Updates
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In the News: Postal Service reviewing staffing following complaints of mail delays in Baltimore area
August 10, 2020
Postal Service reviewing staffing following complaints of mail delays in Baltimore area
Jeff Barker, The Baltimore SunFrustrated lawmakers made surprise visits Monday to post offices in Dundalk and Essex, as the U.S. Postal Service said it was reviewing its staffing following complaints of severe mail delivery delays in the Baltimore area.
Rep. John Sarbanes, a Baltimore County Democrat, recently joined other federal lawmakers in expressing concern that the Postal Service’s new cost-reduction policies will reduce delivery trips, potentially leaving mail on docks or workroom floors.
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Sarbanes Statement on the Baltimore Gas Explosion
August 10, 2020
We are grateful for Baltimore’s firefighters and first responders, who answered the call and saved the lives of our fellow community members after this morning’s terrible gas explosion. My heart goes out to the families, neighbors and friends of the victims.
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In the News: Federal Dollars Awarded for Human Trafficking Survivors in Montgomery County
August 5, 2020
Federal Dollars Awarded for Human Trafficking Survivors in Montgomery County
Suzanne Pollack, Montgomery County MediaThe University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom and Empowerment (SAFE) Center for Human Trafficking Survivors, which aids survivors of human trafficking in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, was awarded $500,000 in federal funding.
“The Coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the need for stable, supportive housing for survivors,” according to U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Representatives Jamie Raskin, John Sarbanes, Steny Hoyer and David Trone.
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In the News: Maryland congressional delegation requests $32 billion more relief funding for U.S. transit systems
July 31, 2020
Maryland congressional delegation requests $32 billion more relief funding for U.S. transit systems
Colin Campbell, The Baltimore SunMaryland’s congressional delegation is asking for an additional $32 billion in coronavirus relief funding for U.S. public transit systems — and for a larger share to go to transit systems serving mid-sized cities, such as Baltimore, where people depend heavily on the regional buses and trains.
Public transit is an essential government service, and additional aid “is necessary to sustain operations across the country,” U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Reps. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, Kweisi Mfume and John Sarbanes said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Friday.
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In the News: Census Door Knocking Cut A Month Short Amid Pressure To Finish Count
July 30, 2020
Census Door Knocking Cut A Month Short Amid Pressure To Finish Count
Hansi Lo Wang, NPRThe Census Bureau is cutting short critical door-knocking efforts for the 2020 census amid growing concerns among Democrats in Congress that the White House is pressuring the bureau to wrap up counting soon for political gain, NPR has learned.
Asked by Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., if he was aware that the Trump administration reportedly wants to wrap up counting quickly so that the president can receive the census apportionment numbers by the end of the year, Dillingham replied: "I'm not aware of all the many reasons except to say that the Census Bureau and others really want us to proceed as rapidly as possible."
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In the News: Trump’s pitch to delay election is ‘absurd,’ suggests he could try to hold job if he loses, Maryland Dems say
July 30, 2020
Trump’s pitch to delay election is ‘absurd,’ suggests he could try to hold job if he loses, Maryland Dems say
Jeff Barker, The Baltimore SunPresident Donald Trump’s pitch to delay the Nov. 3 presidential election “reeks of desperation” and is an ill-conceived attempt to smear the sort of mail-in voting that Maryland employed in its June primary, Democratic members of the state’s congressional delegation said Thursday.
Trump should “cease his attempts to delegitimize mailed ballots and stop sowing discord over the integrity of our elections,” said Rep. John Sarbanes, a Baltimore County Democrat.
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Sarbanes Secures $10 Million in Federal Funding for School-Based Health Centers Across the Country
July 17, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) secured $10 million in federal funding for School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) in the Fiscal Year 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies funding bill, which passed favorably out of the House Appropriations Committee today and will soon receive a full vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Congressman Sarbanes, a longtime advocate for SBHCs and a prominent member of the House Health Subcommittee, led the effort to secure this new funding commitment.
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Sarbanes, Maryland Congressional Delegation Announce Nearly $300,000 for University of Maryland Bee Research
July 17, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in announcing $299,159 in federal funding for the University of Maryland College Park to support research efforts focused on predicting and mitigating honeybee colony losses.
“Agriculture – a leading economic driver in Maryland – depends on healthy pollinators,” the lawmakers said. “This important investment in bee colony research will help deliver new and innovative solutions to protect bee populations across the state and help Maryland farmers.”
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Sarbanes Secures Federal Funding to Support National Health Care Workforce Commission
July 17, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) secured $3 million in federal funding for the National Health Care Workforce Commission as part of the Fiscal Year 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) funding bill, which passed favorably out of the House Appropriations Committee today and will soon receive a full vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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In the News: FIREFIGHTERS RECEIVE $400,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING
July 16, 2020
FIREFIGHTERS RECEIVE $400,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING
SUZANNE POLLAK, Montgomery Community MediaMaryland’s federal legislators announced July 16 the awarding of almost $400,000 for firefighters in Montgomery County to continue purchasing personal protective equipment.
Montgomery County will receive $357,800 and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad will receive $45,780 through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters – COVID-19 Supplemental program.
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Sarbanes, Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announce More Than $6 Million for Early Childhood Education in Baltimore Area
July 14, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Baltimore Congressional Delegation in announcing $6,008,317 in federal funding for Head Start and Early Head Start programs at the YMCA of Central Maryland.
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Maryland Congressional Delegation Writes to Governor Hogan Expressing Concern with His Plan for the November 3 Election
July 13, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in writing to Governor Larry Hogan (R) to express their concern with his plan to proceed with in-person voting for the November 3 general election.
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Sarbanes Opposes Trump Administration Attack on International Students Studying at American Colleges and Universities
July 13, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined hundreds of his colleagues in criticizing the Trump Administration’s latest attempt to undermine America’s institutions of higher education and denigrate international students.
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In the News: Maryland Congressional Democrats Question Gov. Hogan's Election Day Plan
July 10, 2020
Maryland Congressional Democrats Question Gov. Hogan's Election Day Plan
Tyler Waldman, WBAL (Online)The nine Democrats in Maryland's 10-member congressional delegation sent a letter to Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday expressing worry over his latest plans for Election Day.
This week, Hogan said he intends for all polling places to be open and asked the Maryland State Board of Elections that all eligible voters be sent an application for an absentee ballot.
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Sarbanes, Cardin, Van Hollen, Ruppersberger, Mfume Announce More Than $1.5 Million for Ellicott City Flood Recovery and Mitigation
July 10, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes today joined U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, along with Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.), in announcing $1,515,201 through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for flood prevention and recovery efforts in Howard County.
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Sarbanes, Maryland Congressional Delegation Urge FEMA to Provide COVID-19 Relief to State and Local Communities
July 6, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined the Maryland Congressional Delegation in urging Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Peter Gaynor to approve Maryland’s request for an increase in federal resources to support local communities amid the COVID-19 crisis.
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Sarbanes Calls on Congress to Oppose Corporate Tax Breaks and Focus on Delivering COVID-19 Economic Relief and Health Care Benefits to American Families
July 6, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes today joined more than 100 Members of Congress in calling on Congressional Leadership to strongly oppose ongoing attempts by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans to deliver more tax giveaways to corporations and wealthy individuals.
The Members urged Congress to focus its COVID-19 relief effort on providing American families with additional economic relief and better access to high-quality health care.
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Sarbanes, Cardin, Van Hollen Announce More Than $10.7 Million in Federal Funding for BWI Airport
July 5, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes today joined U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (all D-Md.) in announcing $10,750,084 in federal funding for infrastructure improvements at Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Thurgood Marshall Airport.
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Sarbanes Secures Big Wins for the Chesapeake Bay and for Energy Grid Modernization As House Passes Massive Infrastructure Overhaul Bill
July 5, 2020
Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today voted to pass the Moving Forward Act (H.R. 2), a bill to significantly enhance and modernize American transportation systems and infrastructure in communities across the country.
The bill contains several environmental provisions authored, led and secured by Congressman Sarbanes, including:
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Sarbanes Backs Efforts to Expand Mental Health Services and Support Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
July 4, 2020
At a House Health Subcommittee hearing today, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) called on Congress to boost federal investments in mental health services across the country, especially as millions of Americans grapple with the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.
“… We know the stress of [COVID-19] is like nothing we’ve seen before,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “It’s taking a huge toll on our healthcare workforce.”
Sarbanes continued: “We’ve got to address the stigma and we have to put the resources behind these efforts.”