Dear Friends in the 8th District,

I wanted to take a moment to share an update about how my staff and I have been working for the people of Maryland’s Eighth District. It remains a surpassing honor to serve as your Representative in Congress.

Before I share my updates from August, I want to address people’s concerns about a potential federal government shutdown. You may have heard that the House of Representatives, under a conservative majority, is still unable to pass basic appropriations bills needed to keep the federal government operational. With more than 140,000 federal employees in Maryland, including more than 56,000 in our district, I’m taking the prospect of a shutdown seriously, and I’ve introduced legislation and written Speaker McCarthy underscoring the central importance of keeping our government open. I encourage you to check out this 2021 guide from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for more information on how a government shutdown may affect you, your family and our community.

As always, I encourage all of my constituents across the Eighth District to connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Threads. If you need help with a federal agency and want to request my assistance, please complete the online request form here, and my District Office will be in touch.

All best wishes,

Jamie Raskin

Rep. Raskin’s August in Photos

Celebrating One Year of the Inflation Reduction Act

To mark one year since President Biden signed into law the most ambitious climate action in history, I published an op-ed in the Huffington Post celebrating the passage of the historic Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has already created over 170,000 new clean energy jobs, sparked billions in clean energy investments and saved millions of Americans an average of $800 on their health care premiums. This past summer was the hottest on record since we began collecting data in 1880, but it is likely to be the coolest summer we will ever see again. We’ll need a concerted strategic effort from the whole of American government to avert climate disaster, and the Inflation Reduction Act sets us on a path to protect our planet from the ravages of unchecked climate change.

Demanding an Accountable and Ethical Supreme Court

Following recent reporting by ProPublica and other intrepid journalists revealing that the Supreme Court is seriously vulnerable to outside political and financial influence, I urged the Department of Justice to investigate Justice Clarence Thomas for allegedly failing to report significant gifts. For close to two decades, Justice Thomas repeatedly certified that his financial disclosures were accurate, true, and complete, despite allegations that he omitted millions of dollars in gifts from billionaires. Supreme Court justices are required to file annual reports disclosing gifts, and the failure to do so carries a legal penalty under the Ethics of Government Act of 1978.

I also joined my colleagues in sending a letter to Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan calling on them to hold hearings and bring the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act, to the House floor as soon as possible. I am a proud cosponsor of this critical legislation which would require Supreme Court justices to adopt a code of conduct, create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations of the code of conduct and other laws, improve disclosure and transparency when a justice has a connection to a party or amicus before the Court, and require justices to explain their recusal decisions to the public.

Securing Federal Funding for Maryland

Throughout the month of August, my Maryland colleagues in Congress and I announced more than $80 million in federal funding for exciting initiatives in our state. These investments will support underserved and minority small businesses and entrepreneurs, cybersecurity infrastructure and emergency preparedness in the Eighth District and all across our state.

Promoting Veteran Health Care

I was proud to vote to pass the Honoring Our PACT Act last year to expand health care coverage for veterans who faced toxic exposures during service. Thanks to this new law, veterans who deployed to combat zones like Iraq or Afghanistan can now enroll directly in VA health care. If you or a veteran you know left active duty service between Sept. 11, 2001 and Oct. 1, 2013, know that the deadline to secure coverage under the PACT Act is September 30, 2023. You can visit the VA website for more information.

To hear more about the wins secured in the PACT Act and how it can help you, be sure to also check out my forum with top VA experts from last year.

Announcing the 2023 Congressional App Challenge

The Congressional App Challenge is returning to Maryland’s Eighth District! Longtime readers may remember our 2022 Congressional App Challenge winners Brian Mason and Yixuan Li, Whitman students who created Clima, an app that encourages climate action by gamifying carbon reduction and rewarding players with points for performing climate-friendly tasks. I’m so excited to launch the competition for this year and announce that submissions are now open for the 2023 challenge.

I’m inviting middle and high school students across Maryland’s Eighth District to code and create their own software application, or “app,” for mobile devices, tablets or computer devices for congressional recognition. Students should know that they do not need to submit a totally finished app to participate in the challenge. Instead, the App Challenge merely requires students to submit a short video explaining their app and showing footage of any finished portions of the application. The submission deadline is 12:00pm EST on Wednesday, November 1, 2023. For more information, including submission guidelines, you can visit my website.

Honoring the Local Heroes of the Eighth District

Manuel Vera, affectionately known across Montgomery County as the “Bike Dude,” has been fixing and giving bikes back to his neighbors in Silver Spring since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Local Hero has given wheels to everyone from refugees from across the globe to families in need, spreading the joy of cycling throughout our community.

In August, I was also delighted to feature Olney Theatre Center’s artistic director Jason Loewith as a Local Hero. Jason is a creative visionary who has directed moving and beautiful performances across the country, and we’re so proud to have him here in Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District.

Anne Hollander and Janelle Wright of Quiet Skies Coalition work to mitigate aircraft noise pollution disrupting neighborhood life under Reagan National Airport’s flight paths. As Congress considers aviation policy this fall, I was proud to name these MoCo activists Local Heroes.

Through mentorship and academic support, Mecha Inman and CollegeTracks help young Marylanders succeed after high school. I’m saluting Mecha and CollegeTracks for supporting countless young people in our community for 20 amazing years!

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