Letters from Ben
Capital Wheel, National Harbor, Maryland
These are regular letters to constituents about what's happening in Maryland, nationally and around the world. Beginning as a way to share information during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have become a must-read for Marylanders to connect happenings in our nation's capital to daily life.
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Dear Fellow Marylanders, As a member of the House of Representatives in 1991 and 2002, I voted against going to war with Iraq. The 2002 authorization for the use of military force (AUMF), particularly, was passed under false pretenses. It passed because of the belief that Iraq was involved in the September 11th attack on our country, when in fact it was not. It was based on the premise that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that could be used against U.S. interests, and that also was false. History has shown that voting no was the right thing to do. This week, as a member of the United States Senate, I joined my colleagues debating how best to finally bring an end to this chapter in our...
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Dear Fellow Marylanders, As a member of the House of Representatives in 1991 and 2002, I voted against going to war with Iraq. The 2002 authorization for the use of military force (AUMF), particularly, was passed under false pretenses. It passed because of the belief...
March Madness
Dear Fellow Marylander, That magical season of March Madness is upon us. Our beloved women’s (2-seed) and men’s (8-seed) Terps basketball teams have made it through the first round of the NCAA Division I tournament. The men’s team took it to the wire on Thursday with...
Justin Bieber
Dear Fellow Marylanders, I’ve been writing these letters to you nearly every week since March 2020. In all this time, I’ve never had the Washington Post steal my subject line, but they came pretty close this week with their article, “Justin Bieber and Dianne Feinstein...
There Should Be No Deadline on Equality
Dear Fellow Marylander, This week, on the eve of Women’s History Month, the Senate Judiciary Committee did something that had not happened since 1984. It held a hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). An overwhelming number of Americans, over 70 percent, believe...
Ukraine One Year Later
Dear Fellow Marylanders, As you may have already seen, earlier this week President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv – the first visit by a sitting United States president in nearly 15 years. After a 10-hour overnight train ride from Poland,...
Celebrating the Risk Takers
Dear Fellow Marylanders, One of my favorite parts of serving the great state of Maryland is visiting small businesses and meeting all types of incredible entrepreneurs. Each time I do, I’m reminded of the importance of helping our innovators bring their ideas to life...
State of the Union
Dear Fellow Marylanders, I hope you had an opportunity to watch President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address to the nation on Tuesday night. Typically, you can feel the gravitas of the evening as the president takes to the greatest bully pulpit in the world. It is...
Tyre Nichols
Dear Fellow Marylanders, On Wednesday, Tyre Nichols was laid to rest in Memphis, Tenn. He was a father, son, brother. He enjoyed skateboarding and photography. Tyre Nichols should be home with his family. He should not be dead. In early January, this 29-year-old was a...
Exposing Corruption
Dear Fellow Marylanders, The 118th Congress started its first session in earnest this week, with senators able to introduce legislation and resolutions that are personal passions and at the top of their priority list. For me, among early legislation on tax policy and...
Maryland Has a New Governor
Dear Fellow Marylanders, We have a new governor, and it feels wonderful. On Wednesday, I had the honor of witnessing history as Wes Moore was sworn in as the 63rd governor of the State of Maryland and Aruna Miller sworn in as Lieutenant Governor. It was a large and...
A Life of Purpose
Dear Fellow Marylanders, On November 2, 1983, the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday was signed into law. This day came only after an intense lobbying effort by the Congressional Black Caucus and so many others. The first national commemoration took place in...
Indelible History
Dear Fellow Marylanders: There are key dates in American history that will always have deeper meaning besides the number on a calendar. July 4 (Independence Day). June 19 (Juneteenth/End of slavery). December 7 (Pearl Harbor). November 22 (President Kennedy...
Epic Progress for Maryland – Part Two
Dear Fellow Marylanders. I hope you had a joyous and safe holiday with family and friends. For those who are first responders, frontline workers, and all who keep things running 24/7 regardless of holidays, I thank you for your service to our communities. We could not...
Epic Accomplishments – Part One
At the start of the 117th Congress, with a 50-50 Senate and a slim Democratic majority in the House, many predicted that gridlock would remain the norm on Capitol Hill. As we near the end of the 117th Congress, I am pleased to report that not only did we overcome...
Clear and Present Danger
Dear Fellow Marylanders, As the holiday season kicks into high gear, it is natural to focus on the incredible displays of compassion and charity that we see across Maryland and nationwide. Clothing drives, food drives, toy drives and more keep up our faith that...
It’s Been 10 Years
Dear Fellow Marylanders, Daniel Barden should be in his junior year of high school right now, perhaps stressed out about his recent PSAT scores but excited about the approaching winter break and holiday season. But that isn’t happening. Ten years ago, on December 14,...
Marriage Equality for All.
Dear Fellow Marylanders, The moment Myrna and I were married in November 1964, we immediately were eligible for hundreds of new benefits as a couple. From taxes to health care, banking, insurance, even rental cars, and more. The legally binding changes were...
Go Shopping Today
Dear Fellow Marylanders, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, spending time with family, friends or however you chose to spend the holiday. I loved being with family and eating too much turkey. Today, however, really is one of my favorite days of the year: Small...
Laying the Foundation
Dear Fellow Marylanders, Let’s talk about infrastructure. I know, it sounds a bit wonky, but hear me out. Infrastructure is everything all around us. We all use it every day, often without thinking about it. Infrastructure is roads; bridges; tunnels; high-speed...
Defending Democracy, Battling Climate Change, Thanking Veterans
Dear Fellow Marylanders: Democracy for the win! For weeks – months – I’ve been talking about how important this midterm election is for the future of our state and our nation. This last Tuesday, Marylanders and voters all across the country cast their ballots and made...
Democracy on the Line
Dear Fellow Marylander, We’re now down to the wire. Three days stand between our choice for the 118th Congress and a new Maryland governor – not to mention hundreds of other state and local races and numerous ballot questions for Maryland voters. You can look at your...
Make A Plan To Vote
Dear Fellow Marylander, Have you voted yet? Maryland’s in-person early voting period started Thursday and mail-in ballots were sent out in early October to those who requested. So far, more than 200,000 Marylanders have returned mail-in ballots for...
Stopping Domestic Violence
Dear Fellow Marylanders, During the COVID-19 pandemic, as many offices and schools shifted overnight to telework, Marylanders and others across the country were forced to stay at home for work, studies and nearly everything else. For many, home became a safe space or...
Think Before You Click
Dear Fellow Marylanders, Hopefully, you’ve heard the warnings: don’t open attachments or click on links from sources you don’t know. Read emails carefully – are they really from who you think they are? Use strong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication for an...
Joy and Trepidation
Dear Fellow Marylanders, Since 1917, the Supreme Court of the United States has begun its term on the first Monday of October. This week was no exception. What made this year special was the presence of new associate justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson – the first...
Storm Surges
Dear Fellow Marylanders, This weekend is going to be a rainy one, so please stay safe and find somewhere warm and dry to avoid the remnants of Hurricane Ian. Check on your neighbors – and your pets – and avoid driving through standing water. Rain may be heavy,...
Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant
Dear Fellow Marylanders, As you’ve seen from my letters lately, the Senate has been on a roll. We have been getting major legislation passed, like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, and clearing President...
They Won’t Stop With Abortion
Dear Fellow Marylanders, This week, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and dozens of House members introduced legislation that would ban abortions nationwide. A federal ban. This would overturn the will of people in states like Maryland. For years,...
