbanes.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in urging Governor Larry Hogan (R) to implement coronavirus workplace protections for Marylanders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the Members called on Governor Hogan to issue an executive order directing the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) agency to develop and implement an enforceable emergency temporary standard (ETS) to prevent, contain and mitigate community spread of COVID-19. The request follows an alarming increase in coronavirus cases across the state, including a seven-day positivity rate exceeding 5 percentfor the first time since June 24 and the most hospitalizations since June 17. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have issued dozens of industry-specific guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 federal guidelines recommended by the CDC and OSHA are voluntary for employers and not enforceable through penalties and citations. However, given that Maryland is one of 22 states with its own occupational safety agency (MOSH) responsible for both the public and private sectors, it is well-situated to leverage its authority to save lives by issuing an ETS. Several states have already issued such protective standards, and neighboring Virginia was the first in the nation to adopt emergency workplace safety standards in response to the pandemic. The Members wrote: Virginia's ETS is considerably more comprehensive than Maryland's updated executive order from October 16, 2020. The October 16th executive order includes some best practices for businesses in the retail and service industry that serve the general public, but it fails to outline broader workplace protections to protect worker rights and proper COVID-19 trainings, communications about possible exposure to the virus, safe staffing operations and sanitation for all worksites. The Members continued: In the absence of enforceable standards for COVID-19 workplace protections, the health and safety of many workers and their families will continue to depend solely on the discretion of their employers. While many employers have taken this responsibility seriously, others have failed to provide employees with adequate PPE and cleaning supplies, not enforced social distancing requirements or otherwise failed to protect their workers. Given that many of our most essential workers during this pandemic are also those most vulnerable to workplace abuse and discrimination, it is critical for an ETS to be issued that will empower all workers to understand their rights during this pandemic and establish an efficient and trustworthy system for reporting concerns of inadequate COVID-19 protocols. Last month, the Baltimore-based Public Justice Center filed a lawsuit alleging MOSH has failed to properly investigate workplace hazards, leaving workers vulnerable during the pandemic. Although MOSH has received nearly 500 worker complaints since March 1, it has only conducted on-site inspections in 30 of those cases. Earlier this year, labor and environmental organizations urged Governor Hogan to issue an Executive Order requiring MOSH to adopt new workplace protections to better protect workers during the pandemic. See here for a full copy of the letter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-issues-statement-on-termination-of-defense-secretary-mark,Ruppersberger Issues Statement on Termination of Defense Secretary Mark Esper,2020-11-09,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Defense Appropriator and Maryland Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger today issued the following statement after President Donald Trump terminated Secretary of Defense Mark Esper via Twitter: I have known Secretary Esper for over a decade. He is a man of principles, and that includes taking a stand against President Trump's efforts to dispatch troops to peaceful protests across the country and expressing an openness to removing echoes of the Confederacy from U.S. military property. We should expect more petty score-settling over the next ten weeks of the waning Trump presidency. Our national security is our most fundamental and important responsibility as federal elected officials. In rotating through five Secretaries and Acting Secretaries of Defense in four years, Donald Trump has made clear to the world that he does not take this responsibility serious enough. A peaceful and productive transition of power is a hallmark of our American democracy. Both the President and President Elect must coordinate to ensure a seamless hand-off, especially when it comes to our national security. Rather than sowing confusion, we should be projecting strength to our adversaries and unity to our allies.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z