“Maryland farmers are essential to our regional economy. Their careful stewardship of the land and water produces food and fiber, and helps the Chesapeake Bay.”

Agriculture is Maryland’s largest industry, with more than 12,000 farms covering more than 2 million acres. They produce $1.3 billion of agricultural products annually and employ 350,000 workers. Success requires a unique blend of federal and state programs that help farmers manage risk, carry out careful stewardship of every acre, and provide opportunities to market their products close to home.

Maryland farmers understand the value of a healthy Chesapeake Bay: a cleaner Bay means better water and soil for producers and a stronger overall economy for the region and the nation. That’s why I will continue to fight for Maryland farmers, including federal support for conservation efforts. I worked to ensure the $23.5 billion in pandemic relief funding for farmers and ranchers nationwide included in the CARES Act was accessible to Maryland’s wide variety of commodities, including seafood. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 invested over $12 billion in nutrition assistance and increased SNAP, WIC, and P-EBT benefits, including funds to help expand SNAP online purchasing and make it easier for Maryland participants, especially individuals with low access to transportation, as well as those with physical limitations, to order and pay for their groceries online.

“We must strive to simultaneously uphold the U.S. Constitution, protect our civil liberties, and fulfill our solemn obligation to protect the American people.”

I am dedicated to ensuring protections against any form of discrimination, including race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, gender, gender identity, veterans status, or sexual orientation. I will continue to insist that our federal judges and law enforcement officers in Maryland and throughout the nation meet the highest standards of judicial integrity and respect for the civil rights and liberties of all Americans.

Year after year, the murder of Americans at the hands of police have shined a light on the continuing systemic racial injustice in law enforcement. What these tragic deaths have made all too clear is that our communities across the country desperately need reform in our police and criminal justice systems. In Baltimore and nationwide, we must do a better job in protecting and celebrating human and civil rights and the lives of marginalized men, women, and children. We must redouble our efforts to continue the dialogue and the hard work needed to rebuild the trust between law enforcement and the neighborhoods they are sworn to protect and serve.

For years, I’ve led the Senate in promoting legislation to end discriminatory profiling by law enforcement and enforce changes in police accountability, data collecting, and training. I have spearheaded the End Racial and Religious Profiling Act and the Law Enforcement Trust and Accountability Act . Rather than unfairly targeting individuals due to their characteristics and turning communities away from the police, police would be provided with additional resources to develop new and more effective policing practices. The Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act would take a comprehensive approach to steer police departments toward a guardian and community-oriented model of policing, while at the same time expanding oversight and accountability over police misconduct. Too many people have needlessly lost their lives in encounters with law enforcement. We need to establish a guardian model, not a warrior model, for our law enforcement officers who are putting their lives on the line every day.

“How a nation treats its women is a barometer of success. Equality for American women is long overdue.”

One of my highest priorities is finalizing ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) so that we finally guarantee in our Constitution that men and women are equal under the law. There should be no time limit on equality and, for years, I have led the Senate fight to remove the arbitrary deadline for ratification. While we celebrate America’s first female Vice President, our nation is held back as the only modern constitution that fails to enshrine full equality for both men and women.

Most Americans are surprised to learn that the ERA is not already part of the U.S. Constitution – 3 out of 4 think it should be included.

The current resolution (S.J.Res.1) has more than 50 bipartisan cosponsors. The required 38 states have now ratified the ERA. The House has passed legislation eliminating the deadline for ratification. Now it is up to the Senate to remove any obstacles to certifying the ERA as the 28ᵗʰ amendment. More than 100 years after women fought for and earned the right to vote, our progress as a nation is incomplete unless all women are able to achieve freedom and equality.

“America’s seniors helped build this nation and we owe them our respect and gratitude. Preserving Medicare and Social Security should provide peace of mind that our seniors deserve.”

We owe our seniors respect, gratitude and thanks for their contributions to society. They deserve to enjoy their time with family and friends, rather than worrying about retirement security and healthcare costs. Throughout my Congressional career, I have championed the need for resources and services so that seniors can live independently, in their communities, for as long as possible.

Preserving Medicare and Social Security should be a fundamental value held by every Member of Congress, and any attempt to scale back the program endangers the health of the millions of Americans who elected them. I want to restore the peace of mind that our seniors deserve by fighting attempts to cut these and other critical programs which they rely on. Because Medicare is such a highly-rated and cost-effective program, I support efforts to allow people to begin buying into the program at age 55. This would go a long way toward helping older Americans deal with skyrocketing health care costs. It would also strengthen the program overall and benefit current participants by bringing in younger and healthier patients into the risk pool. I am working to add dental coverage as a Medicare benefit, and I have publicly urged the Administration to provide coverage for medically necessary oral and dental treatment.

I’m also committed to ensuring that retirement security is achievable and that our seniors find confidence in their IRAs and 401k plans as our economy changes. I’m working across the aisle on the Retirement Security & Savings Act, a broad set of reforms designed to help Americans save more for retirement and to increase access to 401ks and other retirement plans. I remain a strong supporter of the Older Americans Act, which expresses our nation’s commitment to protecting our seniors and includes special provisions I authored to help Holocaust survivors living in the United States access essential services, such as health care and nutritional services, without having to live in a nursing home or assisted living facility.

We must do all we can to encourage people at all income levels to take advantage of today’s retirement savings opportunities, and Congress must make the process simpler and more beneficial to working- and lower-income-families.”

Every single American should be able to enjoy their retirement from the workforce with confidence that their needs will be met by the money they have set aside in their IRA and 401k plans as our economy changes. As a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, I have worked across the aisle to champion reforms to incentivize Americans to save more for retirement through investing vehicles that will allow them to take advantage of the growth opportunities in our dynamic economy. I have also introduced bipartisan legislation to encourage the growth of S corporations that are owned by Employee Stock Ownership Plans to allow more of our nation’s small business owners to retire by selling their businesses to their employees.

“A healthy Chesapeake Bay means healthy air, water and lands, and a healthy economy, for the people of Maryland and the region.”

A national treasure, the Chesapeake Bay is America’s largest estuary, an incredibly diverse and productive ecosystem, and the heart of Maryland’s economy and culture. Since arriving in Congress, I have made protecting and improving the health of the Bay a high priority. As a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I am working to ensure that our bedrock environmental laws are protected and emerging threats to clean, safe water and healthy air are addressed.

I fought hard for WRDA provisions related to specific river basins, watersheds and coastal areas and increases for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery Program in Maryland and Virginia from $60 million to $100 million. Housed within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Chesapeake Bay Program governs restoration activities in partnership with states and stakeholders. Achieving our goals for clean water, abundant wildlife, conserved lands, public access, and a diversity of engaged communities means a stronger regional economy and better health for Marylanders.

“Our federal workforce is a critical national asset we should not take for granted. I applaud the commitment to public service of these men and women, and recognize the sacrifices they make each and every day.”

Federal workers have long been on the front lines, protecting Americans and securing a healthy, safe future for our nation. They are patriotic and hard-working Americans who keep our borders secure and our food and water safe, care for our veterans and the elderly, process our tax refunds and Social Security checks, teach our children, search for cures to crippling diseases, explore the universe to learn more about our home planet, support our servicemen and women, and promote our interests and ideals abroad. These dedicated public servants have been on the front lines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, showing the nation how much they accomplish and the sacrifices they make to support our communities.

Federal workers are also pivotal to Maryland’s economy, as hundreds of thousands work and live here. I am committed to keeping federal jobs and facilities in Maryland, and advocating for the rights of all federal employees and retirees. I am working to preserve and protect collective bargaining rights, pensions, health care benefits, civil service protections, and scientific integrity. As the nation’s single largest employer, the federal government should set the standard for making the workplace safe for everyone so that workers can continue to meet their missions for the American people.