You and I both know that for decades, Maryland has had a symbiotic relationship with our federal government — and we have been proud of the accomplishments of Marylanders who are also federal workers and contractors. Under this administration, though, that relationship is breaking.

To understand the impact we are feeling now, we needed a true baseline of what has been — and I’m proud that my agency has now produced that report.

Our latest research report assesses the impact of the federal government on Maryland’s economy. In partnership with the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, we’ve examined the economic impact of federal government spending and federal employment in Maryland.

Here’s what we found:

• Maryland has the third-highest number of federal jobs in the country, with at least 229,000 Marylanders employed by the federal government in civilian positions.


• The federal government awards $46.2 billion in contracts for work to be performed in Maryland, plus $37.7 billion in direct payments, like Social Security and veterans’ benefits.


• About 153,000 Maryland households receive $8.8 billion in federal retirement income each year….

This report is a baseline to understand the impact of federal decisions — like workforce reductions, cuts to research funding, and changes to veterans’ benefits — on Maryland’s economy and families.

Later this summer, we will release a second report that will examine the impact of federal spending decisions made by the Trump administration on our economy.

Thank you for your continued support. I’m proud of the work we’re doing to help make informed policy decisions in the future.

My best,

(She, Her, Hers)