Here in Baltimore and throughout the country, an ongoing struggle continues. People are suffering during these difficult economic times. They deserve a government that will stand by them and help them to weather this storm.
In Washington, this is a time for clear thinking – not reactionary ideology nor political pay-backs to wealthy and powerful allies.
In America’s time of need, the new House Republican leadership has failed to respond as they should. Rather, they have demanded deep cuts in our national budget that would seriously harm many of the essential programs that so many families are relying upon to weather the most devastating economic storm in 70 years.
I will continue to fight these misguided reactions – and to demand answers to the very reasonable questions that people in my community have been asking me every day.
Why are the Republicans’ sole answers to our budgetary questions limited to attempts to drastically cut federal funding for the very programs that have been helping so many Americans survive and recover?
Slashing education funding – from Head Start to Pell Grants for college – would not put this nation’s economic house in order. Firing food safety inspectors will not cause jobs to rebound.
Disregarding the reasonable rules that now help to assure safety on the job will not make working families more secure. Failing to make reasonable long-term investments in environmental protection, our roads and our bridges will not stimulate economic growth.
We Americans understand the need for shared sacrifice during devastating economic times. Yet, they also have every right to expect that the costs of recovery be both rationally allocated and fair.
That, however, is not what the budget cutters in Washington are proposing.
Rather, plainly stated, they are doing all that they can to shift the burdens of recovery solely upon America’s working families. That, in my view, is both morally wrong and counterproductive.
My Democratic colleagues and I will continue to make the case that unfair, irrational budget slashing amounts to nothing less than class warfare against working families and the poorest of the poor.
President Obama and those of us who support his more reasoned approach to our economic downturn realize that some government agencies must tighten their belts another notch. Still, we continue to believe that all Americans must be in this struggle together.
Shared recovery and shared sacrifice must go hand in hand. A critical effort toward that end is for government to do all that we can to provide people with the survival information that they need.
This month, I will host several interactive community sessions that we have entitled, ‘Weathering the Storm in Tough Economic Times.’ Participants will learn more about accessing the services that are offered by the State of Maryland and the federal government.
Our first session will take place on March 5th in Howard County: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Howard Community College (RCF-400), 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia.
Subsequent sessions will be held on March 23rd in Baltimore City: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Enoch Pratt Free Library Main Branch, 400 Cathedral Street in Baltimore; and on March 28th in Baltimore County: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, University Center Room 312, 1000 Hilltop Lane in Catonsville.
At our first session, Josh Curtis, deputy director of the Healthy Howard Health Plan, Howard County Health Department, will provide information on access to health care services – and Hillary Lindenman, director of Program and Services for the Community Action Council of Howard County, will review the services are available for weatherization, energy assistance, food bank participation, eviction prevention and access to Head Start.
Deputy Secretary Clarence Snuggs of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development will also be on hand to add his expertise on foreclosure prevention. Participants will be able to have one-on-one interaction with experts to address their needs.
Please contact Hope Williams of my office at 410-685-9199 for more information. Working together, we can “Weather the Storm.”
Congressman Elijah Cummings represents Maryland’s 7th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.
