All Letters From Ben

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Sep 23, 2023

Home

Dear Fellow Marylanders, Myrna and I have lived in our home since 1993. We have welcomed countless family and friends and watched our granddaughters grow in this house. Our neighborhood […]

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Sep 16, 2023

Shutdown the Shutdown

Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy acknowledged a truth this week when he said, “Nobody wins in a government shutdown.” There is no such thing as a “good government […]

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Sep 9, 2023

Never Forget

This year marks the twenty-second anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. Millions of Americans remember exactly where they were and what we were doing when nearly 3,000 people were […]

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Sep 2, 2023

Marching On

Dear Fellow Marylanders. Sixty years ago Monday, August 28, 1963, hundreds of thousands of men and women descended on our nation’s capital for the March on Washington for Jobs and […]

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Aug 26, 2023

Letter From Berlin

This summer, I am confident many of you created lifelong memories. Whether it was hiking the Catoctin Mountains or catching some sun at our much-loved Ocean City, I hope you […]

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Aug 19, 2023

Federal Investment Local Impact

Dear Fellow Marylanders, It’s been quite the week. On Friday, I spent the day in Ocean City at the summer meeting of the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo). It’s a […]

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Aug 12, 2023

Expectations

Dear Fellow Marylanders, We should all be proud of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) that represented our nation at the 2023 FIFA World Cup in Australia and New […]

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Aug 5, 2023

Henrietta Lacks

Dear Fellow Marylanders, Temperatures are high, but fall is right around the corner. With it comes a renewed focus on public health. Students are getting vaccinated before they head back […]

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Jul 29, 2023

Dangerously Hot

Dear Fellow Marylanders, I hope you are reading this inside because it’s hot out there. The National Weather Service – headquartered in Silver Spring, Md. – has issued an “excessive […]

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Jul 22, 2023

Waiting For a Lifeline

Dear Fellow Marylanders, This week, I led a Senate Finance Health Care Subcommittee hearing on the cost of inaction and the urgent need to reform the U.S. transplant system. I […]

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Jul 15, 2023

Ethics Matter

Dear Fellow Marylanders, Ethics matter. Integrity and trust matter. These ideals are not Democratic or Republican, but nonpartisan values that allow our society to function. As a United States Senator, […]

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Jul 8, 2023

Too Many Guns

Dear Fellow Marylanders, As the country celebrated its birthday last weekend, festive block parties turned tragic as gun violence erupted in our own backyard and across the country. It’s been […]

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Jul 1, 2023

Traveling?

Dear Fellow Marylanders, Beach vacations, backyard BBQs, long weekends and fireworks. Independence Day weekend is made for celebrations. The last three years have been rough, as high costs fueled by […]

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Jun 24, 2023

Tip of the Iceberg

Push it to the states, they said. That’s all we want, they said. One year ago, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down Roe v. Wade and nearly […]

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Jun 17, 2023

Freedom and Independence

Dear Fellow Marylanders, Summer is typically marked by celebrations on July 4th or Independence Day. There is another important day, Freedom Day or Juneteenth, that now is another summer celebration. […]

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Jun 10, 2023

Searching for Rainbows

Dear Fellow Marylanders, Pride is celebrated throughout June, when the weather is warm, spirits are high and school is out, but lately it has been far from sunshine and signature […]

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Jun 3, 2023

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 […]

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May 27, 2023

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 […]

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May 13, 2023

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 […]

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May 6, 2023

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 […]

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Apr 29, 2023

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) […]

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Apr 22, 2023

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, […]

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Apr 15, 2023

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. […]

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Apr 8, 2023

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 […]

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Apr 1, 2023

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, […]

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Mar 25, 2023

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 […]

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Mar 18, 2023

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 […]

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Mar 11, 2023

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, […]

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Feb 25, 2023

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 […]

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Feb 18, 2023

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, […]

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Feb 11, 2023

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 […]

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Feb 4, 2023

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 […]

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Jan 28, 2023

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 […]

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Jan 21, 2023

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 […]

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Jan 14, 2023

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 […]

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Jan 7, 2023

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 […]

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Dec 31, 2022

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 […]

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Dec 24, 2022

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. […]

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Dec 17, 2022

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 […]

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Dec 10, 2022

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 […]

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Dec 3, 2022

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, […]

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Nov 26, 2022

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 […]

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Nov 19, 2022

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, […]

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Nov 5, 2022

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 […]

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Oct 29, 2022

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 […]

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Oct 22, 2022

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, […]

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Oct 15, 2022

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 […]

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Oct 8, 2022

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 […]

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Oct 1, 2022

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 […]

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Sep 24, 2022

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 […]

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Sep 17, 2022

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 […]

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Sep 10, 2022

A Life of Service

Dear Fellow Marylanders,  Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch who served as the head of state for the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for a remarkable 70 years, has died. America fought […]

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Sep 3, 2022

America is Working Again

Dear Fellow Marylanders,  At 8:30am ET, on the first Friday of every month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases what it calls the “Employment Situation Summary.” This is a […]

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Aug 27, 2022

No Deadline on Equality

Dear Fellow Marylanders: On August 26, 1920 – a mere eight days after Tennessee became the last state needed to ratify what would become the 19th amendment to our Constitution […]

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Aug 20, 2022

A Republic, If You Can Keep It

Dear Fellow Marylanders:  James McHenry, a Maryland delegate to the Constitutional Convention, recorded in his journal on the last day of convention that “a lady [Elizabeth Willing Powel] asked Dr. […]

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Aug 13, 2022

Shattering Predictions

Dear Fellow Marylanders:  This has been a historically productive Congress. This is not a statement I make lightly, nor did I predict this many legislative accomplishments when we began the current session […]

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Aug 6, 2022

Insult After Injury

Dear Fellow Marylanders: Over the past several months, countless small business owners across Maryland have been reaching out to my office, and to me directly, requesting help with their COVID […]

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Jul 30, 2022

Water Resources

Dear Fellow Marylanders: The Senate passed legislation with a 93-1 vote this week that will create and maintain jobs across Maryland and the nation. I bring this to your attention […]

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Jul 23, 2022

National 9-8-8

Dear Fellow Marylanders, This week, I spent time in Montgomery County with U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Congressman David Trone and Senator Chris Van Hollen talking […]

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Jul 16, 2022

Intergalactic Inspiration

Dear Fellow Marylanders, It’s been a big week for the Free State: We had Early Voting for the Gubernatorial Primary Elections. The Orioles are back to .500 for the first […]

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Jul 11, 2022

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Dear Fellow Marylanders, Last Monday, I joined an excited crowd in Towson for their Independence Day parade. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of far too many community events over the […]

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Jul 2, 2022

Rights Revoked

Dear Fellow Marylanders: Last week, the Supreme Court handed down the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, dealing a devastating blow to civil rights in the United States. In a 6–3 decision, […]

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Jun 25, 2022

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

It’s been a week of extremes on Capitol Hill. On the positive side, Congress took one step forward by breaking a decades-long logjam to pass substantial gun safety legislation that […]

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Jun 18, 2022

Not Pretty, But Important

Dear Fellow Marylanders: For about the last 10 days, the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol (January 6th Committee), has been holding public hearings to share the results […]

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Jun 11, 2022

Chesapeake Currents

Dear Fellow Marylanders: The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure. For Marylanders, the Chesapeake Bay is an iconic part of our culture, economy and history. With this in mind, the […]

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Jun 4, 2022

Love is Love - At Risk in 2022

Dear Fellow Marylanders: Welcome to Pride Month, a time for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI+) community to rightly celebrate its progress and for all of us […]

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May 28, 2022

Enough is Enough

Dear Fellow Marylanders: Last week, I wrote you with my thoughts, sadness and anger, about the senseless, hate-filled violence that took the lives of 10 people in a Buffalo grocery store. […]

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May 21, 2022

Hate + Guns

Dear Fellow Marylanders: Last weekend, when I heard that 10 people were gunned down in a Buffalo grocery store, my mind started racing. While I closed my eyes and took a […]

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May 14, 2022

One Million Lost

Dear Fellow Marylanders: Over the last two years, we have lost family and friends, colleagues and neighbors, while coping with countless other economic, social and emotional challenges brought on by the pandemic. […]

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May 7, 2022

Mother's Rights

Dear Fellow Marylanders: This Sunday, families across our country will come together to celebrate Mother’s Day and the beginning of National Women’s Health Week. Usually, this is an opportunity to recognize […]

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Apr 30, 2022

National Small Business Week

When I first joined the Senate. I asked to become a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. In the Senate, this is one of the smaller committees, in […]

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Apr 23, 2022

Earth Day Everyday

Dear Fellow Marylanders: Hello and Happy Day-After Earth Day! April presents the opportunity to celebrate several nature-focused holidays, including Earth Day on April 22, Maryland Arbor Day on April 9 […]

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Apr 16, 2022

Freddie Gray

Dear Fellow Marylander: April 19 will mark seven years since the tragic death of Freddie Gray, who was grievously injured while in the custody of the Baltimore City Police.  Within […]

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Apr 9, 2022

Justice Jackson

April 9, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylanders: This was a good week in the United States Senate. Thursday, as I voted to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the next […]

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Apr 2, 2022

Equal Rights Always

April 2, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylander: In the last few days, we have seen a female nominee for the nation’s highest court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, navigate her confirmation hearings […]

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Mar 26, 2022

The Cost of War (Ukraine)

March 26, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylander, As I write, much of the world has been turned upside down by Russia’s unprovoked and unconscionable invasion of Ukraine, which was launched just […]

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Mar 19, 2022

A Fork in the Road to Recovery

March 19, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylanders: We are at a critical decision point in our battle against COVID-19. While still losing far too many Marylanders to the virus, we have […]

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Mar 12, 2022

American Rescue

March 12, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylanders: Two years ago, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to be a global […]

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Mar 5, 2022

Rising to the Moment

March 5, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylanders: This week, I hope you were able to watch President Joe Biden as he delivered his first official State of the Union address. I […]

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Feb 26, 2022

SCOTUS History

February 26, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylanders: I want to describe someone to you. This person graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and cum laude from Harvard Law School after […]

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Feb 19, 2022

Why Ukraine Matters

February 19, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylander: By the time you read this email, there is a chance that Russia will have begun its incursion into Ukraine. We don’t know what […]

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Feb 12, 2022

Legitimate Political Discourse

February 12, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylander: I write today to express my concerns about a fissure in our nation. On January 6, 2021, thousands of Americans gathered outside the White […]

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Feb 5, 2022

Certain to Improve 

February 5, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylander: Of all the ways that COVID-19 has tried our resolve, the ongoing lack of certainty – about our economy, schools, health and daily […]

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Jan 29, 2022

Vacancy 

January 29, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylander: As Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer formally announced his upcoming retirement at the White House this week, he reminded Americans that we live […]

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Jan 22, 2022

Glass Half Full 

January 22, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylander: I am a glass-is-half-full kind of person. I try to be optimistic as much as possible. Sometimes it isn’t easy. This week was […]

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Jan 15, 2022

Voting Rights Legacy 

January 15, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylander: Each January, we celebrate the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who gave voice to the civil rights movement and […]

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Jan 8, 2022

The Big Lie and the Ballot Box 

January 8, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylander: This week marked the first anniversary of one of the darkest moments in our nation’s history. One year ago Thursday, a mob attacked […]

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Jan 3, 2022

Welcome 2022 

January 3, 2022 Dear Fellow Marylander: Happy New Year! I start 2022 thankful for the continuing honor of representing Maryland in the United States Senate. The last 12 months […]

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Dec 18, 2021

Fragility and Frustration 

December 18, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: This is not what I expected. After armed insurrectionists violated the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, for the first time since a […]

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Dec 11, 2021

Vaxxed and Boosted 

December 11, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: Last December, the nation was celebrating the incredible news that COVID-19 vaccines for adults were approved and ready for distribution. Less than a […]

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Dec 4, 2021

Hanging By A Thread 

December 4, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: How a nation treats its women is a barometer of its success. Today, in the United States of America, women’s rights are under […]

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Nov 27, 2021

Shop Small. Big Impact. 

November 27, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander, I hope you were able to spend time with your loved ones over the holiday. Today is Small Business Saturday, so I also […]

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Nov 20, 2021

Holiday Delivery 

November 20, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: Can you believe it is the end of November already? Because of COVID-19, last year may have felt like 3,650 days instead of […]

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Nov 6, 2021

A Decisive Decade 

November 6, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: Greetings from Glasgow, Scotland. I’m traveling with a contingent of my congressional colleagues to help answer questions President Biden raised in his remarks […]

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Oct 30, 2021

Platforms for Progress 

October 30, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: If you’ve tried catching a train recently in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County or elsewhere in the Washington area, it’s been a rough […]

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Oct 23, 2021

Investing in Women Entrepreneurs 

October 23, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: Did you know that our state is home to the highest concentration of women-owned businesses in the country? It is a distinction that […]

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Oct 16, 2021

We Need to Get This Done 

October 16, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: I believe in the power of government to have a positive effect on people’s lives. Government is not the answer to every problem […]

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Oct 9, 2021

Kicking the Can Down the Road 

October 9, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: As promised, I write you this week with an update on progress made on the on-going and tedious negotiations between Democrats and Republicans […]

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Oct 2, 2021

The Cliff’s Edge 

October 2, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: When the United States of America was established, our new nation emerged from the Revolutionary War with about $80 million of debt. Alexander Hamilton, […]

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Sep 25, 2021

Charging Against Climate Change 

September 25, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: This week I stepped on the gas pedal in a hybrid Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, one of several electric vehicles U.S. Rep. Anthony Brown […]

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Sep 18, 2021

Small Business Resiliency 

September 18, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: This week, as our nation celebrated our small businesses during National Small Business Week, my colleagues in Congress and I continued working hard […]

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Sep 11, 2021

Remembering September 11, 2001 

September 11, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since foreign terrorists murdered nearly 3,000 Americans in one of the most horrific attacks […]

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Sep 4, 2021

How A Nation Treats Its Women 

September 4, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: How a nation treats its women is a barometer for success. When women’s rights are protected; when women and girls are allowed to […]

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Aug 28, 2021

Afghanistan 

August 28, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: For two weeks now, the world has witnessed remarkable, vivid, frightening and at times heartening images coming from Kabul, Afghanistan. Wednesday, though, was […]

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Aug 21, 2021

Voting Rights Under Attack 

August 21, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: Easily missed in the recent flood of news about the COVID-19 Delta variant, Afghanistan, the earthquake in Haiti, and nearly $1 trillion infrastructure […]

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Aug 14, 2021

Focusing on Families 

August 14, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: This week, we had a marathon session in the Senate that will change the course of America for the better. In the early […]

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Jul 31, 2021

American Heroes 

July 31, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: This was a week for heroes. From Tokyo to Washington, D.C., the world has watched Americans demonstrate courage in the face of danger […]

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Jul 17, 2021

Help for American Families 

July 17, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: If you are a parent of a child under 18, you may have noticed a welcome surprise in your bank account this week. […]

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Jul 10, 2021

Shot at Normalcy 

July 10, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: For many of us, life seems to be returning to a sense of normalcy. Many are back to work, and more can see […]

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Jul 3, 2021

Preserving American Democracy 

July 3, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: This will be a very different July Fourth weekend than a year ago. As Maryland and many parts of our nation cautiously emerge […]

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Jun 26, 2021

Pride 

June 26, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: Happy Pride Month! Throughout the month of June, we have been celebrating LGBTQ Pride. For more than 50 years, dating back to the […]

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Jun 19, 2021

Juneteenth 

June 19, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: Were you surprised that yesterday was a federal holiday? After more than 150 years of unofficial commemorations and a multi-year effort to create […]

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Jun 12, 2021

America is Back 

June 12, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: America is back, and most of the world likes us again, but they are worried about the state of our democracy. This week, […]

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Jun 5, 2021

More Voters Voting is a Good Thing 

June 5, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: In America, we expect our elections to be fair and follow the law. How we elect our leaders is prominent throughout the Constitution. […]

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May 29, 2021

Countering Anti-Semitism

May 29, 2021 First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did […]

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May 22, 2021

Hold On to That Mask 

May 22, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: This week, I was proud to welcome America’s Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, to Annapolis. We met at […]

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May 15, 2021

Restaurants Are Coming Back! 

May 15, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: Eating out at a restaurant with friends or family is something I have truly missed during this pandemic. Not having that time to […]

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May 8, 2021

Teacher Appreciation Week 

May 8, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: Teachers are super heroes. Think of all the extraordinary things we ask teachers and everyone who supports our children at school to accomplish […]

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May 1, 2021

Investing in American Families 

May 1, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: What a difference 100 days makes. America is back on track and it feels pretty good. In Maryland, nearly 2 million of us […]

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Apr 24, 2021

Justice 

April 24, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: All eyes were on Minneapolis this week, as former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted for the murder of George Floyd. America’s justice […]

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Apr 17, 2021

Stop the Hate 

April 17, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: Hate is on the rise in America and it has not subsided or tucked itself back in the shadows despite the last election […]

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Apr 10, 2021

The Other Public Health Crisis 

April 10, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: This week, five people were killed within a 24-hour period in Baltimore, including a 14-year-old. Five people were shot, although not fatally, on […]

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Apr 3, 2021

Defining Infrastructure 

April 3, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: What is infrastructure? There has been a good deal of talk lately about rebuilding our infrastructure in Maryland and across the country. It’s […]

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Mar 27, 2021

Georgia On My Mind 

March 27, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: More Americans voted in the 2020 presidential election than in any previous election in our nation’s history. More than 159 million Americans voted […]

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Mar 20, 2021

Patience 

March 20, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: One year ago, almost to the day, I first wrote to you about COVID-19 and the global pandemic that was only just beginning […]

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Mar 13, 2021

Game Changer 

March 13, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: It’s been one year since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. We may get back to a new normal, but life will never […]

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Mar 6, 2021

Heroes of the Pandemic 

March 6, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: Throughout March we celebrate Women’s History Month. It is a time to look back on the incredible contributions that women have made to […]

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Feb 27, 2021

Rebuilding America 

February 27, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: The good news: positivity rates for COVID-19, at least in Maryland, are dropping, along with hospitalizations and deaths. Vaccination rates are up and, […]

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Feb 20, 2021

For the Love of Baseball 

February 20, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: I miss baseball. I know that the Orioles have not been very good lately, but they are still my hometown team and I […]

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Feb 13, 2021

American Presidents 

February 13, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: For many, Presidents’ Day usually is not a holiday that inspires deep philosophical reflections. But this year is different. On Monday, as we […]

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Feb 6, 2021

Celebrating Black History Month 

February 6, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: Every February, we mark Black History Month by coming together to highlight the achievements and contributions of Black Americans to our national story, […]

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Jan 30, 2021

Patient and Ready 

January 30, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: Let’s talk about the COVID-19 vaccine again. Last month, after the first vaccines were approved for use in the United States, I urged […]

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Jan 23, 2021

An Inauguration Like No Other 

January 23, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: This week, America started to write a new chapter of history with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Two weeks after […]

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Jan 9, 2021

A Turning Point 

January 9, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander: Well, 2021 was supposed to be the start of a fresh new year. Like other Marylanders, I had wished for a global reset […]

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Jan 2, 2021

New Year, New Opportunities Part 1 

January 2, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylander, Happy New Year! We’ve scraped through what possibly was the longest and most consequential year of our lives. As we look at 2020 […]

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Dec 26, 2020

Good Riddance 2020 

December 26, 2020 Dear Fellow Marylander: This has been a roller coaster of a year – physically, mentally and emotionally.  More than 18.5 million Americans have been infected with […]

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Dec 19, 2020

Vaccines Save Lives 

December 19, 2020 Dear Fellow Marylander: This week, media headlines brought incredible news that vaccines for COVID-19 have been approved and are ready for distribution. In fact, the first […]

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Dec 12, 2020

Empty Holiday Tables 

December 12, 2020 Dear Fellow Marylander, No one – anywhere, ever – should be without food. The holidays make this simple truth even more clear. They remind us of […]

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Dec 5, 2020

COVID Fatigue 

December 5, 2020 Dear Fellow Marylander:  Like so many of you, I am feeling incredibly frustrated these days. I know many of you also feel as if you are […]

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Nov 28, 2020

Small Business Saturday! 

November 28, 2020 Dear Fellow Marylander: Like so many of our traditions this year, today, Small Business Saturday, will look a little different than it has in years past. […]

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Nov 21, 2020

An Untraditional Thanksgiving 

I love spending Thanksgiving with my extended family. I’m sure that you want to spend the holiday with your family, too. In a typical year, when we aren’t fending […]

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Nov 14, 2020

Uniting for the Common Good 

Dear Fellow Marylander: After a vicious campaign and polarizing election almost ripped apart our young country, a victorious President Thomas Jefferson in 1801 sought to unify the country in […]

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Nov 7, 2020

Every Vote Counts 

Dear Fellow Marylander, The rule of law and our American Constitution have prevailed yet again. Under the cloud of a global pandemic, American voters cast their ballots by mail […]

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Oct 24, 2020

Economic Lifelines 

Dear Fellow Marylander, This was one of the most frustrating weeks I have experienced since you elected me to represent you in the U.S. Senate. Instead of doing what’s […]

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Oct 17, 2020

Contempt 

Dear Fellow Marylander: Nearly 21 million Americans have already cast their ballots in this year’s election. That’s nearly three and a half times the population of Maryland, and it […]

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Oct 10, 2020

Voting is Different This Year 

Fellow Marylander: Have you voted yet? For most of my life, since I was eligible to vote, every election I took pride in the ritual of arriving early at […]

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Oct 3, 2020

Let's Get Serious 

Dear Friend, The president and First Lady have tested positive for COVID-19. They join a growing list of more than 7.2 million Americans who also have contracted this novel […]

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Sep 26, 2020

No Precedent 

Dear Friend, This week, our nation has been mourning the loss of an icon. The diminutive Ruth Bader Ginsburg – Notorious RBG – was a giant among justices and […]

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Sep 12, 2020

Honor. Sacrifice. Courage. 

Dear Friend, Since the earliest days of this country, America has been blessed with selfless men and women who put country before self. Driven by a profound sense of […]

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Sep 5, 2020

Thank An Essential Worker 

Fellow Marylander,  It’s Labor Day Weekend. It’s different this year – at least it should be. We still are in the middle of a pandemic. While there remain dangerous […]

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Aug 29, 2020

Be Counted 

Friend, Since the founding of our country, an official counting takes place every 10 years to determine how many people are here, in the United States of America, as […]

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Aug 22, 2020

Priority: Mail 

In recent weeks, many of us have gained a renewed appreciation for the U.S. Postal Service and its dedicated workers, nearly 100,000 of whom are veterans. President Trump and Postmaster […]

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Aug 15, 2020

Stark Reality 

Dear Friend, As U.S. COVID-19 cases surge past 5 million, we must face several stark realities. Americans are suffering in unthinkable ways and need help – now. While the […]

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Aug 8, 2020

Follow the Science 

Dear Friend, We are still in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to run rampant across our nation, especially in the Midwestern, Southern and Sunbelt states. […]

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Aug 1, 2020

Extending a Lifeline 

Dear Friend, As we close out the month of July, our country continues to rise to challenges on multiple fronts. We have found ways to come together as a […]

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Jul 18, 2020

Safety First 

Dear Friend, Another week has passed as we continue to navigate the best ways to have our country and economy return to a sense of normalcy, post-pandemic. At the […]

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Jul 11, 2020

It Could Happen to You 

Dear Friend, I was overcome with an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach as I saw the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States […]

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Jun 27, 2020

Freedom of the Press 

Dear Friend, This Sunday, June 28, is a day that most people in Annapolis and across Maryland will not forget. It was on this day two years ago that […]

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Jun 20, 2020

Good News/Bad News 

Dear Friend: Some good news: Infection rates and hospitalization rates related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are going down in Maryland. State officials reported this week that the number […]

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Jun 6, 2020

A Collective Pain 

Dear Fellow Marylander, Our nation is awash with grief. The murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others at the hands of police and vigilantes have put […]

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May 30, 2020

A Selfless Act of Respect  

Dear Friends, My heart broke when I learned that, as of this week, more than 100,000 Americans have died as a result of COVID-19. To put this incomprehensible number […]

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May 23, 2020

Weathering The Storm  

Dear Friends, It’s been said that we are all in this storm called COVID-19 together. But like most storms, some of us are bearing the brunt of its attacks […]

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May 16, 2020

Testing Helps Us Fight This Pandemic 

Dear Friend, Let’s talk about testing. This week, while in Pennsylvania, the president of the United States said the following: “More testing only reveals more infections and therefore increases […]

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May 9, 2020

Proceed with Caution 

Dear Friends, We are not out of the woods yet. More than a month into the statewide shutdown, which was intended to slow the spread of COVID-19, we are […]

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May 1, 2020

Mind the Gap 

Dear Friend, Of all the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has upended our lives, one of the most visible and disruptive has been the closure of our K-12 schools […]

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Apr 11, 2020

Stay Home and Stay Safe  

Dear Friends, I want to take this opportunity to wish a happy Passover and a happy Easter to those of you who observe the holidays. I hope that these […]

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Apr 4, 2020

All Hands on Deck 

Dear Friend, The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?” Right now, this question is […]

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Mar 28, 2020

Responding to COVID-19

Dear Friends, I hope that you are all staying safe and healthy. This is an extremely difficult time, but I have faith that we will get through the novel […]

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Mar 19, 2020

Hunker Down

Dear Friend, Hunker down. Wash your hands frequently. As Marylanders and everyone in this country learns more about the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) that is spreading around the world, it’s helpful […]

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