Dear Neighbor,

Happy New Year, Marylanders! It is my ardent hope that 2023 brings peace, happiness and joy to you and your loved ones.

I was recently sworn into my fourth term in Congress, reminding me of the surpassing honor I have to represent you in Maryland’s Eighth District. You may have heard that in this new 118th Congress, district lines nationwide have changed following the 2020 Census. This means that your congressional district and your representative may be new, even if your address remains the same. Marylanders can check their congressional and state legislative districts with this map from the Maryland Department of Planning.

I’m excited to share that at the close of the 117th Congress, I was elected to lead Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. I was recruited to this committee by Representative Elijah Cummings on my first day of my first term, and it is overwhelming to think I will now be one of his successors. I’m looking forward to championing our national and state priorities on the House’s lead investigative committee and drawing on the remarkable talents and voices of our Democratic Members. You can stay updated with my leadership work on the Oversight Committee at the website here.

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.

With all best wishes for 2023,

Jamie Raskin

Legislative Wins of 2022

My Democratic colleagues and I spent 2022 making government work for the common good and putting the American people over politics. This past year, we worked overtime legislating your priorities and secured lower prescription drug costs, advanced commonsense gun safety solutions, protected marriage equality, bolstered veteran health care, defended the right to privacy, invested in climate and so much more. Please allow me to share some highlights with you below.

After the monumental passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, which has already begun repaving our roads and repairing our bridges, Democrats united in passing the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 to invest in a clean economy and strengthen our social infrastructure. I proudly voted for this historic legislation to lower health care and prescription drug costs, make clean energy more affordable, advance a more equitable tax system, reduce the deficit by more than $300 billion, and much more. To learn more about how your family can benefit from tax credits and rebates in the Inflation Reduction Act, please visit the White House’s Clean Energy page here.

This past year, Congress expanded health care to veterans exposed to toxins like Agent Orange and burn pits during their service. I proudly cosponsored and voted for the Honoring our PACT Act, which President Biden signed into law in August. This is perhaps the largest health care and benefit expansion in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) history, so be sure to spread the word to the veterans in your life. For more information, check out my forum with top VA experts Antione Waller, Director of the Baltimore Regional Office of the U.S. Veterans Benefits Administration, and Michael Heimall, Director of the Washington D.C. V.A. Medical Center.

Our country’s epidemic of gun violence surged in 2022, and in response, my colleagues and I mobilized to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first major congressional action on gun safety in decades. The legislation provides funding for states to enact and administer ‘red flag’ laws to keep guns away from people who present a risk to themselves or their community, combats illegal ‘straw’ purchasing of guns, moves toward closing the boyfriend loophole and provides significant funding for school- and community-based mental health programs. Continuing his commitment to gun safety leadership, President Biden signed the measure into law this summer. You can read more about the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act here.

At the close of 2022, President Biden signed the fiscal year 2023 government funding bill into law, which included two major legislative initiatives I championed and more than $13 million for community projects across our district! Passed within the omnibus bill were both my bipartisan Children and Media Research Advancement (CAMRA) Act and my bill to memorialize Thomas Paine with a permanent monument in Washington, D.C. You can read more about the CAMRA Act and Thomas Paine legislation as included in the omnibus here.

The CAMRA Act authorizes the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct research on the effects of screen time on children’s mental health and development, including the long-term effects of technology and media use. The omnibus includes both the authorization for NIH to develop this research agenda as well as $15 million in funding for fiscal year 2023. 

In February of 2022, I introduced legislation to build a memorial to forgotten Founding Father Thomas Paine, a person so far ahead of his time that his work still challenges us in significant ways today to build a freer and more democratic society. This memorial, already pre-funded with a flood of voluntary contributions and pledges from private citizens, will be a powerful and dramatic addition to the symbolic life of Washington, D.C. This legislation was also included in the fiscal year 2023 government funding bill signed into law by President Biden this past December.

This past September, my PRESS Act (Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act) passed through the House of Representatives with unanimous, bipartisan support. This legislation would safeguard a free and independent press by affording a federal statutory privilege to protect journalists from being compelled to reveal confidential sources and prevent federal law enforcement from abusing subpoena power. A federal press shield law that secures journalists protection from government overreach and abuse of the subpoena power is within reach, and I will continue to fight for passage of this law in the future, and am proud of the progress we made during the 117th Congress.

In 2022, the Supreme Court discarded long-settled constitutional principles with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. With access to reproductive healthcare now a state-by-state decision, emboldened right-wing forces have moved to make it a crime for people to obtain out-of-state health care services. That is why I joined my colleagues, Representative Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and Representative Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), in introducing the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022, which prohibits any person acting under the color of state law from punishing Americans for traveling for reproductive health care, which is protected by the constitutional right to travel. The bill passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support.

The repressive and theocratic ideology taking hold of the Supreme Court jeopardizes our civil rights and civil liberties. I’m proud that Congress took action in December to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, protecting the rights of same-sex and interracial couples and defending marriage equality against political interference by the courts or the states. As we celebrate this landmark victory for equality, I’m thinking of the decades of work by LGBTQ+ advocates who fought with pride and solidarity to make this moment possible. You can read more about the Respect for Marriage Act here.

In 2022, I led multiple successful efforts to strengthen access to mental health care in our community, including by securing more funding for the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The PMHCA program ensures that children and adolescents can receive high-quality mental health treatment in their own pediatrician’s office, and is especially crucial given the current shortage of mental health providers. I'm glad to report that the PMHCA program received $13 million in the fiscal year 2023 government funding bill, in addition to a significant funding boost in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

In July, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline mental health crisis hotline became available nationwide. In the leadup to the 988 launch, I introduced the 988 Implementation Act with my colleague Congressman Tony Cárdenas to provide federal funding and guidance for states to strengthen their crisis response infrastructure. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and Behavioral Health Crisis Services will receive $502 million in federal funding for fiscal year 2023, an increase of $390 million from the previous fiscal year. I'm grateful to our local crisis call centers in Maryland for operating this essential resource. Please know that if you are in crisis, you can call or text 988 at any time to get support.

Social Security Benefit Update

I’m delighted to share that beginning this month, Social Security beneficiaries may see an 8.7% increase in their benefits, the largest single-year benefit increase since 1981. This historic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will help Americans keep up with rising costs. If you are receiving Social Security, you should have received a letter from the Social Security Administration detailing your specific benefit rate for the new year, with the payment you receive in January reflecting this new amount. If you missed this letter, you can verify your increase online at SSA.gov/myaccount. To read more about the COLA for 2023, click here.

Funding Community Projects Across Maryland's Eighth District

As mentioned, the fiscal year 2023 government funding bill kickstarts community projects across our nation, including in Maryland's Eighth District. $13,198,968 will fund several major initiatives in our district, including bike sharing programs and community-based mental health programs. The fifteen projects funded by the bill in MD-08 all underscore the importance of our strong federal-local partnership in their own way.

One particularly exciting project is the planned White Flint Institute for Computational Life Science, which will partner Montgomery County with the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP), the University of Maryland Baltimore and the State of Maryland. The institute will strengthen our local commitment to the life sciences, biomanufacturing and medicine. You can read more about each project here.

Defending Democracy

In July, my colleagues and I on the January 6th Select Committee held a series of historic hearings to share findings from our investigation into the domestic violent assault on our Capitol and democracy on January 6, 2021. We heard testimony from brave election officials, members of law enforcement, constitutional scholars, and top aides to Donald Trump that provided a clear understanding of the planning, motive and execution of the insurrection against our democracy. You can watch the Select Committee’s hearings in full here. 

The hearing I led with fellow Select Committee member Representative Stephanie Murphy of Florida chronicled Donald Trump’s attempts to challenge his 2020 election loss and the events leading up to the Capitol insurrection.  We explored how far-right, domestic violent extremist groups assaulted our Capitol on January 6th—and how they were convened and incited by then-President Trump’s rhetoric. You can read more about my efforts to investigate and confront the rising threat of domestic extremism here.

The January 6th Select Committee hearings raised significant questions about the security of the processes governing our peaceful transfer of power. I’ve long advocated for shoring up our constitutional defenses by doing away with the outdated and anti-democratic Electoral College and establishing a National Popular Vote Interstate Compact for presidential elections. As we work toward achieving these longer term efforts, I’m heartened by the incremental success we found this fall when, on a bipartisan basis, the House voted to reform the Electoral Count Act to protect the congressional certification of Electoral College votes. Reforms to the Electoral Count Act were included in the 2022 year-end spending bill, which President Biden signed into law in December. 

It was a surpassing honor in December to attend the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony for the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who defended our Capitol on January 6. Those of us in the Capitol that day were saved by the astounding courage of the men and women in blue. I will continue working to ensure their sacrifice and heroism is remembered. You can see pictures from the ceremony here.

Committee Work to Advance Your Priorities

In the 117th Congress, I proudly served on four full committees, a select committee and a select subcommittee. I had the opportunity to mark up legislation and participate in hearings on the House Judiciary Committee, the Committee on Oversight and Reform, the Committee on House Administration, the House Rules Committee, the Coronavirus Select Subcommittee and the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. I also chaired the Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. I’m proud of the work my colleagues and I have done in each of my committees, from releasing the January 6th committee report and defending abortion access to investigating and confronting white supremacy.

Casework and Advocacy for Our Community

Whether you need to update your passport before international travel or need assistance communicating with the IRS, my district office staff and I stand ready to assist you with any issues you have regarding a federal agency. I'm thrilled to share that in 2022, we opened 4,538 cases and closed 5,455 cases, recovering $3,010,795 for our constituents across Montgomery, Frederick and Carroll counties. My hardworking staff in Rockville helped constituents like you secure their social security benefits, get help with the IRS, solve USPS delivery issues, process their passports, resolve their immigration cases and more. Please know that if you are a constituent of Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District and you need help with a federal agency you can always contact my office for help using this form.

Youth Excellence Across Our District

I was continually amazed by the creativity, ingenuity and public spirit of students throughout Maryland’s Eighth District in 2022.

Isabel Acuna Marin of Albert Einstein High School in Kensington took first place in my annual 2022 Congressional Art Competition for “Tia Mona,” pictured below.

Her dazzling piece hangs in the Capitol alongside winners from across the country and U.S. territories in a stunning display of the future of American art. To view the other MD-08 honorees, be sure to check out my virtual gallery!

The MD-08 winners of the 2022 Congressional App Challenge demonstrated similar creativity and promise. Yixuan Li and Brian Mason of Walt Whitman High School created Clima, an app that gamifies carbon reduction through a creative user-driven experience. You can watch my conversation with the winning students here, and learn more about their app here.

As a member of Congress, I have the privilege of nominating exceptional young Marylanders to our nation’s service academies. The opportunity for a fully funded education and the honor of attending a service academy make these nominations highly competitive, and each year, I look forward to recognizing the commitment to service and country well-represented in the student population across our district. I’m especially grateful to my volunteer interview panel members, who graciously donated their time and attention to the next generation of leaders.

In February, I celebrated my Class of 2026 nominees with a virtual meeting and presentation. You can watch a video of our celebration and view a slide show of my nominees’ exceptional accomplishments and credentials on my website.

100+ Local Heroes of the Eighth District

I began recognizing ‘Local Heroes’ in the early days of COVID-19 to celebrate the efforts of Marylanders helping Marylanders during the depths of the pandemic. Over the past two years, the series evolved hero-by-hero to feature a wide range of diverse Eighth District leaders who make our community extraordinary.

In 2022 we recognized a dazzling array of Local Heroes. Officer Harry Dunn, who defended the Capitol on January 6, spoke forcefully and beautifully about law enforcement’s response to the insurrectionists' savage mob violence. Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro shared what it meant to be the first Latina and first immigrant to serve on the Council. Mike Tidwell of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network kept us informed of the latest developments in protecting Maryland’s environment and precious natural treasures. VisAbility Art Lab Director Elaine Parks showcased the beautiful work artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities are creating in Montgomery County. The 2022 class of Heroes were memorable, passionate, and committed to bettering the lives of our neighbors, friends and families in the Eighth District. I hope you’ll look at the full year’s class of Local Heroes here.

In April I was humbled to honor my 100th Local Hero, Father Volodymr Steliac, leader of Silver Spring’s St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, who has guided Ukrainians in the Eighth District through the painful hardships and traumas caused by Vladmir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. I remain awestruck by Father Steliac’s courage and grace in the face of such heartbreaking catastrophe. 

I closed a terrific class of Local Heroes by naming outgoing Attorney General Brian Frosh the 2022 Local Hero of the Year. Attorney General Frosh represents the very best of Montgomery County and the Eighth District. He’s a passionate lawyer for the people, whose career has been marked as much by his success as his humility. Brian and I had an engaging conversation about his work defending and expanding Marylanders’ rights, protecting the environment and holding bad-faith corporations and government officials accountable. You can watch our full discussion here.

Thank you so much for reflecting with me upon a phenomenal year for Maryland’s Eighth District. I look forward to continuing to advance your priorities in the new year 2023.