Author Archives: Congressman Elijah Cummings

As troubling as the events of the last 14 months have been, the resilience of America’s democratic institutions – and our people – has been heartening to all of us who are dedicated to our nation’s most fundamental values. In the Congress, in our Courts and on the streets of our country, the foundational premise […]

On Jan. 15 we celebrated Dr. King’s Day as a national day of service. This was as it should be. Our love, dedication and service to others were at the heart of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s prophetic message to America – even as his vision for our future remained firmly fixed upon our […]

Recently, the Reports and Recommendations issued by the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis have stressed the urgent need for effective, bipartisan and far-reaching action – action at all levels of our government and action by the American people – if we are to reduce the staggering annual death toll from […]

Along with my Democratic colleagues in the Congress, I support tax reform legislation that would truly help everyday Americans and the small businesses that employ them while protecting critical federal commitments to the education, health care, Social Security and housing of the American people. However, the budgetary and taxation proposals being advanced by the Republicans […]

Last week, President Trump suggested that he would finally declare the opioid epidemic a national emergency, a claim he has made before. Of course, this would be a good first step, and something the President’s own Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis recommended he do back in July. But the President’s Opioid […]

In 2005, appalled by the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, I was compelled to publicly criticize the Bush Administration’s delay in providing life-saving assistance to the people of New Orleans. “Mr. President,” I declared at the National Press Club, “We cannot allow history to say that, at the time of the great storm and flood […]

Each year, as our nation celebrates Labor Day, I spend a few moments recalling my own family’s journey from the fields of South Carolina to Baltimore and our nation’s middle class. In these reflections, I give most of the credit to the vision and hard work of my parents – but I also acknowledge my […]

On Aug. 6, principled Americans of every background commemorated the 52nd anniversary of that historic day in 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law.  With a few strokes of his ceremonial pen, President Johnson joined a bipartisan congressional majority in affirming every American’s right to vote as the foundation […]

Most Americans recoiled in horror and disgust as the Republican Senate majority, following in lock-step with their House Republican colleagues, forced party-line votes on repeated proposals that, if enacted into law, would deny affordable healthcare to 15 million, 18 million, 22 million, or even 32 million of our citizens. No Democratic member of either the […]

For nearly a decade, Democrats, as well as some Republicans and many Independents, have been defending the healthcare reforms contained in the Affordable Care Act (the “ACA” or “Obamacare”), while many Republicans and some Independents have been clamoring for repeal. Now, under Republican control of both the White House and the Congress, our national debate […]

Civilized societies ultimately are judged upon how we treat our citizens when they are most vulnerable, and few in our society are more vulnerable than our neighbors in need of healthcare. It should not be difficult to understand, therefore, why the American people – at heart, a humane and generous society – are so opposed […]

Between now and July 4, thousands upon thousands of American lives will hang in the balance as Senate Republicans conspire in secrecy to gut the Affordable Care Act.  Yet, as of this writing, no Democratic Senators – and very few Republicans – know what is in the Republican plan. Nevertheless, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch […]