Updates

Massive national COVID relief bill a ‘lifeline’ for Baltimore, mayor says
Jeff Barker, The Baltimore Sun

A $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill that Congress passed Wednesday contains an “unprecedented” level of funding for Baltimore and other Maryland cities and counties that have been clamoring for help after seeing revenues plunge because of the coronavirus pandemic, state lawmakers said.

“This is my 15th year and I don’t know of a more important bill that we passed,” said U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat from Baltimore. “The aid to Baltimore City is unprecedented. We have not had a bill that provides such a significant amount of help to our urban centers.”

Click here to continue reading.

Rep. Sarbanes: Failure to pass HR 1 'would split our democracy in two'
CNN ('Tonight with Don Lemon')

CNN's Don Lemon speaks to Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) about HR 1, a sweeping government, ethics and election bill that, among other things, would counter state-level Republican efforts to restrict voting access, which was just passed in the Democratic-led House.

Click here to watch.

I am deeply grateful to the voters for re-electing me to Maryland's 3rd Congressional District. As our country continues to face major challenges, I will work my hardest to ensure we have a government of, by and for the people that advances fairness, justice and a decent quality of life for every family and every community.

Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in urging Governor Larry Hogan to increase the state’s focus on halting the disproportionate spread of COVID-19 among Maryland’s Latino communities and delivering targeted relief to Latino families.

House Democrats Renew Calls for Bill Giving Election Agency More Funding and Responsibility
Courtney Bublé, The Government Executive

Following news from intelligence officials on Wednesday evening of foreign election interference attempts, several House lawmakers are renewing their calls for the Senate to take up their massive reform bill that would bolster the funding and responsibilities of the nation’s elections clearinghouse.

Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Christopher Wray gave an unexpected press briefing on Wednesday—13 days out from the election—in which they said that Iran and Russia obtained voter registration information in attempts to meddle in U.S. elections. They said that voting remains secure, but House lawmakers renewed the call for the Senate to take up their “2019 For the People Act,” which the chamber passed in March 2019 and has specific provisions to beef up the Election Assistance Commission.

Click here to continue reading.

Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) released the following statement today after co-sponsoring a resolution that condemns Azerbaijan's recent military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh and denounces Turkey's role in the conflict (H.Res. 1165):

“Azerbaijan and Turkey must answer for the unprovoked offensive launched against Nagorno-Karabakh by the Aliyev government. This attack – which has inflicted casualties deeply anguishing to Armenians everywhere – is a wake-up call for U.S. policymakers who have too often downplayed or excused Azerbaijan's aggressive actions in the region.

Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in announcing $1,675,000 in federal funding to improve bus safety and prevent hazards on rail systems in Maryland.

“The safety of our regional transportation networks must be a top priority,” the lawmakers said. “This new federal funding will upgrade Maryland’s rail systems with warning technology that helps bolster safety and reliability for Maryland commuters. Our delegation will always work to deliver resources that modernize and expand public transportation in our state.”

Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in announcing $100,000 in federal funding for Maryland Public Television (MPT) to develop personalized learning experiences for children, especially those in low-income communities.

Funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Ready to Learn (RTL) Grant Program.

During a House Government Operations Subcommittee hearing today, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) called on Congress to provide more resources to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to help improve the delivery of tax credits, tax refunds and COVID-19 relief checks for hardworking American families, and to crack down on wealthy tax cheats and fraudsters who continue to abuse the tax system.