Dear Friend:

I wanted to take a moment to share an update about how my staff and I have been working for the people of Maryland’s Eighth District. It remains a surpassing and singular honor to serve as your Representative in Congress.

As always, I encourage all of my constituents across the Eighth District to connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Threads. If you need help with a federal agency and want to request my assistance, please complete the online request form here, and my District Office will be in touch.

All Best, 

Jamie Raskin

Rep. Raskin’s October in Photos

Staying Focused on Helping People Affected by Violence in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza

My heart is with everyone grieving and suffering at home and abroad as violence traumatizes Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. As I have relayed in statements this past month, I support Israel’s right to defend itself by working to remove the terrorist death cult of Hamas from operational control in Gaza, urge the immediate release of the more than 240 hostages still held and endangered by Hamas, continue to promote strong measures to protect innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza from military violence and to increase aid to address the deepening humanitarian crisis there, and continue to advocate for the pursuit of a two-state solution and peace in the region. 

My office is in close touch with many of our constituents who have been affected by violence in the region. As my staff and I continue to help Eighth District constituents in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza return home, I’m sharing a new page of my website consolidating resources from the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Israel. Critically, the website page explains that U.S. citizens seeking to contact the U.S. Embassy in Israel should fill out the State Department Crisis Intake Form to connect with the U.S. Department of State’s 24/7 support services. U.S. citizens can fill out the form or call 1-833-890-9595, 1-606-641-0131 or the local line 03-519-7426 to get in touch. I also received a briefing from the State Department and have been closely monitoring the situation on the ground for American citizens in Gaza and urging neighboring countries to help our State officials bring citizens home.

Also in October, I wrote Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel requesting that the IRS extend the October 16, 2023 federal tax filing and payment extension deadline for Americans affected by the crisis in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. The IRS heeded my call and announced that Americans affected by the violence will now have until October 7, 2024 to file federal returns, make payments and perform other tax-related actions.

Spreading the Word About Open Enrollment and Lowering Health Care Costs

Democrats in Congress and the Biden administration have been hard at work lowering health care costs for those who need it most, and America is already seeing meaningful results. On October 15, Medicare Open Enrollment began, giving seniors the opportunity to enroll or change their coverage, and this year, they can choose Medicare plans with cost-saving benefits passed in Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act. I’m excited to share some of those options for seniors to keep in mind when selecting a 2024 plan:

• The cost of insulin for Medicare Part D beneficiaries is now capped at $35 a month per covered insulin product.
• Recommended vaccines are now covered by Medicare Part D without cost-sharing. That means no out-of-pocket cost for vaccines to prevent shingles, tetanus, hepatitis, COVID-19, and flu. 
• In 2024, Medicare benefit design changes will limit out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs for Part D enrollees who have high drug costs above a certain threshold. In 2025 Medicare beneficiaries’ annual out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs covered by Medicare Part D will be capped at $2,000 per year, benefiting an estimated 1.4 million Medicare beneficiaries annually, according to KFF, and thousands of beneficiaries within Maryland’s 8th District.
• If a drug company raises the price of certain prescription drugs covered under Medicare Parts B & D by more than the rate of inflation, the manufacturer will have to pay the difference in price back to Medicare. These provisions are expected to discourage drug companies from increasing prices faster than inflation, resulting in more money for Medicare to cover costs and lower out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries.

To learn more about Medicare Open Enrollment and how you can change your plan or to spread the word to the seniors in your life, visit medicare.gov. You can also explore your Medicare coverage options using Medicare’s plan comparison tool. Please be advised that Medicare Open enrollment will close on December 7.

The Maryland State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides free information and counseling regarding Medicare, including coverage changes, prescription drug coverage, and programs for individuals with limited income. They can be reached at 301-255-4250 in Montgomery County and 301-265-8471 in Prince George’s County.

In addition, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Open Enrollment Period for Maryland began on November 1 and will end on December 15. Marylanders looking to enroll in health insurance or change their plan can visit MarylandHealthConnection.gov. This website provides guidance for your next steps to renew or change your health plan, and can connect you with someone to discuss your private health plan options. 

Provisions in President Biden and Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act are making the ACA marketplace more affordable. 4 out of 5 Americans can find plans for $10 or less through the implementation of advance premium tax credits expanded by the American Rescue Plan in 2021.

Commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month 

This Hispanic Heritage Month, I named David Del Pozo of the Montgomery County Latino Health Initiative as a Local Hero. I deeply appreciate local leaders like David who dismantle barriers and empower community members to access care.

To close Hispanic Heritage Month, I hosted my annual Eighth District Hispanic Heritage Student Awards Ceremony, recognizing 23 high school scholars in our district for academic, extracurricular and community service excellence. I’m immensely proud of everything these Hispanic and Latina/o/x/e students have accomplished so far, and I know I join our entire community in looking forward to their future success. 

Promoting Common Sense in the House of Representatives

After conservatives deposed Kevin McCarthy from the House Speakership, legislative operations ground to a halt in the House. For three weeks, the House GOP was unable to mount a candidate for Speaker who could muster sufficient support within their conference to clinch the election on the House Floor. Meantime, each one of my Democratic colleagues and I enthusiastically threw our support behind Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a demonstration of our caucus’ unity and shared purpose. 

After three weeks of being stuck in electoral deadlock without a House Speaker, I am more passionate than ever about the necessity of adopting ranked-choice voting across America and in our congressional leadership elections. Check out my op-ed with Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia where we made our case in MSNBC last month. When voters can rank their choices, candidates are motivated to campaign with the full electorate in mind, rather than cater to an extreme minority. Ranked-choice voting is a win-win, with the potential to make our Congress not only more representative, but far more functional.

After the GOP selected their new Speaker, Louisiana congressman and Trump ally Representative Mike Johnson, I joined Chris Hayes on MSNBC to elaborate on my substantive policy concerns about the agenda of Speaker Johnson and the GOP majority. 

Leading Democrats on the House Oversight Committee

On the House Oversight Committee, my Democratic colleagues and I proudly pursue our congressional oversight duties, rooting out waste, fraud, and corruption, and promoting ethical and responsible government. This October, I led Democrats in underscoring the constitutional importance of freedom of religion, defending the IRS against partisan sabotage and more. 

Recognizing the Local Heroes of the Eighth District 

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time to highlight and celebrate employment opportunities for our friends and neighbors with disabilities. I was proud to feature Karen Lee of SEEC, who cultivates employment opportunities and inclusion across the Eighth District, as our first Local Hero of October.

The Montgomery County approach to ending homelessness integrates mental health, substance use treatment, employment and housing. On the program in October, Local Hero Kim Ball of Montgomery County’s Services to End and Prevent Homelessness described her work promoting the full range of care our county provides. 

Rockville’s own Dr. Jennifer Son helped us recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month with insights on the importance of self-exams, mammograms and seeking care. Breast cancer is the number one cancer affecting women, this Local Hero explained, but it is in some cases eminently treatable and curable when patients have all the information they need and can receive timely care.

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