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Dear Neighbor:

It has been a very eventful and historic week. King Charles visited Washington – a meaningful reminder of the alliances and friendships we must continue to strengthen at a time when international relationships matter more than ever. I was blessed to attend the King’s address to Congress, which was well received on a bipartisan basis. I was further pleased in the way the King adeptly navigated delegate subjects like the necessary role of checks and balances on an executive branch and how the challenges of climate must be addressed for the future of our world.

It also came in the shadow of something deeply troubling – last weekend’s White House Correspondents dinner. We can all be thankful that no one was harmed and commend the Secret Service for their incredible competence and fast reaction. However, I find it deeply troubling how political violence, hate speech and the targeting of public officials is ever more commonplace and even amplified online. We must work together not only to ensure that the public and its elected officials are protected, but more importantly to ensure that our platforms are not used to encourage or promote these crimes. Our communities must also collaborate to defuse tensions and foster better dialogue, and we must invest in more substance use and mental health resources as a preventative measure. But in the end, we must work to stop this violence.

Back on the Hill, it has been a very busy week for legislation.

The nonsensical 76-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security thankfully ended on Friday, with agencies and workers from TSA, FEMA, Coast Guard and Secret Service fully funded through appropriations. During the bulk of the shutdown I had signed on to – and strongly advocated for – a proposal which would have funded these DHS agencies (minus ICE and Customs and Border Protection). Along with many caucus members, I strongly advocated that any additional funding for these two agencies be tied to necessary guardrails on aggressive immigration policies and an insistence on compliance with laws stipulating due process, transparency, necessary warrants, and the right to counsel for those detained. Fortunately, the GOP yesterday agreed to separate out ICE/CBP into another package and the remaining DHS agencies were funded. Sadly, this could have been done from the start, and our public servants were the ones who suffered the price. The good news is that these employees are now being paid, FEMA can resume emergency assistance, and our public can resume more seamless travel.

On the House Floor on Wednesday, I voted No on a short-term extension to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), one of the most powerful and sweeping surveillance programs in the world. It was a very divided vote with members from each party on both sides of the issue. While we must protect our country from terrorists, cyber and other threats and multiple bad actors, I am troubled by FISA provisions which allow our government to spy on Americans and take their data without knowledge – violating their data privacy and constitutional rights. It is important that there be necessary warrants obtained and it is key that FISA be reformed appropriately and with the resources to do so.

As the only Maryland member on the House Ag Committee, I have worked all year on trying to get a new Farm Bill passed – Congress has been working to do so since 2018. Sadly, I could not support the House passed Farm Bill as it fails to address the real pressures farming families face. It ignores the largest cuts to SNAP in the program’s history while thrusting an unsustainable cost share on our state of Maryland, fails to provide adequate relief to farmers impacted by tariffs (that decimated overseas markets and drove up input costs) and allows a USDA reorganization which undermines critical technical assistance programs and other support services designed to support our farming communities and a closure of the BARC research facility in Beltsville. Given the adverse implications of this Farm Bill on the livelihoods of farmers and on the state budget of Maryland, I could not in good conscience vote for this legislation. We will see what the Senate does with the Farm Bill, and I will keep fighting to help our farming families and to further agricultural facilities and research.

This week at the Supreme Court, we saw a disappointing decision that weakens the Voting Rights Act and opens the door to unfair maps and diminished representation for Black, Brown, and AAPI communities. I will not stand by while hard-won civil rights are rolled back and am fighting alongside my Democratic colleagues to advocate passage for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to protect every American’s right to vote and to ensure our democracy remains truly representative. This decision undermines 50 years of progress.

I’ll be traveling throughout the District this week and next, including attending Saturday’s grand reopening of Westernport Elementary School which was devastated by last year’s historic floods. I’ll also attend a candlelight vigil at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg alongside families of heroes who died serving their communities. Please keep an eye on my social media channels X, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky for photo updates and highlights, and I hope to see you soon.

Farm Bill Does Not Meet the Moment
Fails to Deliver Resources and Needed by Our Farmers in this Crisis Moment of Inflationary Costs and Distorted Markets

As noted above, the Farm Bill passed this week in the House, and I want to further amplify that it truly fails to address the real pressures farming families in the Sixth District and across America face. Right now, our farmers are being squeezed from every direction–higher costs due to Trump tariffs, immigration-related labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, reductions to SNAP, and cuts to vital USDA programs. There is a 46% increase in farm bankruptcies sweeping the country, and this bill does nothing to mitigate that disaster.

On Wednesday night, I waited on the House floor for six hours to advocate for my amendment to stop this Administration’s dismantling of USDA’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), which has operated in Maryland for nearly a century and is one of the crown jewels of American agricultural science and research. BARC research, for example, investigates pests and diseases, such as the screwworm parasite that is devouring livestock across this country, and is a top concern for Maryland’s dairy farmers. BARC is also home to the National Bee Lab and other programs that provide the science, service, and stewardship that our farmers need to stay competitive. There is also unsustainable cost share burdens from SNAP hitting Maryland’s state budget as more people are needing help given the uncertain economy and issues of affordability. At this time our farmers need more resources and science, and hopefully our votes will embolden the Senate to make the necessary changes to this legislation.

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Advancing U.S. Leadership in Quantum Technology 

This week, I spoke before the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee about the urgent need for the United States to lead in quantum technology — a field that will shape the future of cybersecurity, national security, and economic competitiveness. For our district, this work is personal. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg is America’s crown jewel of research and a global leader in quantum innovation. That leadership is why I’m focused on strengthening the quantum workforce, deepening partnerships with our allies, and securing the supply chains that power this emerging industry.

Maryland is already stepping up through the state’s “Capital of Quantum” initiative, bringing together universities, industry, and federal researchers to help America lead in this critical field. And I will continue fighting to ensure our researchers have the resources they need to keep the United States at the forefront of quantum innovation.

Forging Strong Partnerships: Reconvening with Frederick County Leaders

I was happy to kick off the second phase of my County Convenings workshop series in Frederick last week! I’m grateful to all the Frederick leaders and community members who took time out of their busy days to come together, share their perspectives, and help us solve problems in a meaningful, collaborative way. These conversations matter – and help move my Cost Down, Opportunity Up agenda forward. These strong partnerships are how we turn ideas into real solutions for our community. I look forward to convening with the other counties in our district soon!

I was so honored to stop by Gaithersburg last weekend to join the Bengladeshi American I was so honored to stop by Gaithersburg last weekend to join the Bangladeshi American Council for their 5th Annual South Asian Boishakhi Celebration. Boishakhi – the Bengali New Year – is a festival of renewal, joy, color, and community. It was a beautiful celebration of South Asian culture and community – and captured the heart of what makes our district so special: the richness of our diversity. It was a joy to celebrate with everyone!

Recommitting to the Health & Safety of Union Workers

Last week, I was proud to stand with UAW Local 171 in Hagerstown to honor union workers impacted by unsafe workplace conditions, including those who went to work and never made it home. A safe workplace is not a privilege, it’s a right. I’ll keep fighting to protect workers and make sure everyone comes home safe, and thank those at UAW 171 who have fought for that right for generations.

Celebrating Earth Day in Hagerstown

This past Saturday, I joined the Hagerstown Youth Council’s Earth Day Celebration and had the honor of planting the Liberty Tree alongside Delegate Matt Schindler, the Maryland Forestry Service, and the City of Hagerstown Parks & Recreation. Together, we’re investing in our environment and our community for generations to come. It was such a meaningful event and really showed their commitment to giving back to our district.

Visiting South Mountain Creamery in Middletown

Nothing like visiting South Mountain Creamery for ice cream and locally made farm products! I had the pleasure of stopping by for a tour, a great discussion about small business and farm priorities, and of course a few cones — all ahead of their Spring on the Farm event on April 25, celebrating 25 years in business. I even got to feed a baby cow!

A Royal Honor for a Frederick County Teacher!

It’s not every day you get to see the King and Queen of England, but that’s exactly what happened for ALonna Soward-Puryear, an educator at Monocacy Elementary School in Frederick County. ALonna, who made headlines this year as Maryland’s Teacher of the Year, caught the attention of the British Embassy in Washington, which invited her to attend the King’s historic address to Congress. The Queen, a strong advocate for education, wanted educators to be represented at the speech.

Following the address, ALonna and I met in my office to discuss the importance of education and the vital role teachers play in shaping young minds. As an educator, she represents Maryland’s teachers with distinction—and reminds us that educators belong in spaces where decisions are made that impact our students and families. I look forward to seeing her at Monocacy Elementary in Frederick soon! Watch my interview with her about her visit.

As always, thank you for staying engaged, and reach out to my office if there’s any issue we can assist you with. Our doors are always open to you.

Warmest regards, April McClain Delaney Member of Congress