Newsroom

As we join together to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, let us reaffirm his message of brotherhood and sisterhood as a foundation for our common enterprise of American democracy. 

This week, House Democrats voted every day to reopen government and end the Trump shutdown. 

The needless continuation of the Trump shutdown is unacceptable and detrimental to our nation and its economy.  Democrats have offered one idea after another to reopen government, and we will continue to vote on legislation to end the Trump shutdown.

I'm offering this resolution today because it is deeply concerning that the Treasury Department would terminate sanctions from companies owned by Oleg Deripaska.  Mr. Deripaska is a Russian oligarch, meaning he's very, very wealthy. 

Our Russian – I won't call them enemies, but adversaries – at least, are very happy, I’m sure, that the American government is shut down. 

[Democrats] have supported a lot of resources and expansion of border security personnel, border security technology, all sorts of things that have been designed to make the border more secure.

Today, House Democrats once again voted to reopen government while 187 House Republicans voted to keep it shut down.  Meanwhile, 800,000 federal employees and their families are finding it harder to make ends meet, and Americans across the country are being denied the services they expect from their government. 

Our first day, on January 3, [House Democrats] passed legislation that would have opened every agency of government, for a short time, to be sure, for Homeland Security, but would have opened up all government agencies with Senate bills. 

Four times last week we passed bills to open up the government. Today, we passed a bill to open up the government. Holding us responsible for keeping us shut down is irrational.

I am glad that a federal judge today acted to prevent the Trump Administration from tampering with the 2020 Census.  Our founding generation created the decennial census in order to ensure an accurate count of all those living within our borders, subject to our laws, and participating in our economy.

There can be no room for racist and bigoted language aimed at hate and harm in our national discourse, and I join in the wholehearted condemnation of Rep. Steve King’s comments.

Representing the people of Maryland’s Fifth District, including the 62,000 federal employees, is one of my greatest honors. Every day, federal employees in Maryland and throughout the nation work hard to serve the American people by strengthening our national security, protecting our health and safety, and supporting economic development and the growth of prosperity.