Washington, D.C. – Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) and Paul S. Sarbanes (D-MD) announced today that, after a strong push by the Senators and entire Maryland Congressional Delegation, the Baltimore-Washington region will remain a single metropolitan area. If the joint region had been split into two separate regions, it could have resulted in economic consequences including federal funding based on population formulas, economic development, and jobs.

"This is a great victory for the Baltimore-Washington region," said Senator Mikulski. "This means more economic development, more investment, and more jobs in our area. As the fourth-largest market in the country, Baltimore will remain at the top of the list for federal dollars and companies looking to locate in Maryland."

"Our entire Congressional Delegation pulled together on this and, through our combined strength, we emerged victorious in maintaining the 'Baltimore-Washington' combined designation," said Sarbanes, who spearheaded the Maryland Congressional delegation letter to the Office of Management and Budget. "This will be a shot in the arm in maintaining our competitiveness for federal dollars for critically needed programs."

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) designates Metropolitan Statistical Areas every 10 years using population and commuting data from the Census. Based on 2000 Census data, the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is the fourth largest in the country. If separated, Washington would have been eighth but Baltimore would have fallen to close to 20th. The Baltimore-Washington Combined Statistical Area includes all but six counties in Maryland. It also includes counties in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Senators Mikulski and Sarbanes sent a letter, signed by the entire Maryland Congressional delegation, to the OMB Director urging his support for the continued designation of the Baltimore-Washington region as a Combined Statistical Area (see attached). Senator Mikulski also successfully pushed for the linking of the Baltimore and Washington regions in 1990, the first year the areas were combined.

Metropolitan Statistical Areas have at least one urbanized area of 50,000 people or more. Several federal agencies base their spending on whether a community is in or out of a metropolitan area. These statistical designations determine the criteria for things like Medicaid reimbursement rates and Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grants.

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