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Hosted Returning Citizens Roundtable



Earlier this year, I introduced the Restoring Education and Learning (REAL) Act, which would reinstate Federal Pell Grant eligibility for individuals incarcerated in Federal and State penal institutions. That is why I hosted a Returning Citizens Roundtable, a meeting with business, legislative, administrative, and non-profit stakeholders to hear about employment initiatives and training programs available for previously incarcerated individuals.


Each year thousands of Marylanders leave prison and seek a second chance to be productive members of our communities. This meeting was about bringing together different groups from local, state, and national agencies and organizations so we can ensure that these individuals have every opportunity to be successful.

I was joined by representatives from the Department of Labor, Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Prince George’s County Health Department, Prince George's County Department of Corrections, and the Office of the Sheriff, Prince George's County.

Reintroduced the S.O.S. Act to Curb the Overdose Epidemic

Last month I reintroduced the Stop Overdose Stat (S.O.S.) Act in conjunction with Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and with the support of 25 of my colleagues in the House. The Act will establish a grant program that funds efforts to educate and train the public, first responders, and caregivers of those at risk of overdose on how to administer naloxone, a drug that reverses the effects of heroin and opioid overdoses until proper medical care can be provided.

Since I first introduced this bill in 2009, nearly 140,000 Americans have died from opioid-related causes, including more than 4,000 from my home state of Maryland. While I remain encouraged by the Obama Administration’s priority of expanding naloxone access across our nation, it is Congress’s role to appropriate funding. I thank Sen. Reed for leading this effort on the Senate side, showing our fellow lawmakers that we have a responsibility to fund programs that make a real difference in treating and preventing overdose, and ultimately saving lives. And while I understand that there is much work to be done in order to address substance abuse before it gets to the point of overdose, each year hundreds of Maryland families and tens of thousands of American families need immediate assistance.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report credits overdose prevention programs with training more than 150,000 potential bystanders who successfully reversed more than 26,000 overdoses using naloxone and other rescue techniques. The medical community and the CDC support efforts to expand overdose prevention programs. A recent New York Times article highlights the effectiveness of naloxone in reviving people who have overdosed. However, as it stands, our nation’s drug overdose epidemic is only getting worse.

Leading Effort that Calls for Greater Transparency in Political Spending

As the Chair of the House Democracy for All Task Force, I led the effort with Reps. Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18), Michael E. Capuano (MA-7), and Steve Israel (NY-3) and 104 of our fellow House Members to send a letter urging President Obama to issue an Executive Order requiring companies that do business with the federal government to fully disclose their political contributions. As we enter what is expected to be our nation’s most expensive election cycle ever, the American people deserve to know whether companies doing business with the federal government are making political contributions and who is receiving them.

Disclosure is both an important educational tool for the American voter to use before going to the ballot box, and it helps to ensure transparency in our electoral system. We encourage President Obama to take this action and provide voters with another tool to help them make the most informed decision possible. I thank Reps. Eshoo, Capuano, and Israel for their leadership on this issue, and the dozens of Members who signed onto this important letter. I was happy to see Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse lead 25 of his Senate colleagues in this bi-cameral effort as well.

To read the letter, please click here.

To read a recent New York Times editorial on this issue, please click here.

Once Again, Supreme Court Upholds the Affordable Care Act

The ruling by the Supreme Court in King v. Burwell is a victory for the American people. The Court affirmed, under the Affordable Care Act, the ability to provide subsidies through the federal government’s health care exchange. As a longtime advocate for health care reform, I am grateful that the Court correctly interpreted Congress’s intention of making health insurance for millions of Americans affordable with subsidies through both the state-run and federal exchanges.

With the Supreme Court once again upholding the legitimacy of the ACA, it is long overdue for us to stop wasting time and resources fighting these old political battles. We must instead work together and focus on addressing the challenges ahead, including ensuring long-term transportation funding, ensuring college affordability and reducing student debt, and providing quality, affordable child care.

Applauding Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges Decision

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges is an historic affirmation that the fundamental principles of justice, fairness, and equality afforded to every American unequivocally apply to same-sex couples. Same-sex couples and their families deserve to be treated equally under the law, and now have the ability to take advantage of the full array of benefits afforded by the institution of marriage.

I am pleased that this ruling stands in accord with Maryland law and ensures that legal marriage across America is available to everyone, no matter who they love.



Held Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Roundtable


I recently hosted a Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Roundtable discussion at Suitland High School with representatives from federal and local government, the National Football League, higher education, nonprofits, the faith community, and civic and health organizations. With over thirty years of experience working on issues of domestic violence, it was important to bring together stakeholders from across the spectrum to see how our efforts can be strengthened and broadened to fight this epidemic. Domestic violence and sexual assault are multi-faceted issues that are impacting communities in Maryland and across the country regardless of age, religion, ethnicity, immigration status, race, income level, or education. Despite years of progress, a great deal of work remains to be done because of the complexity of these issues.

Over the course of the conversation, I heard several themes emerge: the importance of teaching healthy relationships beginning at an early age, increasing awareness by helping the public recognize what abuse looks like, tailoring types of services and access to the specific needs of victims, and ensuring that funding is available to provide the resources to meet the need in communities. I am grateful to everyone who participated in making today’s event so comprehensive and informative. I look forward to continuing to work with these allies in the hope that one day we will end the threat of domestic violence and sexual assault once and for all.

Hosted My 6th Annual Nonprofit Forum

I hosted my 6th Annual Nonprofit Forum, this year at Severna Park High School. More than one hundred attendees from across Maryland’s nonprofit community heard from nonprofit, government, foundation, and corporate leaders with diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds to develop winning strategies to strengthen lives and communities. The breakout sessions included: starting a new nonprofit, capacity building through shared services, marketing strategies, and developing and building relationships with federal agencies. For additional information on these types of resources, please call my Prince George’s County District Office at (301) 516-7601.


Participated in CBC and JEC Field Hearing in Baltimore

I joined my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus and the Joint Economic Committee for a field hearing in Baltimore on “The American Dream on Hold: Economic Challenges in the African American Community.” It was a wide-ranging discussion, and we heard from numerous panelists and thought leaders. With my line of questioning, I focused on the importance of education to close the skills gap, and reiterated that by reducing the incarceration rate we can repurpose those federal funds for other programs. I hope we can build on these discussions by taking legislative action in the very near future.

Co-Hosted ‘Black Women Matter’ Briefing


I co-hosted an educational briefing with the National Women’s Law Center to highlight the role of African American women in our nation’s economy. The briefing centered on a newly-released report by the Institute for Policy Studies, “And Still I Rise: Black Women Labor Leaders’ Voices, Power, and Promise.” It was a wonderful discussion and I believe many attendees left feeling empowered and encouraged. I thank everyone involved for helping organize such a great event.

Highlighting “Bring Back Our Girls” Campaign


I continue to join with my Congressional colleagues in the “Bring Back Our Girls” campaign, calling for the release of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram.




What:

Coffee Conversation

When:

August 18, 2015
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Where:

Gwendolyn Britt Senior Activity Center
4009 Wallace Rd
North Brentwood, MD 20722

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What:

Women's Small Business Roundtable

When:

August 20, 2015
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Where:

First Baptist Church of Glenarden
3600 Brightseat Rd
Hyattsville, MD 20785

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What:

Job Fair

When:

September 9, 2015
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Where:

Prince George’s County Sports & Learning Complex Field House
8001 Sheriff Road
Landover, MD 20785

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Sincerely,

Donna

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Washington, D.C. Office
2445 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-8699 main
202-225-8714 fax

Prince George's County Office
5001 Silver Hill Road, Suite 106
Suitland, Maryland 20746
301-516-7601 main
301-516-7608 fax

Anne Arundel County Office
877 Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard
Ritchie Court Office Building, Unit 101
Severna Park, MD 21146
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