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.
Deja Vu All Over Again
Dear Fellow Marylanders, I have been having déjà vu for weeks, actually months, anytime I think about the economy. Similar to the fiscal crisis of 2011, Republican lawmakers allowed our country to step precariously close to the cliff’s edge as the U.S. Treasury used what are called extraordinary measures to keep paying bills and maintain the “full faith and credit” of the United States of America. For six months, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has been doing everything she can to ensure that our veterans, seniors and other vulnerable Americans could continue to receive payments on time, along with state and local governments that rely on federal payments to repair bridges...
Deja Vu All Over Again
Dear Fellow Marylanders, I have been having déjà vu for weeks, actually months, anytime I think about the economy. Similar to the fiscal crisis of 2011, Republican lawmakers allowed our country to step precariously close to the cliff’s edge as the U.S. Treasury...
What’s an Earmark?
Dear Fellow Marylanders, The term earmark originated with farmers and ranchers who would cut the ears of their sheep, cattle or other animals in a certain way to distinguish them from others and identify ownership. The term made its way into Congress as a way for...
Still Stay Safe
Dear Fellow Marylanders, I started writing these letters in March 2020 to share helpful information about COVID-19 and how the federal, state and local governments were attempting to marshal resources to keep everyone in this country safe. By the time of my first...
Do No Harm
Dear Fellow Marylanders, All this week, we have been celebrating National Small Business Week. Much has changed in the 60 years since it began in 1963, but our small businesses today are as innovative and resilient as ever. For me, as chair of the Senate Small...
Right Side of History
Dear Fellow Marylanders, This week, a bipartisan majority of the United States Senate officially expressed their support for removing the arbitrary deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and making it the 28th amendment to our Constitution. Let...
Investing in Our Planet
Dear Fellow Marylanders, It’s Earth Day! I know it seems like every day is another commemoration or greeting card holiday, but this one is important. For the last 53 years, the world has used this day to reconnect with our planet, reflect on our relationship with the...
Not Quite Tax Day
Dear Fellow Marylanders, April 15 is Tax Day, right? Don’t panic. This year, due to local holidays, Tuesday, April 18 is the last day to file your taxes before the standard deadline. If you are like me, and one of the 31 percent of Americans who...
More Bullhorns, Fewer Bullets
Dear Fellow Marylanders, On March 27, three 9-year-olds were gunned down inside their Nashville school, along with a substitute teacher, a school custodian and the head of school. By most accounts, this was the 130th mass shooting in the U.S. this year. In total, 65...
We All Have a Sabatino’s
This week I joined President Biden at the White House to help launch the second annual Small Business Administration Women’s Business Summit. The excitement on the White House grounds was palpable, and rightly so. Under this administration, a record number of new...
Outdated
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...