   
Dear Neighbor:
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 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, and Instagram. 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 September in Photos
Securing Federal Funding for Maryland
The Maryland Democratic congressional delegation and I are continually advocating for robust federal investment across our state. In September, I was proud to announce with my colleagues several key initiatives in Montgomery, Frederick and Carroll counties that will:
Confronting Corporate Lawsuits Targeting Climate Activists
For too long, corporations have weaponized bogus lawsuits to silence protestors and climate activists, threatening bankruptcy to anyone who dares to challenge them. In September, I chaired a hearing in the House Oversight Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee to investigate how these “strategic lawsuits against public participation, or "SLAPP," weaponize our legal system and curb First Amendment freedoms. You can watch our hearing and learn more about SLAPP here.
In conjunction with the hearing, I introduced the SLAPP Protection Act, to establish procedures to dismiss and deter these meritless lawsuits and punish entities that attempt to use litigation to stifle First Amendment protected speech. You can read more about the SLAPP Protection Act here.
On the Floor: Protecting Press Freedom, Ensuring a Fair Census
I’m thrilled to report that in September, my bill, H.R. 4330, the PRESS Act, passed the House with unanimous bipartisan support! With this bill closer than ever to becoming law, a federal press shield that affords journalists protection from government overreach and abuse of subpoena power is finally within our reach. I spoke on the House Floor in support of the central, bipartisan mission of protecting a free and unmuzzled press, and you can watch some of my remarks here or by clicking the image above. For more information about my PRESS Act, you can visit my website.
In September, I was also proud to vote for H.R. 8326, the Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act. It’s imperative we protect cornerstone public institutions like the Census Bureau from political interference, and this bill would bolster Census operations, better insulate it from partisan politics and more. You can read more about the Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act here.
Last month, my colleagues on the January 6th Select Committee, Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Liz Cheney, introduced H.R. 8873, the Presidential Election Reform Act, to reform the Electoral Count Act and protect congressional certification of electoral college votes. I proudly voted for this bipartisan legislation that would ensure that no partisan actor can again attempt to hijack the certification process and exploit ensuing chaos and confusion like America saw on January 6th, 2021. Although I’ve long sounded the alarm about the inherent antidemocratic structure of the Electoral College, protecting our counting and certification processes is an essential, urgent step in triaging our democratic institutions from continued attacks. You can read more about the Presidential Election Reform Act here.
I also voted to pass H.R. 7780, the Mental Health Matters Act, in September, which supports students, educators, and families through our nation’s escalating mental health crisis. This comprehensive package will increase the number of school-based mental health providers and ensure that private insurance plans fulfill their obligation to cover mental health care and substance use disorder treatment. You can read more about the Mental Health Matters Act here.
Memorializing our “Forgotten Founder” Thomas Paine
Despite his catalytic role in building America and our constitutional republic, the visionary founding father Thomas Paine remains too often on the forgotten outskirts of history. It is way past time for Congress to give Paine the central place of respect and awe he deserves in our nation’s capital, so I’m delighted to report that this past month, my bill to memorialize Paine’s legacy with a physical monument in Washington won unanimous support from the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, the National Park Service’s entity tasked with evaluating potential commemorative works in the District of Columbia. This common-sense monument will exalt American democracy and freedom, and amazingly, construction is already pre-funded by a flood of voluntary contributions and pledges from private citizens. You can click here to read more about my efforts to memorialize Thomas Paine.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
Mid-September marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, when our nation recognizes the contributions of the Hispanic community to our culture, economy and democracy. Our observation continues into October, when I’ve honored young Latino students across our district for academic and leadership excellence and recognize more Local Heroes within our community. Our first local hero of Hispanic Heritage Month was Carmen Hernandez, whose work at Impact Silver Spring strengthens our community and civic action across our district. You can watch my full conversation with Carmen Hernandez here.
Ending Hunger and Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
On Wednesday, September 28, the Biden-Harris Administration convened the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health to chart out a national strategy on ending hunger in our country by 2030, improving nutrition and encouraging physical activity, and reducing diet-related diseases. I was thrilled to participate in this historic conference that brought together hundreds of anti-hunger advocates and activists, elected officials, and business, faith and philanthropy leaders. I bumped into our MD08 Local Hero Jackie DeCarlo who leads the Manna Food Center in Montgomery County, which serves over 50,000 people in our community each year. Among the many ambitious and achievable actions included in the National Strategy, I was pleased that it included my proposal to expand vegetarian options at federal facilities. You can watch President Biden’s opening remarks at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health here.
In Committee: Defending Abortion Access
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Senator Lindsey Graham introduced legislation to enact a national abortion ban, pro-freedom and pro-choice America faces a terrifying new reality where our most basic right to privacy in reproductive choice is under siege. Extreme anti-choice politicians need to be reminded that their position is grossly out of step with the American people, a case that I made in a recent House Oversight Committee hearing. You can watch those remarks from the House Oversight Committee here.
Commemorating Labor Day
To commemorate Labor Day, I was thrilled to recognize Sam Sadow and Aubrey Hill of American University as Local Heroes. Alongside SEIU Local 500, they successfully organized a contract with the university for fairer pay and benefits. As a proud former professor at the American University Washington College of Law, I commend these tenacious organizers for helping the university to live up to its values. You can watch this Labor Day segment of Local Hero here.
Honoring the Local Heroes of the Eighth District
Did you know that there are five regional service centers in Montgomery County hard at work serving community needs? Last month, I was delighted to feature Jewru Bandeh, who leads the Eastern Regional Office in Silver Spring, as a Local Hero. Jewru not only liaises between business, residents and government, he embodies constituent service and makes county government work for us all. To watch my Local Hero segment with Jewru Bandeh, click here.
Rain or shine, sleet or snow, our community has a steadfast postal advocate in United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Inspector Charles Wickersham. Inspector Wickersham has been an indispensable partner as my office works to resolve mail misdeliveries and thefts in the Eighth District. In our conversation, Inspector Wickersham reviewed the role of the USPIS and reminded neighbors that if they think they are witnessing a postal crime in progress, they should call 911—but if they want to report more general information, they should get in touch with USPIS at 877-876-2455 or at the USPIS website here. I encourage you to watch my conversation with Inspector Wickersham here.
Unlike Montgomery and Frederick counties, Carroll County adopted a commissioner model of local government, and that means that County Administrator Roberta Windham is the primary and central force behind the county’s logistical and governmental functions. Her pragmatic and inclusive leadership is perfect for the can-do spirit of Carroll County, where my constituents are exceedingly lucky to have her as county administrator. You can watch my full conversation with Carroll County administrator Roberta Windham here.
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